A HIDDEN TREASURE A HIDDEN TREASURE The Eternal Treasure lay hidden in the endless void, a realm of utter absence, only His Light existed, a beacon of pure, unadulterated beauty, a silent symphony of existence. A canvas of absolute nothingness where space possessed no structure, and time, that relentless river, had not yet begun to flow. His Light contained all potential, all possibility, a universe waiting to be born within its incandescent heart. He decreed that His Holy presence, thus far unseen and unknown, should be revealed, should manifest in a glory that would ripple across the void and bring forth something from the nothing. And so began the ripple, the most profound act of creation the cosmos would ever witness. A timeless Treasure, the very blueprint of existence, He held within Himself. With meticulous formation, He began to unveil His Glory, to weave the tapestry of creation with threads of light and thought. Whatever His pure Heart willed, His Mind would unfurl like petals of a cosmic flower slowly blooming. He envisioned nebulae painted across the void with fiery hues, and they appeared. He imagined galaxies spiraling in majestic dances, and they began to swirl, each a unique ballet of starlight and dust. He spoke, and the skies appeared, vast and boundless, a canvas upon which His artistry would be forever displayed. He commanded, and gravity, the invisible architect, began to shape the nascent universe, pulling matter together, forging stars in the furnaces of creation. He formed the stars, each a sun in its own right, each a source of warmth and light in the growing cosmos. Endless worlds appeared, some barren and desolate, others teeming with potential, each a unique experiment in the grand cosmic laboratory. Then, He focused His attention on a singular blue and green sphere. A beautiful Earth bloomed, a jewel in the vast expanse, created to be revered, to be a cradle of life, a testament to His boundless creativity and love. He sculpted its mountains, carved its valleys, filled its oceans, and breathed life into its very core. All of this, with the simple command, “Let it be!” A testament to His absolute power, His divine authority, a power that flowed from the depth of His being, shaping reality with effortless grace. And finally, He created beings to inhabit this magnificent creation. Not just one kind, but three: Angels, jinn, and Humankind. The Angels, beings of pure Light and unwavering devotion, were the first. He crafted them from the very essence of His being, imbuing them with celestial grace and assigning them roles as guardians, messengers, and servants of His will. They were to be His eyes and ears throughout the cosmos, witnessing His glory and upholding His divine order. They existed in the higher realms, their forms shimmering and ethereal, their voices a chorus of eternal praise. Next came the Jinns, beings of smokeless fire gifted with free will and the power to traverse the unseen realms. They were a race of enigmatic creatures, capable of both great good and profound mischief. He gave them dominion over the hidden corners of the world, the places where shadows danced and secrets whispered. He knew that the gift of free will came with the potential for deviation, but He trusted in His wisdom, knowing that even in the face of darkness, the light could still prevail. Finally, He created humankind, beings of flesh and blood, born of the Earth itself. He breathed into them a spark of His own divine essence, giving them the capacity for reason, for love, and for creativity. He placed them on Earth, entrusting them with its care and stewardship, inviting them to cultivate its beauty and to build a civilization worthy of His creation. He gave them free will, a gift and a burden, the freedom to choose their path, to follow their own hearts, to create their destiny. He knew that this freedom came with the potential for both immense joy and profound sorrow, for acts of great kindness and deeds of unspeakable cruelty. But He believed in them, in their capacity for good, in their potential to reflect His divine attributes. He watched as the Angels sang His praises, as the Jinns explored the hidden realms, as humankind walked upon the Earth, their footsteps echoing through the newly formed world. He saw their triumphs and their failures, their moments of grace and their acts of transgression. He knew that the path ahead would be long and winding, filled with challenges and temptations. He knew that the darkness would always be present, lurking in the shadows, seeking to corrupt and to destroy. But He also knew that the light within each of His creations was strong, capable of pushing back the darkness and illuminating the way forward. He did not interfere, not directly. He guided them, whispered words of wisdom, and offered opportunities for redemption. But ultimately, the choice was theirs. The fate of the cosmos rested in the hands of the beings He had created: the Angels, the jinn, and humankind. The Eternal Treasure, once hidden in the endless void, was now manifest in the boundless universe, a testament to His boundless creativity and love. He had shown His Glory, contrived all creation, and entrusted it to the care of His servants. The story had only just begun, and the ending, like the universe itself, was yet to be written. It is a story of free will, of choice, of the eternal struggle between good and evil, a story that would unfold across the vast expanse of time and space, a story that would ultimately reveal the true nature of the Eternal Treasure and the depth of His unwavering love for all that He had created. The Light, which had birthed everything, continues to shine and still creating, an eternal beacon of hope in the ever-expanding cosmos. ©Habib Dabajeh