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

tawhid-i shuhudi
Unity of Witnessing

(Wahdat al Shuhud/Tawhid-i shuhudi). This is distinct from the Unity of Finding or Being. The witnessing belongs to the slave, who witnesses Allah's presence to the extent of his capacity, while the finding belongs to Allah, Who is present and finds Himself in all things. The People of Unveiling and Finding are the great Sufis who recognize Allah's Self-disclosure by way of witnessing and finding.

See also: Being People of unveiling and finding Perfection Unveiling Witness Witnessing

Being ( wujud )

(Wujud). Being, existence or finding. When considered as 'being', wujud designates Allah's Own Reality and Essence. When considered as 'existence', wujud designates the things found in the cosmos. When considered as 'finding' wujud designates the subjective experience of finding Allah or having awareness of Allah. The Verifiers and the People of Unveiling and Finding continually and everlastingly find Allah both in the cosmos and within themselves.

People of unveiling and finding ( ahl al-kashf wa'l-wujud )

(Ahl al Kashf wal Wujud). These are the knowers. They have passed beyond the veils which stand between themselves and their Lord and they stand perpetually in His Presence.

Perfection ( al-ihsan )

(Ihsan). Excellence or perfection or sanctifying virtue or spiritual beauty. Ihsan has three degrees: 1).To do the good that should be done with one's property, words, acts and states. 2). To worship with total presence like one was actually seeing one's Lord. 3). To contemplate Allah in all things, at all times and always. Perfection is the third rung on the seven-runged ladder of Knowledge. These seven levels are Islam, Iman; Ihsan; 'Ilm al yaqin; 'Ayn al yaqin; Haqq al yaqin; Islam. (Surrender, Faith, Perfection, Knowledge of Certainty, The Eye of Certainty, The Truth of Certainty and Total Surrender and Submission).

Unveiling ( kashf )

(Kashf). Unveiling or revelation is one of the types of direct experience through which Knowledge of Reality is unveiled to the heart of the slave and lover. In His Infinite Grace Allah gives His slave and lover a Divine Self-disclosure which not only increases his Knowledge of Allah but also increases his yearning and intense love of Allah. The great Sufis are called The People of Unveiling and Finding. Within the unveiling they find Allah. This unveiling and finding frequently occurs during the spiritual concert. In a moment, when it is perceived through unveiling that 'Allah is the singer and Allah is the hearer', the singer and the hearer become One, disappearing into Allah.

Witness ( mushahid )

(Mushahid). He is the one who has vision (mushahadah) of Allah, the Real.

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.

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