Second gleam: Look at this garden of the universe, this orchard of Earth. Notice the heavens’ beautiful face, gilded with stars. Each creature scattered and spread out in them bears a stamp unique to the Maker, the Creator of all things. Each species bears illustrious and inimitable seals, all of which belong to the All‑Majestic Maker, the All‑Beautiful Creator, that are “written” on the pages of night and day, spring and summer, and published by Divine Power’s Pen. I will mention only a few as examples.

Consider the stamp He placed on life: He makes everything out of one thing and one thing out of many things. He makes the countless members and systems of an animal’s body out of fertilizing sperm‑bearing fluid and also out of simple drinking water. To make everything out of one thing is surely the work of an Absolutely All‑Powerful One. Also, One Who transforms with perfect orderliness all substances contained in innumerable kinds of vegetable or animal food into particular bodies, weaving from them a unique skin for each and various bodily members, is surely an All‑Powerful and Absolutely All‑Knowing One.[1]

The Creator of life and death administers life in this workshop of the world according to His Wisdom. He uses such a miraculous law issuing from the sphere (realm) of His Creative Commands, that to execute and enforce it is a function unique to Him Who holds the universe in the grasp of His administrative Power and absolutely unconditioned authority. Thus, if you can reason and have a heart that “sees,” you will understand that producing everything from one thing with perfect ease and order, and skillfully making many things into one thing with perfect harmony and orderliness, is a stamp unique to the Maker, the Creator of everything.

If you see that, together with weaving 100 rolls of broadcloth and other materials like silk and linen from one dram of cotton, a wonder‑working one also makes many foods from it like helva and pastries; and if you see that he skillfully makes gold out of iron and stone, honey and butter, water and soil, which he holds in his hand, you will conclude that he has a special art, a particular way of working, and that all earthly elements and substances are subjugated to his command and authority. Truly, the manifestation of the Divine Power and Wisdom in living forms is far more wonderful and amazing than this example. This is only one out of many stamps on living forms.

[1] 1Countless beings eat the same kinds of food and are composed of the same elements, and yet each one has a unique face, fingerprints, character, ambitions, feelings, and so on. This is irrefutable proof of the Existence and Unity of an All-Knowing and All-Powerful Creator Who has absolute Will and can do whatever He pleases in whatever way He wills. (Tr.)