their taking on the form of intercessors for me, a further veil was unfolded in my imagination. I saw that the World of Islam had assumed the form of a huge mosque, with Mecca and the Ka‘ba as the mihrab. The rows of all the Muslims performing the prayers were in circles facing the sacred mihrab. Saying like me “You alone do we worship and from You alone do we seek help * Guide us...” each was both supplicating in the name of all, and testifying, and affirming it; also making all the others intercessors for himself. Then, when thinking: “What such a vast community claims could not be wrong and its supplications would not be rejected; it repulses Satanic doubts,” and when affirming the vast, self-evident benefits of performing the prayers in congregation, another veil was unfolded. I saw that the universe and all the varieties of creatures were as though performing the prayers through the tongues of their beings and worshipping in a way particular to each. Responding with extensive worship to the all-embracing dominicality of the Glorious All-Worshipped One, each group affirmed the testimonies and affirmation of Divine unity of all the others. While observing that this was the case since they all take up positions proving the same result, yet another veil was unfolded. I saw that just as the universe, the macroanthropos, exclaims: “You alone do we worship and from You alone do we seek help” with the tongue of disposition, and numerous of its parts declare it through the tongue of capacity and innate need, and conscious beings say it verbally, all thus displaying their worship before the Creator’s compassionate dominicality; in just the same way, through the silent tongue of need and submission to their Creator’s dominicality, all the particles, powers, and senses of my body, like those of all my companions in that vast congregation, each resembling a tiny universe, declared: “You alone do we worship and from You alone do we seek help.” In this way they showed that they were acting in accordance with the Divine will and command and were at every instant in need of their Creator’s grace and mercy and assistance. And just as entering through the door of the Nun, I had observed in wonderment both the sacred mystery of performing the prayers in congregation and the beautiful miracle of the Nun, so I went out from it. “All praise be to God!”, I exclaimed. Thereafter I became accustomed to reciting the verse, You alone do we worship and from You alone do we seek help on account of those three congregations and those companions, great and small.
Now we have completed the introduction and come to our main topic, and a brief indication of the proof alluded to by You alone do we worship and from You alone do we seek help:
Firstly: We see with our own eyes that in the universe and especially