The Language of the Future
Sufi Terminology
by Murshid F.A. Ali ElSenossi

Order by: Arabic English

al-abad
Eternity without end

(Abad) is the effacement of one's moments in everlastingness. It is abiding or subsistence in Allah. The two other dimensions of the Divine Eternity are Eternity-without-beginning and Pre-existence. This is related to the Name of Allah Al Wahid (The ...

al 'abd
Slave

('Abd). The slave (and worshipper) is the one who is in a state of total and utter submission to the Will of Allah. After having been annihilated in Allah where all duality vanished and distinctions were erased, he returns to creation with perfect co...

abdal
Changed Ones

(Abdal). Within the Sufi hierarchy there are seven (or forty) men (or women) called The changed ones.

al 'abdul'l kamil
Perfect Slave

(Al 'Abd ul Kamil). He is the Perfect Man because 'slavehood' is the ultimate state to which a man can attain.

al 'abd al-kulli
Universal Slave

(Al 'Abd al kulli). The Universal slave is the man who is slave ('Abd) to every (kulli) Divine Name.

'abd al-waqt
Slave of the moment

('Abd al waqt). He is the one who, having found Allah in each and every indivisible moment, has surrendered, unconditionally and knowingly, to the moment. Because each moment is utterly unique the requirements of that particular moment are also uniqu...

'abid al-waqt
Worshipper of the moment

('Abid al waqt). He is the man who, having found Allah's Self-disclosure in each and every indivisible moment, worships and surrenders to the One Who IS the moment.

ab-i-hayat
Water of Life

(Abi Hayat). This Water springs from the Divine Name "The Living" (Al Hayy) and symbolises Knowledge of the Absolute. The one who drinks the Water of Life finds eternal life through Al Hayy.

al-abrar
Righteous and virtuous men

(Al Abrar). Within the Sufi hierarchy there are seven men (or women) who are called 'The righteous and virtuous men'.

abru
Honour

(Abru). The greatest honour which has been bestowed upon man is his innate capacity to know and love Allah. Only the Perfect Men actualize this inherent potential, thereby fulfilling their reason for being and becoming the honoured slaves of Allah.

abu'l-waqt
Father of the Time

(Abu'l waqt). He is the one to whom Time is subservient, directing the affairs of the world by his will.

adab
Spiritual courtesy

(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...

adab al-haqiqa
Spiritual courtesy of Essential Reality

(Adab al Haqiqah). Spiritual courtesy requires two or duality. Essential Reality is Allah, therefore the spiritual courtesy of Essential Reality is the courtesy of Allah Himself. This adab is the abandonment of adab.

adab al-haqq
Spiritual courtesy of the Truth

(Adab al Haqq). This spiritual courtesy requires a knowledge of the hierarchy of existence, in which each and every existent has its own right or truth. The man who possesses 'spiritual courtesy of the Truth' understands 'The Real through Whom Creati...

adab al-khidma
Spiritual courtesy of service

(Adab al khidma). Those who serve Allah must observe the refined etiquette which is due to their King. The spiritual courtesy of service permeates all aspects of their lives because each moment of their lives is service to Allah.