Glossary

GLOSSARY

A

Abadī: Endlessly Eternal

‘adālah: justice

Al-‘Adl: the Just

Al-‘Adlu’l-Muṭlaq: the Absolutely Just

aḥadiyyah: singularity

aḥādīth: prophetic traditions (singular: ḥādīth)

ākhirah: life after death

ahlu’l-‘aql: the people of intellect

Ahlu’l-Bayt: family members of Prophet Muḥammad (‘alayhisṣalātu wassalām)

ahlu’n-nifāq: people of hypocrisy

ahlu’ḍ-ḍalālah: the people of misguidance

ahlu’ḍ-ḍalālah wa’l-ghaflah: the people of misguidance and of the heedless

ahlu’d-dunyā: the worldly people

ahlu’l-wifāq: the people of harmony

ahlu’l-wijdān: the people of conscience

aḥsani taqwīm: the best of forms

‘ālamu’l-barzakh: the isthmus world, grave

‘ālamu’l-ghayb: the unseen world

‘ālamu’l-qabr: the realm of grave, the isthmus world

‘ālamu’r-rūḥāniyyah: the world of spirituality

‘ālamu’sh-shahādah: the observed world

a‘lā’l-‘illiyyīn: the highest of the high

Al-Asmāu’l-Ḥusnā: Beautiful Names of Allāh

AllāhuAkbar: Allāh is the greatest

Allāhu Dhu’l-Jalāl: the Majestic Essence

‘Allāmu’l-Ghuyūb: the Knower of the Unseen

anbiyā': prophets (singular nabī)

‘aql: the intellect, mind (plural: ‘uqūl)

aqṭāb: the poles of illuminated hearts

Asḥāb: companions of Prophet Muḥammad (‘alayhisṣalātu wassalām)

asbāb: natural causes, causality

asfala’s-sāfilīn: the lowest of the low

‘Aṣru’s-Sa‘ādah: the Age of Happiness

awliyā': the saints (singular walī)

awrād: litanies (singular: wird)

Al-Āyatu’l-Kubrā: The Supreme Sign

‘ayn al-yaqīn: certainty by vision

Azalī: Beginninglessly Eternal

‘Azīz: Honourable 

B

balāghah: rhetoric

Bāqī: Immortal, never-ending

barakah: abundance

BārakAllāh: how blessed

bid‘ah: innovation

D

ḍalālah: misguidance

dhawq: spiritual tasting

du‘ā: prayer, supplication

F

Fa‘āl: Active Doer

Fa‘ālan limā yurīd: Active Doer of all that He wills

Al-Fā‘ilu’l-Mukhtār: The Freely-choosing Agent

fakhru’l-‘ālam: the Glory of the World (‘alayhisṣalātu wassalām)

fanā' fī’sh-Shaykh: annihilation in the Shaykh

fanā' fī’r-Rasūl: annihilation in the Messenger

fanā' fī’l-ikhwān: annihilation in the brothers

Fāṭir: Originating agent

Al-Fāṭiru’l-Ḥakīm: The Wise Originator

Al-Fayyādh: The Effuser

fiṭrah: the pure receptive original nature

fuḍalā': virtuous researchers

Al-Furqānu’l-Ḥakīm: The Wise Criterion

G

ghaflah: heedlessness

Al-Ghawthu’l-A‘ẓam: ‘Abdu’l-Qādiri’l-Jīlānī

gharābah: unique singularity, uniqueness

ghāzi: veteran

H

Al-Ḥafiẓu’l-Ḥakīm: The Wise Preserver

ḥajj: The fifth pillar of Islām, pilgrimage

ḥaqq al-yaqīn: certainty by reality

ḥaqq: truth

Al-Ḥaqq: The Real, The Truth

Ḥaqīqah: reality

al-ḥashr: the Resurrection and the Gathering

hawa': caprice, whims

Al-Ḥayy: The Living’

hidāyah: guidance

himmah: endeavour

ḥiss: sentiment

Hujjatu’llāhi’l-Bāligha: The Conclusive Proof

al-hujjatu’l-īmāniyyah: the proof of faith

Al-Ḥakam: the Equitable

Al-Ḥakīm: the Wise

Al-Ḥakīmu’l-Azalī: the Beginninglessly Eternal Ruler

Al-Ḥakīmu’l-Muṭlaq: the Absolutely Wise

Al-Ḥakīmu Dhu’l-Jalāl: the Wise, Possessor of Majesty

Al-Ḥakīmu Dhu’l-Kamāl: Perfect Wise One

Ḥākim: Ruler, Judge

ḥākimiyyah: rulership

ḥalāl: permitted

ḥalāwah: sweetness

ḥarām: forbidden

ḥubbu’l-jāh: the love of fame

ḥudūth: ex nihilo

al-ḥubbu fi’llāh: love in Allāh (love something or somebody for Allāh)

ḥukamā': wise thinkers

I

‘iffah: modesty and purity

iḥtirām: respect

i‘ jāz: miraculous inimitability

ijma‘: consensus

ijmālī: abridged

ikhlāṣ: Sincerity

Ilāha’l awwalīna wa’l-ākhirīn: Lord of the first and the last

ilhām: inspiration (plural: ilhāmāt)

‘īdu’l-aḍḥā: The Eid of Sacrifice

‘ilmu’l-kalām: Islāmic scholastic theology

al-‘ilmu’l ladunnī: esoteric knowledge

‘ilm al-yaqīn: certainty by knowledge

‘ilmu’ṭ-ṭibb: medical science

al-Imāmu’l-Mubīn: the Clear Register

Īmān: faith, true faith, conviction, firm belief

Īmānic: creedal, faith-related

al-īmānu’t-taḥqīqī: critically verified faith

al-īmānu’t-taqlīdī: imitative faith

al-īmānu bi’l-yawmi’l-ākhir: faith in the Last Day

imkān: Contingency

al-insānu’l-kāmil: the Perfect Man

infirād: solitariness

iqtiṣād: Frugality, Providence

Al-Ismu’l-A‘ẓam: the Supreme Name

Isrāfīl (‘alayhissalām): the angel who blows into the trumpet before Doomsday

istighnā': asking nothing from people

istiqāmah: the right direction, firm steadfastness

al-ishtihāu’l-haqīqī: real appetite

al-ishtihāu’l-kādhib: pseudo-appetite

ishtirāk: participation

al-ishtirāku fi’l-amwāl: co-partnership in wealth

al-ishtirāku fi’ṣ-ṣan‘ah: partnership in crafts and industry

isrāf: wastefulness

īthār: altruism

i‘tibārī: perspectival laws

al-i‘tiqādu’l-yaqīni: firm belief

ittifāq: alliance

‘izzah: might

J

Jahannam: hell

jalāl: majesty

jamāl: beauty

Al-Jamīl: the Beautiful

Al-Jamīlu Dhu’l-Jalāl: the Beautiful, Possessor of Majesty, the Majestic Beautiful One

Jannātu’l-Firdaws: the Gardens of Paradise

K

Kalāmullāh: the Word of Allāh, the Speech of Allāh

kalimah: the first pillar of Islām, the Muslim testimony of faith, shahādah

kamāl: perfection

karāmah: wonder, wonder-working (plural: karāmāt)

Al-Karīm: the Generous

kashf: mystical unveiling

al-khalīliyya: true friendship

khalīfa: vicegerent, guardian

Al-Khāliq: the Creator

Al-Khāliqu’l-Azalī: Beginninglessly Eternal Creator

Al-Khāliqu’l-‘Adlu wa’l-Ḥakīm: The Just and Wise Creator

Khāliqa kulli shay': Creator of all things

Al-Khāliqu’r-Raḥīm: The Compassionate Creator

Al-Khāliqu’r-Raḥmān: the Merciful Creator

Al-Khāliqu Dhu’l-Jalāl: the Majestic Creator

Khāliqu’s-samāwāti wa’l-ardh: the Creator of the heavens and the earth

Al-Khallāq: the Creator, Who consistently and perfectly creates

khawf: fear

Khulāṣatu’l-Khulāṣah: The Essence of the Essence

al-Kitābu’l-Mubīn: the Clear Book

kufr: disbelief

kāfir: disbeliever

L

Lā ilāha illallāh: There is no god but Allāh

al-laṭāifu’l-ma‘nawiyyah: subtle spiritual centres

al-Lawḥu’l-Maḥfūẓ: the Preserved Tablet

lāzim: concomitant

lillāhi’l-ḥamd: All praise be to Allāh

lisānu’l-qāl: language of speech

lisānu’l-ḥāl: language of state

M

madrasa: school

māhiyyah: quiddity

Majūsī: Magian, fire worshipper

ma‘īshah: livelihood

al-malāikatu’l-muqarrabūn: the archangels

Mālika Yawmi’d-Dīn: The Sovereign of the Day of Recompense

Al-Māliku’l-Karīm: the Generous Owner

ma‘rifah: gnosis

ma‘rifah qudsiyyah: Divine knowledge

mas'ala: issue, question, matter (plural masāil)

Māshā'Allāh: how wonderful Allāh has willed

mashrab: spiritual method, normative approach (plural: mashārib)

mashrū‘: licit

mashkūk: undetermined

maslak: cause, ideology (plural: masālik)

masjid: mosque

Mawlā: Master, Allah

madhāhib: schools of thought (singular: madhhab)

al-mi‘rāj: the Ascension of the Prophet Muḥammad (‘alayhisṣalātu wassalām)

mīzān: the balance

al-mīzānu’l-akbar: the Great Balance

al-Mu‘allaqātu’s-Sab‘ah: The Seven Suspended

mubaẓẓir: squanderer

mufassirīn: exegetes of the Qur’ān

Muḥammad (‘alayhisṣalātu wassalām): The Last Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him)

muḥaqqiqīn: scholars of critical verification, critical verifiers

Al-Muḥyī: The Giver of Life

mukhālif: contrary

mu‘ jizāt: miracles

mujtahidīn: independent jurists

Al-Mumīt: the Giver of Death

munāfī: antithetical

Al-Mun‘im: the Benefactor

Munkar and Nakīr: Angels of questioning in the grave

munkir: denier, naysayer

muqaddima: introduction

murīd: aspirant

Mūsā (‘alayhissalām): Prophet Moses (peace be upon him)

mushāhadah: gnostic witnessings

musrif: waster

Al-Muta‘āl: The Most High

Al-Mutaṣarrif: Disposer [of Affairs]

mutashābih: equivocal ḥadīth traditions

muwāzana: equilibrium

muwāzanatu’l-a‘māl: the Scale of Actions

N

nafs: lower self, ego, soul (plural: nufūs)

an-nafsu’l-ammāra: the evil-commanding self

An-Naqqāshu’l-Azalī: the Beginninglessly Eternal Inscriber naẓāfah: cleanliness

nubuwwah: messengership, prophethood

Q

Al-Qādir: the Almighty

Qādira kulli shay': One Who has the power to do all things

Al-Qadīru’l-Muṭlaq: the Absolutely Almighty

Al-Qadīru’l-Karīmu wa’r-Raḥīm: the Almighty, Generous and Compassionate One

Al-Qadīru Dhu’l-Kamāl: the Almighty, Possessor of Perfection

Al-Qadīru wa’r-Raḥīm: the Almighty and Compassionate

qalb: the heart (plural: qulūb)

qanā‘ah: content, contentment

Al-Qayyūm: The Self-sustaining Sustainer

Qiyāmah: Doomsday

Al-Quddūs: the Pure

Al-Qur’ānu’l-Mu‘jizu’l-Bayān: the Qur’ān of Miraculous Exposition, the Miraculously Elucidated Qur’ān

Al-Qur’ānu’l-‘Aẓīmu’sh-Sha'n: the Sublimely Glorious Qur’ān

R

Rabb: Lord

Rabba’l-barri wa’l-baḥr: Lord of land and sea

Rabba’s-Samāwāti wa’l-Arāḍīn: Lord of the heavens and the earths

rābiṭatu’l-mawt: meditation on death

Ar-Raḥīm: the Compassionate

Ar-Raḥīmu’l-Muṭlaq: the Absolutely Compassionate

Ar-Raḥīmu Dhu’l-Jamāl: the Beautiful Compassionate One

Ar-Raḥmān: the Merciful One

Raḥmāniyyah: Mercy

raḥmatan li’l-‘ālamīn: a mercy to all the worlds

Ar-Razzāq: the Provider

Ar-Razzāqu Dhu’l-Jalāl: the Majestic Provider

ridhā: Allāh’s good pleasure

riyā': ostentation

rubūbiyyah: Lordship

rūḥ: the spirit (plural: arwāḥ)

risāla: epistle, treatise, message

Risālatu’l-Munājāt: The Epistle of Intimate Supplication

S

Ṣadaqa: charity

Ṣādiqa’l-wa‘di’l-amīn: One Who is faithful to His promise

Aṣ-Ṣamad: the Independent and Eternally Besought One, the Satisfier of every need Whom all is in need of in every sense but Who is in need of none.

Aṣ-Ṣāni‘: the Artful Maker, the Artful Creator

Aṣ-Ṣāni‘u’l-‘Adlu wa’l-Ḥakīm: the Just and Wise, Artful Maker

Aṣ-Ṣāni‘u’l-Qadīru wa’l-Ḥakīm: the Wise, Almighty Artful Maker

Aṣ-Ṣāni‘u’r-Raḥīmu wa’l-Karīm: the Compassionate, Generous Artful Maker

Aṣ-Ṣāni‘u Dhu’l-Jamāl: The Artful Creator Who is the Possessor of Beauty

Aṣ-Ṣāni‘u Dhu’l-Jalāl: the Majestic Artful Maker

sarmadī: eternal

shahādah: the first pillar of Islām, testimony of faith

ṣawm: the third pillar of Islām, fasting in the month of Ramaḍān

ṣiddīq: trustworthy, affirmer of truth

ṣiddiqīn: sincere friends of Allāh, the trusted ones, the elite subtle sages

subḥānAllāh: Glory be to Allāh

As-Sulṭānu’l-Azalī: the Beginninglessly Eternal Sultan

As-Sulṭānu’l-Abadī: The Endlessly Eternal Sultan

ṣalah: The second pillar of Islām, Prayer, the five daily prayers

Ṣifāt: Attributes, Divine Attributes

aṣ-ṣirāṭu’l-mustaqīm: the straight path

shabābah: youthfulness, vigour

shafqah: Divine Pity

sharafu banī Ādam: the Honour of the Children of Ādam (‘alayhissalām)

Shāri‘: Law-giver

Shayṭān: Satan, devil

shifā': healing

shirk: ascribing of partners to Allāh

ash-shirku’l-khafī: the hidden ascription of partners to Allāh

shuhadā': martyrs

shukr: Gratitude, gratefulness, thankfulness

shu'unāt: Holy States

sulūk: spiritual journeying

T

tabẓīr: extravagance

tanazzul: Divine descent

tafakkur: contemplation, reflection

tafṣīlī: detailed

tafsīr: exegesis

tahlīl: saying there is no god but Allāh

taḥmīdāt: praises (singular: taḥmīd)

taḥqīqī: inquisitively verified, critically verified

takabbur: arrogance

takbīr: exaltation

taqlīdī: imitative

ṭama‘: covetousness, greed

taqdīsāt: hallowings (singular: taqdīs)

taqsīm ‘aqlī: precise logical classification

taqwā: godfearingness

taṣannu‘: affectation

tasbīḥāt: glorifications

taslīm: submission

tawaddud: the Divine Courtship

tawāḍu‘: humility

ṭawāf: the ritual circumambulation around the Ka‘ba

tawāfuq: congruous alignment

tawakkul: reliance on the Divine

tawātur: unanimous testimony

tawḥīd: the existence and oneness of God, Divine unity of Allāh

tekke: Sūfi lodge

thanā'āt: laudation (plural of thanā')

ṭūlu’l-amal: delusional long-term hopes

U

‘ubūdiyyah: servanthood, worshipful servanthood, worshipful service to Allāh

ukhuwwah: brotherhood

‘ulamā': the people of knowledge, scholars

ulūhiyyah: Divinity

W

Al-Wadūd: the Loving

Wadūdiyyah: Lovingness

waḥdah: Divine unicity, unicity

waḥdāniyyah: Divine unity

Al-Wahhāb: The Bestower

wahm: delusion

waḥy: revelation

Al-Wājibu’l-Wujūd: the Necessary Being

waqar: dignity

waswasa: satanic whispering

wijdān: conscience, moral compass

wujūbu’l-wujūd: the necessity of Divine existence

Y

yaqīnī: certain

Yūsuf (‘alayhissalām): Prophet Joseph (peace be upon him)

Z

zakāt: the fourth pillar of Islām