The Language of the Future
Sufi Terminology
by Murshid F.A. Ali ElSenossi

Order by: Arabic English

l

Langour/Listlessness
fatrah

(Fatrah). Langour is the extinguishing of the burning fire of desire and aspiration which accompanies the initial stages of the spiritual search. Due to his lack of patience and lack of knowledge and lack of trust, the seeker may lose his original in...

Last, The
al-Akhir

(Al Akhir). One of the Beautiful Names of Allah. The Principle insofar as It is ‘after’ Manifestation, and insofar as its Absoluteness ‘desires’ its Unicity. Mystery of the final Good, of eternal Peace.

Latency
thubut

(Thubut). Latency or immutability. When the eye of the heart is opened it sees all things, eternal and temporal, actual and potential, as they really are in their state of latency (thubut).

Law, The
Sharia'

Sharia' - see 'Sacred Law'.

Law-giving
tashri'

(Tashri'). This is a function specific to the Prophets of Allah (Peace be upon all of them).

Lawful
halal

(Halal). This term indicates that which is lawful according to the Islamic Sacred Law (Shari'a). For the People of Reality, who adhere to both the inner and outer meanings of the Sacred Law, it is lawful to witness only Allah. Witnessing other-than-A...

Leader of prayer
imam

(Imam). The imam is 'the one who is followed'. When the heart has been purified through spiritual endeavour and love of Allah it becomes worthy of being the place which will contain Allah. Such a heart is the real imam, the truthful leader, who is t...

Leadership
riyasa

(Riyasa). There are knowledges, such as the sciences of the mystery, which cannot be made manifest. When certain travellers come to know these sciences they seek leadership (riyasa) and superiority over others, desiring to display these sciences and...

Length and breadth
al-tul wa'l-'ard

(Tul wal 'ard). The Journey of Return to Allah is a Journey of bewilderment. Through the Infinite Grace of Allah the traveller becomes a lover, a knower and a slave of Allah. The veils which separate him from his Lord are lifted and the scales fall f...

Lesser Holy War
jihad as-asghir

(Jihad as saghir). This is the outer combat against the infidels and unbelievers and tyrants.

Letter
harf

(Harf). As a letter of the alphabet, harf symbolises the language or expressions with which the Real One addresses His slave. For language to be used there must be two, a duality. There must be the Lord (Rabb) and His slave (Al Abd). The Great Silenc...

Letters
huruf

(Huruf). The letters (of the alphabet). The term 'Ilm al Huruf (Science of the letters) is given to a complex science and symbolism which is based on the letters of the Arabic alphabet. 'The science of letters plays an important role in many of the l...

Letters of Light
Huruf al Mutaqqati'at

(Huruf al Mutaqqati'at). These are the letters that preface certain chapters of the Holy Qur'an.

Levels
maratib

(Maratib). Every existent thing has its own level, and each one of these levels demands a specific relationship with Allah. When an existent thing fulfils all of the conditions pertaining to its level in the hierarchy of existence then that thing is ...

Levels of existence or finding
maratib al-wujud

(Maratib al Wujud). The ontological levels of existence or finding. These are the various degrees in which the creations participate in the Divine Presence.