ISLAMIC MYSTICAL LITERATURE 679
THE RUBY RED CURTAIN
"Below this white dome is a curtain red
like a ruby. In this curtain five creatures
appear in five Tuba trees. The ruby curtain
is believable down to the last sphere.
In rainbow colors 124,000 lights
on the white sea glitter to the last sphere
where 124,000 white lights
came to the ruby curtain. As it is written,
'Have you not seen that god created seven layers
of skies and how he placed the moon as light
and sun as lamp? God made you grow in earth
like plants.'^56 The high one fastened many lights
and spirits to these spheres, and then he placed
the sun and moon and glowing trees as beauty.THE FIERY CURTAIN
"Below this curtain is a curtain the color
of fire. Five figures from the ruby curtain
show on this cloth. Their names are Gabriel,
Michael, Israfil, Azra'il, and Sura'il.
One hundred twenty-four thousand lights from the ruby curtain
shine in the sphere. As written, 'Light on light.
God chooses whom he leads into the light,
with allegories to describe his people.'^57
Light has been described as the color fire.
The fire-colored sea is like an ocean,
and firelight glows in a white crystal of
an indescribable beauty and brilliance,
a sphere showing unnumbered lights and spirits.- Qur'an sura 71.
- Qur'an sura 24.