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

na'im
Bliss

(Na'im). The ultimate bliss (and this awaits the friends of Allah in His Garden) is the one that is renewed at each succeeding instant. This is the eternal unfolding of knowledge which is experienced by Allah's Friends. It is their ever-renewed encounters with the Divine Self-disclosure.

See also: Encounter Islam (B) New Creation Noble character traits Pleasure Renewal of creation at each breath Renewal of creation at each instant Those who are brought near Witnessing

Encounter ( liqa' )

(Liqa'). This term indicates an encounter such as that between the lover and the Beloved. The pleasure of such an encounter is far greater than the pleasure of unceasing companionship, because the heart overflows with love and longing during separation. Allah keeps His Friends at a distance so that the bliss of encounter shall be intensified for them.

Islam (A) ( al-islam )

The Surrender. The Journey of Return to Allah is from the first Islam which is merely verbal submission, through the levels of ascent to the second and Real Islam, which is total and unconditional surrender with knowledge and love to the Will of Allah. The seven levels of knowledge through which the traveller must pass are Surrender; Faith; Perfection; Knowledge of Certainty; Eye of Certainty; Truth of Certainty and Surrender.

New Creation ( khalq jadid )

(Khalq Jadid). This term signifies the state of constant change (new creation) which everything undergoes in each indivisible instant. Nothing remains the same for two successive moments. It is through the observation of the new creation (khalq jadid) within his own heart that the knower gains knowledge of Allah, realising that each moment contains a fresh and new Knowledge of Allah. This is the never-ending unfolding of Knowledge from the Essence Itself.

Noble character traits ( makarim al-akhlaq )

(Makarim al Akhlaq). The Holy Prophet Muhammad (May the Salutations of Allah be upon him and Peace) was sent to mankind with the noble character traits in their complete and perfect form. The spiritual work of the higher teaching involves the alchemical transformation of man's base character traits into the noble ones. This transformation results from meticulously following the Holy Prophet Muhammad and the inner and outer aspects of his Teaching. It is only through acquiring the noble character traits that man can return to Felicity and Bliss.

Pleasure ( ladhdha )

(Ladhdha). This is the pleasure which is experienced in the encounter between the lover and the Beloved. It is a pleasure resulting from distance and separation. The intensity of yearning and longing for the absent Beloved increases the bliss of meeting Allah. Even though Allah holds His lovers close to Himself through His jealousy for them, He keeps them distanced from Himself for a time in order to teach them courtesy in Love.

Renewal of creation at each breath ( tajdid al-khalq bil'-anfas )

(Tajdid al khalq bil anfas). Through the Mercy of the Breath of the All Merciful a super abundance of Being overflows into the cosmos.

Renewal of creation at each instant ( tajdid al-khalq fi'l-anat )

(Tajdid al khalq fil anat). This is an incessant outpouring of Being into the manifest realm. The one with the preparedness to receive this perpetual irradiation of the Essence, realizing the ceaseless revelation and constant renewal within himself, is a Verifier and Knower of Allah.

Those who are brought near ( al-muqarrabun )

(Muqarrabun). Those who are brought close or near to Allah and are His favoured friends. Al muqarrabun are those perfect slaves who know that 'the Lord is the Lord and the slave is the slave'. They have beautiful moral courtesy with Allah, never overstepping the limits of their own limitedness and slavehood. Their love of and devotion to Allah is total. They see nothing but Allah. They see Allah before, in, with and after the creation. They are the pure followers of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (May the Salutations of Allah be upon him and Peace). They endeavour always to emulate his perfection and in so doing they cling to their own slavehood as he did. For all of this Allah draws them nearer to Himself in each moment. Their Bliss is never-ending because they dwell perpetually in His Presence. They are the People of Solitude. His perfect slaves and lovers and knowers. He guards them through His jealousy for them. They are not known except by those who also are brought near.

Witnessing ( mushahadah )

(Mushahadah). Witnessing or vision. Mushahadah is one kind of direct knowledge of Reality. This witnessing occurs in various ways. Some of the travellers and Men of the Path witness Allah in the things. Some witness Allah before or after or with the things. And some witness Allah Himself. And, because Allah never discloses Himself in the same form in two successive moments to any thing, the witnessing (mushahadah) is infinite and endless. This is one of the kinds of bliss experienced by the people of the garden.

Islam (B) ( islam )

Islam means peace and the person who follows this peace is called the Muslim. From another root meaning of the word, Islam means complete submission and surrender, and the person who submits and surrenders himself to the will of his Lord is the person who has accepted Allah as his Creator, Sustainer, Lord and the Master of the Day of Judgement.

So from both the definitions Islam means a way of life for people who have opted to follow peace as opposed to chaos, order as opposed to disorder, discipline as opposed to indiscipline, submission as opposed to refusal, surrender as opposed to insolence, obedience as opposed to disobedience etc. All these things combined together to define Islam as away of life by which a person becomes a follower of peace and not a follower of chaos. And the followers of peace are the Muslims whose duty it is: "to establish peace and what is good, and to prevent chaos and what is evil, and they are the best people." (Al-Qur'an 3:110)



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