Harun al-Rashid...

Harun al-Rashid, an `Abbasid ruler, once addressed his son: “If you compete with me for the power, I’ll issue an order to behead you.” S So, it’s the desire that kills the innate nature. F No, it doesn’t kill nature, but impairs it. Nature never dies. S So, how can we re-activate its power? F By giving it a shock. S That was exactly what you have done with me, wasn’t it? F Yes, son. S Well-done Dad! F Good for you, son. You have successfully passed the test.

Your mother was worried about you but I wasn’t. I had confidence in your pure nature, you know. S Did Mom know about it? F Yes, I let her know, in order not to spoil the plan, I mean... to help me with it. S Oh! So, you involved her in order not to spoil the plan... you mean to help you. Do you think both of these sentences have the same meaning? F Son, you know she is a mother and she is full of kindness and mercy for her son.

Thus, it was not easy for her at all to see you in that situation without disclosing the secret. S Well Dad, let’s go back to the main subject, I mean our discussion about conscientious reasoning of God’s existence or the innate reasoning. I have a question for you. F Go ahead. S Who taught you how to perform such a plan to awaken my static nature and allow me to live the conscientious experience? F Who taught me? Don’t you know that knowledge and delivering of knowledge is a blessing?

S Quite true. F “And ye have no good thing but is from Allah” S God be praised! F Isn’t it true that having knowledge comes after the fact that one didn’t know anything before? S Yes. F “ Taught man that which he knew not ” S So, it was God that showed you how to awaken the static nature through shock. But how did God show you that? F “ Verify this Qur’an guides to that which is most right (or stable) ” S Oh, now I understand. There is a verse.

I guess it’s from the Meccan[^2] chapter, narrating an experience about sailing in the sea while the climate was good. Then the ship reached the high seas where tempest raged and waves were overwhelming. The passengers were terrified and looked for someone to save them from an inevitable death. With all the anguish, they turned to God and God saved them... Glory to God... this is the same experience that I went through yesterday, but instead of a real sea it was a sea of doubt.

F I didn’t wish to throw you in a real sea. I have not been told to do so. S Is it rational that you have been instructed to do so? F Why not?