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

raja'
Hope

(Raja') is the anticipation of Allah's Mercy (which actually surrounds us constantly, but is rarely perceived). During estrangement and separation, the lover is stretched to the extremity in his hope that the Beloved will either 'arrive' or 'speak' or 'approach' or simply just 'glance'. He fears that this separation is permanent, yet he hopes that it is temporary. On the wings of fear and hope the lover ceaselessly pursues the Beloved.

See also: Contraction Distance Expansion Lover-Passionate Mercy Nearness

Contraction ( qabd )

(Qabd) is the spiritual state of contraction in which the heart is firmly gripped and compressed by Allah, through terror of punishment and blame. It is an intense fear in, and the sharpest experience of, the present moment. Whenever contraction (qabd) occurs it is always followed by expansion.

Expansion ( bast )

(Bast). An involuntary state of expansion, within the state of unveiling, which engulfs the heart with ineffable joy and love. It results from the Self-disclosure of Allah's Beauty and carries with it a feeling of acceptance, mercy and intimacy with Allah.

Mercy ( rahma )

(Rahma). Mercy and compassion. There are two kinds of mercy. The first is an essential mercy or the mercy of free-gift which Allah bestows upon all creatures without distinction. The second is a specific mercy or the mercy of obligation which Allah gives to those slaves who are deserving of it. When the slave has been blessed with the 'opening of unveiling' he sees, smells, tastes, touches and hears Allah's Rahma, which not only surrounds him, but also penetrates every atom of his being.

Nearness ( qurb )

(Qurb). Proximity or nearness to Allah. Qurb is the reality of the Station of Perfection, 'Two Bows' Length'. It is the limit of the slave's ascent before annihilation in Allah. One of the bewilderments of the Journey is that through having knowledge of his distance from Allah the slave is actually brought near. Slavehood indicates this distance which brings nearness. The slave must cling to perfect courtesy by honouring and respecting the Truth that, 'the slave remains the slave and the Lord remains the Lord'.

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