Did the world come about by chance or through creation? This book, attributed to the ninth-century Arab author al-Jahiz, discusses the evidence of God's design in the universe. Looking at the world around us and mankind's place in it, he argues that the design, harmony and wisdom in the natural world show that the world was created consciously. In answer to those who say that all things came about by chance, he argues that the ecosystem is playing out a divine plan. In his innovative approach he was centuries ahead of most other thinkers, and the modern reader will appreciate his holistic approach.