(Risala). The risala is the Divine Mission of promulgating a new Sacred Law for which a Messenger (rasul) is sent to his people. Messagehood terminated with the Holy Prophet Muhammad who is the Seal of the Messengers, May the Salutations of Allah be...
(Riyada). Throughout the initial stages of the Journey of Return to Allah, when the traveller is in a condition of disequilibrium, he is required to exert himself in spiritual struggle and ascetic discipline (riyada). By applying himself to the disci...
(Ru'yah) It is within a dream vision that much of the Sufi Teaching may be transmitted, from a higher realm, to the dreamer. Within a dream vision meanings become clothed in forms. The knower is the one who knows what Allah means by the observed imag...
(Ru'yah al sadiqa [al Ru'yah al Sahiha]). The sound or true dream. The Holy Prophet Muhammad (May the Salutations of Allah be upon him and Peace) said, 'Nothing remains of prophecy but heralding visions'. These 'heralding visions' are sound dreams (...
(Sadana). Within the hierarchy of existence that which occupies a high level is guarded and protected by that which is at the level beneath it. Some of the Divine Names act as gatekeepers to other Names which are above them in degree. For example, Th...
(Sahib al Nafas). The one who finds Allah in his ecstasy is called sahib al nafas. Each breath of every engendered thing possesses a unique preparedness which is not possessed by any other breath, ever! The ecstasy of the sahib al nafas takes place ...
(Sahw) is returning to oneself after having been absent from oneself while intoxicated with the Divine Beloved. The one in the state of sahw is considered to be of greater spiritual maturity than the one in the state of intoxication. The Supreme F...
(Sarayan). Running through or pervading. Sarayan is the pervasion of the entity by Being. Although it is universal, it varies in intensity, reaching its highest degree in the Perfect Man.
(As-Sattar).The Concealer or Veiler. Allah created the Perfect Man to be His place of Manifestation in the cosmos. Having created him Allah then veiled Himself from the creatures. Were He to become manifest there would be no need for the Perfect Man....
(Shukr). Gratitude or thankfulness. The station of gratitude indicates an all-pervading awareness of the immensity of Allah's Grace upon His slave. The man who combines gratitude with patience is the man of wisdom.
(Sukr) is spiritual intoxication. It is an absence from self-awareness brought about through a powerful spiritual influence such as immersion in the Remembrance of Allah, finding Allah within the spiritual concert, or the glance of a friend of Allah....
(Tahakkum). This is an attribute of the friends of Allah. It designates an inward spiritual and mental activity that may bring extraordinary events into existence.
(Tajalli) means Allah's unveiling of Himself to His creatures. The Divine Self-disclosures are never repeated and they are never ending. They are the lights of the Unseen which are unveiled to hearts. They are the signs which Allah has placed within ...
(Talaqqa). Receiving the knowledge which descends upon the slave from Allah. Such a receiving is not a taking. The hands of the slave are upturned and opened in readiness to receive whatever Allah Wills to send. The hands should never reach forward i...
(Tamkin). Stability or fixity. The station of stability (tamkin) is opposite the station of variegation (talwin). Some consider the station of stability to be superior to variegation, however, the Verifiers and Perfect Knowers of Allah are not limite...
