The Language of the Future

Sufi Terminology by Murshid F.A. Ali ElSenossi

rabb al-arbab
Lord of all lords

(Rabb al Arbab). Each thing has its own lord. Those who are misguided are approved of by their own lord but condemned by Allah, Who is Lord of all lords. Each thing's lord is the particular Face that Allah has turned towards it. The majority of mankind look upon the secondary causes as their lords and in so doing they do not find the Lord of all lords, Allah.

See also: Face Face-specific He who knows his own Self, knows his Lord Knowers of Allah Lords Secondary Causes

(Wajh). The face or special aspect of a thing. This is its reality. The knower and lover sees only Allah. When looking at the creatures he sees either the Faces of the Absolute or the Divine Faces. Every existent thing is a face of the Absolute. Everything our sight falls upon is an aspect of the Absolute, be it a reflection of Allah's Majesty or His Beauty. But only the Purified and Perfect Men reflect the Divine Face, and only the purified lover and knower perceives the Divinity in such faces.
Face

(Al Wajh al khass). This is the face of Allah turned toward, and specific to, every created existent. Between each thing and the wajh al khass there is no intermediary.
Face-specific

(Man' arafa nafsahu 'arafa Rabbah). This hadith contains the very essence of the Sufi Teaching and is therefore one of the strongest supports of the higher teaching. In knowing one's own self one attains to Knowledge of Allah. But this is not Knowledge of Allah as the Essence, because such knowledge is impossible for the slave. None knows Allah but Allah. None sees Allah but Allah. None worships Allah but Allah. The Spiritual Journey is from the lower self to the Higher Self and on reaching knowledge of the Higher Self one reaches knowledge of one's Lord.
He who knows his own Self, knows his Lord

(Al 'Arifin/'Urufa). They see and recognize Allah wherever they look. The knowers are bewildered. But this is not the bewilderment of being lost, rather it is the bewilderment of having found Allah. They know that He cannot be known. The knowers are nothing because they are everything.
Knowers of Allah

(Arbab). Lords. 'He who knows his own self, truly, does know his Lord' (Man 'arafa nafsahu 'arafa Rabbah) but because the majority of mankind take the secondary causes as their lords they do not come to know their Lord.
Lords

(Asbab). These were established as a means by which man can come to know Allah, yet for the majority of mankind the secondary causes act as veils over Reality.
Secondary Causes
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