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

Order by: Arabic English

r

riya'
Showing off

(Riya'). Ostentation or hypocrisy or showing-off. Spiritual states are gifts from Allah and spiritual stations are earned. The descent of the states and the acquiring of the stations is through Allah's Grace and His Mercy. Riya' is one of the greates...

riyada
Ascetic discipline

(Riyada). Throughout the initial stages of the Journey of Return to Allah, when the traveller is in a condition of disequilibrium, he is required to exert himself in spiritual struggle and ascetic discipline (riyada). By applying himself to the disci...

riyadat al-adab
Discipline of Spiritual Courtesy

(Riyadat al Adab). The disciple of moral courtesy which is achieved through leaving the natural tendencies of the ego.

riyadat at-talb
Discipline of Seeking

(Riyadat al Talib). The discipline of seeking with sincerity and soundness of purpose.

riyasa
Leadership

(Riyasa). There are knowledges, such as the sciences of the mystery, which cannot be made manifest. When certain travellers come to know these sciences they seek leadership (riyasa) and superiority over others, desiring to display these sciences and...

rizq
Sustenance

(Rizq). Allah is our Provider and our sustenance has been determined since pre-Eternity. The cosmos has no subsistence except through Allah and the Attributes of Divinity have no subsistence except through the cosmos, therefore each of the two is the...

rububiyya
Lordship

(Rububiyya). The cosmos has two basic levels which are expressed in various ways - that of the Real and the creation, Independence and poverty, Lordship and slavehood. It is the existence of Lordship which demands slavehood. Lordship is the most exa...

ruh
Spirit

(Ruh). The Ruh is that centre within man which is attracted and drawn back to its Source. The spirit endeavours to pull the heart towards Allah, while the lower self exerts a downward pull on the heart. The human spirit is also Allah's Spirit becaus...

al-ruh al-idafi
Spirit-attributed

(Ruh al Idafi). The attributed spirit. Allah breathed His Spirit into man. In possessing the indistinct status of being both Divine and human the spirit is called Al Ruh al Idafi. It is 'attributed' to Allah.

al-ruh al-ilahi
Spirit-Divine

(Ruh al Ilahi) is 'uncreated'. It is also called the Holy Spirit and the Reality of Muhammad.

al-ruh al-kull
Spirit-Universal

(Ruh al Kull). The Universal Spirit from which the spirit has emerged. The spirit (ruh) prostrates to the Universal Spirit.

al-ruh al-Muhammadi
Spirit of Muhammad

(Ruh al Muhammadi).The spirit, which is a limitation of Allah, The Creative Truth, is the first emanation from the Absolute. This emanation is the Ruh al Muhammadi. Here the spirit is absolutely pure. This plane is free from materiality. It is the p...

al-ruh al-quddus
Holy Spirit

(Ruh al Quddus). Every existent entity has a created spirit which constitutes its form. The spirit is to the form as the meaning is to the word. The created spirit has a Divine Spirit which constitutes it and this is the Ruh al Quddus. Man has a bo...

ruhani
Spiritual

(Ruhani). Spiritual or that which is of the spirit.

ruju'
Return

(Ruju'). This term particularly denotes man's Return to Allah. The Men of Perfection, whose station is the station of 'no station', are those who are constantly 'returning' to Allah.