matter or at every rank. Such men seek precedence only in the degree of knowledge of Allah; that is their goal. As for events in the created world, their thoughts are not concerned with them. Thus, what we have mentioned is established.

The Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—likened prophethood to a brick wall, complete except for the space of a single brick, and the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—was that brick. Yet he—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—sees it only, as he said, as a single brick.

As for the Seal of the Saints, he must have this vision. He sees what the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—depicted, but sees spaces for two bricks in the wall, whose bricks are of gold and silver. He sees the two bricks that the wall lacks and through which it becomes complete: a gold brick and a silver brick. He must see himself impressed into the spaces of those two bricks. Thus, the Seal of the Saints is those two bricks, and the wall becomes complete.

The reason he necessarily sees two bricks is that, outwardly, he follows the revealed law of the Seal of the Messengers—may Allah bless him and grant him peace. This corresponds to the place of the silver brick: his outward aspect and the rulings in which he follows the Messenger. At the same time, inwardly, he receives from Allah Most High the very thing in which he outwardly follows the Messenger. Since he has seen the matter as it truly is, he must see it in this way. This corresponds inwardly to the place of the gold brick, for he was drawn from the source from which the angel through whom revelation is conveyed to the Messenger draws.

If you understand what I have indicated, you have attained beneficial knowledge. Every prophet, from Adam to the last prophet, receives only through the lamp-niche of the Seal of the Prophets, even though his clay came into existence later