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

al-uluhiyya (al-ulaha)
Divinity

(Uluhiyya/al Ulaha). The Level to which the Name 'Allah' refers is the Divinity while the Entity to which the Name 'Allah' refers is the Essence. Level and Entity are two distinct aspects of the Supreme Name 'Allah'. Al uluhiyya is the highest Level beyond which is the Unknowable Essence. It is through the Level of Divinity that we may come to know Allah. Allah's Essence is Unknowable because 'None knows Allah but Allah'. When the slave has realized the Essence he is no longer a slave, he is no longer there, he has disappeared, been lost and annihilated with Allah Almighty. 'When you are there, Allah is not When Allah is there, you are not'. The cosmos contains 'divine things'. These are the radiantly beautiful and purified human beings who reflect the Name 'Allah'. Within such blessed men the Face of the Divine is clearly seen by the one 'with an eye to see.


See also: Allah Beautiful Model Divine things Face 'I am Ahmad without the 'M'' Levels Muhammad Mustapha 'Or nearer' Two Bows Length
God. The Principle insofar as It includes all of its possible aspects. The mystery of Divinity. This is the Supreme Name. The Name 'Allah' indicates both the Face of the Divinity which is turned towards His creation and the Face of the Unknowable Essence Itself which is Eternally turned away from creation. Allah is the All-Comprehensive Name which contains every Divine Name. This Name alone stands for Allah as He is in Himself. The Supreme Name 'Allah' may be the Greatest Name. It leaves out nothing whatsoever of the Reality that is Allah. Allah is the innermost reality or the meaning of everything manifest and non-manifest. Allah Alone is the Goal. Yet, Allah is Absolute and Infinite. Therefore the Goal always lies ahead of the travellers. They never reach It because It has no End. The Journey of return to Allah is a Journey of bewilderment in Bewilderment. The people of the Holy land of Mecca; the birthplace of the Beloved Prophet of Allah, Muhammad Ahmad al Mustapha, salutations, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him in every breath we take and in every blink of the eye we make; came to him in the beginning of his calling and said 'Tell us, who is your God?'. The revelation descended upon the Holy Prophet to answer this complex and powerful question "Qul Huwa Allahu Ahad, Allahu Samad, Lam yalid wa lam yulad, wa lam yakun lahu kufuwan Ahad". (In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate, Say: He is the One Unique Allah: God the Eternal, The Uncaused Cause of all that Exists.. He begets not, nor is He begotten; and there is nothing that could be compared unto Him (The Qur'an 112)
(Uswa hasana). The Holy Prophet Muhammad al Mustapha (May the Salutations of Allah be upon him and Peace) is the beautiful model. Through his perfect example man is given the means of drawing closer, and yet closer, to Allah. The degrees of such nearness depend upon the manner and attitude in which one follows the beautiful model. Those who love Allah and His Messenger more than anything, more than life itself, are the slaves who follow Muhammad al Mustapha in their outer lives and in their inner realities. To approach Allah, the slave must first meet the Holy Prophet Muhammad. This meeting is a Mystery. The Holy Prophet Muhammad, the beautiful model, becomes the slave's inner reality through the unveiling of the Reality of Muhammad. The hadith says, "Who has seen me has seen Allah".
(Al Ilahiyyat). The root and origin of every existent thing is Allah. Each entity comes from within Allah's Knowledge. The cosmos itself is nothing but the manifestation of the Hidden Treasure. It is the manifestation of Allah's Names. Even though the existent things reflect the Names the Divine Face or Aspect is not clearly reflected in all the existents. Every existent thing is a face of the Absolute, but only the Pure and Perfect Men reflect the Divine Face. The one whose inner-eye has been opened, the knower, can easily discern the Face of the Divine from the Face of the Absolute.
(Wajh). The face or special aspect of a thing. This is its reality. The knower and lover sees only Allah. When looking at the creatures he sees either the Faces of the Absolute or the Divine Faces. Every existent thing is a face of the Absolute. Everything our sight falls upon is an aspect of the Absolute, be it a reflection of Allah's Majesty or His Beauty. But only the Purified and Perfect Men reflect the Divine Face, and only the purified lover and knower perceives the Divinity in such faces.
(Maratib). Every existent thing has its own level, and each one of these levels demands a specific relationship with Allah. When an existent thing fulfils all of the conditions pertaining to its level in the hierarchy of existence then that thing is complete.
The Holy Prophet Muhammad (May the Salutations of Allah be upon him and Peace) is the Glory of the Universe, the Best of Creation, the Seal of the Prophets and the friend of those who truly love him. He is from the Light of Allah and all of existence is from his light. He is the key to unlock the Mystery of Existence and he is also the treasure of Existence. He is the key to Allah's Mercy and the key to Paradise. Muhammad al Mustapha is the niche and the goal of the wayfaring lover and the burning rapture within his breast. He is the Beloved of Allah. He owns the Banner of Praise and the Station of Glory. Outwardly he is the Perfect Slave and inwardly he is The One. When the Reality of Muhammad has been unveiled to the lover his heart prostrates before the sheer beauty of this most Noble Sanctuary.
The Chosen One. The Holy Prophet Muhammad al Mustapha (May the Salutations of Allah be upon him and Peace) is the Chosen One of Allah. From Pre-Eternity he was chosen to be the one through whom the Hidden Treasure would become manifest. From Pre-Eternity he was chosen to be the Beloved of Allah. From Pre-Eternity he was chosen to be the Glory of the Universe and the Best of Creation and the Perfect Man. In being a Prophet when Adam was still between water and clay he was chosen to have Firstness. In being the Seal of the Prophets, the one to deliver the perfected religion to humanity, he was chosen to have Lastness. Allah chose to give him two of His Own Most Beautiful Names - The All-Clement (ar-Rauf) and The All-Compassionate (ar-Rahim). In following in the footsteps of Muhammad al Mustapha, in clinging to him and loving him more than life itself, the slaves of Allah are brought near and drink the wine of Divine Love.
(Qaba Qawsayn). This term is also called 'Union of Union', or 'The Gathering of the Gathering'. It signifies one of the highest spiritual stations of Perfection which is attained by the greatest Perfect Men, that is, many of the Prophets of Allah and some of the great saints. This is the stage which immediately precedes absorption in the Source, Allah. It is the closest point that the slave can reach while still remaining the slave. It is that fine and inexpressible dividing line which separates Oneness from multiplicity, the Unseen from the visible, Allah from His slave.

Go Back