On the Pillars and Cornerstones of Man:
[11] Regarding the emergence of the world 1 , it was narrated on the authority of the Knower (al-'Alim)—exalted is His might—that he said: "A man's recognition of himself is through four natures (Taba'i'), four pillars (Da'a'im), and four cornerstones (Arkan). The natures are: 'Blood, Phlegm, Black Bile, and Yellow Bile' 2 . The pillars are: 'Intellect, and from intellect come discernment, understanding, memory, and knowledge.' The cornerstones are: 'Light, Fire, Wind, and Water.' His form is his clay; thus, he sees and knows by the Light, eats and drinks by the Fire, copulates and moves by the Wind, and finds the pleasure of food and drink by the Water. This is the foundation of his form.
When these cornerstones descend into the soul, it becomes a striving being (Nasama). The origin of its creation's existence is its intellect, which is its guide, its vision, its path, and its key—through which it completes its stations.