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

al-in'am
Blessing

('Inam). Allah created man only to worship and know Allah. Man's creation is a blessing from Allah, firstly through having been given existence, secondly through having been brought out of the darkness and distress of non-existence, thirdly through having been given the possibility of assuming the traits (takhalluq) of the Divine Names and lastly in being made Allah's representative (khalifah) on earth. The blessings which Allah showers upon mankind are infinite. In knowing just how blessed they are, the truly Blessed Ones amongst His slaves continually supplicate for Allah to shower His Eternal Blessings upon the Best of creation, the Holy Prophet Muhammad - May the Salutations of Allah be upon him and Peace.

See also: Assuming [the Divine Character Traits] Beautiful Model Distress Ease May the Salutations of Allah be upon him, and peace Mercy Perfect Man Viceregent

Beautiful Model ( uswa hasana )

(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".

Distress ( karb )

(Karb) is that metaphysical state of pressure and yearning for release which occurs for non-existent entities just before their creation. It is the divine sigh of the Nafas ar-Rahman, the Breath of the All Merciful, which brings relief and removes the distress by bestowing the entities with existence. This situation is somewhat reversed for the knower and lover of Allah who has been annihilated in the Source and sent back to the creation to fulfil his duty as Viceregent. It is said that the Sufi is uncreated, and while striving to fulfil his responsibilities towards the creation, he nonetheless experiences the distress (karb) of pressure and yearning for release to return, eternally, to Allah. He spends all of his moments trying to get back to where and how he was before he was!

Ease ( mustarih )

(Mustarih) is ease. The one who stands at ease has arrived at the station of 'everlasting ease' (rahat al abad). This ease results from his never seeing himself as the locus of manifestation of the Name 'Allah'. He always regards his own slaveness. It is ease in respect of the station of 'everlasting ease', but in respect of the station of 'no station' it is an ease within constant motion. Having surrendered in totality to the moment the slave is at ease, but, there is a 'renewal of creation in each instant'. There is constant movement, change, activity and creation. And from the midst of this knowledge the slave stands at ease. This is bewilderment!

Mercy ( rahma )

(Rahma). Mercy and compassion. There are two kinds of mercy. The first is an essential mercy or the mercy of free-gift which Allah bestows upon all creatures without distinction. The second is a specific mercy or the mercy of obligation which Allah gives to those slaves who are deserving of it. When the slave has been blessed with the 'opening of unveiling' he sees, smells, tastes, touches and hears Allah's Rahma, which not only surrounds him, but also penetrates every atom of his being.

Perfect Man ( al-insan al-kamil )

(Al Insan al Kamil). He is the viceregent of Allah, through whom Allah contemplates His Own Name-derived Perfection. The Perfect Man has actualized the divine form and in carrying the Trust has fulfilled his reason for being. It is through the Perfect Man that Allah enters the world. Al Insan al Kamil is also one of the names given to the Supreme Isthmus. Man consists of a body and a spirit which governs it. The cosmos also consists of a body and a spirit which governs it. Its spirit is the Perfect Man. Without him the cosmos is likened to a discarded body.

Viceregent ( al-khalifah )

(Al Khalifah). The viceregent of Allah is the perfected human being who has fulfilled his reason for being. He has carried the Trust which Allah offered to him, the Trust of being the locus of manifestation for the Name 'Allah'. The viceregent is the Perfect Man in whom Allah contemplates His own Name-derived Perfection. No one is called khalifah except through the perfection of the Divine Form within him. It is through His khalifah that Allah enters the world.

Go Back