“Windows To Spirituality”
Waliyy And Awliyaullah (God’s Friend [Saint] And God’s Friends [Saints]) This article explains the meaning of Waliyy and Awliyaullah (God’s Friend [Saint] And God’s Friends [Saints]) in Sufism. Literally meaning a friend, a helper, a loyal one, or a guardian, a waliyy is one who is devoted to God with...
Fayd And Tajalli (Effusion and Manifestation) This article covers Fayd and Tajalli (Effusion and Manifestation). Fayd literally means the effusion of blessings, profusion, abundance, and increase. Giving existence to something and equipping it with all the particularities and necessities of being existent, and favoring a person with inspirations and spiritual...
Ilm Ladun (The Special Knowledge from God’s Presence) What is meant by ilm ladun (The special knowledge from God’s Presence), is knowledge of the Unseen or knowledge of mysteries, or knowledge which God imparts into one’s heart and the truths occurring to it. Primarily included is the knowledge of all the...
Wahy And Ilham (Revelation And Inspiration) Wahy and Ilham (Revelation and inspiration) are two subjects that have been much discussed in Islamic religious sciences, as well as by Sufis, as they are each an important dimension of effusion and manifestation. The Sufis have mostly recollected Revelation and inspiration when manifestation...
Al-A‘yanu’th-Thabita And Al-‘Alamu’l-Mithal (Archetypes and the World of Representations or Ideal Forms) This article covers Al-A‘yanu’th-Thabita and Al-‘Alamu’l-Mithal (Archetypes and the World of Representations or Ideal Forms). In Sufi terminology, archetypes are the established, existential origins of things in the realm of Divine Knowledge. They consist of the manifestations of the...
Ahadiya And Wahidiya (Uniqueness Or Absolute Oneness And Unity) This article covers Ahadiya And Wahidiya (Uniqueness Or Absolute Oneness And Unity). Ahadiya literally means oneness, or singleness, without having a second or like. It denotes oneness in order to emphasize uniqueness, or that God is One Who has no like....
Al-Awwal, Al-Ahir, Az-Zahir, And Al-Batin The First, The Last, The All-Outward and The All-Inward This article covers Al-Awwal, Al-Ahir, Az-Zahir, and Al-Batin. Al-Awwal (the First) means the One Who is the First of all, without having a beginning, and Who brings all other existent things and beings into existence. Meaning the...
Wahda And Kasra (Unity And Multiplicity) This article explains the meaning of Wahda and Kasra (Unity and Multiplicity) in Sufism. Like the Divine Names the First and the Last, and the All-Outward and the All-Inward, the concepts of unity and multiplicity are, with respect to their literal meanings, opposite to...
Salik (Initiate) A salik (initiate) is a traveler who follows a way to a goal and makes efforts to meet with God. The way of traveling differs according to the capacity, abilities and gifts with which each individual has been favored. Some are extraordinarily attracted and taken by God Himself...
Dervish Dervish is a word that means poor, destitute one. Even though it is used for the poor and helpless in worldly terms, in Sufi terminology it is used for those who are aware of their poverty and helplessness before God. Although poverty and helplessness in worldly terms are associated...
Another Way Of Journeying And Initiation This article covers Another Way of Journeying and Initiation. Some make spiritual journeys by refining and developing the inner faculties, while others purify the carnal self within, causing it to take certain steps. In both these ways, suffering for certain periods is essential to...
The Distance Between Two Bows Or Nearer This article explains the meaning of The Distance Between Two Bows or Nearer in Sufism. This metaphoric Qur’anic expression concerns God’s Messenger‘s unparalleled nearness to God during his Ascension. From the viewpoint of Sufism, it denotes rising beyond the horizons of Divine acts...
The Universal Man This article describes al-insanu’l-kamil (The Universal Man or The Perfect Man) in Sufism. Also known as the perfect man (al-insanu’l-kamil), the universal man is the brightest mirror of God’s acts, Names, Attributes, and even His Essential Qualities that qualify Him as God. There is a rule that...
Irshad And Murshid (Guidance And the Guide) This article explains the meaning of Irshad and Murshid (Guidance and the Guide) in Sufism. Guidance is defined in different ways, among which are directing to the right path, awakening hearts to the Ultimate Truth, helping feelings and thoughts reach God by removing...
Safar (Journeying) Literally meaning being transported from one place to another, Safar (journeying) in the language of the Sufis is described as being freed from living a restricted life with carnal or bodily concerns and bounds, and turning to God on the horizon of the heart. It can be viewed...
Samt (Silence) This article explains the meaning of Samt (Silence) in Sufism. Literally meaning avoiding speech and keeping silent, samt is used by the Sufis to describe keeping silent or preferring silence in self-possession to avoid the useless or harmful utterances that one can make while speaking. Aware of the...
Farq (Distinguishing) In the language of Sufism, farq (distinguishing) has been interpreted as making a clear distinction between unity and multiplicity. To give a longer and more explicit definition, distinguishing means the discernment of the created, despite having perfect knowledge of the Creator, and despite being among people at the...
Jam’ (Absorption) Jam’ (absorption) literally means coming and bringing together. In the language of Sufism, it means fixing all one’s feeling, sight and consciousness on the Truth, to the extent that one is absorbed in Him and does not feel the existence of the world with all that is in...
Yaqada (Wakefulness) In the language of Sufism, yaqada (wakefulness) means that an initiate must be aware, careful and sensitive with respect to God’s commandments at the beginning of the journey, and, without falling into any confusion, must be straightforward in thought, preserve spiritual balance, and act with insight in the...
Chila (Suffering) This article covers the definition of Chila (Suffering). Denoting abandonment of all (worldly) pleasures and delights, and the affliction and hardship one bears when overcoming corporeality, chila (suffering) is used to express an initiate’s spending at least forty days in strict austerity and self-discipline in the name of...
