mešiʾet (Tasawwuf Glossary)

The first circle is Allah's mešiʾet (divine will), the second is His ḥikma (wisdom), the third is His qudra (power), and the fourth is His knowledge and pre-eternity. Iblis said: If I enter the first circle, I will be tested by the second. If I succeed in the second, I will be tested by the third. If I am barred from the third, I will be tested by the fourth with imtiḥān (trial). Lā (no), lā, lā, lā. I remained at the first lā. As I went toward the second lā, I was accursed and cast into the third lā. Where is the fourth? (I received the answer 'No!' from all of them.) If I had known that prostrating to Adam would save me, I would have prostrated. But I understood that behind this circle there are other circles. Regarding my situation, I said: Suppose I escaped from this circle, how would I escape from the second, third, and fourth? (Tawāṣīn, 210)