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

al-rabb
Lord, The

(Al Rabb). The Lord. Allah is the Lord of all existent things and all things are His vassals). The Lord of any vassal is the Face of Allah turned towards it. Each thing's Lord is the specific Self-disclosure which Allah gives to it, and all of this depends upon the preparedness of the fixed entity itself. However, within the higher teaching the Name al rabb implies its opposite, which is the slave. The Holy Prophet Muhammad (May the Salutations of Allah be upon him and Peace) said "He who knows his own self, truly, does know his Lord", and he also said, "I understood my Lord by my Lord".

See also: Abiding after annihilation 'He who knows his own self. . . Knowers Servitude Slave Spiritual courtesy

Abiding after annihilation ( al-baqa' ba'da 'l-fana' )

(Baqa ba'da-l fana). Eternity or perpetuity after extinction. This is abiding after passing away. The knower abides in Allah and yet goes out towards creation with love, generosity, honour and dignity. Abiding after annihilation is for the Perfect Man who has work to do in the world with guiding and perfecting the still imperfect ones. If there is no work to be done Allah keeps His slave with Himself in the Station of stations.

Servitude ( 'ubuda )

('Ubada). Servitude and bondage. This is the fulfilment and consummation of slavehood ('ubudiyya) when the slave loses himself in the Will of his Lord. 'Ubada is 'the Nearness of obligatory works' which is one of the four stations of Perfection. To realize 'ubuda is to be gifted with a very high degree of Knowledge of Allah. To know that 'the slave is the slave and the Lord is the Lord' is the supreme form of spiritual courtesy towards Allah. The Holy Prophet Muhammad al Mustapha (May the Salutations of Allah be upon him and Peace) is the Beloved of Allah and His Chosen One. No one is more perfect than him. No one can attain to his Knowledge. Yet Allah says in The Qur'an, "Glory be to Him Who carried His slave by night" (17:1). The slave is in bondage ('ubuda). Bondage is Perfection. Bondage is Knowledge.

Slave ( al 'abd )

('Abd). The slave (and worshipper) is the one who is in a state of total and utter submission to the Will of Allah. After having been annihilated in Allah where all duality vanished and distinctions were erased, he returns to creation with perfect courtesy and with the Truth of Certainty that 'the Lord is the Lord and the slave is the slave'. When 'abd is translated as 'servant' it carries the implication that the servant can leave the service of his Master, if he so desires. However, the 'slave' is in total bondage, being utterly dependent upon his Master. All buying and selling transactions have been terminated. The slave belongs to Allah, completely, perfectly and unconditionally.

Spiritual courtesy ( adab )

(Adab) is spiritual courtesy and gracious behaviour of the Path and perfect refinement of words and deeds. Adab is giving each thing and each moment its proper due. The science of the higher teaching is based upon adab, which encompasses all of human life. It extends from right behaviour with regard to the Sacred Law (Shari'a), right behaviour with one's fellow travellers, proper conduct towards the teaching and one's teacher, and reaches to unceasing spiritual courtesy to Allah Himself. The proper courtesy towards the Law is to stay within its boundaries, the proper conduct with regards to good actions is to complete the action and disconnect from it. Adab with regard to the Real is knowing what belongs to oneself and what belongs to Allah. Each moment and each situation has it's own adab. It has been said that the higher teaching is all adab and the greater your understanding and implementation of proper conduct is, the higher you are in the teaching.

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