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

wasila
Means

(Wasila) indicates the means through which man can come close to Allah. "Seek the means of approach to Him" (The Qur'an 5:35). The one and only wasila is the Holy Prophet Muhammad al Mustapha (May the Salutations of Allah be upon him and Peace). There is no other means to ascend from the physical realm to the Divine Presence. The seeker traverses the first stages of the Journey of Return to Allah with the direct aid and under the protection of his Murshid. These are the stages of spiritual struggle, ascetic discipline and abstinence. Through the Grace of Allah the murid may attain to annihilation in the Murshid. But, no one will meet Allah before meeting the Prophet. The murid can advance no further towards Allah Almighty unless he travels with the wasila. The lover does not reach Allah through being a lover. He only reaches Allah through being the Beloved of Allah, and there is only one Beloved of Allah and that is Muhammad al Mustapha. The only way up is within him. Because the Reality of Muhammad has been unveiled to the slaves and true followers of the Master Muhammad, they are drowned and annihilated in him. (The stairs to ascend to the top floor) Using the means - 'by the baraka of. . . '


See also: Ahmad Annihilation in the Messenger Beautiful Model Beloved of Allah Boy Footprint of the Messenger 'I am Ahmad without the M' Messenger Messenger of Allah Muhammad Mustapha Night of the Ascension Noble, Sacred Sanctuary Prophet Reality of Muhammad Qasim
This is the celestial name of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (May the Salutations of Allah be upon him and Peace). Ahmad is 'the most praiseworthy of those who praise Allah'. His praise, which is none other than The Qur'an, is the complete and most elevated of all praises. All praises are gathered together in his praise. When he was asked, "Are you the One?" the Holy Prophet answered, "No! I am Ahmad without the M". On his Ascension to the Divine Presence he heard the words, "Stop, Oh Muhammad, your Lord is praising you". Before this stage he was 'the most praiseworthy of those who praise Allah'. Then he became 'the praised one'.
(Fana fi Rasul). Annihilation in the Messenger, the Holy Prophet Muhammad (May the Salutations of Allah be upon him and Peace). 'No one will meet Allah before meeting the Prophet'. After annihilation into the Self of the Murshid, the seeker journeys, through the Infinite Grace of Allah, to the next annihilation, which is Fana fi Rasul - annihilation in the Messenger. At this point the seeker is pervaded by an overwhelming love for the Holy Prophet Muhammad. This is a love which is greater than anything he has yet experienced. The Holy Prophet becomes dearer to him than life itself.
(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".
(Habibullah). This blessed name is proper only to the Holy Prophet Muhammad (May the Salutations of Allah be upon him and Peace). No one reaches Allah by being a lover, only by being the Beloved, and it is for this very reason that 'No one will meet Allah before meeting the Prophet'. The lover must be annihilated in the Beloved of Allah, (fana' fi-rasul) before attaining annihilation in Allah (fana' fillah).
(Qadam ar Rasul). The Qadam Rasul, a sacred relic, is the impression or trace left on a rock by the footprint of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (May the Salutations of Allah be upon him and Peace). Not only does an immense spiritual energy, or baraka, emanate from the qadam rasul, but the mere sight of it may exert an exceedingly powerful effect upon the viewer. The trace of the sacred footprint acts as a reminder that, while being the Glory of the Universe and the Beloved of Allah, the Holy Prophet Muhammad al Mustapha nonetheless was a man who walked upon this earth. His spiritual family, those who strive in the Way of Allah and remember Allah much, desire always to follow precisely in the footsteps of Allah's Beloved, and hope to meet him at the Spring of Abundance in Paradise.
(Rasul). A Messenger (of Allah). The rasul is the one sent by Allah. Allah is the Principle and the rasul is a radiation from Allah. The Way back to Allah, the Principle is via His Messenger (rasul), the radiation.
(Rasulllah). The Messenger of Allah, Muhammad al Mustapha (May the Salutations of Allah be upon him and Peace). Through the radiant light of the Messenger, Allah sends to mankind the message of His Own Pure Light. "Allah took a handful of His Light and said, 'Be Muhammad!'. And it was". Each and every incoming thought, whether praiseworthy or blameworthy, is a 'messenger' from Allah. Through constantly keeping watch over his heart the knower is never unmindful of these messengers. Allah says in The Qur'an, "Now there has come unto you a Messenger from amongst your own selves" (The Qur'an 9:128). The lover, slave and knower of Allah is also the lover, slave and knower of the Messenger of Allah (Rasulullah), the Beloved of Allah, the Holy Prophet Muhammad (May the Salutations of Allah be upon him and Peace). Once you know Allah, then you will know who Muhammad really is! The ecstasy within the breast of this lover-slave-knower is the Messenger of Allah (Rasulullah). He is the messenger who will take him back to Allah.
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.
(Laylat al Mi'raj). The Holy Prophet Muhammad (May the Salutations of Allah be upon him and Peace), the slave of Allah ('Abdullah), was 'taken' to the Divine Presence on this 'night'. The word 'night' indicates that moment which is outside of time when Muhammad al Mustapha was blindfolded to everything that is other-than-Allah. In this timeless moment he was in a state of utter Unity . He had realized the Unity of Time, Unity of Place and Unity of Essence. In this state of inner unity he was 'taken' to the Divine Presence. He did not 'go' of his own accord, but was 'chosen' to be 'taken' on this 'night'. The Holy Prophet is the Beautiful Model and his Ascension is the ascension par excellence. By following in his footsteps the yearning lovers and devoted followers and bereft slaves hope to follow him to the Divine Presence. The chosen one (al Mustapha) is the Slave and he is also the Beloved of Allah. No one meets Allah by being a lover, only by being the Beloved. The Night of Ascension, the Night when man ascends to the Divine Presence, corresponds to the Night of Power when the Spirit descends to man.
(Sharif). The Most Noble One is the Holy Prophet Muhammad (May the Salutations of Allah be upon him and Peace). He is the Noble Sacred Sanctuary (Haram ash-Sharif).
(Nabi). A Prophet is a friend of Allah (Wali) who possesses unique knowledge of the Unseen Worlds. Allah has sent 124,000 Prophets to humanity to show them the Way of Returning to Allah. The Prophets are under the Command of Allah to invite people to their particular way (or religion). The teachings of these religions are varied in keeping with the different peoples to whom they were directed, yet the Source of all is One, Allah. Each Prophet and each religion reveals a specific Face of the Absolute. Muhammad the Chosen One is the Final Prophet of Allah - May the Salutations of Allah be upon him and Peace. The universal message which he delivered is the perfect and complete religion. It is for all of humanity, not being limited exclusively to one group of people.
(Al Haqiqat al Muhammadiyya). This is 'The Reality of realities'. It is the first descent of Being from the Beyond of the Beyond. It is the Station of True Love and the stage of 'Or Nearer'. Just as man is unable to look directly into the physical sun because its brilliance would burn away his sight, so too is he unable to look at the Divine Sun because Its Pure Radiance would burn away his very existence. And just as the sun can only be viewed through a thin covering of cloud, so too the Divine Sun can only be seen through the Greatest Veil which is the Reality of Muhammad. The heart which has been infused with knowledge of The Reality of Muhammad soars to Allah Almighty. It takes the lover on the wings of overwhelming love ('Ishq) and longing (Shawq) to the Divine Presence. When Prophet Noah saw the condition of the flood and he was afraid of the sinking of the ark, he used the intercession of Allah for the safety of the Ark (al Wasila). Allah told him to write on the mast the mixing of the Name of Allah and Muhammad (Alif Mim Lam)
The Distributor. The Holy Prophet Muhammad al Mustapha (May the Salutations of Allah be upon him and Peace) is The Distributor. The Light of Muhammad is from the Light of Allah and all of creation is from Muhammad's Light. He is the Master and Teacher of all of creation to whom he distributes his Light. And Light is Knowledge. The Holy Prophet prayed, "O! Allah, make me into Light!" and he also prayed, "My Lord! increase me in Knowledge". Each one of the Masters of the higher teaching, who are his Inheritors and spiritual family, receive directly from him their portion of Divine Knowledge. They, in their turn, distribute their portion amongst their murids. If the murid advances beyond annihilation in his Murshid to annihilation in the Messenger, he too will receive his portion of Divine Knowledge directly from Qasim, the Distributor, the Holy Prophet himself.

Go Back