It has been related that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said:

Allah created the intellect from a stored-up light which was hidden within His fore-knowledge, and neither emissary, prophet nor high-ranking angel has seen it. Then He made knowledge its 'self', understanding its spirit, abstension (zuhd) its head, modesty (haya') its eyes, wisdom its tongue, compassion (ra`fah) its purpose, and mercy its heart.

 

 

Then he filled and strengthened it with ten things: certainty, faith, truthfulness, tranquility (sakinah), sincerity, kindness (rifq) generosity (`atiyyah), contentment (qunu`), submission (taslim), and patience.

Thereupon He spoke to it saying, "Go back," and it went back; "Come forward," and it came forward; then, "Speak!" and it replied, "Praise belongs to Allah, Who has neither enemy nor rival, to Whom there is no likeness, no comparison, and no equal, before Whose might everything is submissive and humbled."

Then the Lord said, "By My power and splendor, never have I created anything finer than you, nor anything more submissive to Me than you, and nothing more noble than you; by you My unity is affirmed, by you I am worshiped, by you I am called upon in prayer; hope is placed in Me through you; I am desired through you; by you I am feared, by you is the reward, and by you the punishment."

— Mishkat al-Anwar