17 '

treatise has a particular name. • in the Mizan, which
is reputed among the naskhs, it is stated, that the
materials of the world existed from the very begin-
ning, which signifies from the first appearance of
afrdd, " rudimental units (monades?)/' which are
primordial, that is to say, the root of the before-said
state, until the time when these rudimental units,
tempered together, became vegetables; thence rose
animals, which are called dabtah ul ares, " the rep-
" tiles of the world.'7 Thus it existed until man was
formed. The first mentioned state might have
extended to sixteen thousand years ; so that eight
thousand years of the said number may be the period
of Arabia, which is the superior, and eight thousand
years the period of Ajerii (Persia), which is the infe-
rior period. In the sequel, when the said world,
which is the era of the first mentioned rudimental
units, had been so constituted as to admit the form-
ation of man; then the duration of life, comprising
the period of man, was to be also sixteen thousand
years; of which eight thousand years should revolve
for eight perfect prophets of Arabia, and other eight
thousand years for eight perfect teachers of Ajem.
Further, when the cycle of the two formations shall
be completed, then the turn of the fundamental units
is to reappear. After twice the said eight thousand,
that is, sixteen thousand years, according to simple
computation, when a perfect cycle of mankind and