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

latifah al-haqiqiyyah
Subtle Essence of Reality

(Latifah al Haqiqqiyyah). This is situated on the crown of the head. This is the 'crowning' latifah and because of its sacred reality it must be protected, covered and veiled. Herein lies one of the meanings of the prayer cap and the turban and the veil.

See also: Blowing Blowing in Inspiration Remembrance of Allah Spiritual Struggle

Blowing ( nafkh )

(Nafkh). The breathing or blowing through which the cosmos came into existence. And this breathing is Allah's. Divine Inspiration (Ilham) descends upon the slave through this nafkh. The 'blowing in' is never ending.

Blowing in ( nafth )

(Nafth). Blowing or inblowing, as with the breath. The knowledge of the mysteries, which is beyond reason, reaches the heart through the blowing of the Holy Spirit. This knowledge is specific to a Prophet or one of the friends of Allah.

Inspiration ( ilham )

(Ilham). Divine inspiration or effusion. Ilham is an blowing in of the Holy Spirit into the heart of a Prophet or a Friend of Allah. Ilham is distinct from Revelation which is specific only to the Prophets of Allah. The Divine Ilham is the immense spiritual force through which the Friends of Allah speak their words of Wisdom, write their books of Knowledge, sing their songs of Divine Love. Only the purified heart which has been sanctified through the remembrance of Allah is worthy of this inblowing of ilham. The Verified Shaykh can recognise the one into whom it is blown and the work of creative inspiration which results from that inblowing. The Word of Allah descends firstly as Revelation (wahy), secondly as Inspiration (ilham) and thirdly as Incoming Thoughts (khawatir).

Remembrance of Allah ( dhikrullah )

(Dhikrullah). Invocation of Allah through one of His Names or through His Words. The perfect dhikrullah, in which Allah becomes the seeing, the hearing, the speaking, the grasping of the one who remembers, is attained when every atom of the dhakir's being is absorbed and annihilated in the Remembrance of Allah. The dhakir becomes internally unified with the Absolute. Only then does Allah sit totally with the one who remembers Allah.

Spiritual Struggle ( mujahadah )

(Mujahadah). The spiritual struggle and endeavour against the passions and downward-pulling tendencies of the lower self. Mujahadah is the ceaseless combat called the Greater Holy War. The war is fought with the celestial weapons of the Remembrance of Allah. The mature ones of the Path, those who 'know Allah', say that mujahadah is child's play! The real work of Men is Divine Knowledge.

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