(Istishab). The intensity of yearning and longing for the absent Beloved increases the bliss of meeting Allah. The traveller who has unceasing companionship with the Murshid runs the risk of falling into a familiarity which may lead to disrespect. ...
(Athar). To prefer, have greater regard and concern for others than for oneself. To give the choices of the brothers above your own self with regard to your spiritual plane of consciousness and with regard to your worldly existence. The concept of a...
(Jadhba). When, through His Infinite Grace, Allah draws or pulls His lover towards Himself, without any effort on the part of the lover, rapture and ecstasy are experienced. The Holy Prophet Muhammad (May the Salutations of Allah be upon him and Peac...
(Jahannam) is distance (bu'd) from, and forgetfulness of, Allah. Man finds himself in Hell when he imagines that there actually is a real chasm between Allah and himself.
(Jahil). Ignorance, which is only a lack of knowledge, is darkness and darkness is non-existence while knowledge is Light and Light is existence. The Spiritual Journey is an inner transformation from ignorance to Knowledge, from darkness to Light, fr...
(Jam' u tafriqa). Jam' is collectedness and tafriqa is separation. Tafriqa is a state when the mystic becomes conscious of himself as an individual and returns to himself after the ecstasy of intoxication with the Beloved. The highest degree of know...
(Al Jannah) is nearness to Allah. There are times in this life when Paradise may be experienced to a very high degree such as when the hearer is overwhelmed by ecstasy during the Spiritual Concert or when the intensity of the spiritual affinity exist...
(Jar). This term comes from the Sufi expression 'the Neighbour first, then His House' (Al jar, thumma 'd-dar), which implies that all spiritual aspirations must be exclusively concentrated upon Allah Himself. He is the Goal. The bewilderment of the ...
(Jihad al Akbar). This is the constant and vigilant inner warfare against ignorance, the passions and the vices of the lower self which drag man downwards away from Allah. It is the real struggle against the inner enemies, the inner unbelievers and t...
(Jilwa). This symbolizes the slave's coming out of spiritual retreat (khalwa) dressed in the robes of honour which are the Divine Characteristics. Self-disclosure is Allah's unveiling of Himself to His creations and most particularly to His slaves.
The Sacred Centre in Mecca towards which Muslims face for the ritual prayer, bowing and prostrating before Allah. The Ka'aba is the earthly symbol of the Divine Throne (Al 'Arsh), around which the angels circle and it is a symbol of the sanctified he...
(Kafir). The one who covers up Reality. Taken negatively the kafir is the infidel and unbeliever within oneself. Taken positively the kafir is the knower of Allah who guards his secret and hides the Sacred Reality within himself. It is said that if t...
(Kalam-i -dhati). This Speech is Allah's Speech. It is the Speech of the Essence Itself. Kalam-i-dhati is the Speech of the Source and the Source is the Great Silence. The People of the Essence, Allah's perfect slaves who are drowned in the Source I...
(Kalam-i-tafsili). To attain to the Great Silence one must travel the Path laid down by the Prophets of Allah. In the early stages of the Spiritual Journey the traveller's tongue is in lively motion, full of words and questions and opinions. As he tr...
(Kamal). Perfection is the transendence of the attributes and their effects. Perfection is attained by each creation when it actualizes the total range of possibilities inherent within the level pertaining to its creation. Man's reason for being is ...
