Another prominent feature of the book is the frequency with which it draws parallels between the inner and the outer worlds, particularly with references to processes of growth and development i.e. seed, tree, branch, fruit; the emergence of the hen from the egg. Dāya says in his commentary of the Qur'an, "Verily all that God created in the world of form has its like in the world of meaning; all that He created in the world of meaning- this being the hereafter- has its true essence in the world of reality, which is the uttermost unseen. Know too that of all that God created in all the worlds, a specimen and sample is present in man." It follows, then, that inner and unseen processes may be accurately described in terms of their outer counterparts. The literary importance of the Merṣād is considerable: it ranks among the masterpieces of Persian literature, and certain sections – particularly the narrative of the creation and appointment of Adam – bear comparison with the best prose written in Persian. Dāya's choice of illustrative verses- both those of his own composition and those of his predecessors -is judicious, and makes of his work an incidental anthology of Sufi poetry, particularly quatrains.The Merṣād was translated into Chinese by Wu Zixian in approximately 1660 and was taught in Chinese Muslim schools up until the early twentieth century. Chapters First Part First Chapter: The Utility of Composing This Work Second Chapter: The Reason for Writing the Book Third Chapter: The Manner and Method the Book is Written Second Part First Chapter: The Creation of Spirits and the Degrees of Knowledge Second Chapter: The World Of Dominion Third Chapter: The Different Realms of Kingship and Dominion Fourth Chapter: The Creation of the Human Frame Fifth Chapter: The Attachment of the Spirit to the Frame Third Part First Chapter: The Veils That Cover the Human Spirit Second Chapter: The Wise Purpose for Attachment of the Spirit to the Frame Third Chapter: The Need for Prophets Fourth Chapter: The Abrogation of Previous Religions Fifth Chapter: The Cultivation of the Human Frame Sixth Chapter: The Refinement of the Soul Seventh Chapter: The Purification of the Heart Eight Chapter: The Adornment of the Spirit Ninth Chapter: The Need for a Shaikh Tenth Chapter: The Conditions and Attributes of the Shaikh Eleventh Chapter: The Conditions, Attributes, and Customs of the Morīd Twelfth Chapter: The Need