Shawq And Ishtiyaq (Joyful Zeal And Yearning) This article covers Shawq and Ishtiyaq (Joyful Zeal and Yearning). Literally meaning strong desire, excessive wishing, joy issuing from knowing, delight, and longing, shawq (joyful zeal) is used by Sufis to express the heart’s overwhelming desire to meet with the Beloved, Who cannot be...
Jadhb And Injidhab (Attraction and the Feeling of Being Attracted Toward God) This article covers Jadhb and Injidhab (Attraction and the Feeling of Being Attracted Toward God) in sufi terminology. In the language of Sufism, jadhba (attraction) means that a servant is attracted toward God by God Himself, purified thereby of human...
Dahsha and Hayra (Utmost Astonishment and Amazement) This article covers Dahsha and Hayra (Utmost Astonishment and Amazement), Every traveler journeying in valleys of love and zeal sometimes burns with the fire of love, and sometimes overflows with joy owing to the “wine of immortality” offered by the Beloved. While burning,...
Qabd and Bast (Contraction and Openness) Qabd (contraction) and bast (openness), felt by almost every-one during their lives, relate especially to those who live their lives consciously. Literally meaning being caught, being in straits or distressed, and being grasped by hand, Sufis use qabd to mean that the link between...
Qast And ‘Azm (Decision And Resolution) This article explains the meaning of Qast and ‘Azm (Decision and Resolution) in Sufism. Qast means confidence, determination, choosing, and advancing straight toward a destination, thinking and reasoning moderately and deliberately, and living a moderate and balanced life. For Sufis, this term represents an...
Irada, Murid, and Murad (Will, the Willing One, and the Willed One) This article explains the meaning of Irada, Murid, and Murad (Will, the Willing One, and the Willed One) in Sufism. Irada (will) is both a verb and a noun. As a verb, it means to choose between two...
Yaqin (Certainty) Yaqin (certainty) means having no doubt about the truth of a matter and arriving at accurate, doubtfree knowledge through exact verification. Used also to mean verification, seeking certainty, examining, and exerting strenuous effort to arrive at certainty, certainty is a spiritual station that a traveler on the path...
Basira and Firasa (Insight and Discernment) This article covers Basira and Firasa (Insight and Discernment). Literally meaning perception, intelligence, discretion, evidence, and witness, insight (basira) is defined as having an eye of the heart open, deep perception, an ability to see consequences just at the beginning of an act, or...
Sakina And Itmi’nan (Serenity And Peacefulness) This article explains the meaning of Sakina and Itmi’nan (Serenity and Peacefulness) in Sufism. Literally meaning calmness, silence, steadiness, solemnity, familiarity, subsidence of waves and tranquillity, sakina (serenity) is the opposite of flightiness, restlessness, and wavering or indecision. In the language of Sufism, serenity...
Spiritual Journey “Spiritual Journey” is an agreeable luminous joyful and spiritual sacred truth. This truth has been proclaimed taught and described in thousands of books written by the scholars among the people of illumination and those who have had unfolded to them the reality of creation who have told us...
Key Concepts In The Practice Of Sufism The aspect of Fethullah Gülen’s “mission” or personality as a trainer of the human soul may be seen most profoundly and comprehensively in Emerald Hills of the Heart or Key Concepts In The Practice Of Sufism, a four-volume compilation of his writings that...
Ihsan (Perfect Goodness) Ihsan (Perfect Goodness) has two literal meanings, doing something well and perfectly and doing someone a favor, and is sometimes used in the Qur’an and the Sunna with either meaning. At other times, as pointed out in the reflections on Heart while describing the Prophet Joseph’s consciousness...
The Heart and Some of Its Dynamics This article covers The Heart and Some of Its Dynamics in Sufi terminology. The heart (Kalb) is a spiritual resource with two aspects; through one it turns toward the world of spirits, through the other it connects with the world of physical bodies....
Rida (Resignation) Rida (resignation) means showing no rancor or rebellion against misfortune, and accepting all manifestations of Destiny without complaint and even better peacefully. In other words, one should welcome all things and events, even those normally associated with distress and terror. Another beautiful definition of resignation is having or...
Inbisat (Expansion) Inbisat (Expansion), Literally meaning growing larger and deeper, spreading and expanding, Sufis use inbisat to signify the relaxing of one’s heart, to the extent allowed by the Shari’a, so that it can embrace everybody and make them pleased or contented with one’s gentle words and pleasant manners. In...
Tawhid (Unity) Tawhid (Unity), derived from wahda (oneness), means unifying, regarding as one, believing in God‘s Oneness or Unity, and sincerely accepting the reality that there is no deity but God. The Sufis add to these meanings the ideas of seeing only He Who is the One, and knowing, mentioning,...
Tawadu (Humility) This article covers Tawadu (Humility) in Sufi terminology. Tawadu (modesty and humility) is the opposite of arrogance, pride, and haughtiness. It can also be interpreted as one’s awareness of one’s real position before God, and as letting that realization guide one’s conduct toward God and with people. If...
Sidq (Truthfulness) Meaning true thought, true words and true actions, sidq (Truthfulness), is reflected in the life of a traveler on the path to God as follows: he or she does not lie or tell a falsehood, lives according to truthfulness, and strives to be a trustworthy representative of loyalty to God....
Haya (Modesty) Sufis use haya (modesty), which literally means shame, bashfulness, and refraining from saying or doing anything improper or indecent, to describe one who, out of fear and awe of God, seeks to avoid displeasing Him. It urges one to be more careful, self-possessed, and self-controlled, for such restraint,...
Shukr (Thankfulness) Literally meaning gladness felt about and gratitude shown for the good done to one, Sufis use shukr (Thankfulness) to mean using one’s body, abilities, feelings, and thoughts bestowed upon one to fulfill the purpose of his or her creation: being thankful to the Creator for what He has...