The Language of the Future

Sufi Terminology by Murshid F.A. Ali ElSenossi

talab
Demand

(Talab). To enquire or to ask or to demand. The states of the entities demand (talab) the Divine Names. And the Divine Names demand relationships because the Divine Names are what makes the cosmos manifest. The new traveller on the Spiritual Path is full of enquiries and demands. As he travels his demands decrease in accordance with the perfecting of his spiritual courtesy, and his tongue becomes less active with questions as bewilderment takes hold of his heart.

See also: Bewilderment Correlations Names People of the Essence Silence Speech with words Speech without words Spiritual courtesy Terminology

(Hayrah). Bewilderment, perplexity or wonderment. Hayrah indicates a moment of utter perplexity, when the mind ceases to function, unable as it is to resolve or find an answer to a particular spiritual impasse. At such a blessed time, for it is by the Grace of Allah that such bewilderment was reached, the murid must attempt not to panic or give up. Out of this knot of bewilderment a spiritual reality is given the opportunity to unravel and reveal itself in shattering clarity. The Ultimate bewilderment is that possessed by the knowers and lovers of Allah. They are utterly bewildered because they have found Allah and in finding Allah they know that He is Unknowable yet in each moment they are opened to a fresh and new Knowledge of Allah! 'So, Glory be to Allah Who is known only through the fact that He is not known!'
Bewilderment

(Idafa). Correlations or relationships. The Divine Names demand relationships because the Divine Names are what make the cosmos manifest. The Powerful (Al Qadir) demands the object of power (Maqdur). The Merciful (Ar Rahman) demands an object of mercy (Marhum). The Lord (Rabb) demands a vassal (Marbub).
Correlations

(Asma). Names. The Names designate permanent 'aspects' of the Essence. Every Name has a meaning and a form. The meaning of every Name is Allah. It is only through the Names, all of which are Allah's, that we have access to Knowledge of Allah. The Divine Names seek the Perfect Man (Insan al Kamil) to be their perfect locus of manifestation. Through their seeking him and their requiring his existence the knower comes to understand the nobility and grandeur of the Perfect Man.
Names

(Al Dhatiyun). 'Those who have realised the Essence' are the slaves of Allah who drink directly from the Fountain of Camphor in Paradise. They are the People of Solitude of the Absolute Essence. Their love of Allah, being total and utter, remains constant in the face of opposites, because for them the opposites are joined. There is only Unity. There is only Allah as He is in Himself.
People of the Essence

(Sukun) is silence or stillness. This is the great silent stillness of the Essence to which the hearts of the lovers of Allah yearn to return.
Silence

(Kalam-i-tafsili). To attain to the Great Silence one must travel the Path laid down by the Prophets of Allah. In the early stages of the Spiritual Journey the traveller's tongue is in lively motion, full of words and questions and opinions. As he traverses the states and stations, ascending from the book, through the sentences, the words and the letters, his Kalam-i-tafsili lessens and his silence increases. Ultimately, awe and love and bewilderment make him speechless. From circumference to Centre. From multiplicity to Unity. From noise to Silence. From self to Self. Kalam-i-tafsili is the stage of separation.
Speech with words

(Kalam-i -dhati). This Speech is Allah's Speech. It is the Speech of the Essence Itself. Kalam-i-dhati is the Speech of the Source and the Source is the Great Silence. The People of the Essence, Allah's perfect slaves who are drowned in the Source Itself, speak in a silent and wordless language. Their spiritual affinity is total because each one of them drinks directly from the Fountain of Camphor in Paradise and has become one with the camphor. When the drop enters the Ocean there is no necessity for words to be spoken. The Holy Prophet Muhammad (May the Salutations of Allah be upon him and Peace) said, 'He who knows Allah, his tongue becomes silent'. Kalam-i-dhati is the stage of union. Speech without words (kalam-i-dhati) becomes manifest through Speech with words (kalam-i-tafsili).
Speech without words

(Adab) is spiritual courtesy and gracious behaviour of the Path and perfect refinement of words and deeds. Adab is giving each thing and each moment its proper due. The science of the higher teaching is based upon adab, which encompasses all of human life. It extends from right behaviour with regard to the Sacred Law (Shari'a), right behaviour with one's fellow travellers, proper conduct towards the teaching and one's teacher, and reaches to unceasing spiritual courtesy to Allah Himself. The proper courtesy towards the Law is to stay within its boundaries, the proper conduct with regards to good actions is to complete the action and disconnect from it. Adab with regard to the Real is knowing what belongs to oneself and what belongs to Allah. Each moment and each situation has it's own adab. It has been said that the higher teaching is all adab and the greater your understanding and implementation of proper conduct is, the higher you are in the teaching.
Spiritual courtesy

(Istilah). Each science has its own unique terminology through which the people of that science communicate with each other. The newcomer to that science must be taught the terminology which is relevant to his field of study. Tasawwuf, the Science of the Self, also has its own exclusive terminology (istilah), however, the fresh murid who sits with the Masters of the Path to learn, cannot be taught their terminology. Initially all of the words are merely forms and he cannot penetrate into the meanings, no matter how much verbal expression is given to each term. For those on the path of disentanglement, this is similar to when we are young - the words that we hear from our parents and others around us don't quite sink in until we grow up and experience life. Gradually, and after sincere spiritual struggle and endeavour, the maturing murid comes to realize that he now understands many of the terms which his Master uses. He has come to this understanding, this 'knowing', through his heart. Such direct knowledge is the result of 'tasting', and 'tasting' has to be experienced, it cannot be described. Yet, it is nonetheless of paramount importance, for both the seeker of Truth and the murid in a tariqa, to become acquainted with the terminology of this Language of the Future. Religious terminology is for the affairs of the physical body, for our existence on earth. As for 'istilah', the terminology of the higher teaching or 'Language of the Future', it is for the before, for the here and now, and for the hereafter. In other words, it is the language of the Real. One could live quite comfortably on this planet Earth without ever speaking to anyone else and still have his needs met. The language of the future, however, is always required - until you enter into the Deep Silence.
Terminology
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