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

sakinah
Tranquillity

(Sakinah). This is the Perfect Peace which is to found at the Centre of the Heart where man dwells in the Divine Presence.


See also: Ascension People of the Essence Perpetual Presence of Allah Self-Perfect Silence Speech without words Unity of Essence Unity of Place Unity of Time
(Al Dhatiyun). 'Those who have realised the Essence' are the slaves of Allah who drink directly from the Fountain of Camphor in Paradise. They are the People of Solitude of the Absolute Essence. Their love of Allah, being total and utter, remains constant in the face of opposites, because for them the opposites are joined. There is only Unity. There is only Allah as He is in Himself.
(Dawam al Hudur). The Perpetual Presence of Allah. It is 'here' and 'now' that His slaves stand, in abject poverty and need, and with overwhelming awe and love. In this Presence they are oblivious to all that is other-than-Allah, because, for them, there is nothing but Allah. All is Allah!
(Sukun) is silence or stillness. This is the great silent stillness of the Essence to which the hearts of the lovers of Allah yearn to return.
(Kalam-i -dhati). This Speech is Allah's Speech. It is the Speech of the Essence Itself. Kalam-i-dhati is the Speech of the Source and the Source is the Great Silence. The People of the Essence, Allah's perfect slaves who are drowned in the Source Itself, speak in a silent and wordless language. Their spiritual affinity is total because each one of them drinks directly from the Fountain of Camphor in Paradise and has become one with the camphor. When the drop enters the Ocean there is no necessity for words to be spoken. The Holy Prophet Muhammad (May the Salutations of Allah be upon him and Peace) said, 'He who knows Allah, his tongue becomes silent'. Kalam-i-dhati is the stage of union. Speech without words (kalam-i-dhati) becomes manifest through Speech with words (kalam-i-tafsili).
(Wahdat-i makaniyyah). To attain to the Divine Presence, to reach Allah Almighty, the slave must be in a state of utter Unity. This Unity is comprised of three Unities Unity of Essence, Unity of Time and Unity of Place. Unity of Place is that 'placeless' Place which opens onto Infinity. 'Here' becomes Infinity. No longer is there the prayer-mat on which the slave is sitting or the bed in which the slave is dreaming. 'Here' is the endless 'There'. Such was the Perfection of Allah's Beloved, Muhammad al Mustapha, on the Night of his Ascension. May Allah Everlastingly shower him with His Salutations and give him Peace.
(Wahdat-i-zamaniyyah). The slave returns to the 'timeless' Time. This is the beginingless and endless moment in which he is 'no thing' ('la shay'). Only Allah IS. The slave is merely an entity through which Allah Almighty becomes manifest. The slave is at the bidding of his Lord. Before the perfect slave can attain to the Divine Presence he must be in absolute Unity. Without Unity he will never reach Allah because Allah IS Unity. Unity is the combination of three Unities Unity of Essence, Unity of Place and Unity of Time. Unity of Time is the 'timeless' Time which opens into Eternity. Unified Place, Time and Essence are the Divine Silence.

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