Ases

Ases (those called night watchmen) are sāliks (travelers on the Sufi path) who have not yet attained the degree of taḥqīq (realization) and have not been able to escape the darkness of their own nature. Just as a night watchman wanders about in the darkness of night with a fire, they wander about in the darkness of their nature with the divine nūr (light). The watchmen are subject to the maliks (kings) in matters of authority. In the same way, these intermediate sāliks are subject to the perfect murshids (spiritual guides) in exercising authority over their dark nature. These murshids are the maliks of the tariqa (Sufi path/order) and the sultans of ḥaqīqa (inner reality). (Sofyavi, 265)