They only made the discourse in the Heavenly Books through these earthly names as parables, so that we may reflect upon their meanings and infer their inward realities, and so that we may conceal their inward [truth] with their outward [form] from the Opposites (al-Aḍḍād).

I have provided for you, O seeker, these parables struck with the names of these earthly and celestial planets, Zodiac signs, and others, so that you may know with certainty that if it were permissible for us to adhere to, practice, and believe in the outward forms of these five acts of worship, it would be permissible for us to believe in, adhere to, and practice the outward forms of these planets and zodiac signs mentioned previously, and the outward degrees of the ranks of the Luminous Macrocosm. This is because all these outward Ranks (al-Hudud) are in truth inward persons and gnosis, just as the outward of the luminous degrees, the twelve zodiac signs, the seven planets, and all sensory names are in truth inward persons and gnosis. Likewise, the five outward acts of worship are nothing but parables (amthal) from which we infer the Mamthul (the reality represented by the parable). The parable is not like the Mamthul, nor is darkness like light.