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

mathal
Similitudes

(Mathal). In the Qur'an Allah speaks about the similitudes with which He explains various things through the use of symbolism and imagery. The term mathal also indicates the forms which appear in the imaginal realm.


See also: Analogy Divine Presences Imaginalized Imagination World of similitudes
Mithal/Amthal - see 'Similitude' and 'World of Similitudes'.
(Al Hadarat). These are the five universal planes, levels of existence or finding, or worlds of Entified Being. 1. The World of the Essence (dhat), The World of the Absolute Non-manifestation (al ghayb al mutlaq), or the Mystery of Mysteries (ghayb al ghayb). 2. The World of the Spirits which includes the First Intellect. 3. The Central World which is the Perfect Man himself, who is the isthmus between the two higher Worlds (i.e. the Essence and the Spirits) and the two lower Worlds (i.e. the Corporeal Bodies and the Imagination). 4. The World of similitude and Imagination. 5. The World of Corporeal Bodies, which is the plane of the senses and sensible experience. Man travels through these Five Presences as he descends from inward non-manifestation within Allah's Knowledge to outward manifestation within the world, and his Journey of Return (mi'raj) is an ascent back through these Five Presences.
(Tamaththul). To become imaginalized or to appear in the image of. This refers to events such as when the Archangel Jibreel (Peace be upon him) became imaginalized as a man without fault to the Virgin Mary (Peace be upon her). The Holy Prophet Muhammad (May the Salutations of Allah be upon him and Peace) said, Satan cannot become imaginalized (tamaththul) in my image. The blessed one who sees Rasulullah in a dream-vision really sees him. Without doubt, he has seen the Master al Mustapha.
(Khayal). Imagination indicates a reality that becomes manifest in three different places. Firstly, the Khayal is manifest within the cosmos where existence is the same as imagination. Secondly, the Khayal is manifest within the macrocosm where the isthmus between the spiritual and corporeal worlds is imaginal. Thirdly, the khayal is manifest within the microcosm where the human self is the reality between the body and the spirit. Khayal is synonymous with images. The Realm of Imagination is the isthmus between the World of the Unseen and the Visible World and it is within this khayal that man is given the clearest expression of the 'He, not He' (Huwa, la Huwa) mystery of existence. The human faculty of imagination (khayal) is purely passive with regard to the active conjectural faculty of illusion and with regard to the Spirit which may imprint upon it heralding visions.
('Alam al amthal / 'Alam al mithal / 'Alam al khayal).The world of analogies and images. This is the World of Imagination. It is the isthmus in which the mystery of cosmic ambiguity can be unlocked. It is the place of 'He/not He'.

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