Some Terminology - Part Three
kafi: [ka(h)- fee] - The spiritual
faculty or latif [la(h)- teef] (subtle essence) which is
said to be the locus within the spiritual capacity of human beings for giving expression
to experiential manifestation in relation to the lights and mysteries of the world of
Dominion or Malakut.
karamat: [ka(h)- raa- ma(h)t] - The breaking of
the norms of the natural laws by which the world normally operates which is often
associated with, and manifested through, a given awliya or friend of God. When similar
acts occur in conjunction with a Prophet of God, they are known as miracles.
khalifah: [kha(h)- lee- fah] - Someone appointed
by a shaykh to serve the silsilah in relation to certain kinds of spiritual
responsibilities. There may be different kinds of khalifah, with different duties, who are
appointed or deputized by a shaykh.
This term
also refers to the spiritual potential within human beings to serve as God's vice-gerent
throughout creation. However, this potential cannot be fully and properly activated until
one becomes, God willing, a perfect, spiritually realized, human being.
kashf: [ka(h)shf] - A state or condition
through which certain aspects of reality become unveiled, to varying degrees, according to
the character and nature of this process, and in accordance with the capacity of the
individual who is undergoing this process. Unveilings can be of two kinds: worldly kashf
and spiritual kashf.
Sufi
shayks encourage the initiate to seek after all of the spiritual kashf of which they are
capable. However, they warn the individual to stay away from worldly kashf which deals
with being able to see how things will unfold or are unfolding, in different parts of the
world, in the material/historical realm.
korsi: [ko(h)r- see] - The Footstool. Described
as encompassing the seven heavens and is considered to be the threshold to the Throne. The
metaphysical counterpart to this in the human being is the sirr or mystery.
kufr: [ku(h)f- r] - to disbelieve in the
existence of God. One who conceals or covers the truth of the ways in which Reality
manifests the Names and Attributes of Allah within, and through, creation.
Lote
tree: This is in
the seventh heaven, to the right of the Throne, and it is the realm of Gabriel. It serves
as the boundary between both multiplicity and unity, as well as between what is outwardly
knowable and what is hidden from such knowledge.
lowh: [lowh] - The Tablet. Refers both
to the realm of undifferentiated manifestation, as well as to the Uncreated Source of
Revelation out of which the, Qur'an, along with other Divine Books, arose.
mahabbat: [ma(h)- ha(h)b- ba(h)t] - A hal or state
of love. When such a state is in its most intense form, it manifests itself as `ishq, or intense love. Either manifested form
of love is a gift of God and has the capacity to push (from the individual's side of
things, so to speak) and pull (from the Divine side of things) the individual along the
spiritual path.
malakut: [ma(h)l- a(h)- koot] - The world of
Dominion. The invisible world or the world of the unseen in which the inward natures of
created beings are rooted. This Kingdom also encompasses: the angelic realms; the Throne;
the Preserved Tablet and the Pen.
On the one
hand, this world can be contrasted with alam al- mulk, the world which is visible. On the
other hand, the realm of malakut can be contrasted with alam al - amr [a(h)m-(h)r], the world of Command which
concerns supra formal manifestation.
maqam: [ma(h)- qaam] - A spiritual
station considered to be relatively permanent, as opposed to a hal or transitory spiritual
state. Although different Sufi shaykhs list various stations as important to the Sufi
path, quite a few shayks speak of such stations as:
(a) repentance [tauba: tau(h)- ba(h)h];
(b) hope [raja: ra(h)- jaa'];
(c) fear [khawf: kha(h)wf];
(d) nearness [qurb];
(e) gratitude [shukr: shu- k(h)r];
(f) patience [sabr: sa(h)- b(h)r];
(g) yearning [shawq: sha(h)wq];
(h) love [`ishq];
(i) trust [tawwakkil: ta(h)w- wa(h)k- kil] and,
(j) intimate familiarity [uns].
mi'raj: [mi(h)'- ra(h)j] - This refers primarily
to the ascension of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) when he was raised up by
Allah through the seven heavens and past the Lote Tree, which marks the outermost boundary
between, on the one hand, what is knowable with respect to manifest reality, and that
which is in the realm of the unseen. The Prophet's mi'raj was described in the Qur'an as
coming to within "two bow lengths, or closer" of nearness to Allah.
The
Prophet's mi'raj serves as the prototype for all experiences of spiritual ascension by
someone on the Sufi path. Obviously, however, no one else ever has been brought to the
station of nearness that was true of the Prophet. Each individual only can be brought to a
`point' of nearness to Allah which is consistent with the individual's spiritual capacity.
mureed: [mur- eed] - On one level, a mureed is
anyone who takes initiation, or bai'at, with a Sufi master. On another level, the term,
mureed, refers only to a sincere traveller on the mystical path who has, by the Grace of
God, established a deep realization of the significance, purpose, and meaning of spiritual
association with Allah and the Prophet through the locus of manifestation of the shaykh.
On a still
deeper level, the mureed is the one who seeks the murad [mu(h)- rad] which is the object of the seeker. The true Mureed is Allah,
and the object for which God is seeking, is the aspect of the hidden treasure which can be
given expression through the spiritual capacity of the initiate, providing this capacity
becomes realized by, God willing, a successful traversing of the Sufi path.
nafs: The seat of rebellious tendencies
against Divinity which have been placed within the human being by God. When the nafs is
spiritually undisciplined and unruly, then it gives expression to the worldly whims of
desire and anger which can be woven together in a variety of emotion-laden combinations.
When, however, the properties of the nafs are spiritually transformed, then the object of
desire becomes God, rather than the world, and anger becomes transmuted to the practice of
justice with respect to maintaining the integrity of this transformed desire.
Nafs is a
term which also can be used as a collective term for the range of potential encompassed by
the soul. As such, there are different dimensions of the soul which correspond to certain
stages of spiritual transformation. Thus, there is:
(a) nafs-e- ammare: [a(h)m- maa- re(h)] - the soul which
commands to evil;
(b) nafs-e- mulhame: [mool- ha(h)- me(h)] - the soul which is
inspired by God with knowledge of lewdness and God-fearing;
(c) nafs-e-zalem: [(z)thaa- le(h)m] - the oppressive soul;
(d) nafs-e-lawwama: [la(h)v- va(h)- ma(h)] - the reproachful
soul;
(e) nafs-e- mutma'inne: [moot- ma(h)'- een- ne(h)] - the
tranquil soul;
(f) nafs-e-radiya: [raa- di(h)- ya(h)] - the contented soul
in which God is well pleased with them and they are well-pleased with God;
(g) nafs-e-safiya: [sa(h)- fi(h)- ya(h)] - the pure soul.
niyyah: [ni(h)y- yah] - Intention. On the Sufi
Path, all intentions should be shaped, colored and oriented by one's submission to, and
love of, Allah, without any thought of reward or recompense beyond the opportunity to be
in the service of one's Lord.
nur: [noor] - Spiritual light. This light can
come in many different modalities: light of Islam; light of zikr; light of wudu;
light of the intellect; light of the spirit; light of prayer; light of the Prophet
Muhammad (peace be upon him) and the light of the Attributes or Names of Allah are just a
few examples.
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