The mundane forms find their reflection in the outward...

The mundane forms find their reflection in the outward senses and some of the inner cognitive faculties such as khayal and wahm (imagination). The hereafterly forms find their reflection in the inward intellect and the inner core ( sirr ) of the heart.

Should the worldly aspect of the heart preponderate and its attention be wholly absorbed by the pursuit of the mundane, becoming its sole concern, the hidden side of khayal becomes attuned to the realm of lower malakut ( malakut al-sufla ) which is the dark reflected image of the world of mulk and corporeal nature (in the realm of malakut )-the realm of the jinn, devils and evil spirits.

The suggestions induced in it due to this attunement (with the realm of lower malakut ) are satanic insinuations, which are the source of baseless thoughts and unwholesome imaginings. The soul develops an eagerness for these unfounded fancies due to its absorption with the mundane, and its will and faculty of decision-making, also, become subject to them.

As a result, all one’s spiritual and bodily conduct becomes satanic in character, as is the case with waswas , doubt, uncertainty, unfounded thoughts, and hallucinations. As the will in its bodily activity becomes attuned to them, bodily actions too assume the character of the inward forms; for one’s acts are the image of one’s will, which in turn is the image of one’s thoughts, which are a reflection of the heart’s orientation.

Hence, when the heart be oriented toward the satanic realm, the suggestions it receives are of a satanic character, involving compound ignorance. As a result, waswas , doubt, shirk and ambiguities emerge from the inner core of one’s being and pervade to the domain of the body.

In accordance with the same analogy, if the heart be oriented toward the pursuit of the Hereafter and the higher truths, its attention is directed towards the world of ghayb and it acquires an attunement with the higher malakut , the realm of the angels and blessed and pure spirits, which is a luminous image of the world of nature.

The knowledge imparted to it, then, is of a divine and angelic character, as constituted by true doctrine, and its thoughts are induced by divine inspiration, being free from the contamination of doubt and shirk. As a result, a state of stability and bliss is created within the soul.