Then, the head is formed around the eyes; the eyes are the first thing created in a human and in every creature possessing movement. Once the two eyes are set and the head is rounded, the rest of the body follows from that. This is something you can observe: if a woman miscarries her child before two months, you see it as a piece of meat—which is the lump (al-Mudgha). In the third month, you see that its head has rounded over the eyes. If she miscarries in the fourth month, you see that it has become a fully formed creation, yet there is no spirit within it. Then it emerges according to what we explained at the beginning of this book of ours.

All that we have mentioned regarding these metamorphosed states increases one another in affliction and torment. Among them is that which becomes a donkey for a merchant who rides it at every hour of the day, or perhaps does not ride it, while throughout the rest of his day and night he serves it and provides its fodder. Another donkey belongs to a muleteer who loads it with heavy burdens and skimps on its fodder, subjecting it to the most intense toil. A miller grinds with it for most of his day and night, and so forth. Thus it is also with mules, cattle, horses, dogs, cats, birds—small and large—and all other domestic beasts; none among them but is troubled or tormented. Yet among them are those who are treated with gentleness and honored, for even within the torment of metamorphosis, some torments are lighter than others.

As for the reason for this, it is because his initial fall into metamorphosis (al-Masukhiyya) is the most severe in torment.