Afterwards the philosopher addressed the assembly: “Know for certain that the perfect prophet and learned apostle, the possessor of fame, _Akbar_, that is, the lord of wisdom, directs us to acknowledge that the self-existent being is the wisest teacher, and ordains the creatures with absolute power, so that the intelligent among them may be able to understand his precepts; and as reason renders it evident that the world has a Creator, all-mighty and all-wise, who has diffused upon the field of events among the servants, subject to vicissitudes, numerous and various benefits which are worthy of praise and thanksgiving; therefore, according to the lights of our reason, let us investigate the mysteries of his creation, and, according to our knowledge, pour out the praises of his benefits; and as, by the knowledge of the primordial omnipotence, we shall have found the direction to the right way, we shall, in proportion to our gratitude, be led to the reward of yon exuberant beatitude; if, by denying the unity and disowning the benefits of God we sink into guilt, shall we not be deserving of punishment? Such being the case, why should we pay obedience to any person who belongs to mankind as ourselves, and who is subject to anger and lust, and avarice and passion, and love of rank and power, even more than ourselves? If this mortal exhorts us to knowledge and gratitude, we may by the concurrence of our own reason obtain this advantage; but if he urges his precepts by what is opposite to reason, then his speech is a proof of deceit; for reason demonstrates that the world has a wise creator, and that he, being wise, prescribes to the creatures a worship which to their reason does not evince itself as an evil; and whatever is proved bad, is not ordered by him. Now the law contains particulars which reason accounts as false or bad: such are conversations with God; the descent of incorporeal heavenly beings in human forms or in the shape of a tortoise; the reascension to heaven in an elemental body; the pilgrimage to particular edifices for performance of worship; the circuit (round the Kába), the entrance in it, the fatigue, the throwing of stones;[60] the acquitting one’s self of the pilgrimage to Mecca; the kissing of the black stone. If it be said that, without a visible medium, it is impossible to worship the all-mighty Creator, and that a place for the sake of connexion is to be fixed, it may be answered, that one who offers praises and thanks to God, has no need of a medium and of a place; and if a fixed place were to be admitted, the forms of the stars above would be preferable. If it be objected, that this cannot be free from the detestable suspicion of paganism, whilst, certainly, a place among others having been fixed, which place, by distinction from them all, presents itself to them as particular, a predilection for it appeared proper. In like manner, after a computation of dimensions, geometricians and mathematicians