Aab - Farsi b: water, river; sparkle, luster, elegance; dignity.

(in some texts as aab)

(fjs1,

jtp1)

ab-i hayat - Farsi/Arabic b-i hayt: water of life, immortality, fountain of life,
spiritual discourse, inspired knowledge. (fjs1,jtp1)
Abul Ala - Arabic: Syrian-born poet and philosopher Ab al-'Al Ma'r (927-1057).
acharya - Sanskrit crya: 'knowing the rules', spiritual guide; a title suffixed to
the name of a learned person, such as Shankaracharya. (mw131)
adhikar - Sanskrit adhi-kra: authority, privilege, right. (mw20)
advaita - Sanskrit advaita: 'no duality', without duality; sole, unique; oneness of
spirit and matter, oneness of the supreme soul (paramtman) with the human soul
(jivtman). The philosophy that everything is God, that there is nothing other than God.
(mw19)

The aim of all religions and philosophies is the understanding and the realization of unity.
The Vedanta philosophy teaches advaita: there is no such thing as 'two'; the whole is one
and the same being. In the Bible it is said, 'I and my Father are one,' which means unity...
from The Sufi Message, Volume VII, Self-Realization
ahamkara - Sanskrit ahamm-kra: self-consciousness, sense of self, concept of
individuality, ego-attachment; pride, egotism; arrogance, haughtiness; conceit. (in some
texts as ahankar)

(mw124, rsm71)

ahriman - Farsi ahriman: seducer, demon, devil; the principle of evil; that which is
opposed to the principle of good. (fjs124)
Ahura Mazda - Avestan (ancient Persian) ahura-mazda: ' Lord Wisdom', Wise Lord. The
supreme God in the ancient Persian monotheistic religious system taught by Zoroaster
(Zarathushtra) sometime around 1000 BC. Ahura Mazda is said to be the beginning and
the end, the creator of everything which can and cannot be seen, the Eternal, the Pure and
the only Truth. Also referred to as Ormuzd. (see also ahriman) (the Farsi term yazdn also refers
to God)

akasha - Sanskrit ka: free or open space, openness; sky, atmosphere.

Esoterically referred to as 'accommodation' or 'capacity' (a place for something to

exist), and the word 'scope' is often used to describe the vast opportunity provided by the
akasha. (mw126)
To make a place is to make an Akasha ... When you make yourself an Akasha for God to be enshrined in,
that is the only purpose for which this body was made. It was made that God might take charge of it, might
be awakened in this body. By doing this one fulfills that purpose, one opens this place for God, one makes
it the places for God, and says, 'Now You be enshrined in this place; it belongs to You, You made it.'
from Sangatha II, by Hazrat Inayat Khan (unpublished)
The word capacity refers to the unconfined basis for experience, as in the moment just before something
takes place. ... The analogy for this is a bright mirror, a readiness for experience to unfold without any
preconception whatsoever.
from Samten Gyatso, as recalled by Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, Buddhadharma Fall 2005

akbar - Arabic akbar: greater, greatest in estimation, rank or dignity; older, seniorranking. (see also Allahu Akbar) Also, Akbar was a great Mogul emperor of India (15421605 AD). From the Arabic root k-b-r meaning to be great, large, famous; to gain in
significance, become important; to exceed in age, be older; to become too great,
burdensome. (hw948, ao476, ewl2587)
akhlaq - Arabic akhlq (plural of khulq): manners, disposition; morals, ethics,
virtues. (hw299, fjs26, jtp30)
akhlaq-i Allah - Arabic/Farsi Akhlq-i Allah means the manner of God, or Divine
Manner.
aladdin, alauddin - Arabic al'-ud-din : nobility of faith. al' = noble, high
standing, high ranking; u = genitive suffix, often translated as of; din = faith, religion,
duty (also written as alaoddin, alauddin) (hw749)
al-hamdulillah - Arabic al-hamdulillh: Common translations include: All praise is for
Allh, All praise is to Allh. This phrase is made of five parts: al = the; hamd = praise,
commendation, or extolling the virtues of; u = genitive suffix denoting that the previous
word (hamd) is the subject of the phrase; li = to, for, unto, on account of; and llh =
Allh. (also see the Arabic Devotional Terms web page for more phrases) (hw238, jtp481)
al-kimia - Arabic al-kmiy': chemistry; alchemy; the philosopher's stone. (possibly from
Greek xhmia)

(hw997, fjs1070, jtp890)

alam-i mithal - Arabic 'lam-i mithl: the world of visions, world of dreams, world of
ideals. (fjs1172)
Allah - Arabic allh: the Arabic proper name for the Supreme Deity. The exact
derivation of this word is unclear, but it is likely related to the Aramaic Alaha and to the
ancient Hebrew El. (hw30)

Note: For those who may be uncomfortable with the word Allah, it may be helpful to note that in the
Semitic language of Aramaic which Jesus most likely spoke, the Aramaic word which is translated as God
in the European bible was actually Alaha. According to some linguists, the word Alaha which Jesus spoke
would have had the ending "a" softened or not pronounced at all, leading to the pronunciation "alah". Since
the Arabic language was largely derived from the earlier Aramaic (much the same as Aramaic was derived
from the earlier Hebrew), the modern Arabic word Allah is likely derived from the earlier Aramaic
pronunciation "alah". Indeed, Allah of the Qur'an and Alaha of Jesus refer to the same One. In contrast, the
word "God" is a relatively new, and perhaps unfortunate, European invention which has been the source of
much misunderstanding and conflict.

Allahumma - Arabic allhumma: O' Allah (often used rather than y Allh). (hw30)
Allahu akbar - Arabic allhu akbar: Commonly translated as: Allh is Greater, Allh is
Great, or Allh is Most Great. This phrase is made of three parts: Allh = the Supreme
Deity; u = a suffix denoting that Allh is the subject of the phrase; and akbar = greater,
greatest in estimation, rank or dignity; older, senior-ranking. This phrase is called Takbr.
(hw948, ao476, ewl2587)

ammara - Arabic ammra (feminine of ammr): commanding, ordering,

domineering, headstrong. This term is often used to describe the carnal, sensuous aspect
of the nafs. (used in the Qur'an 12:53) (fjs97, jtp79, hw34)
amin - Arabic mn: in this we trust, in this we have faith; amen; be it so. From the
Arabic root a-m-n meaning to be faithful, reliable, trustworthy; to reassure, safeguard,
guarantee. (hw36, ao34)
amr - Arabic amr: command, order, decree; power, authority; affair, concern,
transaction; event, occurrence, act; fact, circumstance. The phrase Amr-i Allah could be
translated as command of Allah, or act of Allah. (hw33, fjs99, jtp81)
anfas - Arabic anfs (plural of nafas): breaths, respirations; voices, words. (hw1156, jtp93)
anvar - Arabic anwr (plural of nr), Farsi anvr : lights, gleamings, rays of light.
(hw1183, fjs116, jtp99)

anzar - Arabic anzr (plural of nazar): visions, sightings; glances; perceptions,

insights. (hw1144, fjs111)
apsara - Sanskrit apsaras or apsar: 'between the waters and the clouds', a class
of female divinities who inhabit the sky, heavenly nymphs, fond of water, the wives of
the Gandharvas. They change their shape at will, and are said to dance (and/or sing) for
Indra. (in some texts as Upsara) (mw59)
aqibat - Arabic ' qibah, Farsi 'qibat: end, termination, conclusion, outcome,
consequence; coming after, recompense, reward, future life. (hw733, fjs830, jtp757)

arsh - Arabic ' arsh: throne, throne of God; a place of abiding; palace, citadel;
buttress, support. (hw704, fjs842)
artha - Hindi/Sanskrit artha: advantage, profit, benefit, use, utility; concern,
business, affair, matter; substance, property, wealth, opulence; worldly prosperity. (incorrectly
spelled ardh in some papers) (mw90, mcm27, jtp39)

ashiq - Arabic ' shiq ( from the root 'ishq): lover, fancier, fan, sweet-heart; one
filled with divine love. (hw719, fjs830)
ashraf - Arabic ashrf (plural of sharf): distinguished, eminent, noble, high-bred,
honorable, honest. (hw545)
asman - Farsi smn: heaven; sky, the celestial orb, the canopy of heaven. In
esoteric terms, this is often used much the same as the Sanskrit akasha, to describe
capacity or accommodation (see akasha). (fjs60, jtp53)
asrar - Arabic asrr (plural of sirr): secrets, mysteries, something concealed; secret
thoughts, innermost thoughts, or, as E. W. Lane variously put it: private knowledge;
something inserted in the interior; a pleasure, or delight, and dilation of the heart, of
which there is no external sign. (hw471, fjs57, ewl1337)
asrar ul-anasir - Arabic asrr ul-'ansir: from asrr (plural of sirr) meaning
secrets, mysteries, u indicating that asrr is the subject of the phrase, al meaning the,
'ansir (plural of 'unsur) meaning elements, constituents: secrets of the elements. (hw471,760,
fjs57, 868)

asura - Sanskrit asura: spiritual, divine; supreme spirit; evil spirit, demon.

(mw121,

rsm69)

asvara - Sanskrit asvara: not loud, indistinct; in a low tone. (in some texts as Asura)
(mw124)

atish - Farsi tish: fire, light; fire of love, passion; splendor (in some texts as atesh)

(fjs13,

jtp16)

atman, atma - Sanskrit tman: singular masculine tm: the breath; essence,
nature, character; understanding, intellect; the soul, individual soul; the highest personal
principle of existence. Prefixes are often used to help clarify the meaning, such as
jvtman (living, personal soul), mahtman (great soul), paramtman (supreme spirit).
(hw135)

In the Vedanta the soul is called by three names which denote its three aspects, Atma, Mahatma,
Paramatma. Atma is the soul conscious of the life on the surface, Mahatma is the soul conscious as well of
the life within, Paramatma is the consciousness that is the soul of souls, conscious of the Absolute within
and without, the God of the knower, the Lord of the seer.
from The Sufi Message, Volume V, Manifestation

Avicenna - Avicenna: a Latinized version of the name ibn Sn (980-1037 AD), a great
Persian mystic, physician, philosopher and scientist.
Avicenna, the great physician of ancient times, on whose discoveries medieval science was based, was a
Sufi who used to sit in meditation, and by intuition he used to write prescriptions .
from The Sufi Message, Volume IV, Health

avatar - Sanskrit avatra: incarnation, appearance of a deity on earth, any new

unexpected appearance; descent, descent of a higher consciousness, descent of a deity
from heaven. (mw99, jtp102)
avidya - Sanskrit a-vidy: 'not-knowing', ignorance, false understanding, spiritual
ignorance. (mw108, rsm64)
azam - Arabic a'zam: greater, bigger, paramount, supreme, most important. (see also
ism-i azam)

(hw729, fjs75, jtp60)

Bbad - Farsi bd (from Sanskrit vta) : air, wind, breeze; breath, name of an angel presiding
over the winds. (in some texts as baad) (fjs137, jtp118)
bad - Farsi bad: naughty, bad; wicked, evil.

(fjs160, jtp138)

banda - Farsi banda (from Sanskrit bandha): bound, fastened, restrained; servant, slave.
(fjs202, jtp170)

bandagi - Farsi bandag: slavery, bondage, servitude; service; devotion, adoration,

worship, praise; compliment, salutation; humility, lowliness; or, as an intj. My service to
you! good-bye! thank you! (fjs202, jtp169)
baqa - Arabic baq': remaining, staying, lingering, abiding; continuation of existence;
immortality, permanence. (hw84)
The ideal perfection, called Baqa by Sufis, is termed 'Najat' in Islam, 'Nirvana' in Buddhism, 'Salvation' in
Christianity, and 'Mukhti' in Hinduism. This is the highest condition attainable, and all ancient prophets and
sages experienced it, and taught it to the world.
from The Sufi Message, Volume V, Spiritual Liberty

baqi bi-Allah - Arabic bq bi allh: bq = everlasting, eternal, immortal; bi= by means

of, through, from; pemanence from Allah, eternal existence in Allah. (ao60)
basarat - Arabic basra, Farsi basrat: perception, discernment.

(hw75, fjs190)

basir - Arabic basr: seeing, having eyesight; discerning, knowledgeable; having

insight; acutely aware. The name al-Basir refers to Allah as the All-Knowing, All-Seeing,
All-Perceiving. (also see basr in 99 Names of Allah) (hw75)
bast - Arabic bast: spreading, extending, expanding, unfolding. (the opposite of kabs)

(hw72)

batin - Arabic btin: inner, interior; secret, hidden, concealed. (Btin is pronounced baatin,
while a similar word batn, pronounced bateen, means fat, corpulent, gluttonous.... quite a difference!)
(also see btin in 99 Names of Allah) (hw79)

ba-yaki - Farsi ba-yak: ba=with, by, through, yaki=oneness, unity.

(fjs135, 1535)

bayat - Arabic bai'at: profession of loyalty, oath of allegiance; initiation as a disciple of a

religious guide. (hw105, jtp210)
Devotion requires an ideal, and the ideal of the Sufis is the God-ideal. They attain to this ideal by a gradual
process. They first take bayat, initiation, from the hand of one whose presence gives them confidence that
he will be a worthy counselor in life and a guide on the path as yet untrodden...
from The Sufi Message, Volume X, The Different Steps

Bayazid - Bayazid: Bayazid Bastami (777-874 AD) Sufi saint and mystic from Bastam in
eastern Persia (Iran). A prayer from Bayazid:
Oh, Allah, how long will this 'you' and 'I' remain between You and I,
Take this 'I' from me so all that remains is 'You'.
baz - Arabic bz: hawk, falcon, eagle. In esoteric terms, one who soars above, a wayfarer
of the heavens. (hw100, fjs144, jtp121)
Bhagavad-Gita - Sanskrit
bhagavad-gt; Song of the Blessed One, Song of
Krishna, Celestial Song. A mystical poem (part of the Mahabharata) in which Lord
Krishna summarizes the great Vedic teachings for Arjuna. Often simply referred to as the
Gt. (mw744)
bhakti - Sanskrit

bhakti: attachment, trust; homage, devotion, worship. (mw743)

bhandara - Hindi bhandr: a meal for the holy ones; a feast of the sanyss.
(jtp192, rsm755)

bhavasagara - Sanskrit
life. (mw749)

bhava-sgara: 'ocean of worldly existence', sea of worldly

bi-charagi - Farsi b-chrag; b = without, chra = remedy; helplessness,

inability, incapacity (in some texts as vecharagi, becharagi, becharegi) (fjs216)

bismillah - Arabic bismillh: Commonly translated as: In the name of Allah. A phrase
made of the following: bi = with, to for, in, through; ism = a distinguishing mark, name,
light, vibration, essence; llh = Allh. (also see the bismillah web page for more
insights)

bodhi - Sanskrit
wise. (mw734)

bodhi: perfect knowledge, wisdom; enlightened intellect, learned,

bodhisattva - Sanskrit
bodhisattva: one who is on the way to perfect knowledge,
a Buddha-to-be, one whose essence is perfect knowledge. Derived from bodhi meaning
perfect knowledge or enlightened; and sattva meaning essence or true essence. The Spirit
of Guidance. (in some texts as Bodhisatva or Buddhi Sattwa) (mw734)
Brahma - Sanskrit
brahma: the personal creator; one the triad of personal gods
(Brahma the Creator, Vishnu the Maintainer, Shiva the Destroyer). (see also Vishnu and Shiva
below)

(mw738)

Brahmachari - Sanskrit brahma-cari: student of sacred study; one who observes the
vows of sense-control; the first of the four stages of spiritual life.
Brahman - Sanskrit
brahman; literally, growth, evolution, swelling of the spirit; the
Self-Existent, Absolute, Eternal. (mw737)
brahmin - Sanskrit
brahmin: belonging to Brahma; knower of Brahma, possessing
sacred knowledge; a member of the Hindu priestly caste. (mw741)
buddhi - Hindi budh: Sanskrit
buddhi: reason, discernment, the power of forming
and retaining conceptions; perception, comprehension, understanding, thought, opinion,
reflection. (in some texts as Buddh) (mw733, jtp141)
buddha - Sanskrit buddha: awake, awakened, conscious, enlightened one. Generally
used to refer to Siddhrtha Gautama (c. 560 BC), who is also known as Shakya Muni (sage
of the Shakya clan) or Buddha. (mw733)
Bullah Shah - Abdullah Shah (1680-1758 AD) Sufi poet and Qawwali, born near
Bahawalpur, Pakistan. His message was one of truth, love and compassion. His guide was
Hazrat Shah Inayat, a well-known Qadiri Sufi and gardener by profession. Bullah asked
his guide, "I wish to know how to realize God." Inayat Shah replied, "What is the
problem in finding God? One only needs to be uprooted from here and replanted there."
The tomb of Bullah Shah is in Qasur, Pakistan. (often written as Bulleh Shah)
You alone exist; I do not, O Beloved!
You alone exist, I do not! Like the shadow of a house in ruins,
I revolve in my own mind.
If I speak, you speak with me:
If I am silent, you are in my mind.
If I sleep, you sleep with me:
If I walk, you are along my path.

Oh Bulleh, the spouse has come to my house:

My life is a sacrifice unto Him.
You alone exist; I do not, O Beloved!

buraq - Arabic burq: the donkey-like creature upon which Muhammad is said to have
ascended one night from Jerusalem to heaven and then returned to Mecca. (see also miraj)
(hw67, fjs168, jtp144)

buzurg - Farsi buzurg: great, venerable, noble; elder, aged; wise man, holy man, saint,
sage. (jtp153)

Cchaitanya - Sanskrit

caitanya: consciousness, intelligence; soul, spirit; the Soul.

(mw402)

chakra - Sanskrit
cakra: wheel; discus or sharp circular weapon; circle, ring; mystical
circle or diagram; circular energy centers of the body. (mw380, jtp435)
chela - Hindi
cel: (feminine cel): servant, attendant; pupil, disciple,
follower. (possibly derived from Sanskrit ceta, meaning servant, slave) (jtp471, rsm329)
cherag - Farsi
chirgh, chargh: lamp, light; guide, director. The term cherag is also
used to refer to one who is ordained in the work of the Universal Worship of the Sufi
Movement. (also see sirj below, and see Universal Worship below) (fjs389, jtp428)
The work of a cherag is to help a person to live...
from Addresses to Cherags, by Hazrat Inayat Khan (unpublished)
Chishti - The Chishti Sufi Order was founded (c 900 AD) in the city of Chisht (a small
town near Herat, Afghanistan) by Abu Ishaq Shami whose teacher sent him from Syria to
spread the Sufi message. The Chishti Order is one of the oldest Sufi orders currently
existing, and often makes great use of sound and music in its practices.
After receiving instruction in the five different grades of Sufism, the physical,
intellectual, mental, moral, and spiritual, I went through a course of training in the four
schools: the Chishti, Naqshibandi, Qadiri, and Suhrawardi. I still recall this period, under
the guidance of so great and merciful a Murshid, as the most beautiful time of my life.
from The Sufi Message, Volume XII, My Initiation in Sufism

D-

dakhl dar maqulat - Farsi/Urdu dakhl dar ma'qlt: 'intrusion into intellectual matters',
interference, interruption. (in some texts as dakhl dar makulat) (jtp507)
darood - see durood
daya - Sanskrit

day: sympathy, compassion, pity; mercy, clemency; kindness.

(mw469,

rsm479)

dervish - Farsi darvesh: poor, indigent, beggar, religious mendicant. (in some texts as
darwish)

(fjs516, jtp514)

deva - Sanskrit deva: (female dev) heavenly, divine; a deity, god; a god on earth,
divine being. From the Sanskrit root div which means light; brightness; sky, heaven.
(mw492, jtp558, mw478)

dharma - Sanskrit dharma: duty; that which is held fast; conduct; established decree;
virtue, morality, good works; religion; ethical precepts, sacred duty. From the ancient root
dhri meaning to bring forth; hold, carry, bear, support. It is said that the ultimate meaning
of dharma is to be in total harmony with Life, allowing the Divine Essence and Divine
Will to flow through one's thoughts and actions, and consciously allowing one's own
dharma to be in full accord with the Divine Dharma (rta-dharma). (dharma is written as
dhamma in Pali.)

(mw510, mw519, jtp542)

In Sanskrit religion is called Dharma, which literally means duty. To give a definition of what religion is
one can say that it is an unswerving progress towards the ideal.
from The Sufi Message, Volume XI, Ideal
The divine life has a certain capability to give life, and it gives this life as teaching to the children of earth,
and this teaching is called Dharma, religion. Religions are many and different from one another, but only in
form, for water is one and the same element, and formless, only it takes the shape of the channel which
holds it and which it uses for its accommodation; and so the name water is changed into river, lake, sea,
stream, pond, etc. So it is with religion; the essential truth is one.
from Religious Gatheka 3, Religion, by Hazrat Inayat Khan (unpublished)
When man has risen to the stage of development where he can be the perfect instrument of God, when
nothing of his own being stands in the way of the direct impulse that comes from within -- that spirit may
be called perfect. That which is most precious, that which is the purpose of man's life is to arrive at that
state of perfection when he can be the perfect instrument of God.
from The Sufi Message, Volume XIV, Divine Impulse

dhikr - please see zikr

(hw358)

dholak - Hindi dholak: a small drum.

(jtp573, rsm430)

dil - Farsi dil: heart, soul; mind; valor; the center. (see also qalbi)

(fjs530, jtp522)

din (deen) - Arabic dn: creed, belief, religion. It is said that there is only one dn; that
which is the natural, intended, proper manner of life, acting in harmony with the will of
the Creator and thereby in harmony with all of creation. The classical Arabic root d-y-n
signifies that which is obedient, abased, submissive; doing service for; acting well
towards; and also signifies receiving a loan, being indebted, repaying a debt. Thus dn
signifies repaying our debt to our Creator through humble submission and loving service.
To do so, it is a common Sufi practice to strive to be like a perfect mirror, reflecting all of
the magnificence and glory back to the Beloved and into this world, illuminating any
darkness. Hazrat 'Ali said 'The love of the wise is a religion (dn) with which Allah is
served.' (Note that Arabic dn is essentially identical in meaning to the Sanskrit dharma) (hw353, jtp558,
ewl942)

dipak - Sanskrit dpaka: kindling, inflaming; illuminating, lighting. (mw481)

dua - Arabic du'': prayer, request, plea; supplication (to God); an invocation of
good, a blessing, benediction; wish; congratulation, salutation. (in some texts as do'a) (hw327,
fjs527, jtp518)

dunya - Arabic duny: literally 'nearest', the present world, the present life or state of
existence; the people of this world, people; a whole world, a multitude; worldly
enjoyments, temporal possessions. (hw340, fjs539, jtp529)
durood - Farsi durd: benediction, blessing, mercy; prayer; praise (esp. of
Mohammad); thanksgiving; congratulation; salutation. (in some texts as darood or darud)

(fjs515,

jtp514)

dvija - Sanskrit

dvi-j: twice born.

(in some texts as duija)

(mw504)

Eetekad - Arabic i'tiqd: trust, dependence, faith, confidence, belief. (verbal noun
from root '-q-d: to put together, join) (hw735, fjs73)

Ffana - Arabic fan': passing away, cessation; destruction, annihilation; vanishing,

extinction; nonexistence; obliteration of the self (ego). (hw854, ewl2451, fjs939)
fana-fi-Shaikh, fana-fi-Rasul, fana-fi-Allah - Arabic: fan'= passing away, cessation;
destruction, annihilation; f = in, into, among, together with.
[The Sufi's] aim in life is to release the captive soul from the bondage of limitations, which he
accomplishes by the repetition of the sacred names of God, and by constant thought of his divine ideal, and
an ever-increasing love for the divine Beloved until the beloved God with His perfection becomes manifest
to his vision, and his imperfect self vanishes from his sight.

This he calls Fan, the merging in the ideal. In order to attain the final goal he gradually raises his ideal,
first to Fan-f-Shaikh, the ideal seen in a mortal walking on the earth, and he drills himself as a soldier
before battle in devotion to his ideal.
Then comes Fan-f-Rasl, when he sees his ideal in spirit, and pictures Him in all sublimity, and fashions
Him with beautiful qualities, which he wishes to obtain himself. And after this he raises it to Fan-f-Allh,
the love and devotion for that ideal which is beyond qualities and in which is the perfection of all qualities.
from The Sufi Message, Volume V, Sufism

faqir - Arabic faqr: poor, needy; beggar; ascetic, dervish, itinerant monk, one living
on whatever is given. (in some texts as Fakir) (hw846, fjs935)
fazl - Arabic fazl, v.n.: remaining over and above, exceeding, being redundant;
excelling; excess; a remnant, remainder; excellence, virtue, accomplishment; learning,
wisdom, science; a gift, present, favor, grace, bounty. Inayat Khan described fazl as "the
word of illumination". From the Arabic root f-z-l meaning to have a remainder, have
over-abundance; to exceed, surpass; to be excellent, superior, exquisite; to ascend
beyond. (hw840, fjs932, jtp782, ewl2411)
fikr - Arabic fikr: thinking, cognition, reflection, meditation, contemplation. Inayat
Kan used this term to describe silent repetition, such as a wazifa. (in contrast to zikr,
which he used to describe spoken repetition) (hw848)
firishta - Farsi firishta: an angel, a messenger, an apostle. The phrase Firishta
Khaslat means angelic character. (in some texts as Farishta) (fjs919)
Firdausi - Persian poet Abu al Kasim Mansur used the pen name Firdaus (934-1020).
After Persia had been under Arab control for many years, Sultan Mahmud of Ghazna was
concerned that the Persian history would be lost, so he commissioned Firdaus to write
the 60,000 verse epic poem Shh nma (Book of Kings) recording the deeds of legendary
Persian kings and heroes, which is considered to be the first modern Persian literature.
(Also written as Firdawsi or Firdousi)

Ggandharva - Sanskrit
gandharva: heavenly guardian of the Soma. The Gandharvas
are the husbands of the Apsarasas in Indra's heaven; they make known the divine secrets,
and are responsible for ecstatic states. Gandharvas are known as the heavenly singers or
celestial musicians. (mw346)
Ganga - Sanskrit
gang: literally swift-mover; the sacred river Ganges (India). In
Hindu mythology it is said that the Goddess Gang descended to the Earth in the form of
a River to help alleviate the suffering of humanity. (mw341, jtp919)

gardish - Farsi gardish: turning round, revolving, conversion, motion; turn,

change; a bend; vicissitude; reversion; adverse fortune; wandering about, vagrancy.
(fjs1080, jtp903)

garm - Farsi garm: hot, glowing, burning; ardent, zealous, excited, active, lively. (fjs1084,
jtp904)

gatha - Sanskrit

gtha: a song; a verse, stanza.

(mw352)

Gautama - Siddhrtha Gautama, known as Buddha. Siddhrtha's mother died shortly

after his birth, and her younger sister, Gautami, raised the young prince, who was then
called Siddhrtha Gautama. (see Buddha)
gayan - Sanskrit
gyana: a singer, a praiser, a talker. The name of a volume of
aphorisms and poetry written by Hazrat Inayat Khan. (mw352)
gayatri - Sanskrit
gyatr: song, hymn; a hymn composed in the gyatr meter. The
Gayatri mantra from the Rig Veda is perhaps the most well known, yet there are also
Gayatri mantras to many other deities such as Shiva, Durga, Agni, etc. (also see the Gayatri
page)

(mw352, jtp894)

ghaib - Arabic ghaib: hidden, unseen, concealed, invisible. (in some texts as ghayb) (hw806)
ghairat - Arabic ghaira, Farsi ghairat: jealousy, to guard jealously; care of what is
sacred or inviolable; a sense of honor; courage. (hw807, fjs901, jtp774)
Ghalib - Arabic ghlib: dominant, overpowering; triumphant, victorious. Famous poet
Mizra Asadullah Beg Khan Ghalib (1797-1869 AD) who wrote in Urdu and Farsi, a master
of the ghazal form, court poet for Bahadur Shah Zafar. (hw796, fjs879)
ghar-i hira - Arabic ghr-i hir': literally 'cave of inquiry'. The name of the mountain
cave northeast of Mecca where the angel Gabriel first began to recite the Qur'n to
Muhammad. From ghr meaning cave, cavern, den; and hir' meaning seeking, inquiry,
investigation. (in some texts as Gar-i Hira) (hw804 and 202, jtp768, fjs414)
There is a still greater and deeper experience: when a person is in a wilderness, near rocks in the desert,
where there is no sound even of birds or beasts, when there is absolute silence. In the East, did not all the
prophets from the time of Abraham, Moses, David, and in the time of Christ and Muhammad, all the
prophets of the Old Testament and the New, and of the Qur'an, receive their inspiration from the same
source? The history of Moses on Mount Sinai, the Prophet of Nazareth in the wilderness, the Prophet
Muhammad on Ghar-i Hira, did they not all drink from the silent life?
from The Sufi Message, Volume VII, Silent Life

ghaus - Arabic ghauth, Farsi/Urdu ghaus: call for help; helper; one who aids,
delivers from difficulty, removes trouble or affliction. (in some texts as ghous) (hw804,
ewl2306)

Ghazali - Arabic ghazl: gazelle; rising sun; the name of a Persian village in Ts
(where al-Ghazl was born). Persian mystic, writer, jurist, theologian Abu Hamd
Muhammad ibn Muhammad al-Ghazl (1058 - 1111 AD). (sometimes written al-Ghazzali)
(hw788, fjs887)

ghilman - Arabic ghilmn (plural of ghulm): servants, pages, waiters; lads,

youths. (hw798, fjs893)
ghiza - Arabic ghidha': Farsi/Urdu ghiza: food, diet, provision, victuals; aliment,
nutriment.
(hw781, fjs882, jtp769)
Music is called Ghiza-i-ruh, the food of the soul, by Sufis. Music being the most divine art elevates the soul
to the higher spirit; music itself being unseen soon reaches the unseen; just as only the diamond can break
the diamond, so musical vibrations are used to make the physical and mental vibrations inactive, in order
that the Sufi may be elevated to the spiritual spheres.
from The Sufi Message, Volume V, Spiritual Liberty

gita - Sanskrit
also Bhagavad-Gita)

gt: song, sacred song or poem, sacred doctrines in metrical form. (see
(mw356, jtp942)

githa - Sanskrit
gth: a song. The name given to a series of privately circulated
esoteric papers by Hazrat Inayat Khan (which are generally given by a teacher when the
student is ready)
gopi - Sanskrit
go-p: female cowherd, cowherdess (especially applied to the
companions of the playful juvenile Krishna); wife of a cowherd; milk-maid, dairy-maid;
protectress, female guardian. (mw368, jtp922)
grihasta - Sanskrit
grha-stha: living in a house, householder. The second of four
phases of life, in which one is a householder, raising a family. (in some texts as gruhasta)
guna - Sanskrit gua: a quality, attribute or characteristic. The character of each being
is described by three gunas: sattva (purity), rajas (passion) and tamas (lack of
understanding). (mw357, jtp915)
gunbad - Farsi gunbad, gunbaz: arch, vault, cupola, dome, tower; an arched gateway; a
triumphal arch; bud of a flower; a cup. (in some texts as gunbad) (fjs1098, jtp916)
guru - Sanskrit guru: heavy, weighty, large, great; important, serious; valuable, prized;
venerable, honorable, respected; honorific appellation of a spiritual guide; a spiritual
guide. (mw359, jtp905)

H-

habib - Arabic habb: friend; beloved, sweetheart, lover; darling; dear one. From
the Arabic root h-b-b meaning to evoke love or liking; to endear; to make lovable, dear,
attractive; to show affection. (hw179)
Note: The phrase "habb Allh" could be translated as "my beloved Allh", while the phrase "habb allh"
or "habbullh" could be translated as "beloved of Allh" or "loved by Allh".

Hafiz - Arabic hfiz: keeper, guardian, preserver, caretaker. The great Sufi poet,
Shamsuddin Muhammad Hfiz, born in the early 1300's in Shiraz (Iran). (hw222, fjs408)
hairat - Arabic haira, Farsi hairat: amazement, astonishment; bewilderment, confusion,
perplexity; wavering (between two things). (hw258, fjs435, jtp483)
hajj - Arabic hajj: setting out, going towards, pilgrimage, the Muslim pilgrimage to
Mecca. (hw184)
hal - Arabic hl: (plural ahwl) state, mood, attitude, circumstances, condition.
Mystics often use the term hl, or al-hl, to refer to the state of ecstasy. From the Arabic
root h-w-l meaning to change, undergo a transformation; to shift, grow, pass by. (hw252,
fjs408)

halal - Arabic hall: being legal, a lawful thing; the opposite of haram; sanctioned
by Islamic law; suitable for food, lawful to eat (hw232, fjs427, jtp480)
halqa - Arabic halqa: a circle, a ring, hoop; assembly of people; a fraternity. (in some texts
as halka)

(hw235, fjs428, jtp481)

hama man am - Farsi hama man am: literally "all I am"; everything is me. The esoteric
meaning is that God is all, and all is God. (in some texts as humamanarn) (fjs1512, fjs1316, fjs96)
Christ said, 'I and the Father are one'. That does not mean that Christ laid claim to Godhood for His own
person. It is what the dervishes call 'Hama man am', which means all is He and He is all. There is not an
atom in the universe that He is not. We must recognize Him, we must respect Him in every face, even in the
face of our enemy...
from The Sufi Message, Volume VI, Struggle of Life

hamd - Arabic hamd: praise, commendation. (see also al-Hamdulillah above)

(hw238)

hamin ost - Farsi ham-n ost: literally "even this He is" or "likewise this He is". The
esoteric meaning is that God is all, and all is God. The same idea is also commonly
written as hama ost, meaning everything is He, each is He, or all is He. (in some texts as
naminaust) (also see hama man am )

(fjs1507, fjs132, fjs120, jtp1236)

hamsa - Sanskrit hammsa: swan, flamingo, goose, a bird of passage; a person of

exceptional qualities; spiritual preceptor; soul or spirit. (also transliterated hansa) (mw1286)

haqiqat - Arabic haqqat: (plural haq'iq) true state of affairs, true nature, essential
quality, essence; spiritual truth (which is unchangeable and unchanging). (also see Marifat)
(hw224, fjs426)

haqq - Arabic haqq: truth, rightness, correctness; authentic, real, right; due share, what
ought to be; al-Haqq is one of the beautiful names of Allh: The Truth, The Reality. (also
see al-Haqq in 99 names of Allah) (in some texts as haq or hakk)

(hw224, jtp479)

haram - Arabic harm: unlawful, forbidden, prohibited; wrong-doing; illegitimate.

(hw210,

fjs414)

Hashimi Arabic hshim: one who breaks bread into broth; surname of an ancestor
of Muhammad, on account of his breaking bread for the benefit of the poor at the time of
a great famine. Sayyed Muhammad Hashimi, a Sufi mystic, was Inayat Khan's friend and
academic teacher in Sufi literature.
Maulana Hashimi was his great friend and ustad, who taught him the Persian and Arabic literature of the
ancient Sufis and being a great mystic, recognized in Inayat what other friends of his (Ramyar and Hafiz
Khan) though his great friends and admirers, were at a loss to understand. But Hashimi knew that
something was being prepared in Inayat for the years that were in store for him, which was beyond words
or imagination.
from Biography of Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan, Part I, Youth, p72

hatha - Sanskrit hatha: force, effort; obstinacy, persistence; inevitable necessity.

(pronounced hot-ha)

(mw1287)

hauz-ul kausar - Arabic haud-u al kauthar, Farsi/Urdu hauz-u al kausar: ocean of

abundance, fountain of wine. (see also Kauthar) (in some texts as Hauzu 'l Kausar) (hw249, ao479)
haya - Arabic hay': modesty, bashfulness; timidity, shyness; avoiding that which is
distasteful or improper. ( hw256, fjs434, jtp482)
Haya is the finest feeling in human nature, which is called modesty.... Modesty is life itself; a life which is
conscious of its beauty yet inclined to veil it in all its forms is modesty. At the same time modesty is the
proof of sincerity and of prudence. The immodest man cries aloud, 'I am the light' and is finished in a

moment. The diamond, shining in its light constantly, never says a word about its light... a modest person
very often will not raise his voice, out of dignity; or say things, out of consideration and respect.
from The Sufi Message, Volume XIII, Modesty

hayvanat - Arabic haiwn, plural haiwnt, Farsi hayvnt: living, life,: brutes: animal
nature, (As opposed to insnyat which means human nature, humanness.) (hw257, fjs436)
hayy - Arabic hayy: living, lively, animated, energetic; al-Hayy is one of the beautiful
names of Allh: The Ever-Living, The Everlasting. (also see al-Hayy in the 99 Names of Allah)
(hw256)

hazrat - Arabic
hadrat, Farsi hazrat: presence, dignity, majesty; a title applied to a
great person, similar to titles such as your Excellence, your Majesty, your Highness.
(Hazrat is the typical Farsi/Urdu pronunciation of the Arabic hadrat.)

(fjs422, jtp478, hw215)

hijrat - Arabic hijrat: departure, exit, emigration, separation. Hijrat Day: Inayat Khan
departed from India, headed for America, on September 13, 1910. (hw1194, fjs1490, jtp1221)
hosh bar dam - Farsi hosh bar dam: thinking of breath, attention upon breath. (hosh =
understanding, mind, attention, thinking; bar = with, upon, into; dam = breath, vitality,
life-force) (in some texts as hosh ba dam, or hosh bar dum) (fjs1518,166,534, jtp1241,143,525)
hu - Arabic (formal) huwa or (common) h: he, it; the Arabic third person personal
pronoun; often used to refer to Allh; also considered to be a mystical sound, often used
in chants such as H Allh or simply H. (hw1215, ao596, jtp1239)
This sound Hu is the beginning and the end of all sounds, be they from man, bird, beast, or thing...
The Supreme Being has been called by various names in different languages, but the mystics have known
him as Hu, the natural name, not man-made, the only name of the Nameless, which all nature constantly
proclaims. The sound Hu is most sacred; the mystics call Ism-i Azam, the name of the Most High, for it is
the origin and end of every sound as well as the background of each word. The word Hu is the spirit of all
sounds and of all words, and is hidden within them all, as the spirit in the body. It does not belong to any
language, but no language can help belonging to it. This alone is the true name of God, a name that no
people and no religion can claim as their own.
from The Sufi Message, Volume II, Abstract Sound

hu - Sanskrit hu: to worship, honor, make a sacrifice to (especially to pour butter into
the fire); to offer oblation. (mw1300)
hu - Sanskrit h: to call upon, invoke, summon; call by name. (The Sanskrit hu is thought to
be the root of the modern word 'God')

(mw1301, jtp1239)

hur - Arabic hr, hrya, Farsi hr: houri, nymph, virgin of paradise. (hw247, fjs433, jtp482)

I -ilm - Arabic 'ilm: knowledge, learning; information; perception, cognition. The Arabic
root '-l-m means to know, have knowledge, be informed, be acquainted with, find out
about. (hw743)
ilham - Arabic ilhm: inspiration, divine revelation From the Arabic root l-h-m meaning
to devour, swallow up; to inspire. (hw1033, fjs96, jtp78)
Inspiration is the inner light which reflects itself upon the heart of man; the purer the heart is from rust, like
a clean mirror, the more clearly inspiration can be reflected in it. To receive inspirations clearly the heart
should be prepared by proper training. A heart soiled with rust is never capable of receiving them. There are
five kinds of inspiration:
1. Ilhmi 'Ilm -- inspiration of an artist and scientist
2. Ilhmi Husn -- inspiration of a musician and poet
3. Ilhmi 'Ishq -- inspiration of a devotee
4. Ilhmi Rh -- inspiration of a mystic
5. Ilhmi Ghaib -- inspiration of a prophet
from The Sufi Message, Volume V, Spiritual Liberty

iman - Arabic mn: faith, belief; sincerity and firmness of belief. From the Arabic root am-n meaning to be faithful, reliable, trustworthy; to reassure, safeguard, guarantee. (hw36)
In an Eastern language there is a word which is very difficult to translate: iman. It is not exactly faith or
belief; the nearest word one can find for it is conviction, a conviction that cannot be changed by anything, a
conviction that does not come from outside. One always seeks for conviction, one asks, 'Will anybody
convince me, will this thing convince me?' Nothing convinces, nobody convinces. Conviction is something
that comes from one's own heart and it stands above faith and belief...
from The Sufi Message, Volume XIV, Heart Quality

imam - Arabic imm: prayer leader; model, standard, criterion; that which is followed.
From the Arabic root a-m-m meaning to go, to go see, to go to a place; to follow an
example. (hw32)
inayat - Arabic ' inyat: concern, care; grace; assistance, aid; guarding, preserving;
careful, painstaking, meticulous; a gift, present, favor, bounty. From the Arabic root '-n-y
meaning to be concerned; feel concern; take care of, tend to, look after, to devote one's
attention. (hw762, fjs869, jtp766)
inkisar - Arabic inkisr: being broken, shattered, broken open; repentant. In esoteric
terms: the breaking of the ego; humility, selflessness. (in some texts as enkesar or enkessar)
(hw968, fjs113, jtp94)

insan - Arabic insn: man, mankind, human being. From the Arabic root a-n-s meaning to
be tame, companionable, friendly, sociable. (hw39, fjs110, jtp92)
ishq - Arabic ' ishq: love; passionate love; unconditional love that is oblivious to any
shortcomings. (also written as Ishq) (in some texts as Ishk) (hw719, fjs850)
ishq Allah mabud Allah - Arabic ' ishq allh ma'bd allh: 'ishq =
unconditional love; ma'bd = beloved, worshiped, adored. Literally, Allh is Love, Allh
is Beloved. (also written as ishq Allah mabud Allah) (hw719, hw686)

The Sufi in the East says to himself, 'Ishq Allah, Ma'bud Allah, which means 'God is Love, God is the
Beloved', in other words it is God who is Love, Lover, and Beloved.
from The Sufi Message, Volume XI, Love

ism - Arabic ism: (plural asm') name, appellation, attribute. Based on the Arabic root
(variously reported to be s-m-w or a-s-m) which indicates the means by which something
is distinguished, whether by use of an identifying mark, or by being raised up high so that
it may be distinguished, and would include a word, name, reputation, light or vibration;
all of which point toward the very essence of something, the inherent qualities and signs
of the existence of something, the underlying reality of something. (hw498, fjs59, jtp52)
ism-i azam - Farsi/Arabic ism-i a'zam: greatest name, ultimate word. (also see ism and azam)
There are also words, which no language can claim for its own. This is true of the word Ism-i Azam, which
means the word of power. No one can claim this word as belonging to his language; it is a word, which
belongs to no language... All other words have been derived from it, for Ism-i Azam is the spirit of all
words; it is the root of all other words.
from The Sufi Message, Volume XII, The Word

ism ur-rasm - Arabic ism u al-rasm: the philosophy of the word, the manner of the word,
the doctrine of the word. (also see ism and see rasm)
All down the ages the Yogis and seers of India have worshipped the Word-God, or Sound-God, and around
that idea is centered all the mysticism of sound or utterance. Not alone among Hindus, but among the seers
of the Semitic, the Hebraic, races the great importance of the word was recognized. The sacred Name, the
sacred Word, were always esteemed in the Jewish religion. Also in Islam, that great religion whose
mysticism the West is only beginning to discover, one finds the doctrine of Ism ur-rasm which translated is
the 'doctrine of the mystical word'.

from The Sufi Message, Volume II, Power of the Word

Islam - Arabic islm: submission, resignation, reconciliation (to the will of Allah).
From the Arabic root s-l-m meaning to be flawless, unimpaired, intact, sound, whole,
complete; to have well-being; success. The Arabic word salam and the Hebrew shalom
have arisen from the same ancient Semitic root. (hw497)
ittifaq - Arabic ittifq: agreeing, consenting; concord, harmony, congruence, accord;
meeting one another. (in some texts as ettefaq) (hw1272, fjs15)

JJain - Jainism is an ancient religion, deeply rooted in India, that teaches that every living
thing has an eternal soul, and thus the Jains practice harmlessness to avoid harm to any
living creature. The Jains believe in religious tolerance, saying that no one view can fully
express reality.
Jabril - Arabic jabrl or jabra'l: The angel Gabriel, archangel of the messengers. A
compound word based on Arabic versions of the ancient Hebrew roots, variously
interpreted as signifying: God is my Strength, God's Warrior, God's Might; the Arabic
root j-b-r is based on the Hebrew g-b-r meaning mighty, strong, powerful, proud, warrior;
and the Arabic 'l is based on the Hebrew 'el, meaning the One God. (in some texts as Jebrail
or Jibra'il)

( hw133)

jafr - Arabic jafr: parchment for writing; fortunetelling, the art of divination from written
characters. (hw151, fjs365, jtp382)
jalal - Arabic jall: majesty, sublimity, splendor, glory, loftiness. (in some texts as jelal)
(hw152, ao100)

jam - Farsi jm: cup, chalice, goblet, drinking vessel; mirror.

(fjs350)

jam-i Jamshed - Farsi jm-i jamshd: the cup of Jamshd. The mirror-like reflecting cup
of the mythical Persian king Jamshd in which he saw the reflection of the events of the
whole world, past, present or future. (Also called jm-i jamshed or simply jm-i jam) (in some
texts as Yami Jamshed)

(jtp372)

jamal - Arabic jaml: beauty, handsomeness, grace, elegance. (The Prophet

Muhammad said: Truly, God is beautiful, and God loves beauty.... inna allha jamlun
yuhibbu al-jaml) (in some texts as jemal) (hw163, ao102, fjs370)

jamil - Arabic jaml: beautiful, elegant, comely, pleasing; good, fair; becoming;
courtesy. (The Prophet Muhammad said: Truly, God is beautiful, and God loves
beauty.... inna allha jamlun yuhibbu al-jaml) (hw163, jtp390, fjs372)
Jamna - Sanskrit jamn: a river in India, also called the Yamuna. (see also sangam)
japa - Sanskrit

japa: whispering, muttering; softly reciting scriptures or prayers. (mw412)

jata nada - Sanskrit jta-nda: jta means 'brought into existence by', and nda means
sound. In esoteric terms sound existed first, and sound brought light into existence; thus
jta-nda refers to light. (also written as Jatanada) (mw417, mw534)
Jilani - Farsi jlni: Abdul Qdir Jlni (1077-1166), the great Islamic scholar and
mystic, born in Jln (Iran). The Qadiriyya Sufi order was founded upon his teachings.
jinn - Arabic jinn: invisible beings, either helpful or harmful, that affect the lives of
human beings. From the Arabic root j-n-n meaning to cover, hide, conceal, veil. (in some
texts as djinn)

(hw164)

jivan - Sanskrit jivan: to be alive, to live. The phrase jivan mukta means: one who is
liberated in this life: jivan = living, mukta = let loose, set free.
jnana - Sanskrit

jna: knowing; knowledge; especially transcendent knowledge.

(mw426)

KKaba - Arabic ka'ba, ka'bah, Farsi/Urdu ka'bat: cube, cubic structure. Often used to
refer to al-ka'ba, which is also called kabatullh. The sacred al-ka'ba in Makkah (Mecca,
Saudi Arabia) is a 15 meter high cubic structure made of granite, covered with black silk
and gold embroidery, and around which the great Masjid al-Haram was constructed. At
the time of Muhammad, the Quraish used the al-ka'ba as a shrine to their various tribal
gods. After years of conflict with the Arab tribes, Muhammad was eventually able to
dedicate al-ka'ba as an Islamic house of worship. (in some texts as Kaaba or Ka'aba) (hw973)
Kabatullah - Arabic ka'bat-u-allh: literally 'cube of Allh'. (see kaba above)

Kabbala - Hebrew qabbala, qabblh: received, accepted; received doctrine,

tradition; mystical teachings of rabbinical origin, often based on an esoteric interpretation
of the Hebrew Scriptures, largely developed after the 7th century AD. (also written as
Kabala, Kabbalah, Qabala, Qabalah, Caballah)

kabs - Arabic kabs: pressure, pressing, squeezing, compressing. (the opposite of bast)

(hw949)

kafi - Arabic kfin, kafy; Farsi kf: sufficient, enough; suitable, fit; capable, able,
qualified; adequate, all that is needed. (see also Additional Wazaif) (jtp802, hw977)
kafir - Arabic kfir: irreligious, unbelieving, atheist; ungrateful.

(hw975)

kalgi - Farsi/Hindi kalg; an ornament attached to a turban, plume, crest, jewel; comb (of
a cock) (in some texts as kalaggai, kalagai) (fjs1043, rsm177)
kala - Sanskrit kla: a fixed or right point of time; proper season, time of departure;
time, epcoh, season, age; a small measure of something; fate, destiny; Time personified;
one of the names of Yama, the king of death. (mw278, jtp802)
kalam - Arabic kalm: talking, speaking, addressing; statement, remark, words, speech,
talk, conversation; a salutation. (hw982, fjs1040)
Kali - Sanskrit
kl: black, dark colored; epithet of the goddess Durga (invincible
one), wife of Shiva (the destroyer), goddess of destruction, the power (shakti) with which
Shiva acts. (mw278, jtp804)
Kalidasa - Sanskrit klidsa: Klidsa is generally considered as India's finest
poet and dramatist, and is often referred to as Kavikulaguru (Preceptor of All Poets).
Many estimates of the date of his work place it in the 4th or 5th century AD.
kalima - Arabic kalima: word, speech, address; utterance, remark; saying; announcement.
The Arabic phrase variously written as l ilha ill Allh Muhammad ur raslu Allh or
l ilha ill Allh Muhammadun raslu Allh is often called the First Kalima or Kalima
Tayyib (pure words, noble saying), shown below as inscribed on Saudi Arabia's national
flag. (hw981, ao348)

kalpa-vriksha - Sanskrit
kalpa-vrika, kalpa-taru: the wishing tree, tree of plenty,
one of the trees of Indra's paradise (svarga) capable of fulfilling all wishes; a productive
or bountiful source. (in some texts as kalpa-vraksha) (mw262)
kama - Sanskrit
enjoyment. (mw271)

kma: wish, desire, longing, attachment; love, affection; pleasure,

kamal - Arabic kaml: perfection; completeness, completion, consummation, maturity,

ripeness. (in some texts as kemal) (hw985)
kamala - Sanskrit

kamala, Hindi kamal: lotus, lotus flower.

(mw252, jtp849, rsm169)

Kamsa - Sanskrit
kamsa: king of Mathur who murdered six of Devak's sons,
became a foe of Krishna, and was ultimately slain by Krishna. (mw241)
karma - Sanskrit
karman: act, action; obligation, occupation; work, labor, activity. In
Hindu philosophy, the law of cause and effect (that one reaps what one has sown) is often
called karma. From the root kri meaning to do, accomplish; create, make; bring to
completion. (mw258)
kauthar - Arabic kauthar: (intensive form of kathar), Farsi/Urdu kausar; literally means
copiousness, multitude or abundance. (in some texts as kouthar, or kausar) (hw 954, ao479)
In spiritual terms, kauthar refers to the abundance of good, or abundant blessings, that Allah has promised
to those who pray sincerely and devote their lives selflessly to the good of humanity. Esoterically, this is the
Divine wine. Also, the name of Chapter 108 of the Qur'an. In the hadith, al-kauthar is variously likened, to
a river, a lake, or a fountain, while also saying that these attributes are just a portion of the great goodness
of al-kauthar. One of the sayings of Muhammad (hadith), as narrated by Sahl bin Sad, says: I heard the
Prophet saying, "I am your predecessor at al-kauthar, and whoever will come to it, will drink from it, and
whoever will drink from it, will never become thirsty after that."

kavi - Sanskrit kavi: sage; gifted with insight, enlightened, wise, prudent, seer,
prophet; singer, poet. (mw264, jtp857)
Khadija - Arabic khadja: The name of the first wife of the Prophet Muhammad. Also the
name of Inayat Khan's mother (in 1896 photo below). (in some texts as Khatija or Khatidja)

khak - Farsi khk: earth, dust, soil, ground; little, precious little; peaceful; low, humble.
(in some texts as khaak)

(fjs 440, jtp484)

khalif - Arabic khalfa: deputy, representative; successor, vicegerent, caliph. (hw298, fjs473,
jtp493)

khalwat - Arabic khalwah, Farsi khalwat: privacy, loneliness, solitude, seclusion (in some
texts as khilwat or khilvat)

(hw301, fjs472, jtp493)

khalwat dar anjuman - Farsi khalwat dar anjuman: solitude within the crowd.
(khalwat = solitude, seclusion; dar = in, within, among; anjuman = multitude, assembly,
congregation) (in some texts as khilwat or khilvat) (fjs472,506,106)
khanda peshani - Farsi khanda peshn; (khanda = laughing, smiling; peshn =
forehead) Literally: laughing forehead, or smiling forehead. (fjs 477,266, jtp 494,300)
khamosh - Farsi khmosh: silent, dumb; discreet; tame; extinguished; as an interjection:
Hush!, Be quiet! (in some texts as khamush) (fjs443, jtp485)
khaslat - Arabic khaslat: quality, characteristic, trait, (natural) disposition, talent. (hw282,
jtp490)

khatm - Arabic khtm, khtam: seal; end, close, conclusion. The name of one of the
prayers given by Inayat Khan. (also see prayers in the Gayan) Notes: 1) The "kh" at the beginning
of the word is pronounced much like the ch in the Scottish word loch. 2) Three similar sounding Arabic
words are: khatm (end, conclusion, finish, seal), khtm (concluding, finishing, sealing) and khtam (the
best, the most perfect, the last, the conclusion, the final portion). Since these words all sound essentially the
same to those who are not proficient in Arabic (such as Murshid Inayat Khan's students who transcribed his
words), we do not know for certain which of these words Murshid actually intended. However, the
transliteration khtm is now being used in some newer publications. My own belief is that the intended
form was likely khtam. (previously in some texts as khatum) (hw264, jtp487, fjs447, ewl 702)

khatir - Arabic khtir: "what occurs in the mind", thought, inclination, choice;
regard, consideration, favor. (fjs484, hw287)
khayal - Arabic khayl: thought, idea; vision, apparition; fantasy, imagination. (in some
texts as Khyal)

(hw310, fjs491)

khayali - Arabic khayl: imaginary, ideal; visionary, conceptual; fanciful, unreal,

chimerical. (hw310, fjs491, jtp498)
Khayyam - Umar ibn Ibrahim al-Khayyami (Omar the son of Abraham the tent-maker) Omar
Khayyam (1048-1131 AD) was an astronomer, mathematician, philosopher and poet who
lived in Nishapur Persia (now Iran) and wrote many mystical verses in the quatrain style
called rub', the collection of which are called rub'yt.
Khizr - Arabic al-khidr, Farsi/Urdu al-khizr: legendary saint, prophet and teacher, often
said to have been a companion of Moses (see Qur'an 18:65-82), considered to be a fountain
of life and of spiritual understanding. Sometimes called the 'green man' because barren
lands turned verdant in his presence. (hw283, jtp490, jtp494)
Khuda - Farsi khud: 'self-created', Supreme Being, God; lord, master, ruler. (also
written as Khoda)

(fjs448, jtp487)

Khulq - Arabic khulq: nature, disposition, character, temperament; noble character,

morality. (hw299, fjs472)
Khusrau - Abul Hasan Yaminuddin Khusrau (1253-1325 AD), also known as Amir
Khusrau, a Sufi mystic and a spiritual disciple of Nizamuddin Auliya of Delhi,. Amir
Khusrau was not only one of India's greatest poets, he is also credited with being the
founder of both Hindustani classical music and Qawwali. (also written as Khusro or Khusraw)
Khusru - Shah Khusru (531-579 AD), king of Persia, widely respected for both his
extensive knowledge and his profound wisdom.
The history of Khusru, the old king of Persia, who was both Prophet and king shows this. His feeling was,
'My subjects are my children; more than my children, nearer and closer than my children; their interest is
my interest, for them I live, for them I was born. My whole life is for them.' The whole life of the country
was based on that example, that king's ideal.
from The Sufi Message, Volume VII, Democracy

khwaja - Farsi khwja: lord, master, owner; honorific title of distinction; venerable
elder; teacher, preceptor. (fjs479, jtp494)
kibriya - Arabic kibriy': grandeur, glory, magnificence, supremacy, majesty; pride,
haughtiness, arrogance. From the Arabic root k-b-r meaning to be great, famous; to gain
in significance, become important; to become too great, too burdensome; to exceed in
age, be older. (in some texts as kibria or kibriyya) (hw948))
kimia - (see al-Kimia)
kismet - Arabic qisma, Farsi qismat: allotment, portion, lot; fate, destiny

(fjs970, hw893)

kosha - Sanskrit
koa: a cask, bucket, a vessel for holding something; store-house;
case, covering; dictionary, lexicon; a sheath, one of three bodily sheaths. (mw314)
Krishna - Sanskrit
ka: dark, black; the eighth incarnation of Vishnu, often
represented as a young and amorous cowherd with flowing hair and flute. (see also Vishnu)
(mw306, jtp825)

The life of Krishna is an ideal. It gives the picture of the life of a perfect man. The real meaning of the word
Krishna is God. The man who was identified with that name was the God-conscious one who fulfilled his
message in the period in which he was destined to give it.
from The Sufi Message, Volume IX, Krishna

kshatriya - Sanskrit
katriya: a member of military or reigning order, which forms
the basis of the second caste. (mw325)
kun bi ismi allah - Arabic kun: let there be, let it be, be! The phrase kun bi ismi Allah
means Be! In the name of God. (erroneously in some texts as kun ba ismi allah or kum ba ismi allah)
(hw994, fjs1052, jtp850)

kun fa yakun - Arabic kun: let there be, let it be, be! The phrase kun fa yakn means
(Allah says) Be! And it is. (see Qur'an 36:82) (hw994, fjs1052, jtp850)
kursi - Arabic kurs: chair, seat, bench, arm-chair; the base of a pillar, pedestal. From the
root k-r-s meaning to lay a foundation; to connect together. (hw962, fjs1023)
kushad - Farsi kushd: opening, uncovering, disclosure, revelation, expansion.
(fjs1031, jtp 835)

Inspirations are reflected upon mankind in five ways:

1. Kushd dar Khayl - in the wave of thought - (disclosure by thought)
2. Kushd dar Hl - in emotions and feelings - (disclosure by mood)
3. Kushd dar Jaml - in the sufferings of the heart - (disclosure by beauty)
4. Kushd dar Jall - in the flow of wisdom - (disclosure by majesty)
5. Kushd dar Kaml - in the divine voice and vision - (disclosure by perfection)
from The Sufi Message, Volume V, Spiritual Liberty

kushi - Farsi kush: killing, slaying. (used as the last member of a compound term such as nafskushi, which means ego-killing)

(jtp838, fjs1035)

Llahut - Arabic lht: godhead, divinity, divine nature, deity.

(hw1002, fjs1114)

la ilaha illa-llah - Arabic l ilha ill Allh: The four individual words in the phrase l
ilha ill allh have the following meanings: l = no, not, none, neither; ilha = a god,
deity, object of worship; ill = but, except; allh = Allh. Typical translations include:
There is no god but Allh; There is nothing to worship or adore except Allh. This phrase
is often called tahll (acclaim, cry out with with joy), and is used in the Qur'an in srah
Muhammad (47:19). (also see the tahlil web page)

lauh - Arabic lauh: rising, appearing, shining; being manifest; tablet, signboard. (in some
texts as louh)

(hw1035, fjs1131)

lawwama - Arabic lawwma: stern critic, severe censurer, one who is constantly blaming
others or accusing himself, vindictive. This term is often used to describe the selfreproaching aspect of the nafs as it begins to resist carnal desires. (used in the Qur'an
75:2) From the Arabic root l-w-m meaning to blame, censure, rebuke, reprimand. (in
some texts as lauwama)

(hw 1037, ao521)

layam - Sanskrit
layam: to disappear, be dissolved, perish, be destroyed; be absorbed;
be concealed. One of the three states: Srishti (creation), Sthiti (abiding), and Layam
(dissolution) (mw903)
Laila - Arabic lail, Farsi laile, Urdu lail; a woman's name. Lail and Majnn are lovers
in a classical Middle-Eastern love story. (this love story was the inspiration of an Eric Clapton love
song called Layla)

(hw1041, fjs1135, jtp975)

Mmabud - Arabic ma'bd: worshiped, served, adored; the deity. From the Arabic root
'-b-d meaning to serve, worship, adore, venerate, idolize, deify. (see also mahbub) (hw686)
Madani - Arabic madan: literally 'from Medina': Sayyid Muhammad Ab Hshim
Madan was the murshid of 'Inyat Khn. Madan was from Medina (Saudi Arabia), lived
in the Purn Pul (old bridge) quarter of Hyderabad (India), and was the murd and
khalfa of Sayyid Muhammad Hasan Jl Kalmi. Hazrat Madan died in October 1907,
and was buried in his neighborhood, near the dargh of Qdiri saint Miyn Pays.
When asked how to recognize a godly person Hazrat Madan replied: "'It is not what he says and it is not
what he seems to be, but it is the atmosphere that his presence creates. That is the proof. For no one can
create an atmosphere which does not belong to his spirit.'"
Hazrat Madan reminded his murd 'Inyat: "There is only one virtue and one sin for a soul on this path;
virtue when he is conscious of God, and sin when he is not."

mahatma - Sanskrit
mahtman, singular masculine mahtm: great soul, highminded, noble. Also used as a title for great beings, such as Mahatma Mohandas Gandhi.
The prefix mah means great, large, abundant, important, high, eminent. (also see
atman) (hw796)
mahbub - Arabic mahbb: beloved, dear, lovable, desirable; favorite; beloved one,
lover. From the Arabic root h-b-b meaning to evoke love or liking; to endear; to make
lovable, dear, attractive; to show affection. (also written as Mahboob or Maheboob) (hw179, ewl497)
mahesh - Sanskrit

mahea: great lord, great god; Shiva. (in some texts as maheish) (mw802)

mahtab - Farsi mah-tb: the moon, splendor of the moon, moonlight, full moon.

(fjs1352,

jtp1098)

majzub - Arabic majdhb, Farsi majzb: attracted; possessed, lunatic; carried

away, absorbed in, lost in; one who is attracted by Divine grace and has lost all worldly
concerns. From the Arabic root j-dh-b meaning to attract, captivate, win over. (in some
texts as madzub)

(hw138, fjs1176, jtp1002)

Majnun - Arabic majnn: possessed by jinn, mad, fanatic; madly in love; Lail and
Majnn are lovers in a classical Middle-Eastern love story. (hw164, fjs1179, jtp1004)
makhluqat - Arabic makhlq, plural is makhlqat: creatures, created beings. From the
Arabic root kh-l-q meaning to create, make, originate; shape, form, mold; invent. (hw300)
malak - Arabic mal'ak, malak: messenger, envoy: angel (from the root l-'-k meaning
to send as a messenger) (hw1000, jtp1065)
Manavi - Arabic ma'naw, Farsi ma'nav: important, ideals, spiritual, profound
spiritual meaning. Rumi's great mystical work is often referred to as Masnavi-i Ma'navi
which means couplets of profound spiritual meaning. (see also Masnavi and Rumi) (hw762)
mantiq - Arabic mantiq: speaking, manner of speaking, articulating; an oration;
eloquence; logic, reasoning. The great Persian poet Fariduddin Attar wrote Mantiq-ul-tair,
The Conference of the Birds. (hw1143, fjs1329)
mantra, mantram- Sanskrit
mantra: 'instrument of thought', sacred text, song of
praise, Vedic hymn or chant; spiritual instructions; mystical verse or incantation. (the word
mantra is a noun that depicts an 'instrument of thought' in general, while the word mantram is a specific
declination of the noun (singular accusative) that refers to one specific thing that is being used.) (mw785,
jtp1071)

manushya - Sanskrit

manuya: human, man, human being. (in some texts as manusha)

(mw784)

marifat - Arabi ma'rifat: knowledge, knowing, learning; gnosis; perception, cognition;

art, skill, craft; means, cause, reason. (in some texts as marefat) (hw709, jtp1048)

Shariat means the law which is necessary for the generality to observe, in order to harmonize with one's
surroundings and one's self within. ..
Tariqat means the understanding of law besides the following of it. It means that we must understand the
cause behind everything we should do or not do, instead of obeying the law without understanding it. ...
Haqiqat means knowing the truth of our being and the inner laws of nature. This knowledge widens man's
heart. ...
Marifat means the actual realization of God, the one Being, when there is no doubt anywhere.
from The Sufi Message, Volume IX, Muhammad

Masnavi - Arabic mathnaw, Farsi masnav: a specific rhyming poetic form which
uses pairs of rhymes; often used to refer to the great mystical work of Jalluddn Rm.
Derived from the Arabic root th-n-y meaning double. (see Ma'navi and Rumi below) (hw128,
fjs1173, jtp1001)

mawla - Arabic mawlan, Farsi mawl: lord, master, ruler; patron; judge, magistrate; the
Supreme Lord. (also written as maula) (hw1289, fjs1347, jtp1093)
Mawlabakhsh - Farsi mawlbakhsh: ('God-gifted'; mawl means lord, master; bakhsh
means bestower, giver) Inayat Khan's maternal grandfather, Sho'le Khn Mawlbakhsh
(1833-1896 AD), was one of India's greatest musicians, founded the first Academy of Music
in India, invented the music notation system bearing his name and worked to restore the
fundamentals of traditional Indian classical music. (also written Maula Bakhsh or Maulabakhsh)
mawlana - Farsi mawl-n: ( mawl means lord, master; n indicates a place where
something is found) 'where mastery is found', my master, our master, our lord (title given
to judges, heads of religious orders, esp. to Jalluddn Rm ). (also commonly written as
maulana, molana or mevlana)

(fjs1348, jtp1092)

maya - Sanskrit
my: deception, illusion; illusory image; the wondrous power by
which One appears as many. (mw811)
Mecca - Arabic Makkah: Mecca. An ancient sacred city where Abraham lived, Makkah
was the birthplace and early home of the Prophet Muhammad. Considered as the holiest
site for Muslims, Makkah is the site of the sacred Ka'ba and is the annual destination for
several million Muslims on the pilgrimage called Hajj. Usually written as Makkah alMukarramah, Mecca the Revered, Mecca the Most Honored. (hw1075)
mihrab - Arabic mihrb: the archway or niche in a mosque which indicates the direction
to Mecca (Saudi Arabia), the direction in which one should face during prayers. From the
Arabic root h-r-b meaning battle or combat. Thus the term mihrb indicates the place of
doing battle. (in some texts as mehrab) (hw195)

miraj - Arabic al-mi'rj: the ascension. Refers to the Night Journey of Muhammad from
Mecca to Jerusalem and then ascending through the realms of the seven heavens, beyond
the limit of forms, the Sidrat al-Muntah, to within a bow-span's length or nearer to the
presence of Allh. From the Arabic root '-r-j meaning to ascend, rise, mount. (in some texts
as Meraj)

(hw704, ao365)

miskin - Arabic miskn: Lowly, humble, submissive; meek; poor, needy, indigent;
beggar, humble; a dervish (in some texts as mequin or meskin) (hw1067, jtp1035)
mithal - Arabic mithl: resembling, similitude; example, standard; image, picture,
vision; parable, allegory. (see also alam-i mithal) (hw1074, fjs1172)
moksha - Sanskrit
moka: emancipation, liberation, freedom from; deliverance;
release; relinquishment, abandonment. (mw835)
Muhammad - Arabic muhammad: praiseworthy, much praised, commendable,
laudable. The Prophet Muhammad who received the Qur'an from the angel Gabriel
(Jibrl). (in some texts as Mohammad or Muhammed) (hw238)
Muinuddin - Arabic mu'n-u-al-dn: The name Mu'nuddn literally means 'helper of the
religion'. Mu'nuddn Hasan Chisht, the Sufi mystic who established the Chishti Order in
Ajmer (India) around 1190 AD. (see also Sayings of Muinuddin Chishti) (in some texts as
Moinuddin)
Among the Sufis there was a great saint, Muinuddin Chishti of Ajmer. At his grave music is played, the
Hindus and Muslims go their on pilgrimage. This shows that the religion of the knowers of truth is the
religion of God.
from The Sufi Message, Volume II, Music

mukta - Sanskrit mukta: let loose, set free; liberated, emancipated, gone, vanished. (mw820)
mukti - Sanskrit
mukti: setting free, liberation, deliverance; throwing off, casting
off; abandonment. (mw821)
muni - Sanskrit
muni: One who is moved by inner impulse; an inspired or ecstatic
person; sage, seer, acetic, monk. (mw823)
Munkar - Arabic munkar; one of the angels of death who interview the dead in their
graves (along with Nakir); denied, not recognized, disavowed. (hw1171, fjs1334)
muntaha - Arabic muntah: end, conclusion; boundary, extremity. From the Arabic
root n-h-y meaning to prevent, forbid, stop, hinder, prohibit, restrain. Also see Sidrat alMuntah. (in some texts as manteha) (ao580, fjs1323)
mureed - Arabic murd: aspirant, disciple, follower, seeker, adherent. From the
Arabic root r-w-d meaning to walk about, look for, search for. (hw425)
murshid - Arabic murshid: advisor; leader; spiritual guide, guide to the right way;
master of a spiritual brotherhood. From the Arabic root r-sh-d, to be on the right way, be
well guided, follow the right course. (hw395)
muruwwat - Arabic mur't, Farsi/Urdu muruwwat: consideration, regard, politeness;
benevolence, kindness, generosity; etiquette, respect, virtue. (hw401, fjs1219, jtp1026)
mutmainna - Arabic mutma'inna: at rest, calm, peaceful. This term is often used to
describe the tranquil aspect of the nafs that begins when one rises above the lower states
of ammara and lawwama. (used in the Qur'an 89:27) From the Arabic root t-m-'-n
meaning to calm, pacify, be tranquil, be still, quiet; to rest from. (ao343, hw664)
mutrib khush - Farsi mutrib khush: mutrib meaning musician, minstrel; a singer; who
or what causes one to dance and skip about for joy; khush meaning sweet, delightful,
pleasing. Beginning words of a widely known and highly revered ghazal, generally
attributed to Hafiz, which contains the oft quoted refrain tza ba tza naw ba naw. (see
The Hafez Poems of Gertrude Bell, pg 81)

(fjs1260, jtp496)

O, singer of delightful voices, sing a song every moment new, new, fresh, fresh.
from Sangatha II, Saluk, The Good Nature Against Life in the World

mutu - Arabic mt: die! (imperative) This word is used in the traditional saying mt
qabla an tamt, which means die before you die. (mutu qabla an tamutu was in some texts as
mutu kabla anta mutu)

muwakkal - Arabic muwakkal: to whom power is delegated, or trust is committed;

agent, vicegerent, deputy. In esoteric terminology, muwakkals are agents, elemental
beings, who are charged with the power and authority to carry out one's thoughts and
accomplish the desired results. (hw1284, jtp1092)
As in the physical being of an individual many small germs are born and nourished which are also living
beings, so in his mental plane there are many beings, termed Muwakkals, or elementals. These are still finer
entities born of man's own thoughts, and as the germs live in his physical body so the elementals dwell in
his mental sphere. Man often imagines that thoughts are without life; he does not see that they are more
alive than the physical germs and that they have a birth, childhood, youth, age and death. They work for
man's advantage or disadvantage according to their nature. The Sufi creates, fashions and controls them.
from The Sufi Message, Volume II, Vibrations

Nnabi - Arabic nab: a prophet; one who informs; one who is informed; a clear and
evident way. From the root n-b-a' meaning to utter in a low voice; to be exalted,
elevated. (also see Nabi and Rasul web page) (ewl2752, fjs1386, hw1100/1105)
nada - Sanskrit

nda: any sound or tone. (mw534)

There is a phrase in the Sanskrit language which says 'Nada Brahma,' which means, 'the mystery of creation
was in Nada,' which means, 'in the word.'
from Social Gatheka II, 43, The Power of the Word, by Hazrat Inayat Khan (unpublished)

nafas - Arabic nafas: (plural anfs) breath, respiration; voice. (see also pasi anfas below)
(hw1156, jtp1144, )

nafas-i garm - Farsi nafas-i garm: from nafas meaning breath, i meaning of, garm
meaning fiery, lively. (see also nafas and garm) (in some texts as nafs-i-garm) (fjs1415,1084, jtp1144,904)
nafs - Arabic nafs: (plural nufs) the individual, the petty self, personal identity, ego;
mind; human being; soul, breath (of life). (used in compound terms such as nafs-kushi, which
means ego-killing)

(hw1155, jtp1144)

The Sufi's base the whole of their teaching on the crushing of the ego which they term Nafs-kushi, for
therein lies all magnetism and power.
from The Sufi Message, Volume V, Blessed are the Poor

nafsaniyat - Arabic nafsnyah, Farsi nafsnyat: animalism, carnality, sensuality;

passion, anger; egotism. In contemporary Arabic, this term is also used to describe
psychology. (hw1156, fjs1416, jtp1144)
najat - Arabic najh, Farsi najt: escape, liberation, deliverance, rescue, salvation.
(similar to Sanskrit mukti)

(hw1110, fjs1387, jtp1124)

Nakir - Arabic nakr: one of the angels of death who interview the dead in their
graves (along with Munkar); disavowal, rejection; loathsome, disgusting. (hw1170, fjs1423)
namaz - Farsi namz: prayers (especially the Muslim prayers said five times a day),
adoration, worship, devotion, service, obedience. (in some texts as nimaz) (fjs1425, jtp1153)
Nanak - Guru Nanak Dev (1469-1539 AD) founder of the monotheistic Sikh religion. (see
Sikh below)

naqshi - Farsi naqsh, from Arabic naqsh: painted, ornamented; done attentively;
exposed, divulged; planned, characterized. (hw1162, fjs1419, jtp1146)
Naqshbandi - Farsi naqsh-bandh, naqsh-bandiyy: one of the four earliest Sufi
orders; followers of the Sufi path of Bahauddin Naqshband Bukhari.
nar - Farsi/Hindi nar (from Sanskrit nara): male, masculine; mankind. (fjs1394, jtp1128, mw528)
nar - Arabic nr: conflagration, fire; gunfire. (from the same n-w-r root as nr)

(hw1183)

nari - Sanskrit nr: woman, female; wife. (jtp1113, mw537)

nari - Arabic nr: fiery, full of fire, blazing, hellish. (from the same n-w-r root as nr)

(hw1183)

nasihat - Arabic nashat: counsel, sincere advice, admonition, moral, precept, friendly
reminder. (hw1137, fjs1407, jtp1142)
nautch - anglicized version of Hindi nc (nch), from Sanskrit nrtya: dancing.

(jtp1112,

rsm551)

nazr - Arabic nadhr, Farsi nazr: vow, offering, dedication, gift (from an inferior to a
superior), consecration, dedication to God, promise to God. (hw1118, fjs1394, jtp1128)
nazar bar qadam - Farsi nazar bar qadam: watch every step, see where you're going.
(nazar = looking at, turning the gaze toward, attending to, observing; bar = with, upon,
into; qadam = foot, step) (hw1144,877, fjs1410,166,958, jtp1143,143,789)
nazar-i bad - Farsi nazar-i bad: the evil-eye. (nazar = looking at, turning the gaze
toward, attending to, observing; bad = bad, wicked, naughty) (fjs1410,160, jtp1143,138)

nirvah - Sanskrit
nir-vah: (nir = out, away, away from; vah = lead, guide, conduct )
to lead out of, save from; to flow out of; to bring about, accomplish; to be successful,
overcome obstacles. (mw557)
nirvana - Sanskrit
nir-vna: (nir = out, away, away from; vna = going, moving; as
a blowing breeze or rolling waters) put out, vanished; calmed, quieted, tamed; blown out,
extinguished, perfect calm, highest bliss; annihilation of desires and passions. (in some texts
as Nirwana)

(mw557)

nritya - Sanskrit

nrtya: dancing; gesturing, acting.

(mw568, jtp1130)

nur - Arabic nr: (plural anwr) light, ray of light, illumination, gleam, glow. From
the Arabic root n-w-r meaning to light, to fill with light, illuminate, clarify, enlighten.
(hw1183)

nuzul - Arabic nuzl: descending, going down; dismounting, climbing down;

stopover, sojourning. In esoteric terms, 'urj and nuzl are two complementary conditions
which represent the natural ebb and flow, with 'urj being responsive, and nuzl being
expansive, expressive; for example with the breath 'urj is inhaling and is nuzl
exhaling. (hw1123, fjs1398, jtp1136)

OOm - Sanskrit
om:
aum; Om appears first in the Upanishads as a mystic
monosyllable used as the object of profound religious meditation, the highest spiritual
effects being attributed not only to the whole word but also to the three sounds a, u, m of
which it consists. In later times is used as the mystic name for the Hindu triad, the union
of the three gods Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. Also considered as a divine affirmation of
respectful assent sometimes translated by 'yes, verily, so be it' (in this sense compared
with Amen), and also regarded as a divine salutation as 'hail!'.
(hw235)

Oh Lord, dweller within;

You are the light
In the heart's lotus,
Om is your very self,
Om holiest word,
Seed and source of the scriptures.
- Shankara

P-

padishah - Farsi pd-shh: protecting lord; a prestigious title applied, often applied to an
emperor, monarch or king. (also written as padshah, in some texts as badishah ) (fjs229, jtp216)
pari - Farsi par: winged; a good genie, jinn, fairy. (in some texts as peri)

(fjs246, jtp258,

rsm610)

paramatma - Sanskrit
paramtman, masculine singular paramtm: supreme
soul . The prefix parama means highest, most excellent, last, final, supreme, ultimate.
(see also atman) (hw588)
Parsi - Middle Persian prs: meaning 'from Persia'. Parsi is the name given to the
Zoroastrian community in India who originally fled the religious persecution of eighth
century Persia as Islam when being imposed as the religion of the state. Interestingly, the
Arabs, who lacked a "p" sound in their alphabet, used the letter "f" instead, and thus
created the word Farsi. (jtp217)
parwana - Farsi parvna or parwna: a moth, particularly such as fly about a candle at
night; a royal patent or diploma; a grant or letter under the great seal from any man in
power; a license, permit, warrant, written order or commission. (in some texts as parvana or
parveneh)

(fjs245, jtp255)

pas-i anfas - Farsi ps-i anfs: consideration of breaths. This expression is made from:
ps meaning watch, guard, observer, respect for, consideration of; i meaning of; and anfs
(plural of nafas) meaning breaths, respirations. (fjs230 and 112, jtp217 and 93)
payghambar - Farsi paighm-bar: message-bearer, envoy, messenger, prophet.
From Farsi paighm meaning message, report; news; advice; and bar meaning carrier,
porter, bearer. (fjs268, jtp300)
pir - Farsi

pr: an old man; a founder or chief of a religious group or sect. (fjs264)

prakriti - Sanskrit
prakriti: literally "making first"; the original or natural form of
anything; the original producer of the material world, which consists of the three gunas.
(mw654)

prana - Sanskrit

prna: the breath of life, spirit; vitality; vigor, energy.

(mw705)

propkar - Sanskrit
paropakra: assisting others, benevolence, charity; action for
the benefit of others, selfless service. (mw588, jtp256)
puja - Sanskrit
pj: honor, worship, respect, reverence, veneration, homage (to
superiors), adoration (of the gods). (mw641)
Puja is the name of the Hindu form of worship, which is from the beginning to the end a symbolical
expression of what the seeker has to perform in the path of spiritual attainment.

from The Sufi Message, Volume XIII, Symbology

pul-sirat - Farsi pul-sirt: a bridge over which the righteous will pass to heaven and the
wicked will enter hell on judgment day. From Farsi pul meaning bridge, and Arabic sirt
meaning way or path. (in some texts as Pulserat) (jtp266, rsm638)
Punjab - Punjabi punj-b: punj meaning five, and b meaning water; a reference to the
five rivers flowing through the area in northwest India known as the Punjab.
purana - Sanskrit purna: ancient; a class of scriptures. The 18 major purnas,
probably written around 300 to 1000 AD, are divided into three groups, each exalting one
member of the Hindu Trinity. (mw635)
purusha - Sanskrit
purusa: human being, mankind; a person; the personal and
animating principle in beings; soul, spirit; the Supreme Soul; spirit as passive spectator of
the creative force of prakriti. (mw637)

Qqadr - Arabic qadr: measuring, determining; deciding, choosing, comparing one

thing with another; measuring out; portion, part. Although qadr is considered by some to
indicate destiny or pre-determination, Inayat Khan uses qadr to describe the limited,
measured-out, part of life called free-will. (in some texts as kadr) ( hw873 fjs957, jtp788)
There are two forces in the universe, Qaz, the divine force that is working through all things and beings,
and Qadr, the free will of the individual.
from The Sufi Message, Volume V, Qaza and Qadr

qalam - Arabic qalam: cut reed (for writing), pen; pencil; painter's brush. Esoterically, the
pen with which God writes upon the heart, providing the source of inspiration. (in some
texts as kalam)

(hw922, jtp794)

qalbi - Arabic qalb: of or pertaining to the heart; cordial, warm, sincere; heart- (when
used in compounds). From the root q-l-b meaning to turn over, turn about; fluctuate,
change, transform, transmute; heart, core, essence. (see also dil) (hw918, fjs983, ewl2552)
qayamat - Arabic qiymah, Farsi qiymat: resurrection, last day; calamity, turmoil,
upheaval. (hw936, fjs997)
qaza - Arabic qad', Farsi/Urdu qaz': divine decree, predestination; fate, destiny;
fatality; death; decree, mandate, judgment. In esoteric usage, qaz is often used to
describe the unlimited, Divine aspect of life. (see also Qadr) (in some texts as Kaza or
Qadha)

(hw904, fjs974, jtp792)

Quran - Arabic al-qur'n: guidance for mankind as given to the Prophet Muhammad.
From the Arabic root q-r-' meaning to read, recite; deliver, transmit, convey, proclaim. (in
some texts as Koran or Qur'an)

(ao448)

qutb - Arabic qutb: axle, axis; pole; lord, chief; the center around which something
revolves. From the Arabic root q-t-b meaning to concentrate, or pull together, into one
point. (hw905, fjs976, jtp792, ewl2541)
qutbiyat - Arabic qutbya, Farsi qutbyat (inf noun from qutb): the state of poleship,
being the cardinal pole, being the center around which something revolves. (in some texts
as kutubiyat)

(hw905)

RRadha - Sanskrit

rdh: prosperity, success; the name of Krishna's favorite gop.

(mw876, jtp581)

raga - Sanskrit

rga: color, passion, joy; loveliness, beauty; musical melody. (mw872)

rahm - Arabic rahma: pity, compassion, forgiveness; sympathy, understanding; divine

mercy. The root r-h-m also indicates womb; that which provides protection and
nourishment, and that from which all of creation is brought into being. (hw384)
Rahmat - Arabic rahmat: The name of Inayat Khan's father: Rahmat Khn Pathn (in
photo below).

rakhs - see raqs

rakshasa - Sanskrit
guarded from. (mw871)

rkasa: evil being, demon; something to be warded off, or

Rama, Ram - Sanskrit

rma, Hindi rm: causing rest; dark-colored; pleasing,
charming, lovely; the name of several Hindu deities considered to be incarnations of
Vishnu; often indicating the seventh incarnation of Vishnu as described in the famous

epic poem, the Ramayana, as the ideal of dharma and virtues. Frequently called Lord
Rama or Shri Rama, his wife is Sita. (mw877, jtp583)
Rama, the great prophet and ideal of the Hindus, was at the same time an example of the incarnation of a
godhead. The character and history of Rama is described by Valmiki in the great epic Ramayana. The
training, which was given to Rama by a great Rishi named Vashishta, was in order to bring forth that
kingdom of God which is hidden in the heart of man. In this respect Rama was not only an ideal for the
Hindus of that particular age, but a model to mold the character of those who tread the spiritual path in any
age.
from The Sufi Message, Volume IX, Rama

Ram Das - ri Samarth Rmd, (1608-1681 AD) Marathi saint, poet and religious leader.
His works include Manache Shlok (Verses to the Mind), Dasbodh and Aatma Ram.
raqs - Arabic
raqs: movement, dancing. From the Arabic root r-q-s meaning to
dance, to dance with joy, to set to a swinging motion, to move. (in some texts as rakhs) (hw410)
rasa - Sanskrit rasa: the essence, essential nature, best part; a mixture, potion, essential
fluid; mercury. The term Rasa Shastra means the science of the essential nature, the
teachings of the essence. (see also Shastra) (mw869)
rasm - Arabic rasm: plan, pattern; law, canon, rule, doctrine, regulation, precept;
habit, custom, manner. (hw392, fjs576, jtp592)
rasul - Arabic
rasl: messenger, envoy, emissary, delegate. In esoteric terms, rasl is
generally considered to be the highest grade of world-wide messenger, a step above nab.
From the Arabic root r-s-l meaning to contact, to get in touch; to transmit, to send word;
to pour forth; freely flowing. Often phrased as al-Rasl or Rasl Allah when used to refer
specifically to Muhammad. (also see Nabi and Rasul web page) (hw391)
ravaj - Arabic rawj, Farsi/Urdu ravj: custom, practice, that which is current; in
great demand, easy to sell; in circulation. (hw422, fjs590)
rind - Farsi rind: skeptic, rogue, libertine. In esoteric terms, there are two general types
of Sufis, the Rind and the Salik; the Rind follow a path of disregarding worldly matters,
while the Salik are engaged in worldly matters. (jtp600)
Those who are called fakirs all belong to the Rind. Their life consists in learning to disregard all worldly
things. A person fears most being without such things.. so this is the first thing to learn to disregard.
from The Sufi Message, Volume XII, The Life of a Sage

risalat - Arabic rislt: mission; high goal, noble task, divine mission.

(hw391)

riyazat - Arabic riyda, plural riydt, Farsi riyzt: practices, exercises; religious
exercises, austerities, devotions. (hw426, jtp610)
roza - Farsi roza: daily allowance, a day's worth; a fast; fast-day. In Arabic, fasting is
called saum. (fjs594, jtp605)
rubaiyat - Arabic rub', Farsi rub', plural rub'yt: The singular form rub' denotes
being in groups of four, a quatrain, a stanza of four lines; while the plural rub'yt denotes
a volume of, or collection of rub'. (fjs567, jtp586)
ruh - Arabic rh: breath, wind, inspiration; breath of life; spirit; soul; human life;
essence; divine inspiration, revelation. The ancient Semitic roots (which also led to the
Hebrew Ruach and Aramaic Ruha) point toward the ideas of expansion and dilation;
something that comes and goes; movement from the center to the circumference; wind,
breath, soul, spirit; that which moves, stirs, animates, inspires, transports. (See also Spirit.)
(hw423, ao225, fdo450)

Rumi - Arabic rm: literally meaning from Rum, Byzantine. Commonly used as the
name of the great mystical poet Jalluddn Muhammad Rm (1207-1273 AD). He was born
in Balkh ( now northern Afghanistan), so many Persians and Afghans refer to him as
Jalluddn Muhammad Balkh.

ryazat - see riyazat

S-sadhana - Sanskrit
sdhana: leading straight to the goal, guiding well; effective;
accomplishment, performance; summoning; adoration, worship; winning over, mastery.
(mw1201, jtp623)

sadhu - Sanskrit
sdhu: going straight to the goal, hitting the mark; peaceful, secure;
correct, pure; virtuous, honorable, righteous; kind, gentle; saint, sage, seer. (mw1201, jtp623)

Sadi - from Arabic sa'd: prosperity, being auspicious, a fortunate aspect of the stars. The
Persian Sufi poet Muslihuddn Mushrif ibn Abdullh, often called Sa'd, was born in
Shrz (Iran) around 1175 AD. A student of Sufi master Shahbuddn Suhraward, Sa'd
produced many great works including Bustn and Gulistn. (the pseudonym Sa'di is said
to be in honor of his patrons, the ruler of Iran Sa'd bin Zang and the ruler's son Ab Bakr
bin Sa'd) (in some texts as sa'adi) (fjs682, jtp661)
Saddiq - see Siddiq
saf - Arabic sfin, Farsi sf : clear, pure; untroubled, undisturbed, serene. Some say that
sf may have been the root from which the word Sf has arisen. (see Suf and Sufism) (hw606,
jtp742)

sahib - Arabic shib: associate, companion, friend; owner, possessor; lord, master; often
used in India as a title of courtesy, equivalent to Mr. and Sir. (in some texts as saheb) (hw588,
fjs778, jtp741)

sahib-i dil - Farsi shib-i dil: literally 'master of the heart'; a godly person, one having
great piety; courageous. The awakened heart, the master-mind. (see also sahib and dil above)
( fjs778, jtp741)

sajada - Arabic sajada: to bow, prostrate, bow in worship, worship. (hw463)

saki - see saqi
salat - Arabic

salt: prayer, praying.

(hw612, fjs792)

salik - Arabic slik: going, traveling; traveler, devotee; open not obstructed. From
the Arabic root s-l-k meaning to travel, to follow (a path), to enter upon a course or road;
to behave; to proceed, to set foot (on); to clarify, disentangle. In esoteric terms, there are
two general types of Sufis, the Rind and the Salik; the Rind follow a path of disregarding
worldly matters, while the Salik are engaged in worldly matters. (hw495)
The Salik is a person who believes that he can be a sage and at the same time follow his worldly
occupation. His work is making his life amidst the responsibilities of everyday affairs, and at the same time
he does this for higher purpose; his mind is fixed on higher aspirations even while in the world. Every act
in all the affairs of life is directed towards higher purpose; His mind is fixed on higher aspirations even
while in the world.
from The Sufi Message, Volume XII, The Life of a Sage

sama - Arabic sam': listening, hearing, receiving. Often used to refer to the musical
portion of a Sufi gathering. From the Arabic root s-m-' meaning to hear; learn, be told,
listen, pay attention to. (in some texts as suma; also written as sema) (hw501)
sami - Arabic sam': hearing, listening; hearer, listener. (see also as-sam', one of the 99 beautiful
names at http://wahiduddin.net/words/99_pages/sami_26.htm )

(hw501)

samadhi - Sanskrit
sam-dhi: connection, alliance; completion; joining, putting
together, union with; bringing into harmony; contemplation, profound meditation, intense
absorption. (mw1159, jtp672)
samsara - Sanskrit
sam-sra: wandering through; passage, course; worldly
existence, worldly life, worldly illusion. (mw1119)
Sangam - Sanskrit
sam-gama: 'coming together', confluence. The confluence of the
three holiest rivers in India: the Ganges (Gag), Yamun (Jamn) and the mythical
Sarasvati. Located near Allahabad (Prayag), this site is also known as also called tri-ven,
and is often called King of Pilgrimages (Tirth Rj), where the great sacred festival Maha
Kumbh Mela is held every 12 years.

sangita - Sanskrit
sam-gta: (sam=together, gita=sung) sung together; sung in harmony;
a song sung by many voices; a concert. (mw1129)
sanyasa - Sanskrit
sam-nysa: laying aside, putting down, abandonment,
renunciation. The ultimate phase of life. One who is on this path is called a sanyasi. (in
some texts as sannyasa)

saqi - Arabic sqin, Farsi sq: cup-bearer; wine-server or wine-pourer. Frequently

used in Persian poetry to describe the glorious Server who continually pours out the wine
everlasting to all of mankind. (in some texts as saki) (also see the Bowl of Saki web page) (hw485,
fjs642, jtp625)

In the imagery of the Sufi poets, this tavern is the world, and the sq is God. In whatever form the winegiver comes and gives a wine, it is God who comes. In this way, by recognizing the sq, the wine-giver, in
all forms, the Sufi worships God. He recognizes God in friend and foe as the wine-giver.
from The Sufi Message, Volume X, Sufi Poetry

sat - Sanskrit sat: being, existing, occurring, happening; being present; belonging to;
abiding, lasting; real, actual, right true; the truly existent. (mw1134)

sati - Sanskrit
sat: your ladyship; virtuous and faithful wife; female ascetic; the
goddess Durg or Um, Truth personified. (mw1135)
sattva - Sanskrit
sat-tva: 'true essence'; the abode of goodness; purity. One of the
three gunas. Derived from sat meaning real, true, good; and tva meaning state of being, or
abode of. (in some texts as satva or sattwa) (mw1136)
saum - Arabic saum: fasting, abstaining; ceasing work, keeping silence. Also the name of
a prayer given by Inayat Khan. (also see prayers in the Gayan) (hw621)
saut-i sarmad - Arabic saut-i sarmad: literally 'eternal sound'. From saut meaning sound,
voice, shout; and sarmad meaning everlasting, eternity.
Abstract sound is called Saut-i Sarmad by the Sufis; all space is filled with it. The vibrations of this sound
are too fine to be either audible or visible to the material ears or eyes, since it is even difficult for the eyes
to see the form and color of he ethereal vibrations on the external plane. It was the Saut-i Sarmad, the
sound of the abstract plane, which Muhammad heard in the cave of Ghar-i Hira when he became lost in his
divine ideal.
from The Sufi Message, Volume II, Abstract Sound

shabda - Sanskrit
speech, language.

abda: sound, tone, music, note; to utter a sound, cry out; a word;
(mw1052)

shafi - Arabic shfin, shafy, Persian shf : health-giving, healing; restoring to health;
distinct, clear; relieving from doubt; a restorer, a healer. (see also Additional Wazaif) (jtp718,
hw560, ewl1575)

shaghl - Arabic shaghl: work, occupation, employment, business; study; occupying,

filling up; keeping employed at. Inayat Khan uses this term to describe certain mystical
concentration exercises. (in some texts as shaghal or shagal) (hw556, fjs748)
shah - Farsi shh: king, sovereign, emperor, monarch, ruler.

(fjs726, jtp719)

shahbaz - Farsi shh-bz: royal falcon; generous, noble; a mythical bird.

(fjs726,

jtp719)

Shahnama - Farsi shh-nma: The Book of Kings, an epic poem by Firdaus depicting
the legendary kings and heroes of Persia. (in some texts as shah-nameh) (fjs728)

shaikh - Arabic shaikh: venerable, elderly; chief, elder; title of honor, title of
religious dignitaries; master; saint; master of a Sufi order. (also transliterated as shaykh or
sheikh)

(hw580, ewl1629)

shakti - Sanskrit
akti: power, ability, strength, might, energy, capability; faculty,
skill; power over; the energy or active power of a deity (often personified as the power of
the wife). (mw1044, jtp729)
Shankaracharya - Adi ankara (788-820 AD), a great philosopher of India, a proponent of
advaita (see advaita). Often called Shankaracharya as a title of respect (see acharya).
shariat - Arabic shar'at: law, justice; statute, ordinance. And more specifically, al-shar'at
refers to the prescribed laws of Islam; the laws of Allah. (also see Marifat) (hw544, fjs743, jtp727)
sharif - Arabic sharf: (plural ashrf) distinguished, eminent, noble, high-bred,
honorable, honest. (hw545)
shastra - Sanskrit
stra: order, command; precept, rule; teaching, instruction, good
counsel; sacred book, a body of teaching, science. ((mw1069)
shighra - Sanskrit ghra: quick, speedy, swift. The term shighra-kavi means witty
poet, impromptu poet, improviser. (mw1077, jtp740)
Shiva - Sanskrit
iva: the destroyer, assimilator; in whom all things lie; one of the
principle Hindu deities (Brahma the creator, Vishnu the preserver, Shiva the destroyer);
personification of time. (see also Brahma and Vishnu) (mw1074, jtp735)
shri - (see sri)
shuhud - Arabic shuhd, plural of shhid: eye-witness; witnessing, being present. In
esoteric terms: beyond the witnessing of mankind; God's vision. (hw572, fjs771)

Out of Himself, God produced His manifestation, His means of becoming conscious; and now each
manifestation of Himself calls out, "I," not knowing its True Self. But when the individual intelligence frees
itself from this delusion, and recognizes its immortal existence, then it becomes master of all states of
being; it becomes that ideal being whose bliss cannot be equaled on earth nor surpassed in Heaven. This
state in the experience of Intelligence, when the knower becomes known to Himself is called Shuhud; and
in this the aim of life is accomplished.
from The Sufi Message, Sangatha I, Tasawwuf (unpublished)

siddiq - Arabic siddq: honorable, righteous, upright. An epithet referring to Abu Bakr
(573-643 AD), the first khalif following the death of the prophet Muhammad. (in some texts as
sadik)

(fjs785, hw594)

sidrat ul-muntaha - Arabic sidrat-u al-muntah: sidrat meaning lote-tree, a shade tree;
muntah describing the furthest boundary beyond which human knowledge cannot go,
and no one knows what is beyond that boundary. In sura al-najm this phrase is used to
describe a tree in the seventh heaven, near the abode of paradise, beyond which no
human can venture. (fjs663)
sifat - Arabic sifa, plural sift: qualities, properties, attributes, features. From the Arabic
root w-s-f meaning to describe, depict, characterize. The phrase Sift-i Allh refers to the
attributes of Allh. (hw1256)
Sikh (Sikhism) - Punjabi, from Sanskrit shishya meaning disciple or student. A
monotheistic religion that originated during the 15th century AD in the Punjab of India,
founded by Guru Nanak Dev who taught a life of simplicity and honesty. The One God is
called Ek Onkar, and is often referred to as Wahe Guru (wonderful lord). By tradition, a
Sikh man takes the surname Singh (lion), and a Sikh woman takes the name Kaur
(princess).
siraj - Arabic
sirj: candle, lamp, lantern, light; candle wick; luminary; the sun. A title
given to one who officiates and takes care of the preservation of the Universal Worship
service. (Used in Qur'an 71:16, 25.61, 78:13, 33.46; quite similar to Farsi chirgh) (ewl1344, hw472, ao254,
fjs667)

sirr - Arabic sirr (plural asrar): secret, mystery, something concealed; secret thought;
innermost being, inner essence or, as E. W. Lane variously described it: private
knowledge; something inserted in the interior; a pleasure, or delight, and dilation of the
heart, of which there is no external sign. (hw471, fjs57, ewl1337)
spirit - The word spirit is derived from the Latin spritus, meaning breath. (see also Ruh)
sri, shri - Sanskrit r: light, radiance; splendor, glory; used as a respectful title much
like reverend; used as an honorific prefix denoting holy or sacred. (mw1098)

subhan Allah - Arabic subhna allh: subhna = praised, glory be to. Commonly
translated as: Praise the Lord!, May Allah be praised!, All glory is to Allah! This phrase is
called tasbh. (also see the subhana allah web page for more insights) (hw472)
sufi - Arabic sf: The exact etymology of the term sf is unproven, but is
generally thought to be related to the Arabic sf which means wool, in reference to the
simple wool cloaks worn by early ascetics; another theory is that it is may related to sf
which means purity. However, scholars have generally discarded the idea that sf could
have been derived from the Greek Sophia (wisdom). (hw620)
sufism - Arabic

tasawwuf: ( tas sawwuf) mysticism; the Sufi way of life.

(hw620)

I will say that there is one principle mission of Sufism, that is, to dig the ground under
which the light of the soul becomes buried. The same is the teaching of Christ, who has
said, that no one shall cover his light under a bushel, also. 'Raise your light on high.' ...
Sufism has as its object the uniting of life and religion, which so far seem to have been
kept apart... Therefore the teaching of Sufis is to make everyday life into a religion, that
every action in life may have some spiritual fruit.
from Social Gatheka 1, Sufism not Passivism, by Hazrat Inayat Khan
(unpublished)
Sufism, therefore, is the process of making life natural... By this process of Sufism one
realizes one's own nature, one's true nature... Sufism means to know one's true being, to
know the purpose of one's life and to know how to accomplish that purpose.
from Social Gatheka 7, Sufism, by Hazrat Inayat Khan (unpublished)
suluk - Arabic sulk: road, journey; behavior, demeanor, manner, conduct, attitude.
From the Arabic root s-l-k meaning to travel, to follow (a path), to enter upon a course or
road; to behave; to proceed, to set foot (on); to clarify, disentangle. (hw495, fjs694)
... the essence of morals and of religion and of education is one, and that one essence is
the manner of friendship. Sufis of all ages have named it Suluk, which means divine
manner, beneficence.
from In an Eastern Rose Garden, by Hazrat Inayat Khan
... the Sufis have learned the lesson of love, of devotion, of sympathy, and have called it
the cultivation of the heart. It is known by the word suluk, which means the loving
manner.
from The Smiling Forehead, by Hazrat Inayat Khan

The method of attainment is to endeavor always to make others happy and by

experiencing happiness in the happiness of others. In the terms of the Sufi it is "Suluk".
from Constancy, an unpublished paper, by Hazrat Inayat Khan
surah - Arabic
srah, plural suwar: chapter, especially of the Qur'an. Literally, a
container. From the Arabic root s-w-r which means to enclose, surround, contain. (hw514)
sura - Sanskrit

sura: god, deity, divinity; goddess, angel; sun; sage.

(mw1243, jtp649)

svara - Sanskrit
svara: sound, noise; voice; tone; a musical note; air breathed thru the
nostrils; epithet of Vishnu; epithet of wife of Brahm. (in some texts as Sura) (mw1285, rsm1050,
jtp696)

TTaj Mahal - Urdu taj mahall: crown palace. From taj meaning crown, tiara, highcrowned cap; and mahall meaning palace, mansion. A marble mausoleum completed in
1649 AD at Agra, India, by the Mogul Emperor Shah Jahan, in memory of his favorite
wife. (jtp304, jtp1010)

tala - Sanskrit

tla, Hindi/Urdu tl: musical time, meter, rhythm.

(mw444, jtp306)

Tisra, the rhythm of three beats

Caturasra (
catur-ara ), the rhythm of four beats
Khanda (
khanda ), the rhythm of five beats
Mishra (
mira ), the rhythm of seven beats
Sankirna ( sankrna ), the rhythm of nine beats

talib - Arabic tlib: seeker, pursuer; applicant; student; studious, curious; a beggar;
an inquisitor. (also called murd or mureed) (hw659, fjs807, jtp750)
ta'lim - Arabic ta'lm: information, advice; teaching, instructing, informing,
schooling; apprenticeship. (hw744, fjs310)

tamas - Sanskrit
tamas: darkness, gloom; ignorance, illusion, error; one of the three
gunas, or qualities of being, which results in lust, pride, sorrow, dullness. (in some texts as
tammas)

(mw438)

tanasukh - Arabic tansukh: the succession of generation, transformation;

transmigration, reincarnation. (from the root n-s-kh meaning to transform, transmute) (hw1065, fjs326,
jtp338)

Tansen - (1506-1598 AD) A highly acclaimed singer and musician of India, who developed
the classical style of Indian music, and was court musician for the Mogul Emperor Akbar
who gave him the honorary title of Mian.
taran - Sanskrit
tran: causing or enabling to cross; helping over a difficulty;
liberating, saving; who or what causes or enables to cross, one who delivers, deliverer,
savior; a raft, float; crossing, passing over, reaching the opposite shore; salvation,
deliverance. (jtp304)
tariqat - Arabic tarqat: manner, means, way; system, creed, faith, religion. Plural tarqt
denotes a religious brotherhood, dervish order. (also see Marifat) (hw654, jtp752)
tasawwuf - Arabic
above)

tasawwuf: Sufism; the Sufi way of life; mysticism. (also see Sufism

(hw620)

tasawwur - Arabic tasawwur: imagination, visualization, fancy, fantasy, idea. (see

also tasawwuri below)

(hw619, jtp326)

tasawwuri - Arabic tasawwur: of the imagination, existing in the imagination, pictured

in the mind; idealized. Often used to describe a Sufi practice of focusing the attention
upon a certain ideal (such as a spiritual teacher), visualizing the nature of that ideal,
embodying that essence, and allowing the essence of that ideal to flow freely through
one's own life. From the Arabic root s-w-r meaning to shape, fashion, create; represent,
portray, depict. (hw619, jtp326)
tattwa - Sanskrit
tat-tva: true or real state; true principle, first principle; an element
or elemental property; essential nature, true essence. In esoteric terms, the word is
considered to be 'tat-tvam' meaning 'that (is) thou'. (mw432, jtp310)
tawajjuh - Arabic tawajjuh: directing the steps (towards), turning (towards or to);
attending (to); regard; attention, consideration, countenance, favor, kindness. (in some texts
as Tawajoh.)

(fjs333, jtp342)

tawakkul - Arabic tawakkul: trust in, confidence in, depending upon; trust in God,
resignation to the Divine Will. (hw1284, fjs337, jtp343)
tawazu - Arabic tawdu', Farsi/Urdu tawzu': humbleness, modesty, humility,
civility, courtesy, attention, kind reception. (in some texts as tawazeh) (hw1263, fjs332, jtp341)

taviz - Arabic ta'wz: protective charm, amulet; magic square; talisman; uttering the
words of a charm. (fjs310, jtp328)
trimurti - Sanskrit
tri-mrti: having three forms or shapes (such as Brahma
(creator), Vishnu (maintainer) and Shiva (destroyer); or Srishti (creation), Sthiti (abiding),
and Layam (dissolution) ). (mw460, jtp320)
trishul - Sanskrit
Shiva. (mw461, jtp318))

tri-la: three pointed spear, trident; a three pointed spear used by

Tulsidas - Sanskrit tulasidas, Hindi tulsidas: Indian poet and philosopher

Goswami Tulsidas (1532-1623 AD), whose Ramacharitamanasa (Tulsi-krita Ramayana) is
often considered to be the Ramayana in Hindi, and thus he is often regarded as an
incarnation of Valmiki.
tyaga - Sanskrit tyga: leaving, abandoning , forsaking; quitting; giving up,
resigning; sacrificing one's life. (in some papers as thiaga) (see also vairagya) (mw456)

Uummi - Arabic umm: uneducated, illiterate, not knowing how to read or write. (hw32, fjs101,
jtp83)

Universal Worship The religious activity of the Sufi Movement is called the Universal Worship, or the Church of All. Why is it
so named? Because it contains all different ways of worship and all Churches...
This Universal Worship which has been organized in the Sufi Movement was the hope of all prophets. The
prayer and the desire of all great souls was that the light given in all the different forms such as the
Buddhist scriptures, the Qur'an, the Bible or the teachings of Krishna or Zarathushtra, should be known by
everyone. The work of the Sufi message is to spread the unity of religion. It is not a mission to promote a
particular creed or any Church or religion. It is a work to unite the followers of different religions and faiths
in wisdom, so that without having to give up their own religion they may strengthen their own faith and
focus the true light upon it.

The Universal Worship is not another Church to be included among the variety of existing Churches. It is a
Church, which gives an opportunity to those belonging to different religions to worship together. Also it
gives practice in paying respect to the great ones who have come from time to time to serve humanity.
from The Sufi Message, Volume IX, Universal Worship

urs - Arabic ' urs : marriage, wedding, wedding-feast; union, coupling, joining.
Used metaphorically to refer to a death anniversary, especially of a Sufi saint. From a
root which points toward cleaving, being kept together. (ewl1998, hw704, fjs842, jtp760)
uruj - Arabic ' urj: ascending, climbing up, becoming high; ascent, ascension,
rising, exaltation. In esoteric terms, 'urj and nuzl are two complementary conditions
which represent the natural rhythm, with 'urj being responsive, and nuzl being
expressive; for example with the breath 'urj is inhaling and is nuzl exhaling. (hw704, fjs845,
jtp760)

Vvairagi - Sanskrit
vairg: a religious devotee who has freed himself from worldly
desires. (rsm936, mw1025) (vairgin is vocative case, vairg is nominative case)
Vairagi means a person who has become indifferent; and yet indifference is not the word for it. It describes
a person who has lost the value in his eyes of all that attracts the human being. It is no more attractive to
him; it no more enslaves him.
from The Sufi Message, Volume I, The Angel-Man

vairagya - Sanskrit
vairgya: aversion, loathing; indifference to worldly objects and
worldly life, freedom from worldly desires. (in some texts as vairagia) (mw1025)
Vairagya means satisfaction, the feeling that no desire is to be satisfied any more, that nothing on earth is
desired.
from The Sufi Message, Volume VIII, Indifference-Vairagya
The Hindus call it Vairagya ... It is God's satisfaction in the manifestation which He wanted to create.
from The Sufi Message, Volume VI, Development of Personality

Vaishya - Sanskrit vaiya: one who settles on the soil; working man, business man;
the third of the four castes. (mw1026)
Valmiki - Sanskrit
vlmki: Writer of the sacred Rmyana of India, a 24,000
verse epic written in Sanskrit around 300 BC, which tells the story of Rma and his wife
St who was abducted by the demon Rvana. It is said that Vlmki had been a highway
robber who, under the guidance of Maharshi Nrada, became a holy-man.

vanaprastha - Sanskrit
vana-prastha: vana = forest, prastha = abiding, dwelling;
retired life. The third of four phases of life, in which one rises above one's worldly goals,
and aspires to greater goals. One who is on this path is called vanaprasthi. (in some texts as
wanaprastha or wanaprashta)

varna - Sanskrit vara: appearance, color, kind, nature; class of people, the caste
system.
Veda - Sanskrit veda: knowledge, true or sacred knowledge; knowledge of sacred
ritual; sacred scriptures of the Hindus (Rig-Veda, Yajur-Veda, Sama-Veda and AtharvaVeda). (mw1015, jtp1208)
Vedanta - Sanskrit
vednta: complete knowledge on the veda; end of the veda; the
Upanishads which are at the end of the veda; that which teaches the full scope of the
veda; . (mw1017)
viladat - Arabic wilda: birth, childbearing, childbirth. Viladat is the Farsi/Urdu
pronunciation; Viladat Day means birth day. In Arabic, the general term for birthday,
based on the same w-l-d root, is maulid. (hw1286, fjs1479))
vilayat - Arabic wilyah, Farsi/Urdu wilyat, vilyat: sovereign power, authority, rule,
guardianship; friendship, mystical union (esp. with God); realm, province. From the
Arabic root w-l-y which means to be near, be close, be adjacent, to border on. (hw1289,
fjs1479, jtp1200)

vina - Sanskrit
vn: a variety of lute, the vn is one of the most important musical
instruments of India, often considered as sacred. Contemporary designs have four playing
strings and three drone strings. The body is generally carved from wood, and the upper
removable resonator is either carved or made from a gourd. (see photo below of Inayat Khan
with vina)

(mw1005, jtp1211)

Vishnu - Sanskrit
visnu: the preserver; one of the principle Hindu deities (Brahma
the creator, Vishnu the preserver, Shiva the destroyer); personification of light and the
sun. (see also Brahma, Krishna and Shiva above)) (mw999)
Deep thinkers in all ages have recognized the three-fold aspect of nature. Teachers have called these three
aspects by different names according to their religious terminology, and they gave them an interpretation

that suited the time and the place. Tracing back this idea, we find that it already existed among the Hindus
in very ancient times; they called it Trimutri, and they personified these three aspects by giving them
characters such as Brahma, the Creator, Vishnu the Sustainer, and Mahesh or Shiva the Destroyer or
Assimilator.
from The Sufi Message, Volume XI, Threefold...Aspects of Nature

Wwahhab - Arabic wahhb: a giver, one who bestows; liberal, munificent; an epithet
of God. From the Arabic root w-h-b- meaning to give, donate, grant, present, endow. (also
see al-Wahhb in 99 Names of Allah)

(hw1291, fjs1482)

Ya Wahhabo, to make things go on which have stopped in their movement, to cause movement in
affairs. ... Ya Wahhab, to develop in a person's nature activity in movement. ... Ya Wahhabo, which is the
word of progress. ... One must picture sometimes with Ya Wahhabo the flowing life or running water,
because that symbolizes progress in life.
from the Sangita, and Sangatha papers, by Hazrat Inayat Khan (unpublished)

wajd - Arabic wajd: strong emotion, passion, ardor, ecstasy of love; ecstatic state of
rapture. (in some texts as Wajad) (hw1231)
wali - Arabic waly: one who is near, nearby; helper, benefactor, guardian, defender;
sincere friend, friend of God; saint, holy man. (hw1289, fjs1480)
wazifa - Arabic wazfa: (plural waz'if) daily ration; task, duty; assignment, lesson; job.
An esoteric practice of concentrating on certain Divine Attributes or Qualities in order to
more effectively express those qualities in every moment. (also see the Wazifa Practice web
page)

(hw1266)

wazir - Arabic wazr : minister of state, vizier, counselor. From the Arabic root w-z-r
meaning to take upon oneself, carry a burden, support, help, assist, strengthen. (fjs1466,
hw1247)

wudu - Arabic wud': purity, cleanliness; ritual ablution before prayers. (hw1260)

X-

Yyad-i baiza - Arabic yad-i baid, Farsi yad-i baiz: hand of purity, hand of brightness.
Often used to allude to the white hand of Moses (Exodus 4:6, Qur'an 7:108 and 27:12). (fjs221,
jtp210)

yaj - Sanskrit yaj: to worship, adore, honor; to consecrate, hallow; to offer, bestow; to
sacrifice. (mw838)
yajna - Sanskrit yaja: worship, devotion, prayer, praise; act of worship or devotion,
offering, oblation, sacrifice; fire. (mw839)
yaki - Farsi yak: unity, oneness, unanimity.

(fjs1535)

yaqin - Arabic yaqn: belief, conviction; certainty, certitude; true faith. (hw1298, fjs1532)
yoga - Sanskrit
yoga: the task of yoking, connecting together; joining, junction,
union; concentration, meditation; spiritual practices as a means by which the human spirit
may attain union with the Supreme Spirit; the union of the individual soul with the
universal soul. (mw856, jtp1253)
yuga - Sanskrit yuga: an age, a time period; yoke, team; one of four epochs of time
called Krita Yuga (Satya Yuga), Tret
Yuga, Dvpara
Yuga, and Kali
Yuga.
(mw854)

Zzabani shirin mulki girin - Farsi: zabn-i = of the tongue; shrn = sweet, gentle; mulk-i
= one's country, region; The word 'girin' is of uncertain origin; perhaps it is a poetic form
of gir which means 'to take'. Literally: A sweet tongue is a friend of the world.
zabh - Arabic dhabbhh, Farsi/Urdu zabh: slaughtering, killing, butchering; slaughter by
slitting the throat. (in some texts as zebah) (hw355, fjs557, jtp577)
zafar - Arabic zafar: successful, victorious. Bahadur Shah Zafar (1775-1862 AD) the
last of the Mogul emperors in India, who presided over Delhi, and was a great Urdu poet.
The term zafar is also used in connection with the Zoroastrian talismanic device 'ilm-i
zafar, the victorious knowledge, also called Jam-i Zarathushtra, which is said to
mystically reveal all past and future through the use of a special book.
zakir - Araibc dhkir, Farsi zkir: a rememberer; a grateful person, a praiser of God.
(fjs557, jtp)
zamzam - Arabic zamzam: plenteous, copious, abundant. The name of a celebrated well
at Mecca (Saudi Arabia), also called Hagar's well. (also written zemzem) (hw443, fjs621, jtp617)
There is a tank in Mecca called 'Zamzam,' from which the prophets of all ages have drunk. They did not
only drink water, they received from it what had been put into it, and then they charged it with what they
had to give to it. Even now, pilgrims go there and receive that water as a blessing.
from The Sufi Message, Volume II, Voices

Zarathushtra - Persian prophet, called Zoroaster by the Greeks, who founded a

monotheistic religion, probably sometime around 1000 BC. The Zoroastrian religion
prevailed across the Persian empire until the empire was conquered by the Arabs who
brought the religion of Islam. (see also Ahura Mazda above) (in some texts as Zarathustra)
zaval - Arabic zawl, Farsi zavl: end, passage; disappearance, cessation; departure,
leaving one place for another; declining, waning; perishing. (in some texts as zeval) (hw450,
fjs627)

zat - Arabic dht, Farsi zt: essence, being, nature; possessor, owner; soul;
personality, self. From the Arabic root dh-w meaning endowed with, embodying,
comprising; master of. (zt is the typical Farsi/Urdu pronunciation, while tht is the classical Arabic
pronunciation ). (hw363, fjs556, jtp576)

Zebunnisa - Arabic/Farsi zeb u al nis, pronounced zeb-un-nis: a compound made of

the words zeb = elegance, grace, beauty; u = of, al = the, and nis = females, women.
The poetess, philosopher and mystic Zebunnis (d 1689), daughter of Mogal Emperor
Aurangzeb.
Zend - see Zend-Avesta
Zend-Avesta - A collection of ancient sacred Zoroastrian texts. As the priests added
commentaries (zend) to the original Avesta, they created what is known as Zend-Avesta.
The oldest portion of the Avesta, the Gathas, are the hymns said to have been composed
by Zarathushtra himself. (also written as Zand-Avesta or Zend Avesta)
zikr - Arabic dhikr, Farsi zikr: recollection, remembrance, reminiscence,
commemoration; mentioning, speaking of; mention of the Lord's name; invocation of
Allah. Inayat Khan used this term to describe spoken repetition, such as a wazifa. (in
contrast to fikr, which he used to describe silent repetition) (zikr is the typical Farsi/Urdu
pronunciation of the Arabic dhikr, while thikr is the classical Arabic pronunciation ).

(hw358, jtp577, fjs558)

Zoroaster - (see Zarathushtra)

zuhur - Arabic zuhr: appearing, arising, springing up; coming to pass,
manifestation. (hw683, fjs828, jtp756)
Zulaikha - Farsi Zulaikh: the wife of Potiphar, her passion for Joseph is much
celebrated in the East, particularly in the Persian poetry of Nazm and Jm. (also written
as Zuleikh)

(fjs620, jtp617)

zunnar - Arabic zunnr: belt, sash; band or rope worn around the waist.

(hw445, fjs623)