BİRİNCİ FEN · BİRİNCİ BÂB · BİRİNCİ FASIL · Birinci Madde
**Article One**
This passage describes the order and arrangement in the emergence of intellects, souls, and spheres (falaks), indicating four qualities derived from the four fundamental elements.
Know, esteemed one, that philosophers have stated: The Most High (Hak Ta'ala) first created the Universal Intellect (Kulli Aql) before all things. This is called the First Intellect or the First Essence.
The Most High granted this First Intellect three capacities: to know the Divine, to recognize the self, and to be aware of its neediness. This last capacity signifies awareness of one's dependence on their Lord (Mevla). From each of these three capacities of the Universal Intellect, a distinct entity arises, for everything emerges from One.
From knowing the Divine, an intellect arose, which is called the Second Intellect. From recognizing the self, a soul emerged, which is called the Universal Soul (Kulli Nafs). From the awareness of neediness, a body arose, which they call the greatest sphere, the zodiacal sphere, the sphere of spheres, the limit of directions, and the Universal Body. The intellect of this sphere is the Second Intellect; its soul is the Universal Soul.
From the Second Intellect also emerged these three capacities: from knowing the Divine, a Third Intellect; from recognizing the self, a Second Soul; and from being aware of neediness, a Second Sphere. This latter is also called the sphere of constellations and fixed stars. The intellect of this sphere is the Third Intellect; its soul is the Second Soul. From the Third Intellect emerged the aforementioned three capacities, and in accordance with this order, another intellect, another soul, and another body arose, continuing until nine stages have been reached: from the First Intellect, nine intellects, nine souls, and nine spheres have come into being. These nine intellects are the intellects of the spheres. The nine souls are the souls of the spheres.
Each of these nine spheres possesses an intellect, a soul, and a body. However, within the greatest sphere is a simple body, vast and encompassing all other spheres. Within it lies the sphere of constellations, containing all the fixed stars. Within it is the sphere of Saturn (Zuhal), which contains no star besides itself. Within it is the sphere of Jupiter (Müşteri), unique to that sphere alone. Beneath it is the sphere of Mars (Mirih), containing only Mars. Below that is the sphere of the Sun, where the Sun reigns supreme. Beneath the Sun’s sphere is the sphere of Venus (Zühre), also singular within its domain. Within it lies the sphere of Mercury (Utarit), with no star but itself. And within that is the sphere of the Moon, containing nothing besides the Moon. The sphere in which this resides is called the world-sphere. Its intellect is called the Tenth Intellect, the Active Intellect (Fa’al Aql), and the Effusive Intellect. Its soul is called the Formative Nature and Absolute Nature. From their harmonious interaction, four fundamental elements arise beneath the Moon's sphere: fire, air, water, and earth. These elements have come into being in the order mentioned here. From these four elements also emerge four qualities (keyfiyat): heat, coldness, moisture, and dryness.
From the harmonious interaction of the elements, three composites have arisen: minerals, plants, and living beings. The most noble and perfectly equipped of the species of living beings is undoubtedly humankind. The emergence of the cosmos concludes with the creation of humanity; existence is completed within it. And because humankind is the most precious fruit of the tree of being in this world, they were created after all other beings. In essence, the very essence of the cosmos is humankind.