rnments could

never　function　on　virtue　alone；　for　in　our　world　evil　is　as　necessary　as　virtue

and　sin　as　necessary　as　rectitude。　Given　that　I　am　to　thank　for　the　genesis　of

Allah’s　worldly　order—with　His　permission　no　less　（why　else　would　He　allow

me　to　live　until　Judgment　Day？）—to　be　branded　“evil”　and　never　be　granted

my　due　is　my　hidden　troment。　Men　like　the　mystic　Mansur；　the　wool　carder；

or　the　famous　Imam　Gazzali’s　younger　brother　Ahmet　Gazzali；　have　taken　this

line　of　reasoning　so　far　as　to　conclude　in　their　writings　that　if　the　sins　I　caused

are　actually　mitted　through　God’s　permission　and　will；　then　they　are　what

God desires； furthermore； they maintain that good and evil do not exist

because　everything　emerges　from　God；　and　even　I　am　a　part　of　Him。

Some　of　these　mindless　men　have　quite　appropriately　been　burned　to　death

with　their　books。　Of　course；　good　and　evil　do　exist；　and　the　responsibility　for

drawing　a　line　between　the　two　falls　to　each　of　us。　I　am　not　Allah；　God　forbid；

and I was not the one who planted such absurdities into the heads of these

dimwits；　they　came　up　with　it　all　by　themselves。

This　brings　me　to　my　second　plaint：　I　am　not　the　source　of　all　the　evil

and　sin　in　the　world。　Many　people　sin　out　of　their　own　blind　ambition；　lust；

lack　of　willpower；　baseness；　and　most　often；　out　of　their　own　idiocy　without

any instigation； deception or temptation on my part。 However absurd the

efforts　of　certain　learned　mystics　to　absolve　me　of　any　evil　might　be；　so　too　is

the assumption that I am the source of all of it； which also contradicts the

Glorious　Koran。