As for the swiftness of motion, it is determined by the degree of their spiritual striving [al-ijtihad] and according to the specific cosmic stations whose inhabitants were commanded to perpetually occupy and supplicate therein, as well as their duration in distance or proximity. This depends entirely on the ranks of those spaces regarding adherence to a station or departure from it, out of what Allah has mandated upon every believer and saint concerning spatial adherence and proximity to it.

Then he stated: 'So when every saint [wali] fulfills what is incumbent upon him regarding supplication and the navigation of mandated celestial orbits, he is elevated from this lower heaven unto a metaphysical cosmic station known as the Pillar of the Phantom ['Amud al-Shabah]. And from that specific station, the immaculate, pure essence [al-maddah al-mubarra'ah] of descending esoteric sciences flows down unto the inhabitants of this lower heaven.'

Then he stated: 'By this, he demonstrated that the ascension of this saint—who functions as one of the wandering planets [al-kawakib al-sayyarah]—coincides with the temporal phase of his occultation [ghaybatihi] from physical sight. At that moment, he has already ascended and risen to the sublime realm within the