The Language of the Future

Sufi Terminology by Murshid F.A. Ali ElSenossi

Arabic words starting with S

shari'a
Sacred Law

(Sharia'). Shari'a makes manifest the Divine Reality (haqiqa). It provides all the principles and means for a human to develop true knowledge and acquire the noble character traits. Those who know Allah never leave His Sacred Law. Their courtesy towa...

Sharia'
Law, The

Sharia' - see 'Sacred Law'.

sharif
Noble

(Sharif). The Most Noble One is the Holy Prophet Muhammad (May the Salutations of Allah be upon him and Peace). He is the Noble Sacred Sanctuary (Haram ash-Sharif).

sharik
Partner

(Sharik). Allah, the Lord of Inaccessibility, is far above what they ascribe to Him, and the unpardonable sin is to ascribe any partner, whatsoever, to Allah. Allah is without partner.

sharr
Evil

(Sharr). In itself evil is pure non-existence and denotes those things which cannot receive and accept the Divine Mercy. Knowledge is light and light is existence, therefore evil is ignorance which is darkness and non-existence. Allah, as All-Possib...

shath
Ecstatic utterance

(Shath). An ecstatic utterance is spoken while the ecstatic is in a state of spiritual intoxication. To the outsider his utterance may appear to contradict the Sacred Law, to be pretentious, thoughtless and even verging on associating partners with A...

shawq
Longing-Intense

(Shawq). Intense longing and yearning for the Beloved. Shawq is a yearning to behold the Beloved, and a longing for nearness to the Beloved, and a longing for union with the Beloved, and an intense longing for increase in perpetual longing. It is sai...

Shawq
Yearning

Shawq - see 'Longing'.

shay'
Thing

(Shay). Thing or the 'possible thing' or the entity. Shay can indicate the existent 'thing' or the non-existent 'thing'. The word 'thing' (shay), being 'one of the most indefinites of the indefinites' can be applied to anything whatsoever except Alla...

shay'iyya
Thing-ness

(Shay-iyya). This is the the situation of the entities.

shaykh
Shaykh

The Spiritual Master. He is the authentic guide and the only one to whom a seeker of Truth should turn in his quest. In turning to the Spiritual Master the seeker is turning to Allah Almighty.

shaytan
Satan

(Shaytan). Satan represents the base faculties. He is lurking within the lower self and constantly trying to pull man downwards, away from the Divine. The Greater Holy War is waged against all lower tendencies.

shifa
Healing

(Shifa'). The divine physician dispenses the correct dosage of medicine to bring his patients (murids) to a state of spiritual equilibrium and restore their harmonious constitution. This is the True Healing.

shirk
Associate

(Shirk). To associate or join a partner (another reality) with Allah. Shirk is the one unforgivable sin. It is in opposition to the very basis of Islam which is Unity (tawhid).

shirk-i-khafi
Hidden Association

(Shirk Khafi). The great idol of all worship is the 'I-ness' or 'existence' of the worshipper. Until his existence is annihilated in That Which Truly Exists, Allah, he will be guilty of Hidden Association.

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