Sufi terms dictionary
1,677 readings
abādila (Sufism Glossary)
Abādila are those who possess the manifestations of the Divine Names (isim tecellileri). When one of the Most High Allah's Names is actualized within …
abdāl (Sufism Glossary)
The reason these individuals are called abdāl is that they have been endowed with an entirely different nature and a unique purification by their sâhi…
abes (Sufism Glossary)
Abes is to display ifrāṭ (excess) in self-admiration during companionship and friendship. (Mizān, 78) The ʿābid (devotee), among the ubbād (devotees),…
Abiding in Friendship (Sufism Glossary)
It is to cling tightly to friendship. The third degree is the true dhikr (zikr-i ḥaqīqī). This consists of witnessing only the dhikr of the Real (al-Ḥ…
abrār (Tasawwuf Glossary)
It arises as a reward for them. For although there is no request from the person in whom a karāma (a saintly wonder) is manifested, the relationship n…
absolute in this context (Sufi Terminology)
If what is meant is that the exercise of authority (tasarruf) is restricted (muqayyad, specified, limited), then this person has limited himself by th…
Absorption in the Existence of God (Sufi Terminology)
This ultimately means becoming completely annihilated (fanāʾ) in God. Considering fanāʾ fī Llāh (annihilation in God) as the final stage may, at first…
Abwāb
The section of abwāb (gates) (maqāmāt, spiritual stations) is divided into ten bāb (chapters). These are: ḥuzn (sorrow), khawf (fear), ishfāq (compass…
According to the Grammarians (Sufi Terminology)
According to the grammarians, these are asmāʾ nuʿūtiyya (names related to attributes). The first category of names are essential names. These include …
adab (Sufism Glossary)
(ādāb fi’l-nās; ādāb al-fuqarāʾ; adab al-fuqarāʾ fi’l-ṣuḥba; adab al-ḥaqq; adab al-khidma; adab al-qalb; adab al-qirāʾat al-kalām al-aʾimma; adab maʿa…
adem (Sufi Terminology)
It is darkness. Muzlim is called darkness because it does not allow the manifestation of sight. Although it exists in itself, it does not exist for th…
Ādem (Sufism Glossary)
Ādem sold the presence of his Lord for a single morsel.... Even if Allah were to make me an intercessor for the first and the last (the earliest and t…
adl wa’l-ḥaqqu’l-makhluq bih
The adl wa’l-ḥaqqu’l-makhluq bih (justice and the created truth) refers to the first existent created by Allah. As Allah has said: "We did not create …
Adorning Oneself with Virtuous Traits (Tasawwuf Glossary)
The realization of spiritual states ( ḥāl ), abandoning faults, avoiding sins, and fulfilling recommended acts are all encompassed in this concept. Ac…
Āfāt al-qulūb (Calamities of the Hearts)
Āfāt al-qulūb (regarding the calamities of the hearts) refers to the practice of avoiding things that deaden the qalb (the heart), such as vain and me…
aflāk (Sufi Terminology)
menzil-i amr (station of divine command), menzil-i wilāda (station of birth), menzil-i muvāzene (station of balance), and menzil-i bushrā bi'l-liqāʾ (…
after being stripped away (Sufi Terminology)
They are those who, by resisting, strive to become sāhib (possessors) of beautiful ḥāl (spiritual states). This kind of tawājūd (self-induced ecstasy)…
after the gavs (Sufism Glossary)
He takes his place. (Iṣṭilāḥ, 531; Kāshānī, 32; Jāmiʿ, 76) The awtād (sing. watad) are those by whom Allah preserves the world; they are four in numbe…
Ahadiyyat al-Dhāt (Sufi Terminology)
Ahadiyyat al-Dhāt (the oneness of the Divine Essence) is, from pre-eternity, in occultation (ghayb), whereas wahidiyyat (the oneness of Divine Attribu…
ahadiyyat al-jamʿ
Ahadiyyat al-jamʿ refers to the manifestation (tajalli) of the Divine Essence (al-Dhāt) as Essence, without reference to the affirmation or negation (…
ahadiyyet (Sufi Terminology)
Ahadiyyet is the indivisible One. (Heyâkil, 94 If they were to burn ten candles in one place Each is other than the other in appearance But there is n…
ahbāb (Sufism Glossary)
There is no fixed number for the ahbāb. Sometimes they are many, sometimes few. Allah, Exalted is He, says about them: "Then Allah will bring a people…
ahfiyā (Sufism Glossary)
These are the unknown maqāms (spiritual stations) of the abriyāʾ (the pure ones). The divine command does not become manifest to them. They know that …
ahillâ (Sufism Glossary)
The number of ahillâ is unknown. They may increase or decrease. True friendship (muḥālelet) is valid only between Allah and the servant; this is the m…
āhiriyyat (Sufism Glossary)
and is the shāhid (witness) to its continuance . (In him) the word of Allah, "Whatever is on the earth will perish, but the Face of your Lord, full of…
ahl al-naẓar (People of Speculative Reasoning)
Jal) The ahl al-naẓar (people of speculative reasoning, or theologians) are divided into three categories: The first is
ahmed (Sufism Glossary)
These secrets were not disclosed to anyone other than Ahmed. Muhammad is not the father of any of your men. (al-Ahzab 33:40) Having surpassed the two …
ahyār (Sufism Glossary)
Ahyār (the most virtuous, the righteous) are people of basīra (spiritual insight), seriousness, and gayra (spiritual zeal). Seeing the paths of the he…
ajniḥat al-karūbiyyīn
The wings of the muqarrab (near-to-God) angels are as follows: The malāʾikat al-karūbiyyūn (karūbiyyūn angels), according to Ibn Sīnā, are intellects.…
akd
Akd is the binding of the qalb (the heart) to something. It is the contract that the servant makes in their qalb with Allah, concerning what they will…
akfāl-i kulūb
Akfāl-i kulūb (locks upon the hearts) refers to the rusting of the qalb (the heart) due to heedlessness, error, opposition, and betrayal, such as the …
akhlāq (Ethics, Sufi Terminology)
(Sign of bad character; beautiful character; character of chastity; character of courage; human nafs (nafs, the lower self); customs; pleasure in eloq…
Akl-ı Evvel (First Intellect)
Akl-ı Evvel (First Intellect) along with the Tablet (lawḥ) and the Pen (qalam) are simple substances that distinguish between matters. These are mujar…
Akl-ı Evvel (First Intellect)
During this process, the Akl-ı Evvel (First Intellect) was created. It is called Akl-ı Evvel (First Intellect) because it is the first of the realm of…
Akviyāʾ and Akyās (Sufism Glossary)
Akyās (the intelligent ones) take their allotted times from the early parts of the night, while akviyāʾ (the strong ones) take their litanies (wird) f…
al-Anwār al-Ẓāhira (Manifest Lights)
The lights (nūr) that appear in the friends of God (awliyāʾ) are nothing other than the shining of the lights of prophethood (nubuwwa) upon them. The …
al-Ḥaqīqa al-Muḥammadiyya
Al-Ḥaqīqa al-Muḥammadiyya (the Muḥammadan Reality) is the Essence (Dhāt) that is present with the first self-disclosure (taʿayyun). It possesses beaut…
al-Lawḥ al-Maḥfūẓ (The Preserved Tablet)
I said: Will you teach me the science of tailoring (ʿilm al-khayāṭa)? He laughed and said: Alas, people like you do not have the strength for this. Th…
al-Taʿarruf li-madhhab ahl al-taṣawwuf (Sufi Terminology)
It is his principal work. The information regarding creed found at the beginning of this work demonstrates to what extent he was well-versed in the sc…
al-ʿAql al-Faʿʿāl (Active Intellect) (Sufism Glossary)
Among all the dominant lights, this entity—our father, the Lord of the talisman of our species, the source of effusion for our nafs (the lower selves)…
alāʾik (Sufism Glossary)
The perceptions of created beings have no connection with ḥaqīqa (inner reality), nor does ḥaqīqa have any connection with created beings. Hawātir (vo…
Allah's Pre-eternity (Evveliyet) (Sufi Terminology)
It is among His names. He is the First (al-Awwal) and the Pre-eternal (al-Qadīm) Allah. He has neither a beginning nor an end. Pre-eternity (azaliyyah…
allāme (Sufism Glossary)
They are forces. The other is the force by which bodies are completed and which arranges those bodies in terms of form, appearance, shape, and adornme…
amā (Sufism Glossary)
Angels are intellects created from amā (the Cloud of Unknowing). From this station, the first thing created is the divine Pen. Allah chose the Pen, pr…
Amed-i Maʿnevī (Spiritual Pillar)
Amed-i maʿnevī (spiritual pillar): As indicated in the verse, "He raised the heavens without visible pillars that you see" (al-Raʿd 13:2), it is that …
amid (Sufism Glossary)
Amid, that is, multibb (seven), means one who is steadfast in his love for Allah. According to linguists, amid refers to a qalb (the heart) that is sh…
Among the Lovers Who Have Attained Fanāʾ
The elite (khawāṣṣ) , union (ittiḥād) , and those who have attained fanāʾ (fanāʾ, annihilation in God) are such people. Through worshipping Him, lovin…
ān (Sufism Glossary)
Although ān (moment) is a kind of time, in reality it is the boundary between the past and the future. It is like the hypothetical point on the circum…
An Examination of the Heirs of Muhammad (Sufism Glossary)
The importance of the companionship of the heirs of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) for learning lessons of adab (proper conduct) and virtu…
ān-i dāʾim (Continuous Moment)
The ān-i dāʾim (continuous moment) is the expansion of the Divine Presence (Ilāhī Ḥaḍrat) station that encompasses both pre-eternity (azal) and post-e…
and dalāla (Sufism Glossary)
It is a veil. (Hujwīrī, 474) Rān (rust) is a veil between the qalb (the heart) and the sacred realm, arising from the domination of the nafs (the lowe…
and deviates (Sufi Terminology)
One who is in doubt becomes confused and indecisive regarding it. The possessor of conjecture (zann), thinks things about its essence that are not rea…
and do not show reverence (Hamdüniyye) (Sufism Glossary)
The inner murāqaba (spiritual vigilance) is the method of the Junaydiyya (Cüneydiyye) order. However, ascetic discipline (riyāḍa) and spiritual strugg…
and from pure non-existence (ve adem-i mahzdan)
I declare my Lord free from being incapable regarding bringing forth from pure existence (vujūd-i maḥḍ, sheer being). (Nevertheless,) know also that t…
and his faculties (Sufi Terminology)
He continues to perform dhikr (remembrance of God) with his qalb (the heart), devoting it exclusively to Him. If he repeats it many times, constantly …
and Karīm and Wadūd (Sufism Glossary)
Among the characteristics of the possessor of the Maqām-i Maḥmūd (the Praised Station)—may blessings and peace be upon him, his family, and his Compan…
and the Donning of the Khirqa (Sufi Cloak)
It is one of the paths of later Sufis, based on having a good opinion (ḥusn al-ẓann) regarding one’s predecessor. (Anwār, I, 30) There are conditions …
and the Muʿawwidhatān Surahs (Sufism Glossary)
He recites. If he performs the prayer during the day, he recites quietly; if at night, he recites aloud. After the prayer, according to the Naqshbandi…
and thus in moderation (Sufi Terminology)
It remains thus. For this reason, the Shaykh (Ibn ʿArabī) has said: Food, at the moment of the first kashf (unveiling), should be in a state where its…
Animal Unveiling–Unveiling of Plants (keşf-i hayvâni–keşf-i nebâtât)
To unveil (discover) the properties of plants and their specific qualities (the balance of heat and moisture) in accordance with the nature of animal …
ankāʾ (Sufism Glossary)
Ankāʾ is the air in which Allah manifests the bodies of the worlds within itself and by itself. (Istilāḥ, 537) Ankāʾ is a metaphor for hayūlā (prime m…
ankāʾ-yi muġrib (Sufism Glossary)
The concept of ankāʾ-yi muġrib (the Western Phoenix), in technical (istilāḥ) usage, means that which confounds the intellect and thought by its strang…
anvār-i riyāḥ
Lights of the wind; the manifestation of the Name at a distance. These are manifestations that do not require to be spoken of. These lights come only …
anwār (Sufi Terminology)
Anwār (lights) are four. The qalb (the heart) looks in four directions: mulk (the dominion), malakūt (the spiritual realm), ʿizzat (majesty), and jaba…
anwār al-arwāḥ (Lights of the Spirits)
Anwār al-arwāḥ (lights of the spirits) are the lights that encompass the Rūḥ al-Qudus (the Holy Spirit). Whoever these lights are sent to, that spirit…
anwār-i maʿānī (Tasawwuf Glossary)
Every knowledge that is abstracted from matter ( mujarrad [abstracted]), and from anwār -i maʿānī (lights of meaning), is knowledge that has no relati…
arsh-i karim (Sufi Terminology)
Arsh-i karim (ʿarsh-i karīm) is the kursi (the footstool, that is, the place where the kademayn—two feet, meaning the opposing attributes pertaining t…
as (Sufism Glossary)
This is also the Lawḥ-i Maḥfūẓ (the Preserved Tablet): It is the sublime Qur'an, which is in the Lawḥ-i Maḥfūẓ. This is the place from which the books…
as after his death (Sufism Glossary)
afterwards, he is the servant whose qalb (the heart) Allah has revived with true life. Allah has made him a manifestation of His Name al-Bāʿith (the R…
as if it had a voice (Sufi Terminology)
It is to observe decorum (adab) in one's inhalation and exhalation. All these, in our view, are spiritual karāma (saintly wonders) of the awliyāʾ (fri…
as mevcud (existing being)
Then, he contemplates the phrase illā (except), immediately envisioning that line from the top of his right shoulder, passing it through the subtle ce…
as ontic (vücüdi olarak)
It encompasses both essence (dhāt) and attribute (ṣifa); both necessary (lāzim) and contingent (ʿaraḍ, accidental); both ḥaqīqa (inner reality) and me…
Ases
Ases (those called night watchmen) are sāliks (travelers on the Sufi path) who have not yet attained the degree of taḥqīq (realization) and have not b…
ashāb al-kursī
Ashāb al-kursī are the righteous walī (friends of God) whom Allah has befriended, and who themselves are friends of Allah. These are Allah's friends, …
aṣḥāb al-mālinḥulyā (melancholics)
It is stated that the correct form of the word ashâb-ı mâlihülyâ (melancholics) is mālinḥulyā, with a nūn (n) preceding the ḥāʾ (h). This term is the …
ashāb al-sādāti'l-muʿaẓẓamīn
(In its lexical meaning: the companions of the exalted masters) ashāb al-sādāti'l-muʿaẓẓamīn refers to certain fixed or moving stars. (Heyākil, 100)
āsi (Sufism Glossary)
A person without tongue and heart is ignorant, arrogant, and an āsi (rebel against God). Allah does not care for him. There is no good in him. Unless …
asr-ı irşâd (Sufism Glossary)
Asr-ı irshād (the era of spiritual guidance), also called the era of irshād, begins in the walāyat-i kubrā (the greatest sainthood) after the shaykh's…
asrār (Sufi Terminology)
Asrār (secrets) emanate from Him, ascend to Him, and are attained through Him. For it is He who holds (the secrets). The essence of tawhid (the onenes…
at its rank (Sufi Terminology)
It becomes manifest, and through knowledge (with the pen (Jāmiʿ)) it attains a detailed (tafṣīlī) state. (Kāshānī, 154; Jāmiʿ, 87) Preparation of the …
at the Beginning (Sufi Terminology)
Its form is to conform outwardly, to obey and comply with the command, and to keep away from sins and opposition to the command. In the stage of abwāb…
ataş (Sufi Terminology)
Allah the Exalted narrated the story of His Friend (Khalīl), namely Abraham (peace be upon him), as follows: When the night grew dark upon him, he saw…
atāyā-yi dhātiyya – atāyā-yi asmāʾiyya (Sufi Terminology)
Atāyā-yi dhātiyya (gifts pertaining to the Divine Essence), even if not entirely devoid of attributes (ṣifāt), are those things which, without regard …
atebe-i fanāʾ (Threshold of Annihilation)
To reach the atebe-i fanāʾ (threshold of fanāʾ, annihilation in God) is to attain nearness to the Real (al-Ḥaqq), to know Him, to reach the secrets an…
athar (Tasawwuf Glossary)
It is the trace left behind by something that has ceased to exist. One of the Sufis said the following regarding athar (trace): Whoever is deprived of…
atlas (Sufi Terminology)
The sphere of the zodiac is the atlas. Then Allah caused that sphere to revolve in the midst of this Kursī. Allah said: "By the sky possessing the con…
Author's Preface
O Allah! We praise You for having guided us to the straight path. How excellent a Protector and how excellent a Helper You are. We send blessings and …
avuçları (Sufi Terminology)
To wash, to perform mazmaza (rinsing the mouth), istinshāq (inhaling water into the nose for cleaning), istinsār (expelling water from the nose for cl…
Awakening and the Journey to Allah (Sufism Glossary)
It is to awaken from the sleep of fatret (pause, spiritual dormancy) after it has begun. See also awakening . Qiyām billāh (standing by God) is, after…
awliyāʾ al-Raḥmān and awliyāʾ al-shayṭān (Sufism Glossary)
The work bearing this title also contains criticisms directed at certain views encountered in the Sufi understanding of walāya (friendship with God). …
Awtād (Pillars) (Sufism Glossary)
Awtād (sing. watad), also known as the 'four pillars' (awtād al-arbaʿa), are four individuals, each of whom is located at one of the four corners of t…
awwaliyya (Primordiality)
The meaning of this is that, regarding His wujūd (existence), nothing existed before Him. Knowledge has shown that it is impossible for anything to pr…
ayni (Sufi Terminology)
It is a sphere. Our saying 'existent' (vücüdi) is to draw attention to the fact that, unlike the previously mentioned hebā (primordial dust) and tabīʿ…
azāb-naʿīm (Sufi Terminology)
Naʿīm (blessings) are, and can only be, perpetual. As for ʿadhāb (punishment), it may also be perpetual—which is the punishment of the kuffār (disbeli…
azamet (Sufism Glossary)
Azamet (majesty), the majesty that intellects wear as a garment, is a veil that prevents them from perceiving the Real (al-Ḥaqq) at the moment of mani…
azim (Sufi Terminology)
The one called Azim in the malakūt (angelic) realm is a person who knows Allah and His verses (āyāt). Allah has entrusted the subtleties of His knowle…
azwāq (Sufism Glossary)
Azwāq is the knowledge of qualities (keyfiyyāt). These qualities are discussed only among those who are united in a particular technical terminology (…
aʾimma-i asmāʾ (Imams of the Divine Names)
(asmāʾ-i dhātiyya) According to reason and the sharia (sharia—the sacred law), the imam (principal) names are seven in number, neither more nor less. …
aʿrāf (Sufism Glossary)
aʿrāf is the rising place (matlaʿ), that is, the maqām (spiritual station) of witnessing the Real (al-Ḥaqq) in everything, perceiving each thing as a …
bāb-i abwāb (Sufi Terminology)
Bāb-i abwāb (the gate of gates) means tawba (repentance). This is because the first gate through which the servant enters to draw near to Allah is taw…
bahr-ı lücci (Sufism Glossary)
Bahr-ı lücci (the great and bottomless sea) refers to the world (dunyā), due to its dangers that lead a person to destruction, certain evil occupation…
bakara (Sufism Glossary)
Bakara is a metaphor for the nafs (the lower self) due to its authority to eliminate its own desires—which are considered its life—when one prepares f…
bâlde (Sufism Glossary)
...also means that one resolves never to commit this act again, returns any valuables taken, and seeks forgiveness for any rights that have arisen fro…
baqāʾ al-baqāʾ (Sufism Glossary)
Baqāʾ al-baqāʾ is more perfect than baqāʾ (baqāʾ: subsistence in God). The possessor of this baqāʾ is in hudā (guidance) and has attained the perfecti…
bāri (Sufism Glossary)
Both the manifest and the hidden are, together, al-Bāriʾ (the Creator), Glorious and Exalted is He. There is nothing apart from this. This is the muṭl…
bārika (Sufism Glossary)
Bārika (lightning flash) is a gleam that comes from the most sacred maqām (spiritual station) and immediately vanishes; it is the first and starting p…
barzakh (Sufism Glossary)
Barzakh is the realm of testimony (ʿālam al-shahāda) that exists between the world of bodies and the world of meanings. (Istilāḥ, 540) Barzakh is a st…
basīra (Tasawwuf Glossary)
Intellect is the tongue of the spirit (rūḥ) and the interpreter of basīra (spiritual insight). Basīra is to the spirit what the heart (qalb) is, and i…
basit (Sufism Glossary)
and it is a single thing. All its nisba (relation) and izāfa (attributions) are destined to be annihilated in the Essence (Dhāt) without being disting…
bast (Sufism Glossary)
The same method has also been preferred in certain tripartite terms such as worship– ʿubūdiyya –ʿubūda, ʿilm al-yaqīn–ʿayn al-yaqīn–ḥaqq al-yaqīn , an…
bāṭıl (Sufism Glossary)
Bāṭıl refers to speaking about maʿṣiyya (disobedience and sins). This includes discussing the states of women, gatherings involving intoxicants, the c…
bayān (Sufism Glossary)
Bayān (clear exposition), that is, the bayān of these ḥaqīqas (inner realities) , is the lifting of the veils present at the outward level. (Heyākil, …
baz (Sufism Glossary)
It is to experience contraction (inkibāz) in a matter that does not require it. (Mizān, 74) rabb rabb) O my Lord! Your obedience to me is greater than…
bedene (Sufi Terminology)
Bedene is a metaphor for the nafs (the lower self) that embarks upon the journey of spiritual wayfaring (sulūk), traversing the degrees of the Sufis a…
bedr (Sufism Glossary)
Bedr (the full moon) rose upon the darkness of knowledge. Roses were watered in the gardens of your eyes. As reported in the tradition, manifestation …
Benefit from Them (Tasawwuf Glossary)
As Hasan (Hasan al-Basri) said: Good character (ḥusn al-khuluq) is gentleness of face, generosity, and refraining from causing harm. (Abu Bakr) al-Wās…
Benefiting from Them (Sufi Terminology)
In theoretical and practical sciences, virtues whose boundaries have been defined are divided into two. The first is acquired through a person's learn…
berk-hark-tams (Sufi Terminology)
Tams (in the lexicon, meaning to erase, annihilate, or remove) is the disappearance of clarity from something that was clear. (Lumaʿ, 434) Tams is the…
berzal-ı câmi (Sufism Glossary)
This is the name given to a divine station. The question regarding the location of the Lord also strengthens this view. Undoubtedly, the divine statio…
bestowed furqān (Sufism Glossary)
It is the maʿrifa (gnosis, experiential knowledge of God) of bayān (clear exposition)—that is, after distinguishing between good and evil, the ability…
Bevādih and Havācim (Sufi Terminology)
The fact that it takes hold of him is among these. The those who are above the sudden spiritual influxes (wārid, pl. wāridāt) in terms of spiritual st…
beyt-i ḥikmet
Beyt-i ḥikmet (house of wisdom) means the qalb (the heart) in which ikhlas (sincerity) prevails. (Kāshānī, 38; Jāmiʿ, 78) beyt-i ʿizzet (house of maje…
beyt-i kuds – beyt-i mukaddes
Beyt-i mukaddes (beyt-i kuds, (Jāmiʿ)), is the qalb (the heart) that has been freed from attachment to anything other than Allah. (Kāshānī, 38; Jāmiʿ,…
beyt-i muharrem
Beyt-i muharrem is the qalb (the heart) of the Insan-i Kamil (the Perfect Human), which is forbidden to all except Allah. (Kāshānī, 38; Jāmiʿ, 78)
beyt-i şems
they called it thus. (Heyâkil, 99) cihetān: zīq and saʿa. Two aspects (directions); zīq (constriction-narrowness) and saʿa (expansion-breadth), are tw…
bezālet
Bezālet means baseness, refraining from spending on what is necessary, and boasting about trivial things. (Mizān, 73)
bezâzet (Sufi Terminology)
I recommend bezâzet to you. Bezâzet is from iman (faith) and means not benefiting from the blessings of the dunya (this world). The expression ihşevşi…
bezl-i mühec
Bezl-i mühec (to risk one's life) refers to the servant exerting all possible gayret (effort) within their capacity in their orientation toward Allah,…
bidāya (Sufi Terminology)
Bidāya (beginning) is to depart from the habitual life to a life that is commanded, then to what is decreed, and then to return again to what is habit…
bidāyāt (Sufism Glossary)
The section of bidāyāt (beginnings) (maqāmāt, spiritual stations) is divided into ten chapters. These are, in order: yaqaza (spiritual awakening), taw…
bile (Sufi Terminology)
It is among the names that are mutually opposed. For this reason, Iblis was reproached as Allah the Exalted stated: "[Allah] said, 'O Iblis, what prev…
bin (Sufi Terminology)
It is an attribute. The Real (al-Ḥaqq) does not change or transform. Wajd (ecstasy) is a pain that strikes the qalb (the heart), whether in the form o…
bir emel (Sufi Terminology)
He gains mastery over his qalb (the heart): Allah will forgive him and bestow as much grace as He wills. He will become intimate with the feeling of h…
bir kesb (Sufism Glossary)
When one accepts separation (tafriqa), it is because one considers all things to exist apart from the Real (al-Ḥaqq); but when one accepts that all th…
Breathing in and Love (Sufi Terminology)
It is the soaring of the qalb (the heart) in spiritual advancement ( terakki ) through the illumination of its light. In the context of remedies, its …
Büdelâʾ
The büdelâʾ (sing. badal; substitutes) are seven individuals. These are people who, by departing from their places within their community, leave behin…
bükâʾ
Bükâʾ (weeping) is the drops of the fire of longing (shawq), the rain of the cloud of moaning, and the title of the book of ecstasy (wajd). The closes…
buki onlar (Sufi Terminology)
If they had referred it to the Messenger and to one among them who was authorized to investigate the matter, those among them who are able to draw out…
bunları (Sufism Glossary)
He remembers that He has changed these. He remembers that Allah fills their place with ihsan (spiritual excellence) and His favor. As a result of this…
By Allah's Enabling Grace (Sufi Terminology)
May Allah grant us and you success in those things which He loves and is pleased with! (Gunye, II, 125) Fear (khawf) and hope (rajāʾ) are two reins th…
by inference (Tasawwuf Glossary)
It is to dispense with transmitted knowledge by the path of ʿiyān (direct seeing), and for witnessing (mushāhada) to tear apart the veil of knowledge.…
by listening, with Allah's tawfiq (Sufism Glossary)
It is attained. In the hadith, it is stated: "Every Muslim has an admonisher from Allah in his qalb (the heart)." (Musnad, IV, 182; Daylami, II, 429).…
câmi'a (Sufi Terminology Dictionary)
For the Arabic construct phrase: ecnihatü'l-kerrübiyyin (BESİ Bezi), fâtihatü'l-kitâb (ASAN âd13), rabbü'l-erbâb Meanwhile, the form 'ʿilm al-yaqīn (k…
cārullāhi’l-Karīm (Sufism Glossary)
Mutlaq (the Absolute) is closer to those who are masters of elemental forms. (Heyākil, 102)
celâl-i aʿlâ
Celâl-i aʿlâ (the most exalted majesty) refers to the unique sublimity that belongs exclusively to His Essence, which is above all forms of ʿaẓamat (g…
celâyâ'l-kuds (Sufism Glossary)
Celâyâ'l-kuds means sublime lights. (Heyâkil, 103) celb-i iʿtidāl (bringing about moderation) is to eliminate both extremes. For the aim is to purify …
cemaatin (Sufi Terminology)
It is not a term used. (Futūḥāt, II, 501) According to one group, just as fanāʾ (annihilation in God) is the annihilation of sins, baqāʾ (subsistence …
cenâ'ib (Sufism Glossary)
Those referred to as cenâ'ib are individuals whose journey ilāllah (the journey to Allah) takes place within the various degrees of the nafs (the lowe…
cennet-i ef'âl
Cennet-i ef'âl (the paradise of acts) is the paradise of deeds, consisting of delightful foods, sweet drinks, and beautiful spouses as a reward for ri…
cennet-i sıfât
Cennet-i sıfât (the paradise of attributes) is the spiritual paradise that arises from the manifestations of the divine attributes and names. It is th…
cennet-i zât
Cennet-i Zât is the witnessing (mushāhada) of the Beauty of Divine Oneness (Ahadi Cemâl). It is the paradise of the ruh (the spirit). (Kāshānī, 41; Jā…
ceres (Sufism Glossary)
) Ceres is a brief address of a devastating kind. (Iṣṭilāḥ, 538; Kāshānī, 39; Jāmiʿ, 80) (See also salsale-i ceres )
cevâ
Cevâ is the desire of the inner self (bāṭin) and a deeply rooted love that destroys its possessor. In the Tāj, it is said: Cevâ is a fire; it is the i…
Cevdet-i Zihn (Soundness of Mind)
Cevdet-i zihn (soundness and integrity of the mind): All virtues are gathered under two meanings. The first is the soundness of the mind and the facul…
cevher-i ferdin
It is to know its composition. Thought (fikr) is undoubtedly one of its aspects. It is one of the keys to the unseen (ghayb). However, it is a light (…
cezebât-ı hakk
What are the attractions (cezebeler) of the Real (Hakk) in our time? In my view, what is meant by this are the attractions experienced by those who ar…
cibillât (natures, innate dispositions)
Cibillât (natures, innate dispositions) are diverse. Some people accept quickly, while others accept slowly. There are two reasons for this. The first…
cih (Sufi Terminology)
It has also been said that it is a vārid (spiritual influx). (Istilāh, 531-532; Futūḥāt, VI, 130) These two ḥāl (spiritual states) are sometimes found…
cihet-i kübrâ (Sufi Terminology)
Cihet-i kübrâ (the greatest direction) refers to the supreme or greatest orientation. For this reason, fire became the qibla (direction of worship) in…
cihetān-ı ṭaleb (Directions of Seeking)
Cihetān-ı ṭaleb (the two directions of seeking) refers to the aspects of wujūb (necessity) and imkān (possibility) (necessary and possible beings). Th…
cisi Kelim (Sufi Terminology Dictionary)
The third is Hārūn, the fourth is Idrīs, the fifth is Yūsuf, the sixth is ʿĪsā, and the seventh is Ādam. Each of them, through divine knowledge, knows…
cism (Sufism Glossary)
Cism (body), is that which is composed of various parts. (Hujwīrī, 469) Everything indicated by a sensory ishāra (sensory indication) is a cism. Witho…
çoğu (Sufi Terminology)
(Futūḥāt, II, 243-244) Human walāya (walāyat-i bashariyya, human sainthood) is of two kinds: general walāya (walāyat-i ʿāmma) and particular walāya (w…
comprehensive (Tasawwuf Glossary)
It has a ruling. In this regard, supererogatory acts (nafl) act as deputies (nāʾib) on behalf of their possessor as the deputy of the Real (al-Ḥaqq). …
Concerning Connection (from the Sufi Terminology)
He is the one whom He protects. The one of pure secret (ṭāhir-i sirr) is a person who is not heedless of Allah even for a moment. The one of pure secr…
Concerning It, According to Hallāj (Sufi Terminology)
He is the beloved. For this reason, every master is a shaykh, but the reverse is not necessarily true. Likewise, every murīd (aspirant, disciple) is, …
Correction of Certain Notions about Sufism (Introduction)
EXPLANATION OF ḤAQĪQA (INNER REALITY) AND SHARIA (THE SACRED LAW) PLOTS INTRODUCED INTO ISLAMIC SCIENCES Tafsir (Qur'anic exegesis) Hadith History Suf…
counter-value (Sufi Terminology)
It is obligatory to abandon it. (Fath, 93 Knowledge is both an obligation (farīḍa) and a virtue. The obligatory (farīḍa) knowledge is that which a per…
cüd (Sufism Glossary)
It is the mercy that is ihsan (spiritual excellence). The second is the mercy that arises from the combination of hikma (wisdom) and justice. An examp…
cüdundan
Just as it is muḥāl (impossible) for something to be characterized by being something else, so too is it muḥāl to establish it by the nonexistence of …
cüduyla
The one who possesses friendship ( walāya ). After this comes the station of love. This station, in the divine manifestation, consists of the Muhammad…
cümlesinde (Sufi Terminology)
The word cevv resembles the word devv (which means illness and vast land). Water that has changed (in quality) is also called cevv . (Ravza, 348) "Cev…
Customs (Tasawwuf Glossary)
To transcend, to separate oneself from all kinds of customs and forms, and to be ever-present in the presence of Allah the Exalted with true fidelity.…
da dünüv (Sufi Terminology)
When the servant attains ināya (divine favor) , the paths of ihsan (spiritual excellence) from the treasury of goodness are opened to him. As Allah's …
daki (Sufi Terminology)
It has been said that they are infants... (Ta'arruf, 62) This designation has become prevalent among the sufiyya (the community of Sufis). The singula…
dan
It is the increase of yaqīn (certainty) as a result of the lifting of veils during the state of ḥuḍūr (presence). Mushāhada (spiritual witnessing).
dan
It is the place of separation and is the very ahadiyya (absolute oneness). This maqām (spiritual station) is also called the cessation of allusions (m…
dan (Sufi Terminology)
He saw things that are absent (ghayb), and the meanings of things were unveiled (kashf) to him. With his qalb (the heart), he became separated from hi…
dan (Sufi Terminology)
You were created. Its simplicity is its abasement. Because you were united with earth, you made it abased. Therefore, I separated from it, and two mor…
dan (Sufism Glossary)
You were created. Its simplicity is its humiliation. Because you merged with the earth, you made it abased. Therefore, I separated from it, and two mo…
dan (Sufism Glossary)
It has been proclaimed to them so that they might say, 'Weep for us.' (They have been called out to in this way.) Junayd said: Sufism (taṣawwuf) is a …
dan (Sufism Glossary)
It has been proclaimed (called out) so that they might say to us, 'Weep for us.' Junayd has said: Sufism (taṣawwuf) is a war without peace (it is cont…
dânda (Sufi Terminology)
There is no ecstasy (wajd), for at that point there is no longer any need for ecstasy. After seeing with the eye, there is no need for report. In the …
danı olan tazyi'e (Sufi Terminology)
I looked, I soared with the negation of tazyid (leyse), and I remained; in the end, I became utterly lost in the unseen (ghayb). In nonexistence, thro…
daraǧāt (Degrees) (Sufism Glossary)
According to the Sufis, the daraǧāt (degrees) are as follows: The first degree is the Sufi who experiences tajrīd (abstraction). The second degree is …
dâyet eder (Sufi Terminology)
He has two eyes in his qalb (the heart). One is the eye of basīra (inner sight), which is ʿilm al-yaqīn (knowledge of certainty); the other is ʿayn al…
dâyette
To spend the surplus of one's time, to abandon the accumulation of wealth by one's own will out of aversion to miserliness. In the context of abwāb (s…
dāʿī (Sufism Glossary)
The rank of the dāʿī (caller to God) is the highest of all ranks. This rank belongs to the prophets, the walī / awliyāʾ (friend[s] of God), and those …
daʿwā (Sufism Glossary)
Daʿwā (claim), is when the nafs (the lower self) attributes to itself something that does not belong to it. Sahl ʿAbdullāh (al-Tustarī) says: The grea…
de halktaki
It is a general attribute that encompasses the creation of the deficient. The name Allah is general, while al-Raḥmān is specific. That is, the name al…
de hisle (Sufi Terminology)
It is fulfilled. Taking the nafs (nafs, the lower self) into account, in order to give it its legitimate due, is also considered among good deeds. For…
Definition of Sufism (Sufism Glossary)
Qāḍī, Shaykh al-Islām Zakariyyā al-Anṣārī (may Allah have mercy on him) states regarding the definition of Sufism (taṣawwuf) : "It is a science that t…
dehriyyūn (Sufi Terminology)
Dehriyyūn (Dehrīs) are among the earliest religious trends; they deny the Sānī (the Creator), the Mudabbir (the Governor), the ʿĀlim (the All-Knowing)…
dehşet (Sufism Glossary)
He was asked, "What do you say about maḥabba (love)?" He replied: There is no barrier between the lover and the beloved. The lover speaks out of longi…
Delegating Allah's Share (Sufi Terminology)
It becomes manifest. The command descends to creation all at once, and every created being receives as much as it can bear. (Futūḥāt, IV, 102) There i…
demāset (Sufism Glossary)
Demāset expresses the positive state of the sensual nafs (nafs, the lower self) in longing for desired things. (Mizüân, 76)
den
It is that which comes to the qalb (the heart). (Iṣṭilāḥ, 536) Vāqiʿa is that which comes to the qalb from the unseen realm (ʿālam al-ghayb) by any me…
desi ardında (Sufi Terminology)
It is expressed in the style of a riddle. She was one of those female scholars worthy of mention.) (Tercümân, 83 Come, O Ancient House, come Your ligh…
Dhikr (Sufism Glossary)
The topic of dhikr (dhikr, remembrance of God) can be examined under the following subheadings: Preliminary Preparation, Meanings of the Word Dhikr, E…
dhikr / adhkār (Remembrance of God)
There are those who remember countless things related to the majesty ( ʿazama ) and sovereignty of the Real (God) and similar recollections. (Tenvir, …
dhū’l-ʿaql (Sufism Glossary)
Dhū’l-ʿaql is one who perceives creation (khalq) as the outward (zāhir) and the Real (Ḥaqq) as the inward (bāṭin). According to him, the Real becomes …
Dictionary (Sufi Terminology)
In particular, the Dictionary of Sufi Terms and Expressions (Ethem Cebecioğlu), as well as other works that provide information about both terms and t…
didān (Sufism Glossary)
Didān refers to all living beings, whether they are speaking or silent. (Heyākil, 98) din 187
difference as buʿd (Sufi Terminology)
This occurs because, due to the difference within itself, it is no longer identical to the other. This becomes apparent in the definitions of things (…
dim'in (Sufi Terminology)
Transcendence (tenzih) is, however, attributed to it. For the transcendence of the originated (muhdath) is a transcendence that is ascribed in relatio…
din
Din (religion) is inkiyād (submission) and huzūʿ (humility). It is derived from the word dun (meaning lowly or humble). Everything (or everyone) that …
Divine Aḥadiyya (Oneness) (Sufi Terminology)
Divine aḥadiyya ( aḥadiyya ) ... does not accept composition. In fact, it is said regarding it: Its aḥadiyya has potentially encompassed all of them. …
Divine Essential Boundaries (hudūd-i dhātiyya-i ilāhiyya)
The boundaries belonging to the Divine Essence that distinguish the Real (al-Ḥaqq) from creation are known only to those among the people of vision (r…
Divine Love (Sufism Glossary)
Love of Allah is the farthest of spiritual stations (maqām) and the highest peak of degrees. The stations that follow after attaining love—such as lon…
due to its occurrence (Sufism Glossary)
It is the witnessing (mushāhada) of causes. Severity (shiddet) necessarily requires something other than Him. This is something that no one can deny. …
duğu Zāt (Sufi Terminology)
A thing does not have an ʿilla (cause). For a thing to have an ʿilla would require it to depend on its maʿlūl (effect). The Essence (Dhāt) of Allah Mo…
dun (Sufism Glossary)
It is its ḥaqīqa (inner reality). This is a station that removes all names and attributes from it. This station is also called jamʿ al-jamʿ (the union…
dun (Sufism Glossary)
It appears as a manifestation of His work, and is found as a shadow that He created to exist. (Jāmiʿ, 66) Walāya (walāya, friendship with God) is a li…
dundan (Sufism Glossary)
He sees no one else. When he attains firmness (tamkīn) in the station of fanāʾ (annihilation in God), he returns to the state of absorption in realiti…
dundan (Sufism Glossary)
Coming with ghayra (protective jealousy), he imparted to each number its own ahadiyya (divine oneness). He then accepted his excuse, and in this regar…
dünüvv (Sufi Terminology)
The style in kalām (theological discourse) is that dünüvv means 'approach.' The meaning of approach here is not striving for the path of the people (h…
dunyā (Sufism Glossary)
They are many. The murīdān-i ākhira (those who seek the hereafter) are few. Among the murīds (aspirants) of the Real (al-Ḥaqq), those who are truthful…
dūrre-i bayḍāʾ (Sufism Glossary)
Dūrre-i bayḍāʾ (the white pearl) is the Aql-i Awwal (First Intellect). (Iṣṭilāḥ, 537) Dūrre-i bayḍāʾ is the First Intellect (Aql-i Awwal) because of t…
duʿāʾ (Sufi Terminology)
Duʿāʾ (supplication) is the key to need, the resting place of those in want, the refuge of those in distress, and the space where those afflicted by t…
eb (Sufi Terminology)
Eb (father) has received this name because he nurtures the three things that come after him, also called the mawālīd-i thalātha (the three things that…
ebrār (Tasawwuf Glossary)
Ebrār (the most virtuous servants) are the asḥāb al-yamīn (the people of the right hand). They draw near to Allah by fulfilling the obligatory acts (f…
eden (Sufi Terminology)
He indicated (işāra) the states (aḥwāl) of the murīds (aspirants, disciples). Junayd, on the other hand, indicated the tawba (repentance) of the verif…
eden (Sufism Glossary)
It is an attribute. (Luma, 441; Istilāh, 536) According to the people of Sufism (ahl al-taṣawwuf), vesm and resm are two attributes that occur in pre-…
eden muwakkal (Sufi Terminology)
I am referring to the aspect pertaining to the angels. For knowledge is acquired there through an intermediary from Allah. The Exalted Allah said: "It…
eder (Sufi Terminology)
This, then, is nubuwwat-i tashri (tashri nubuwwa, i.e., legislative prophethood). As Allah has said: "And thus We have revealed to you an inspiration …
ederek (Sufism Glossary)
To cling to the reality (ḥaqīqa) of the rights of Allah and His servants, to prefer death over life, to consider abasement superior to honor, and hard…
edilen (Sufi Terminology)
The ruling of a thing that is enduring by subsistence (baqāʾ) in itself (without dependence on another being) differs from the ruling of a thing that …
edilen (Sufi Terminology)
The ruling of a thing, when it is baqī (subsisting in God, baqāʾ) without dependence on another being, differs from the ruling of something that is ma…
edilmesi (Sufi Terminology)
In terms of its consideration, it is the Pen (Qalam). (Esfâr, 245) The Tablet (Lawḥ), the Clear Book, and the Universal Soul (nafs kullī) are one and …
edilmesi and yaqīn (Sufi Terminology)
It is a supposition (ẓann). The observation (mushāhada) of a person in this state, since they are in wakefulness, derives from the spirit of yaqīn (ce…
edviyye (Sufism Glossary)
The section (maqām, spiritual stations) of edviyye is divided into ten chapters. These are: ihsan (spiritual excellence) , knowledge, ḥikma (wisdom) ,…
Efrād
Efrād refers to those saints of the unseen (ghayb) who remain outside the supervision of the quṭb (the spiritual pole)... (Iṣṭilāḥ, 531; Kāshānī, 31; …
ehil (Sufism Glossary)
The one who is ehil (qualified, spiritually adept) has neither a teacher nor a student! He knows neither how to choose nor how to separate! For him, t…
ehille (Sufism Glossary)
Ehille (hilāller, phases of the moon) generally regulate the times for people’s work and worship. The specific mention of the ḥajj (pilgrimage) is to …
elem (Sufism Glossary)
Elem is the calamity and adverse condition experienced by the perceiving person in order to attain the perception and acquisition of something. (Ishār…
elif (Sufism Glossary)
Elif, by virtue of being the first of entities in the pre-eternity of pre-eternities, is a sign (ishāra) indicating the Divine Essence of Oneness (Dhā…
elviye-i hamd
There are seven banners known as elviye-i hamd (banners of praise). They will be given to the Messenger of God (peace be upon him) and to those among …
emel (Sufi Terminology)
Khawāṭir (their types); That which comes to the qalb (the heart)... if it concerns planning or greed regarding permissible matters, it is called umniy…
emirimin (Sufi Terminology)
Praise be to Allah who does not place it in the heart. (Qushayri, 79) Envy (ḥasad) is when your rancor compels you to wish for the disappearance of a …
emri tasrih (Sufi Terminology)
Inspiration (ilhām) is allusion (tāʿrīḍ, speaking indirectly). The knowledge that results from revelation is called prophetic knowledge (ʿilm nabawī),…