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

al-wahm
Illusion

(Wahm). Fantasy or imaginal perception or illusion. Al wahm is the conjectural faculty, the active imagination of the power of illusion. It is the most tremendous power which Allah has given to man. It is this faculty which acts directly upon the purely passive faculty of imagination. Two beautiful hadiths say, "Perfection is to worship Allah like you see Him" and "Allah is in the direction of the one who prays". Both hadiths point towards the necessity to activate the faculties of imaginal perception and imagination.

See also: Form Imagination Meanings

Form ( sura )

(Sura). The outer form of an entity or thing is what conceals its inner meaning. Revelation is the outer form whose meaning is Allah's Knowledge of Himself and His creation. Tearing away the veil of form to reveal the meaning within is the work of the higher teaching. The Holy Prophet Muhammad al Mustapha (May the Salutations of Allah be upon him and Peace) prayed, 'Oh, Allah, show me things as they are in their reality'.

Imagination ( khayal )

(Khayal). Imagination indicates a reality that becomes manifest in three different places. Firstly, the Khayal is manifest within the cosmos where existence is the same as imagination. Secondly, the Khayal is manifest within the macrocosm where the isthmus between the spiritual and corporeal worlds is imaginal. Thirdly, the khayal is manifest within the microcosm where the human self is the reality between the body and the spirit. Khayal is synonymous with images. The Realm of Imagination is the isthmus between the World of the Unseen and the Visible World and it is within this khayal that man is given the clearest expression of the 'He, not He' (Huwa, la Huwa) mystery of existence. The human faculty of imagination (khayal) is purely passive with regard to the active conjectural faculty of illusion and with regard to the Spirit which may imprint upon it heralding visions.

Meanings ( ma'ani )

(Ma'ana). Everything in creation has an outward form. These forms are the manifestations of their essential inner meanings. The meaning of everything is Allah. Within imagination all meanings become clothed in substratum and take on form. No meaning is able to hold itself back from imagination.

Go Back