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

Iblis
Satan

(Iblis). This is the personal name of Satan (shaytan). Symbolically Iblis is the fancy of 'otherness' from Allah.


See also: Distance from Allah Greater Holy War Hell Hellfire Hereafter Misguidance Self-Animal Self-Commanding
(Bu'd). Distance from Allah. There can be two aspects to bu'd. One is the distance which comes about through forgetfulness of, or even disbelief in, Allah. Such a distance is Hell in this life and in the Hereafter. The other distance is in fact a profoundly sweet distance. It occurs when the slave truly knows, through unveiling, that 'the slave remains the slave and the Lord remains the Lord'. Such a distance as this is one of the means by which the slave attains nearness to Allah. And nearness to Allah is Paradise here and now.
(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.
(Jahannam) is distance (bu'd) from, and forgetfulness of, Allah. Man finds himself in Hell when he imagines that there actually is a real chasm between Allah and himself.
(Nar). The nar is a reality in this life and a reality in the Hereafter. It is experienced in this life when one is in a state of forgetfulness of, and separation from, Allah.
(Akhira). The hereafter is the next life in which are found the Bridge, the Scales, Paradise and Hell. For the traveller on the Spiritual Path the reality of the things and events of the hereafter may be experienced here and now, in this life. Paradise is the mirror of Allah's Absolute Beauty. It is nearness to Allah. Hell is the mirror of His Absolute Majesty and signifies forgetfulness and hence distance from Allah. The degrees of these experiences vary in accordance with the preparedness of the traveller and ultimately through the Grace of Allah.
(Idlal). Man has been given the choice as to which path he takes on the return journey to his Origin. In this life he can make the Journey of Return to his Sacred Centre under Divine Guidance which is manifested in the Prophets of Allah and His friends. But, he can be prevented from making the journey in this life due to Misguidance (Idlal) which is manifested in Satan and his friends.

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