(Al Insan al Kamil). He is the viceregent of Allah, through whom Allah contemplates His Own Name-derived Perfection. The Perfect Man has actualized the divine form and in carrying the Trust has fulfilled his reason for being. It is through the Perfe...
(Insaniyyah). Humanness or human nature.
(Intiqaal). Transferral or passage. On the Journey of Return the friends of Allah pass from station to station. In moving to a higher station they do not depart from the lower one, rather their passage is with the lower one. It is the same with knowl...
(Iqamat as-Salat). Standing for the obligatory prayer. At such a time all Supererogatory acts of worship are forbidden.
(Iqbal). 'Receive' or 'turn towards'. When Allah created the Intellect He said to it 'Receive' (iqbal) (or 'turn towards [Me]'.) When it had received He said to it 'Transmit' (or 'turn away [from Me]') and it transmitted. The First Intellect is synon...
(Iqra'). 'Read' or 'Recite'. This profound word was the first word of Revelation from Allah to His Beloved Messenger Muhammad (May the Salutations of Allah be upon him and Peace). From the moment that 'iqra' entered the world mankind was given the op...
(Is'haq). The Prophet Isaac, (Peace be upon him) through whose Word descended the Wisdom of Divine Truth (al hikmat al haqqiyyah).
(Isharah). Symbolic allusions (or hints). The Sufis express themselves through these symbolic allusions thereby communicating with those men who have 'tasted' and recognize their message. Isharah exists in the state of nearness to Allah when the hear...
('Ishq). Intense, overflowing and passionate love of Allah. Some say that 'ishq cannot arise without actual vision of the Beloved. 'Ishq is the highest stage before absorption in Allah. It is as rare as the red sulphur. It burns away everything of th...
('Ishqi Haqiqi). This is the stage of the First Descent of Being and is also known as 'Or Nearer', The Veil of Glory and the Reality of Muhammad. Only the Love of Allah is True Love. It is the Love which made manifest the Hidden Treasure. True Love i...
(Ism 'Alam). Through the immense spiritual courtesy and respect in which the Name 'Allah' is held by the Great Ones, they do not derive His Proper Name from the same root as 'ilah (god) or uluhiyya (Divinity). The Ism 'Alam 'Allah' denotes The Essenc...
(Ism al A'tham). Some of the friends of Allah say that the Greatest Name is kept hidden, while others say it is 'Ya Hayy! Ya Qayyum!' (Oh, the Living! Oh, the Ever Self-Subsisting!) and others consider it to be the Name 'Allah'. The Name 'Allah' is ...
(Isra). This is first stage of the Spiritual Journey where the traveller (salik) travels in the universe itself, gaining knowledge from everything he encounters. Only after this journey has been completed can the traveller begin his ascent (mi'raj) ...
(Al Isra'). The Night Journey of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (May the Salutations of Allah be upon him and Peace). While mounted on the heavenly steed Buraq (Lightning) the Holy Prophet travelled at a speed outside of time, from the Sacred Mosque in Me...
(Istighfar) is a necessary part of preparation for true prayer. It is an act of devotion which should never be abandoned, regardless of one's knowedge, spiritual visions, acts of abstinence, etc. 'The slave remains the slave and the Lord remains the ...
