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

Order by: Arabic English

k

Ka'aba
Ka'aba

The Sacred Centre in Mecca towards which Muslims face for the ritual prayer, bowing and prostrating before Allah. The Ka'aba is the earthly symbol of the Divine Throne (Al 'Arsh), around which the angels circle and it is a symbol of the sanctified he...

al-Kabir
Great, The

(Al Kabir). One of the Beautiful Names of Allah.

kaba'ir
Major sins

(Kaba'ir) are the major sins which are ultimately forgiven. There is only one unforgivable sin and that is the sin of associating anything at all with Allah.

kadar
Impurity

(Kadar) is one of the characteristics of human nature,and is the opposite of purity. The word sufi derives from safa which means purity. The Sufi has realized the Divine Nature within his human nature. He is the Pure One who has left impurity behind.

kafir
One who covers the Truth

(Kafir). The one who covers up Reality. Taken negatively the kafir is the infidel and unbeliever within oneself. Taken positively the kafir is the knower of Allah who guards his secret and hides the Sacred Reality within himself. It is said that if t...

ka'in
Come to be

(Ka'in). This denotes that a thing already has existence because Allah has issued the Word of Command "Be!" ("Kun!") to that thing.

ka'inat (kawn)
Engendered things

(Mukawwanat)). These are the creations which have been brought into existence through Allah's Word of Command "Kun!" and which will leave this world when their stay here is terminated. It is within the Cloud, which is the Supreme Isthmus, that form i...

kalam
Speech

(Kalam) is speech or words. The Source, Allah, is the Great Silence. In the process of descent, the Supreme Silence is firstly qualified with letters which then appear as words. The words become a sentence or sign which then appears as a form or book...

al-kalam
Speech, The

(Al Kalam). When Allah is the Speaker, (and in Reality He is always the Speaker) Al Kalam refers to His Speech. Allah breathes out, and while breathing He speaks. Every word appears for an instant then is reabsorbed into Allah. And the words of Alla...

kalam-i-dhati
Speech without 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 I...

kalam-i-tafsili
Speech with words

(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 tr...

kalima
Word, The

(Kalima). The word. When Allah breathes out and speaks, each one of His creations is a word (kalima) of His.

kalimah (shahadah)
Word of Faith

(Kalimah Shahadah). The Word of Faith or the Islamic declaration of Faith; 'There is no god other than Allah; Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah' (La ilaha il Allah, Muhammadan Rasulullah).

kalimat al-hadra
Word of the Presence

(Kalimat al Hadra). This is Allah's Word of Command, "Be!" ("Kun!"), by which He instantaneously creates every thing He desires.

al-kalimat al-ilahiyya
Divine Word

(Al Kalimat al Ilahiyyah). The Divine Word which descends from Allah contains the Sacred Law within which is all knowledge. The place of the Unity of the Word is His Throne. It descends either as Revelation, Inspiration or Praiseworthy Incoming Thou...