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

al-mizan
Scale

(Mizan). The scale or the balance. The Sacred Law is the scale in which must be weighed everything pertaining to Allah, to knowledge, to spiritual realization, to love and to the human state. The traveller on the Path of Return is required to purify himself, through spiritual endeavour, in order to achieve this balance which Allah has established.

See also: Beautiful Model Discrimination Divine Physician Equilibrium Law Perfection Perfect Man Qur'an Spiritual Struggle Travel

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".

Discrimination ( al-furqan )

(Furqan). Discrimination or separation. The Qur'an is 'that which brings together' (The Qur'an), and it is also 'that which differentiates' (furqan). Seeing only its furqan aspect without seeing its Qur'an aspect is seeing only multiplicity. This is associating other gods with Allah. Seeing only its Qur'an aspect without seeing its furqan aspect is denying the secondary causes. This is limiting Allah.

Divine Physician ( al-tabib al-ilahi )

(Al Tabib al Ilahi). The divine physician. Al tabib al ilahi is one of the Sufi Masters, an Inheritor of the Holy Prophet Muhammad. Through possessing insight into his murids' spiritual conditions he is able to dispense the correct medicine, in the correct dosage, which will bring about inner balance and harmony to each unique murid.

Equilibrium ( i'tidal )

(I'tidal). Equilibrium and balance. Spiritual equilibrium is attained through assuming the noble character traits which were perfected in the Holy Prophet Muhammad (May the Salutations of Allah be upon him and Peace). Under the direction of the Murshid, who is a divine physican, the murid's constitution may be brought into harmony and (I'tidal); equilibrium and balance. Perfection is an equilibrium in which all of the Divine Names are in balance. No one Name predominates over another. This is the perfect balance of the Perfect Man, who is a locus of manifestation for the All-Comprehensive Name 'Allah'. The Name 'Allah' contains all the Divine Names.

Perfection ( al-ihsan )

(Ihsan). Excellence or perfection or sanctifying virtue or spiritual beauty. Ihsan has three degrees: 1).To do the good that should be done with one's property, words, acts and states. 2). To worship with total presence like one was actually seeing one's Lord. 3). To contemplate Allah in all things, at all times and always. Perfection is the third rung on the seven-runged ladder of Knowledge. These seven levels are Islam, Iman; Ihsan; 'Ilm al yaqin; 'Ayn al yaqin; Haqq al yaqin; Islam. (Surrender, Faith, Perfection, Knowledge of Certainty, The Eye of Certainty, The Truth of Certainty and Total Surrender and Submission).

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.

Qur'an ( al-Qur'an )

The Recitation or The Reading. The Qur'an is the Final Revelation from Allah to humanity. This Sacred Book contains all the keys with which to open the endless unfolding of Knowledge of Allah. The Qur'an is that which brings together (qur'an), and it is also that which differentiates (furqan). Seeing furqan without qur'an is seeing only multiplicity and is therefore associating other gods with Allah. Seeing only qur'an without furqan is denying the secondary causes (asbab) and therefore limiting Allah. The First Word, 'Iqra' , of the Final Revelation, which descended upon the Holy Prophet Muhammad (May the Salutations of Allah be upon him and Peace) through Jibril, the Archangel of Revelation, (Peace be upon him), opened for mankind the Perfect and Complete Way of Return to Allah.

Spiritual Struggle ( mujahadah )

(Mujahadah). The spiritual struggle and endeavour against the passions and downward-pulling tendencies of the lower self. Mujahadah is the ceaseless combat called the Greater Holy War. The war is fought with the celestial weapons of the Remembrance of Allah. The mature ones of the Path, those who 'know Allah', say that mujahadah is child's play! The real work of Men is Divine Knowledge.

Go Back