The Language of the Future

Sufi Terminology by Murshid F.A. Ali ElSenossi

shuhud
Witnessing

(Shuhud). The knowers and lovers of Allah, the great Sufis, know Allah through their witnessing of Allah in all of His Self-disclosures. Allah possesses All-inclusive Being and the great Sufis possess all-inclusive witnessing of Allah. And because Self-disclosure never repeats Itself each witnessing (shuhud) of each witness (shahid) is different to any other witnessing, ever!

See also: Self-disclosure Self-disclosure never repeats Itself Witness Witnessing

(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 ourselves in order that He may be seen. Each tajalli pours more light and still more light upon whomsoever it falls, for Eternity. The mountain of the lower self is blown to pieces in the tajalli of Allah. The differences that occur within the various Sufi orders do not indicate disagreement or argument amongst the Masters. Each human is unique, and each tajalli is utterly unique, therefore no two people ever experience the same tajalli. But, those who have tasted know, and those who have not tasted do not know. Tajalli is beyond words. Tajalli is bewilderment.
Self-disclosure

(La Takrar fil Tajalli). This expression indicates that there is never any repetition in Allah's Infinite Self-disclosures (Tajalli). This is 'the renewal of creation in each instant' (Tajdid al Khalq fil-Anat). Allah does not unveil Himself in the same manner in two successive moments to any two creations within His creation. Each instant is fresh and new. This never repeated Self-disclosure is what the knower of Allah witnesses in his own heart. Because each moment is utterly unique the requirements of that particular moment are also unique. The knower of the moment does not resort to old reactions or past experiences when facing and fulfilling the demands of the moment. His heart receives spontaneous (Ikhtiyar) knowledge from the Source Itself. This is the 'the renewal of creation in each instant'. The Slave, Knower ('arif) and lover ('ashiq) takes his knowledge directly from al Hayy, the Living. He drinks from the Water of Life (ab-i-hayat) which is ever fresh and ever renewed.
Self-disclosure never repeats Itself

(Mushahid). He is the one who has vision (mushahadah) of Allah, the Real.
Witness

(Mushahadah). Witnessing or vision. Mushahadah is one kind of direct knowledge of Reality. This witnessing occurs in various ways. Some of the travellers and Men of the Path witness Allah in the things. Some witness Allah before or after or with the things. And some witness Allah Himself. And, because Allah never discloses Himself in the same form in two successive moments to any thing, the witnessing (mushahadah) is infinite and endless. This is one of the kinds of bliss experienced by the people of the garden.
Witnessing
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