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

al-wahidiyyah
Oneness

(Al Wahidiyya). Uniqueness or Oneness or Singleness. When considering al Ahadiyyah as Oneness it is inward Oneness where the Names and Qualities are hidden in the Essence. When considering al wahidiyyah as Oneness it is outward Oneness where the Essence is conscious of the Names and Qualities.

See also: Attributes Descent of Being Essence 'He-ness' 'I-ness' Names Unity

Descent of Being ( tanazzul (tanzil) )

(Tanazzul/tanzil). The Descent of Being by means of the Divine Revelation. This is the descent of the Absolute from Total Inwardness, through the various degrees, to Outward Manifestation. The beautiful Hadith Qudsi says, "I was a Hidden Treasure and I loved to be known and so I created the creations and through Me they knew me". Man's descent through the Five Presences, from inward non-manifestation within the Knowledge of Allah to outward manifestation within the world, is known as the spiritual ascent of composition ('uruj at-tarkib). His Return Journey back through the Five Presences to Allah, is known as the spiritual ascent of decomposition (mi'raj at-tahlil). The Divine Revelation makes Its Descent (tanazzul) in order for man to ascend along that Pure Radiation of Divine Light back to the Sacred Source. 'Allah took a handful of His Light and said to It 'Be! Muhammad.' And It was'. The descent (tanazzul) of Being is through the Holy Prophet Muhammad himself, through his Reality (al haqiqat al Muhammadiyyah). And the ascent to Being is through the Holy Prophet. Allah Almighty becomes known through His Beloved Prophet Muhammad. May Allah Bless him and give him Eternal Peace.

Essence ( dhat )

(Dhat). The Essence. This is Allah in Himself without regard to His creations, His Attributes or His Names. The Essence is beyond knowledge or conceptualization. Allah warns us of this aspect of Himself. The Essence is Absolute Blindness, the Hidden of the Hidden, the Unknown of the Unknown. This is the World of Absolute Non-manifestation.

Names ( asma' )

(Asma). Names. The Names designate permanent 'aspects' of the Essence. Every Name has a meaning and a form. The meaning of every Name is Allah. It is only through the Names, all of which are Allah's, that we have access to Knowledge of Allah. The Divine Names seek the Perfect Man (Insan al Kamil) to be their perfect locus of manifestation. Through their seeking him and their requiring his existence the knower comes to understand the nobility and grandeur of the Perfect Man.

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