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

salam
Peace

(Salam). In the salutations on the Prophet (salawat), greetings of Peace (salam) are given to the Holy Prophet Muhammad, after the invocation of Blessing. This is to confer stability and safety upon Allah's Beloved after the manifestation of Divine Glory has been poured forth upon him, May the Blessings of Allah be upon him and Peace. Peace cannot be secured in the land until all the disruptive elements have been subdued. Without the struggle of the Greater Holy War, man's body, self, heart and spirit cannot live in peace.


See also: Disequilibrium Divine Physician Equilibrium Greater Holy War House Pray Spiritual Struggle Salutations
(Inhiraf). All spiritual illness are based upon an inner disequilibrium which has its root in the base character traits of the individual. Through spiritual struggle and the sincere turning to the Remembrance of Allah the base character traits may be transformed into noble ones. With the assuming of the noble character traits, equilibrium and harmony will be attained.
(Al Tabib al Ilahi). The divine physician. Al tabib al ilahi is one of the Sufi Masters, an Inheritor of the Holy Prophet Muhammad. Through possessing insight into his murids' spiritual conditions he is able to dispense the correct medicine, in the correct dosage, which will bring about inner balance and harmony to each unique murid.
(I'tidal). Equilibrium and balance. Spiritual equilibrium is attained through assuming the noble character traits which were perfected in the Holy Prophet Muhammad (May the Salutations of Allah be upon him and Peace). Under the direction of the Murshid, who is a divine physican, the murid's constitution may be brought into harmony and (I'tidal); equilibrium and balance. Perfection is an equilibrium in which all of the Divine Names are in balance. No one Name predominates over another. This is the perfect balance of the Perfect Man, who is a locus of manifestation for the All-Comprehensive Name 'Allah'. The Name 'Allah' contains all the Divine Names.
(Jihad al Akbar). This is the constant and vigilant inner warfare against ignorance, the passions and the vices of the lower self which drag man downwards away from Allah. It is the real struggle against the inner enemies, the inner unbelievers and the inner tyrants. The celestial weapon used in the Greater Holy War is the Remembrance of Allah.
(Dar). House or abode or dwelling. When a murid is engaged in spiritual warfare and struggle his physical body is the 'abode of warfare' (Dar-ul-Harb). Within this abode there reside Allah's enemies; all the infidels, unbelievers and tyrants. They must be subdued. The purified human body (and the sanctified heart which it contains) then becomes the 'abode of Islam' (Dar-ul-Islam) and the 'abode of peace' (Dar-us-Salam). Now it is blessed and worthy of being called Allah's temple. The Sacred City of Medina, the City of the Holy Prophet Muhammad is referred to as 'the Abode' (ad-Dar). And the lover sits and knocks on the door of the Sacred House yearning for a word, a glance or a message from the Beloved. One Great Lover said "For years I thought I was knocking from the outside, but the whole time I was really knocking from the inside!"
(Salah). To bless or to pray. "Allah and His angels shower blessings on the Prophet. O you who believe! Ask blessings on him and salute him with a worthy salutation." (The Qur'an 33:56). These salutations are the manifestation of Allah's Glory upon His Beloved, through which the Divine Radiance is poured forth upon the Holy Prophet, taking him to the Divine Presence.
(Mujahadah). The spiritual struggle and endeavour against the passions and downward-pulling tendencies of the lower self. Mujahadah is the ceaseless combat called the Greater Holy War. The war is fought with the celestial weapons of the Remembrance of Allah. The mature ones of the Path, those who 'know Allah', say that mujahadah is child's play! The real work of Men is Divine Knowledge.
(Salawat). Blessings and benedictions and salutations. Salawat refer most particularly to the blessings which the Muslim calls down upon the Holy Prophet Muhammad (May the Salutations of Allah be upon him and Peace). "Allah and His angels shower blessings on the Prophet. O ye who believe! Ask blessings on him and salute him with a worthy salutation." (The Qur'an 33:56). The forms of the salawat are numerous, varying from short and concise prayers through to the profoundly mystical litanies of the great Masters of the higher teaching. And, just as the forms are many, so too are the levels of meaning contained within each salawat. These start from merely saying the salawat on the lips, without any awareness of the Holy Prophet, through to the visualizations of his blessed presence, his light, his essence and ultimately his Reality. Through the Grace of Allah the lover-slave-knower will then understand the words of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, 'I am Ahmad without the 'M''. This is a stage of utter bewilderment. The lover knows that Muhammad al Mustapha is the very ecstasy within his breast. He knows that Muhammad al Mustapha is Absolute Beauty and Absolute Perfection. In perceiving this Reality of Muhammad the lover becomes silent. How does he now approach the Beloved of Allah?

Go Back