The Language of the Future
Sufi Terminology
by Murshid F.A. Ali ElSenossi
shukr
Gratitude
(Shukr). Gratitude or thankfulness. The station of gratitude indicates an all-pervading awareness of the immensity of Allah's Grace upon His slave. The man who combines gratitude with patience is the man of wisdom.
('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 having been given the possibility of assuming the traits (takhalluq) of the Divine Names and lastly in being made Allah's representative (khalifah) on earth. The blessings which Allah showers upon mankind are infinite. In knowing just how blessed they are, the truly Blessed Ones amongst His slaves continually supplicate for Allah to shower His Eternal Blessings upon the Best of creation, the Holy Prophet Muhammad - May the Salutations of Allah be upon him and Peace.
('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.
(An Ni'mah).The Grace of Allah. His Grace is an aspect of His Mercy. Ultimately, every spiritual experience, every unveiling, every tasting, every drinking and every quenching is through the Divine Grace. Without Allah's Grace man can do nothing.
(Rahma). Mercy and compassion. There are two kinds of mercy. The first is an essential mercy or the mercy of free-gift which Allah bestows upon all creatures without distinction. The second is a specific mercy or the mercy of obligation which Allah gives to those slaves who are deserving of it. When the slave has been blessed with the 'opening of unveiling' he sees, smells, tastes, touches and hears Allah's Rahma, which not only surrounds him, but also penetrates every atom of his being.
(Sabr). Perfect patience is to surrender unconditionally, to the Will of Allah, accepting whatever becomes manifest in each indivisible moment. Sabr is a supreme virtue because it requires total and knowing surrender. The man who combines patience (sabr) with gratitude is the man of wisdom.
(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.
(Hikma). Justice ('Adl) is 'putting everything in its proper place'. Wisdom (Hikma), which is closely connected to justice, is 'to act as is proper to each situation'. To be able to act in such a manner it is necessary to have discernment of relationships. Wisdom is the perfect balance of knowledge and practice. It is the sign of the perfect friends of Allah and is possessed, in its highest degree, by the People of Blame (Al Malamatiyya).
