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

al-kurama'
Noble Friends of Allah

(Al Kurama). Allah has befriended these men and women through their 'nobility' of soul. They do not listen to idle talk. They do not look upon that which Allah has condemned looking upon. They are not defiled by any of this. It has no effect upon their noble souls and through their purity they are joined with the spiritual beings who populate the Supreme Assembly.

See also: Friends of Allah Higher Beings Those who are brought near

Friends of Allah ( awliya )

(Awliya). The friends of Allah. These are His Saints. Their knowledge is not derived from reflection. Allah has purified them of that type of knowledge. They possess the opening of unveiling through Allah, the Real, Himself. The awliya are those with unbroken awareness of Allah. These Perfect Men have attained to the highest of all human degrees.

Higher Beings ( 'alin )

(Al 'Aleen). Those of a higher order. The superior spirits. The angels closest to Allah. 'Aleen are those spiritual beings who, due to their luminous constitution, transcend, by their own essence, being 'elemental'.

Those who are brought near ( al-muqarrabun )

(Muqarrabun). Those who are brought close or near to Allah and are His favoured friends. Al muqarrabun are those perfect slaves who know that 'the Lord is the Lord and the slave is the slave'. They have beautiful moral courtesy with Allah, never overstepping the limits of their own limitedness and slavehood. Their love of and devotion to Allah is total. They see nothing but Allah. They see Allah before, in, with and after the creation. They are the pure followers of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (May the Salutations of Allah be upon him and Peace). They endeavour always to emulate his perfection and in so doing they cling to their own slavehood as he did. For all of this Allah draws them nearer to Himself in each moment. Their Bliss is never-ending because they dwell perpetually in His Presence. They are the People of Solitude. His perfect slaves and lovers and knowers. He guards them through His jealousy for them. They are not known except by those who also are brought near.

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