And Death is higher than killing, and the discourse is terrifying.
Death here is our Master Amir Almuminin — exalted be his glory — and Killing is the Lord Mim — exalted be his glory. Death is higher than him because He is its Meaning; likewise, He used to name Himself in war, saying: "I am Death." God the Almighty said: {And you had certainly wished for Death1 before you met it; and you have seen it while you were looking}2 — Exalted is our Master, the High, the Great; Majestic is His praise. My sheikh — may God be pleased with him — mentioned to me that he had explained this mentioned Watery Poem in its entirety, but the manuscript from which it was copied had been torn, and nothing survived its antiquity except what we have cited and explained now.
Section in Praise of Abd al-Rahman the Tested and al-Zubayr — Peace be upon them both
We have mentioned previously the Great World and its being five thousand persons, which are the High Luminous Ranks. Likewise, the Small Human Earthly World, whose number is one hundred and nineteen thousand persons, who are ordered in seven ranks: the Near-standing (al-muqarrabun), the Cherubim (al-karubiyyun), the Spirituals (al-ruhaniyyun), the Holy (al-muqaddasun), the Travelers (al-sa’ihun), the Listeners (al-mustami‘un), and the Joiners (al-lahiqun).
The first of these seven ranks is the rank of the Near-standing, and they are those regarding whom God the Almighty said: {And the forerunners, the forerunners ❁ Those are the ones brought near (al-muqarrabun) ❁ In the Gardens of Pleasure, ❁ A large company of the former peoples ❁ And a few of the later peoples}3.