('Ilm bi Allah). This is the knowledge which is embraced in the heart. The heart is the sacred place where man encounters Allah. The more the heart is polished with the Remembrance of Allah the greater is its capacity to receive Knowledge of Allah.
('Ilm al Batini). Because Allah is the Outwardly Manifest (al Thahir) and the Inwardly Hidden (al Batin) Knowledge of Allah necessarily encompasses both the Inward and the Outward aspects of existence.
('Ilm Ladunni). Divine (God-given) Knowledge. This is a sacred knowledge which has not come through reflection or consideration but has descended into the heart directly from Allah. 'Ilm ladunni is that knowledge which was given to al Khidr (Peace be...
('Ilm al Yaqin). There are three stages of Certainty - ''llm al Yaqin (The Knowledge of Certainty), 'Ayn al Yaqin (The Eye of Certainty) and Haqq al yaqin (The Truth of Certainty). When considering this triad the Knowledge of Certainty occupies the...
('Ilm al Thahir). This term generally applies to that knowledge possessed by the Doctors of Law. However, because Allah is the Inwardly Hidden (Al Batin) and the Outwardly Manifest (Al Thahir), to attain to True Knowledge of Allah, knowledge of both...
(Imam). The imam is 'the one who is followed'. When the heart has been purified through spiritual endeavour and love of Allah it becomes worthy of being the place which will contain Allah. Such a heart is the real imam, the truthful leader, who is t...
(Imamiyyah). Imamiyyah is the wisdom of leadership which is contained within the sanctified heart of man.
(Iman) is to feel secure and safe. Iman is belief, and it is the verbal expression of that belief and it is putting that belief into practice. It is the second rung on the ladder to perfection: verbal surrender (Islam), faith (Iman), perfection (Ihsa...
(Imkan). Allah is All-Possibilty and Allah is Infinite and Eternal and Absolute. Possibility (imkan) is contained within Allah, the Necessary Being, Who recreates the cosmos in a new form in every instant. Unlimited possibilities come into being wit...
('Inam). Allah created man only to worship and know Allah. Man's creation is a blessing from Allah, firstly through having been given existence, secondly through having been brought out of the darkness and distress of non-existence, thirdly through h...
(Infi'al). Receptivity or passivity or readiness to be acted upon. The receptivity of the existent entity is closely related to its preparedness. Such a receptivity or passivity is necessary if the murid is to 'travel' along the Spiritual Path, unde...
(Inhisar). To be confined. Everything is confined except the Essence Itself. The Essence never becomes manifest. Were It to become manifest It would be known. Were It known It would be encompassed which would limit It. Its limitation would lead to It...
(Insan).
(Insan al hayawan). This is man cast down to the 'lowest of the low'. Here he appears and acts as an animal in human form. He is in a state of gross disequilibrium, having not yet actualized the divine form which would make him a human being.
(Insan Kabir). This term is applied to the universe, the macrocosm. The signs of Allah are on the horizons, in the macrocosm, and within ourselves, the microcosm. The universe is the great man (Insan Kabir) and man is the small world or universe ('A...
