📘 Nūn. By the Pen and what they inscribe. Nūn is one of the letters of the alphabet. The alphabet's letters are the roots of words, the connec- tors of phrases, and the separators of verses. All indicate generosity and bounty, some in brief and some in detail. They allude to gentleness, the good news of love, expiation of offenses, and the plundering of the hearts of the friends. They are the foundation of words and the adornment of speakers. Understanding them is the mark of those who conform. They are burdens on the neck of the enemies and thorns in the eyes of the innovators. It is the belief of the faithful that these letters are the speech of the Lord of the world. He is a Lord who has knowledge and power. His knowledge is without reflective thought and His power without tools. His kingship is without end, His solicitude without bribery, His bestowal without obligation. He is a Lord who is the artisan of the universe and the protector of creation, the keeper of enemies and the companion of friends. He is in everyone's eyes through artisanry and settled down in the hearts of His lovers, the hard cash of every hope and enough for every assurance. Though the servant be heavily burdened by offenses, He is clement and forbearing. The Pir of the Tariqah said in his whispered prayers, “O God, no matter how sinful we are, You are forgiving. No matter how ugly our deeds, You are the concealer. O King, You have the treasure of bounty, without equal or help. It is worthy that You pass over our disloyal acts.” Nūn. By the Pen. Nūn is the inkwell, and the Pen is a pen of light. The writer is the Forgiving Lord. He wrote with the Pen in the emerald Tablet, He wrote with the ink of light, He wrote on the notebook of carnelian, He wrote the story and the deeds of the created things. He wrote the heart of the recognizer with the Pen of generosity, He wrote with the ink of bounty, He wrote on the notebook of gentleness, He wrote the attribute and description of the honorable: He wrote faith in their hearts [58:22]. He wrote in the Tablet, and He wrote it all for you.

📘 (And lo! thou art of a tremendous nature) [68:4]. Abu Bakr al-Harithi informed us> �Abd Allah ibn Muhammad ibn Muhammad ibn Hayyan> Ahmad ibn Ja�far> ibn Nasr al-Jamal> Jarir ibn Yahya> Husayn ibn �Ulwan al-Kufi> Hisham ibn �Urwah> his father> �A�ishah who said: �No one had a better character than the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace. Never did anyone among his Companions, or household, call him except that he said: �I am at your service!� this is why Allah, glorious and majestic is He, revealed (And lo! thou art of a tremendous nature)�.

📘 (And lo! those who disbelieve would fain disconcert thee�) [68:51]. This verse was revealed when the disbelievers wanted to give the evil eye to the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace. Some people from the Quraysh looked once at him and said: �We have never seen anyone like him or like his proofs�. The Banu Asad were renowned for their evil eye. A fat camel or cow would pass by one of them and, after giving it the evil eye, he would say to his slave-girl: �O girl, take a large basket and a silver coin and bring us some of the meat of this!� The camel or cow would fall dead straight after that and would then be hamstrung. Said al-Kalbi: �There was a man from the Arabs who used to abstain from food for two or three days and then raise part of his tent, upon the passing by of cattle, and say: �There are no grazing camels or sheep today better than these�, and the cattle would not proceed far before some of them would fall dead. The disbelievers requested this man to give the evil eye to the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, but Allah, exalted is He, protected His Prophet and revealed this verse�.