Thus, Moses saw his likeness within the Light that had indwelt (al-Mutajanni) for him, and through it, he shimmered with a radiance that concealed him—for the Light is other than what he sees—so that his purity might be perfected and he would see from the Light that which is greater than his person and more inward than his likeness.
When some of what his likeness was shown became manifest to him, he found the weakness of humanity causing him to lose a degree he had not yet perfected; so Moses fell down in a swoon (Sa'iqan)—meaning prostrating, humbling himself, and surrendering—when he said: {I turn to You in repentance, and I am the first of the believers (al-Muslimin)} 1. Regarding this meaning, Ibrahim bin 'Uthman bin al-Mustaliq al-Nu'mani said in a long poem of his, from which are these verses:
The Mountain of the Interlocutor (al-Kalim) is from the Interlocutor, and indeed
He was veiled by that which appeared to him of his own likeness
The Epiphany at that moment was approaching
So the dense [material] fell, testifying to its state
And that which was pure of his whole being shone
Surrendering to Allah at [the appearance of] His image