The Language of the Future
Sufi Terminology
by Murshid F.A. Ali ElSenossi
halawa
Sweetness
(Halawa). When Allah opens the doors of His Loving-Kindness to the heart of His lover that heart becomes infused with joy and is overwhelmed by inexpressible sweetness. This is the opening of sweetness (Futuh al Halawa).
(Jamal). Beauty is comprised of the characteristics of mercy and graciousness (altaf) from the Divine Presence. Beauty (Jamal) is opposite Majesty (Jalal). Perfection (Kamal) embraces all opposition. When the heart is overwhelmed by jamal then intimacy (Uns) is experienced.
(Asma Jamaliyyah). The Names of Beauty. These Names relate to Allah's similarity) and are demanded by the fact that Mercy precedes Wrath and Light erases darkness. The Names of Beauty include such Names as The Friend (al Wali), The Subtle (al Latif), The All Merciful (ar-Rahman). When a traveller is under the influence of a spiritual state in which a Name of Beauty dominates he is filled with ineffable sweetness and joy.
(Sama'). The spiritual concert or 'audition' or 'listening'. This term refers specifically to the Sufi gatherings where music and song are employed as a means of opening the heart to inrushes of knowledge and awareness. During the spritual concert, the listener may experience ecstasy and find Allah, The Real within that ecstasy. However, before true ecstasy can be experienced the listener must be spiritually mature, having been prepared through discipline and perpetual Remembrance of Allah. Without this initial contraction of spiritual endeavour the expansion of ecstasy will not be real. The Spiritual Concert is not suitable for the novice. True Sama' is a bird which flies from Allah to Allah. Allah is the singer and Allah is the hearer. At this Divine Feast the singer and the hearer become One.
