He does not see existing things. In his seeing, he often errs. He may see the great as small, the distant as near, the stationary as moving, and the moving as stationary. The external eye cannot perceive these seven deficiencies. Is it possible for there to be an eye among eyes that is distant from all these deficiencies, namely the nūr-i ibdāʿī-yi awwal (the primordial creative light)? Is such an eye more deserving of the name nūr (light), or not? (Mishkāt, 45)
nūr-i ibdāʿī-yi awwal (Si EM 334): This is a nūr (light) that knows itself and its Creator, who brings into existence all things without precedent. (Among created lights) it is not possible for there to be a more noble nūr than this. It is the most perfect of the mumkināt (created beings; contingent existents).
This essence is, in itself, contingent (mumkin) and, by the act of creation of the Pre-Eternal Necessary Being (Wājib), becomes necessary. It must be related (nisba) to the former (the Necessary Being) and witness His majesty as another sacred essence. Considering its own contingency (ḥudūth, createdness) and deficiency, it is, in relation to the First Magnificent One, a celestial body. Thus, this second sacred essence, when viewed in relation to what is above it, is a mujarrad (immaterial) essence; but when viewed in relation to its own deficiency, it becomes a celestial body that leads to the multiplication of mujarrad, sacred, intellectual essences, as well as simple, celestial, and elemental bodies. (Hayākil, 63)
The nūr-i ibdāʿī-yi awwal is the first thing to emanate; it is the intellect of the all-encompassing sphere (falak-i muḥīṭ). It is an intellect that comes into being without matter. (Hayākil, 95)
nūr-i qalb: The nūr-i qalb (light of the qalb, the heart) exists only together with vigilance (tayakkuz) and the life of the (qalb). When the (qalb) falls into heedlessness, it dies, falls into darkness, and its light is extinguished. Then, what the enemy (Satan) brings upon the servant is covered over him. At that time, Iblis seizes the servant through deception.
As long as the qalb persists in heedlessness, sins cover it. If he persists in this and is content with this state, then rust (rayn) envelops it, it remains in darkness, and Iblis settles there. Then, he leads it to the path of sin to make it fall into major sins. For Iblis, nothing is more pleasing than the darkness of the qalb, its blackening, the extinguishing of its light, and the dominance of rust upon it. For this evil Satan, nothing is more burdensome than nūr, whiteness, purity, and clarity. His only refuge is darkness; he has no other refuge. It is impossible for him to settle upon nūr and whiteness. (Adāb, 68)
nūr-i Muḥammadī: The nūr-i Muḥammadī (Muḥammadan light) is the first nūr to emanate from Him (the Real). It is also called the Amr (Command), because Allah created it with the command "Kun" (Be) without any intermediary. It has also been named by the gnostics (ʿārifūn) with many other famous names, such as the Supreme Pen (qalam-i aʿlā), the White Pearl (durrat al-bayḍāʾ), the First Intellect (ʿaql-i awwal), the Spirit of Spirits (rūḥ al-arwāḥ), Abū al-Akbar, the Perfect Human (insān-i ʿayn al-wujūd), and many others. (Riḥla, 99)
nūrān/nūrayn: Nūrayn (the two lights) are the light of sensation (ḥiss) and the light of intellect (ʿaql). (Hayākil, 100)