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

tawhid (tauhid)
Unity of Allah

(Tawhid). The Declaration of Allah's Unity, 'There is no god other than Allah' is the very pivot of Islam. Knowledge of the Declaration of Allah's Unity is a light. Yet, Allah Himself is the affirmation of His Unity. Within the higher teaching all existence is One. The Sufis and the Verifiers have realized Allah's Unity within themselves. In itself, the Unity of Allah is divided into four categories. Unity of Actions, Unity of Attributes, Unity of the Names and Unity of the Essence. And "Allah created you and whatever actions you do" (Holy Qur'an 37:96).

See also: Being Intellect Knowers of Allah Lote Tree of the Uttermost Boundary Night of Ascension People of unveiling and finding There is no god other than Allah Unity of Essence Unity of Place Unity of Time Verifiers

Being ( wujud )

(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.

Intellect ( al-'aql )

('Aql). The intellect or the faculty of reason. The word 'aql derives from 'iqal which means fetter. The intellect fetters man and it also puts its hooks into him, preventing him from making the final stages of the ascent. On the ascension to Allah (mi'raj) there is a point which is indicated by the term 'The Lote tree of the Uttermost Boundary'. It marks the 'place' where reason (the fetter) must be left behind. From this point onwards the traveller journeys with passionate love, yearning and bewilderment. On the Ascension of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (May the Salutations of Allah be upon him and Peace) it was at the Lote tree of the Uttermost Boundary that his companion, the Archangel Gabriel (Peace be upon him) stopped through fear of being annihilated. This station of fear is the highest point to which the intellect can attain.

Knowers of Allah ( 'arifin )

(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.

Lote Tree of the Uttermost Boundary ( sidrat al-muntaha )

(Al Sidrat al Muntaha). This tree marks the boundary of the intellect. It is located at the extreme verge of the created universe. Beyond it is nothing but the Pure Selfhood.

People of unveiling and finding ( ahl al-kashf wa'l-wujud )

(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.

There is no god other than Allah ( La ilaha il Allah )

(La ilaha il Allah). These words which form the first part of the Islamic Testimony of Faith could be paraphrased as 'there is no reality, only Reality' or 'there is no truth, only Truth' or 'there is no love, only Love'. The phrase is the supreme declaration of Unity. "There is no god" (La ilaha) is the negation of everything that is other-than-Allah while "only Allah" (il Allah) is the affirmation that there is only Allah. Through the dhikr of "La ilaha il Allah" the one who remembers uses the word of negation - 'la' - to sweep away all of the inner debris which is defiling his heart, the Sacred Centre. Ultimately, by the Grace of Allah, the phrase "La ilaha il Allah" is replaced by the Word of the Essence Itself - Allah. Everything other-than-Allah has been negated. Allah is affirmed. There is no divinity save the sole Divinity. The Principle insofar as It excludes and annuls the illusory World, while at the same time affirming the unique and supreme Reality. The mystery of Negation and of Affirmation of Reality (Nafy wal Ithbat).

Unity of Place ( wahdat-i-makaniyyah )

(Wahdat-i makaniyyah). To attain to the Divine Presence, to reach Allah Almighty, the slave must be in a state of utter Unity. This Unity is comprised of three Unities Unity of Essence, Unity of Time and Unity of Place. Unity of Place is that 'placeless' Place which opens onto Infinity. 'Here' becomes Infinity. No longer is there the prayer-mat on which the slave is sitting or the bed in which the slave is dreaming. 'Here' is the endless 'There'. Such was the Perfection of Allah's Beloved, Muhammad al Mustapha, on the Night of his Ascension. May Allah Everlastingly shower him with His Salutations and give him Peace.

Unity of Time ( wahdat-i-zamaniyyah )

(Wahdat-i-zamaniyyah). The slave returns to the 'timeless' Time. This is the beginingless and endless moment in which he is 'no thing' ('la shay'). Only Allah IS. The slave is merely an entity through which Allah Almighty becomes manifest. The slave is at the bidding of his Lord. Before the perfect slave can attain to the Divine Presence he must be in absolute Unity. Without Unity he will never reach Allah because Allah IS Unity. Unity is the combination of three Unities Unity of Essence, Unity of Place and Unity of Time. Unity of Time is the 'timeless' Time which opens into Eternity. Unified Place, Time and Essence are the Divine Silence.

Verifiers ( al-muhaqqiqun )

(Al Muhaqqiqun). These great ones form the highest category of friends of Allah. They follow no one's authority because in themselves they have verified and realized [through unveiling and finding], the truth and reality of all things which is Allah, the Real. They are also known as'The People of Unveiling and Finding'.

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