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

kathra
Multiplicity

(Kathra). The One descends and becomes many. Unity separates into multiplicity. The Name 'Allah' contains many Beautiful and Divine Names. The many take us back to the One. Multiplicity takes us back to Unity. The Beautiful Names take us back to Allah.


See also: Criterion Gathering Names of the World Non-delimited Perfection of Being Origin Qur'an Speech with words Spiritual Journey Unity of Allah Unity of Multiplicity
(Hashr). Gathering or bringing together. This term indicates the gathering of what was dispersed, the bringing together of what was separated. Bringing all multiplicity back to Unity.
(Asma al Alam). The names of the world. All of the names of the world derive from the One Source, Allah. Everything in existence has come out from non-existence in the Knowledge of Allah, through the Divine Command "Be!". Everything is from Allah. Everything is returning to Allah. The names of the world are the Names of Allah. This is the 'Oneness of Being' (wahdat al wujud.) A great saint said "For thirty years I have been conversing with Allah, yet people think I am talking to them!"
(Asl). Origin, root, support or principle. Everything has a root, a support or origin and that root is the One Reality, Allah.
The Recitation or The Reading. The Qur'an is the Final Revelation from Allah to humanity. This Sacred Book contains all the keys with which to open the endless unfolding of Knowledge of Allah. The Qur'an is that which brings together (qur'an), and it is also that which differentiates (furqan). Seeing furqan without qur'an is seeing only multiplicity and is therefore associating other gods with Allah. Seeing only qur'an without furqan is denying the secondary causes (asbab) and therefore limiting Allah. The First Word, 'Iqra' , of the Final Revelation, which descended upon the Holy Prophet Muhammad (May the Salutations of Allah be upon him and Peace) through Jibril, the Archangel of Revelation, (Peace be upon him), opened for mankind the Perfect and Complete Way of Return to Allah.
(Kalam-i-tafsili). To attain to the Great Silence one must travel the Path laid down by the Prophets of Allah. In the early stages of the Spiritual Journey the traveller's tongue is in lively motion, full of words and questions and opinions. As he traverses the states and stations, ascending from the book, through the sentences, the words and the letters, his Kalam-i-tafsili lessens and his silence increases. Ultimately, awe and love and bewilderment make him speechless. From circumference to Centre. From multiplicity to Unity. From noise to Silence. From self to Self. Kalam-i-tafsili is the stage of separation.
(Safar). This is the Journey from the multiplicity of the periphery to the Unity at the Centre. The safar commences when the heart is turned towards Allah through His Remembrance. Safar is the Spiritual Journey through the various stations, from the self to the Self..
(Tawhid). The Declaration of Allah's Unity, 'There is no god other than Allah' is the very pivot of Islam. Knowledge of the Declaration of Allah's Unity is a light. Yet, Allah Himself is the affirmation of His Unity. Within the higher teaching all existence is One. The Sufis and the Verifiers have realized Allah's Unity within themselves. In itself, the Unity of Allah is divided into four categories. Unity of Actions, Unity of Attributes, Unity of the Names and Unity of the Essence. And "Allah created you and whatever actions you do" (Holy Qur'an 37:96).

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