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

Order by: Arabic English

i

'ilm al-yaqin
Knowledge of Certainty

('Ilm al Yaqin). There are three stages of Certainty - ''llm al Yaqin (The Knowledge of Certainty), 'Ayn al Yaqin (The Eye of Certainty) and Haqq al yaqin (The Truth of Certainty). When considering this triad the Knowledge of Certainty occupies the...

'ilm al-zahir
Knowledge of the Outward

('Ilm al Thahir). This term generally applies to that knowledge possessed by the Doctors of Law. However, because Allah is the Inwardly Hidden (Al Batin) and the Outwardly Manifest (Al Thahir), to attain to True Knowledge of Allah, knowledge of both...

iltidhadh
Enjoyment

(Iltidhadh) refers to the pleasure (ladhadha) which is experienced in the encounter between lover and Beloved. Allah jealously guards and protects His lovers. Part of this jealousy is Allah's keeping the lovers at a distance from Himself, for a time,...

Ilyas
Elias

(Ilyas). The Prophet Elias (Peace be upon him) through whose Word descended the Wisdom of Intimacy (al Hikmat al Inasiyyah).

imam
Leader of prayer

(Imam). The imam is 'the one who is followed'. When the heart has been purified through spiritual endeavour and love of Allah it becomes worthy of being the place which will contain Allah. Such a heart is the real imam, the truthful leader, who is t...

al-imamani
The Two Imams

(Imamani). Within the Sufi hierarchy there are two who are called the Imams. One is from the right of the Ghawth and he oversees the invisible world. The other is from the left of the Ghawth and he oversees the material world. The latter acts as depu...

imamiyyah
Wisdom of Religious Leadership

(Imamiyyah). Imamiyyah is the wisdom of leadership which is contained within the sanctified heart of man.

iman
Faith

(Iman) is to feel secure and safe. Iman is belief, and it is the verbal expression of that belief and it is putting that belief into practice. It is the second rung on the ladder to perfection: verbal surrender (Islam), faith (Iman), perfection (Ihsa...

imkan
Possibility

(Imkan). Allah is All-Possibilty and Allah is Infinite and Eternal and Absolute. Possibility (imkan) is contained within Allah, the Necessary Being, Who recreates the cosmos in a new form in every instant. Unlimited possibilities come into being wit...

imtihan
Trial

(Imtihan). This is the fear, grief, contraction and awe coming from Allah and entering into the hearts of His friends. The affliction which affects both the heart and the body of the friend is considered to be a more honourable and exalted condition ...

al-imtinan
Free Gift

(Imtinaan). A free gift or a gratuitous kindness. The Divine Mercy is an essential mercy in that it is a free gift to every existent thing. Nothing is excluded from this gift of His Infinite Mercy.This comes under the Name Al Manaan (The Giver of al...

inabat
Return from minor sins to Love

(Inabat).

al-in'am
Blessing

('Inam). Allah created man only to worship and know Allah. Man's creation is a blessing from Allah, firstly through having been given existence, secondly through having been brought out of the darkness and distress of non-existence, thirdly through h...

'inayah
Grace

('Inayah). The Grace of Allah surrounds us. We are immersed in His Loving-Kindness. Each step of the Journey of Return to Allah is taken through His Grace. Without Allah we can do nothing.

infi'al
Receptivity

(Infi'al). Receptivity or passivity or readiness to be acted upon. The receptivity of the existent entity is closely related to its preparedness. Such a receptivity or passivity is necessary if the murid is to 'travel' along the Spiritual Path, unde...