Tajrid (Isolation) This article covers Tajrid (Isolation) in Sufi terminology. Literally meaning to separate, abstract, peel away, or to isolate oneself from every occupation and engagement, tajrid (isolation) denotes the state where one isolates oneself from worldly things and abandons all carnal or bodily desires. It also denotes turning away...
Halwat And Jalwat (Privacy And Company) This article explains the meaning of Halwat and Jalwat (Privacy and Company) in Sufism. Literally meaning retreating to a place that is quiet and preferring solitude, halwat is used by the Sufis to mean initiates removing themselves from people to dedicate all of their...
Wasil (One Who Has Reached) Wasil (One Who Has Reached) denotes a hero of spirituality who has reached the final point in the journey made to attain perfect knowledge of God and is meticulously careful to follow His decrees in parallel with the profundity of that knowledge. A wasil has...
Wasil (The One Who Has Reached) Wasil (The One Who Has Reached)13; literally meaning one who has reached the final point in a journey or who has met with the one or the thing that one intends to reach, wasil, in Sufi terminology, denotes one who, having been saved from...
Fana Fi’llah (Annihilation In God) This article covers the answer to the question: “What is Fana Fi’llah (Annihilation In God)?” Fanâ fi’llah (annihilation in God) has connections with some of the other concepts that we have discussed. For example, sincere repentance requires annihilating one’s resistance to acknowledging sin, asceticism requires...
Fasl And Wasl (Parting and Reunion) This article covers the answer to the question: “What is Fasl And Wasl (Parting and Reunion)” In the language of Sufism, fasl (parting) denotes renunciation of the world and the hereafter with respect to their own being in themselves, but not to their aspects...
Sakr And Sahw (Intoxication And Sobriety) This article covers Sakr and Sahw (Intoxication and Sobriety). In the language of Sufism, sakr (intoxication) means that an initiate is enraptured by the rays of the manifestations of God’s “Face.” His/her returning to his/her former, normal state is sahw (sobriety). These two terms...
Ma’rifa (Knowledge Of God) Ma’rifa (Knowledge of God) is a special knowledge that is acquired through reflection, sincere endeavor, using one’s conscience and inquiring into one’s inner world. It is different from (scientific) knowledge (‘ilm). (Scientific) knowledge is acquisition reached through study, investigation, analysis, and synthesis, while ma’rifa is the...
Baqa Bi’llah (Subsistence with God) Baqa Bi’llah (Subsistence with God) denotes that the servant of God regards all existence, including him or herself, as being non-existent in and of itself, and discovers in his or her consciousness that every being, living and non-living, is a manifestation or shadow of the...
Tahqiq (Verification) In the language of Sufism, tahqiq (verification) means that not only does an initiate who has almost come to the final step of the journey know the Unique Being that is Eternally-Besought-of-All with His Existence and Perfect Attributes in accordance with the Qur’anic presentation of Him, but also...
Talbis (Self-Concealment) Talbis (self-concealment) means that the perfected servants of God who attribute to God whatever good or virtues that they may have, try to be known as ordinary people by constantly keeping secret the special blessings and extraordinary attainments with which the Eternally Generous One favors them, and the...
Safa’ (Purity) Safa’ (Purity), in the language of Islamic Sufism, signifies the state of a heart at peace because it has been purified of all kinds of things that contaminate it, such as sin, feelings of vengeance, jealousy, and hatred, and suspicion of others. The verse (38:47), They were, in...
Surur (Rejoicing) Meaning joy and delight, surur (rejoicing) is a kind of contentment that embraces a person from both within and without. Even though every conscience feels it differently, what is common in the rejoicing felt by everyone of those who rejoice is that breezes of intimacy come from the...
Talwin And Tamkin (Coloring And Self-Possession) This article explains the meaning of Talwin and Tamkin (Coloring and Self-Possession) in Sufism. Meaning coloring, taking on a color, painting, and presenting different views, talwin (coloring) in the Sufi language is an important degree belonging to those who continuously seek to change their...
Mukashafa (Disclosure) Mukashafa (Disclosure) derived from kashf, meaning uncovering or discovering) denotes that the Divine mysteries will be disclosed to those well versed in the Divine truths when, by rising through a spiritual struggle, they are able to perceive and come to know the truths about the Divine Names and...
Mushahada (Observation) Mushahada (observation) means using insight to see in Divine acts the Divine Names that give existence to them, and to become aware, in the manifestation of the Names, of the All-Holy One Who is called by those Names. In other words, observation denotes that those favored with Divine...
Tajalli (Manifestation) Tajalli (manifestation), which has almost the same meaning as showing itself, display, and appearance, in the language of Sufism means being favored with God’s special gifts. It also denotes that the Divine mysteries have become apparent in the heart of the seeker by means of the light of...
Hayah (Life) Hayah (Life), which can be translated as liveliness and being alive, means that a heart which is already dead because of ignorance, misguidance and disbelief, comes to life through belief, and knowledge and love of God. The verse, He who was dead (in spirit), and We raised him...
Ightirab (Doubled Separation) Ightirab (doubled separation) is a feeling resembling that which arises from falling into error after reform, or night following day, or the darkness of distress that surrounds the heart after exhilaration. Those whom the Messenger praised in His saying, Glad tidings to the outsiders, have always had...
Walaya (Sainthood) Literally meaning a person, a community, or a country that is under the direction and rule of another, walaya (sainthood) denotes annihilation with respect to carnal selfhood and egoism in favor of awareness of being under the dominion of the All-Living, Self-Subsistent One and of the need to...