The Luzumiyat · Chapter
XLVII explained
The chapter reflects on the nature of human existence as mere utterances of Time, repeated by God for comprehension, suggesting a deterministic and ephemeral view of life.
What happens
The chapter reflects on the nature of human existence as mere utterances of Time, repeated by God for comprehension, suggesting a deterministic and ephemeral view of life.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Themes in this chapter
- Mortality and Transience
The chapter portrays humans as fleeting words fallen from Time, emphasizing the transient and ephemeral nature of existence.
- Fate and Destiny
The idea that humans are words repeated by God suggests a predetermined, fated role in the cosmic order.
Key passages
“I heard it whispered in the cryptic streets Where every sage the same dumb shadow meets: “We are but words fallen from the lips of Time Which God, that we might understand, repeats.””
In the mysterious alleys, where all wise figures encounter the same silent fate, a rumor circulates: we are merely utterances dropped by Time, which God echoes so we can grasp our own meaning.
This quatrain encapsulates the chapter's core theme of human insignificance and divine repetition.
