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

tajalli
Self-disclosure

(Tajalli) means Allah's unveiling of Himself to His creatures. The Divine Self-disclosures are never repeated and they are never ending. They are the lights of the Unseen which are unveiled to hearts. They are the signs which Allah has placed within ourselves in order that He may be seen. Each tajalli pours more light and still more light upon whomsoever it falls, for Eternity. The mountain of the lower self is blown to pieces in the tajalli of Allah. The differences that occur within the various Sufi orders do not indicate disagreement or argument amongst the Masters. Each human is unique, and each tajalli is utterly unique, therefore no two people ever experience the same tajalli. But, those who have tasted know, and those who have not tasted do not know. Tajalli is beyond words. Tajalli is bewilderment.


See also: Being Bewilderment Inner eye Knowers of Allah Locus Opening People of unveiling and finding Place Place of Allah's Self-disclosure Places of Self-disclosure Self-transmutation Taste Unveiling
(Wujud). Being, existence or finding. When considered as 'being', wujud designates Allah's Own Reality and Essence. When considered as 'existence', wujud designates the things found in the cosmos. When considered as 'finding' wujud designates the subjective experience of finding Allah or having awareness of Allah. The Verifiers and the People of Unveiling and Finding continually and everlastingly find Allah both in the cosmos and within themselves.
(Hayrah). Bewilderment, perplexity or wonderment. Hayrah indicates a moment of utter perplexity, when the mind ceases to function, unable as it is to resolve or find an answer to a particular spiritual impasse. At such a blessed time, for it is by the Grace of Allah that such bewilderment was reached, the murid must attempt not to panic or give up. Out of this knot of bewilderment a spiritual reality is given the opportunity to unravel and reveal itself in shattering clarity. The Ultimate bewilderment is that possessed by the knowers and lovers of Allah. They are utterly bewildered because they have found Allah and in finding Allah they know that He is Unknowable yet in each moment they are opened to a fresh and new Knowledge of Allah! 'So, Glory be to Allah Who is known only through the fact that He is not known!'
(Basirah). Insight. The basirah is the inner eye which perceives the World of the Unseen. Man's basirah is veiled and covered with a rust which can only be removed through the sincere practising of the Remembrance of Allah. Insight is one of the forms of direct knowledge of Reality.
(Al 'Arifin/'Urufa). They see and recognize Allah wherever they look. The knowers are bewildered. But this is not the bewilderment of being lost, rather it is the bewilderment of having found Allah. They know that He cannot be known. The knowers are nothing because they are everything.
(Mahall). Locus or dwelling place or place of manifestation. Each human heart is a locus in which the Being of Allah discloses Itself. The radiance of His Self-disclosure depends upon the purity of the heart in the way that water takes on the colour of the cup. His Self-disclosures pertain to the 'unseen' world and to the 'visible' world, both of which are perceived by the heart. This indicates the vastness and the tremendous capacity of the human heart.
(Fath). This is one of the forms of direct knowledge by which Allah 'opens the door' to the Unseen World. It is the direct knowledge of Allah disclosing Himself to the heart. This 'opening through tasting' is a knowledge which belongs exclusively to the People and the Elect of Allah.
(Ahl al Kashf wal Wujud). These are the knowers. They have passed beyond the veils which stand between themselves and their Lord and they stand perpetually in His Presence.
(Makan). Elevation is of two kinds one is elevation in rank (makanah) and the other is elevation in place (makan) and mankind is described by both. Elevation in place pertains to works and worship, for it is through works and worship that man is elevated in the degrees of Paradise. The term makan is also applied to a resting-spot or waystation in the expanse, which exists only for the people of Perfection, who have actualized the stages and states and passed beyond them to the stage above Majesty and Beauty. They have neither substantial attribute nor relational characteristic.
(Mathar). The person who experiences unveiling sees the lights as places of disclosure (mathar) within the imaginal realm. These lights abound according to the purity of the 'secret' of the one with unveiling. The cosmos is the place of manifestation of all the Names of Allah. Some of these places are manifest and others are hidden, but they are all nevertheless places of Allah's Self-disclosure (mathar).
(Tahawwul). Self-transmutation, or to change from one situation to another. Allah is constantly transmuting Himself within His Self-disclosures. The root of this tahawwul is the diversity of the Divine Names. It is only the knower of Allah who sees Allah everywhere and at all times. The Knower never denies Allah in any form, place, time or situation, here or there, ever! His respect for each form, place, time and situation is perfect because it is based upon his knowledge of Allah's Self-transmutation (tahawwul).
(Dhawq). Taste or direct spiritual experience. This is the first stage of the experience of Allah's Self-disclosure. It is followed by 'drinking' and 'quenching' and sometimes by the final stage 'intoxication'. Those who have tasted know. Those who have not tasted do not know. Without direct tasting there can be no Knowledge of Allah.
(Kashf). Unveiling or revelation is one of the types of direct experience through which Knowledge of Reality is unveiled to the heart of the slave and lover. In His Infinite Grace Allah gives His slave and lover a Divine Self-disclosure which not only increases his Knowledge of Allah but also increases his yearning and intense love of Allah. The great Sufis are called The People of Unveiling and Finding. Within the unveiling they find Allah. This unveiling and finding frequently occurs during the spiritual concert. In a moment, when it is perceived through unveiling that 'Allah is the singer and Allah is the hearer', the singer and the hearer become One, disappearing into Allah.

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