p1

^Picatrix)»-
happiness. Do not be one of those addressed by Al-Mutanabbi 22
who says, "I have not seen a worse shortcoming like the
shortcoming of those who are capable of achieving excellence
but fail to do so".
The ranks of being have a certain order which I will explain
to you to exercise your mind and enlighten your vision. So be
with me, listen, and learn: the principle is first, then the element,
then the Elemental, then the primordial, then the image, then the
nature, then the body, then al-Nami (the growing), then the
animal, then the human being, then the man, then the obscure,
and then the known. The principle is more general than the
element and its category because it does not conform to the
essence or to the accidental characteristics; the element does not
conform to the essence; the element is more general than the
Elemental because the element is an essence without
qualification, but if it accepts qualification, it becomes an
Elemental. The Elemental is more general than the primordial
because it is a particular essence which accepts qualification.
The primordial is the collection of the Elementals because it
accepts to have an image. The primordial is more general than
the image because, before the primordial accepts to have an
image, it is primitive, but if it accepts to have an image, then this
image becomes similar to the image of the primordial copper as
related to the image of a kettle, and as the primordial of wood as
related to the image of a chair, and if it accepts motion, stillness,
and accepts force to be mixed with it, it will be considered a
nature. If the characteristics are combined and it accepts color,
growth, or spirit, then it becomes a body. A body is either
growing or not growing, and the growing is either an animal or
not an animal. The animal is either a human being or not a
human being, and the human being either a man or not a man.
22 Diwan Al-Mutanabbi, Cairo 1308 II373
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