The Language of the Future

Sufi Terminology by Murshid F.A. Ali ElSenossi

'abd al-waqt
Slave of the moment

('Abd al waqt). He is the one who, having found Allah in each and every indivisible moment, has surrendered, unconditionally and knowingly, to the moment. Because each moment is utterly unique the requirements of that particular moment are also uniqu...

'abid al-waqt
Worshipper of the moment

('Abid al waqt). He is the man who, having found Allah's Self-disclosure in each and every indivisible moment, worships and surrenders to the One Who IS the moment.

'ada
Custom

('Ada) - or practice or habit. This term implies something which returns. It is said that a miracle is a 'breaking of habit'.

'adam-i-muhidh
Non-existence

('Adam-i muhidh). Pure non-existence.

'adhab
Torment and chastisement

('Adhab) represents the slave's separation from Allah. This separation is brought about by his seeing what is 'other-than-Allah'.

'adl
Justice

('Adl). Justice is putting everything in its proper place. Outward justice concerns what is between oneself and others. Inward justice concerns what is between oneself and Allah.

'Ahd
Pledge

'Ahd - see 'Covenant'.

'alam
World

('Alam). World or universe.

'alam al-ajsam
World of Corporeal bodies

('Alam al ajsam). The world of concrete material things and corporeal bodies.

'alam al-amr
World of Command

('Alam al Amr). Spiritual World or the Universe of Command. The Realm which is without time and matter. The world of command is that which takes its existence from Allah without secondary cause.

'alam al-amthal ('alam al-mithal, 'alam al-khayal)
World of similitudes

('Alam al amthal / 'Alam al mithal / 'Alam al khayal).The world of analogies and images. This is the World of Imagination. It is the isthmus in which the mystery of cosmic ambiguity can be unlocked. It is the place of 'He/not He'.

'alam al-anfas
World of the Breaths

('Alam al anfas). The world of the breaths. Life itself. The breaths are counted. Man's final breath terminates his stay in 'alam al anfas.

'alam al-ghayb
World of the Unseen

('Alam al ghayb) is the Invisible World of the Unseen.

'alam al-ghayb al-muhaqqaq
World of the Unseen (Verified)

('Alam al ghayb al muhaqqaq). The Verified World of the Unseen.

'alam al-izzah
World of Sovereign Power

('Alam al 'izzah). The World of Sovereign Power.

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