(^670) ISLAMIC MYSTICAL LITERATURE
of this book or someone who has learned
by hearing words spoken by the believers.
"Al-rahman al-rahim is the twelve Naqib
of the white sea, and their raiment conceals
twenty-eight Najib and four familiar angels.
They are hidden, but if you add the letters
of al-rahman al-rahim you come up with
the thirty-four letters: twenty-eight Najib,
the two Yatim, and four familiar angels.^23
"The twelve hidden letters are Bismillah
as Bismillah is al-rahman al-rahim.
The most remote realm is the high king's canopy
over the white sea, and the twelve Naqib,
special beings before the high king, carry
the white sea. The high one says, 'Each day
the eight in the sky carry the lord's throne.'^24
The twenty-four posts of god's throne are the twelve
Naqib, the seven angels of the throne,
and five special beings from Muhammad
to Abu Talib are two groups of seven.
THE BODY AS A MICROCOSM OF THE UNIVERSE
'"And we told seven stories and cited from
the powerful Qur'an.'^25 'We' are the twelve,
the people of the house after the seven angels
of the throne. Seven and twelve. It is written,
'God created heaven and earth in six days
sitting on his throne.'^26 Jabir, see the microcosm."^27
Jabir said, "My lord, I ask you to inform me."
The revealer of knowledge answered,
- More ranks of angels. The two Yatim (orphans or single ones) may be Miqdad and Abu
Zarr. See below. - Qur'an sura 69.
- Qur'an sura 15.
- Qur'an sura 7.
- The following lines may be an addition to the text.