Who is it that made the earth a settledness, made rivers in its midst, made for it firm mountains, and made a barrier between the two oceans? Is there a god along with God? No, but most of them know not. The souls of the worshipers are where their obedience settles, the hearts of the recognizers are where their recognition settles, the spirits of the finders are where their love settles, and the secret cores of the tawḤīd-voicers are where their contemplation settles. In their spirits are the rivers of union and the springs of proximity. Thereby the thirst of their yearning and the agitation of their burning are quenched. Made for it firm mountains, namely the Substitutes, the friends, and the Pegs. Through them He continually holds fast to the earth and through their blessings trials are repelled from the creatures. It has also been said that the firm mountains are the ones who guide those who ask for directions to the Lord of the Worlds. Who is it that made the earth a settledness: Who is it that brought the earth of the submission under the feet of the tawḤīd of the tawḤīd-voicers? Made rivers in its midst: Who is it that made the springs of wisdom appear in the hearts of the recognizers? Made for it firm mountains: Who is it that built the fortresses of recognition in the secret cores of the friends? Made a barrier between the two oceans: Who is it that set up the clouds of going straight between the oceans of fear and hope? Is there a god along with God? Do you know of another god who did this? Do you know of another object of worship who made all this? It has also been said that made a barrier between the two oceans means between the heart and the soul, so that neither will overpower its companion. In the human makeup, there are both the Kaabah of the heart and the tavern of the soul, two opposite substances joined in creation and separate in path, each open toward the other, but between the two God's power has placed a barrier. Whenever the commanding soul raids the heart's pavilion, the afflicted heart goes to the Exalted Threshold to complain, and from the gardens of Eternity the robe of the gaze reaches it.
