Explain sufi terms .....

[gulamnawaz]

Assalam alaikum,

I am kabeer from chennai.I am a follower of sufism.

I would like to know the complete definition of the following four words and its explanation.

1.shariat

2.Tarikat.

3.Marifat.

4.Hakikat.

I will be looking forward to hear from you soon.

Wassalam,
Gulamnawaz

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[Imam]

Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem

Wa'alaykum 'Assalam wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu



All Praise be to Allah who is the Lord of the Worlds, and may Endless Blessings be showered upon His Most Beloved, and Final Messenger of Islam, Hadrat Muhammad Mustafa Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam


Jazak'allah for your question.


According to the book known as 'Al-Qamus al Sufi' (The book of Sufi Terminology) Shar'iyyah, has been defined as:


'The Sacred Law. Shar'iyyah makes manifest the Divine Reality (haqiqah). It provides all the principles and means for a human to develop true knowledge and acquire the noble character traits. Those who 'know' Allah, never leave His sacred Law, their courtesy towards Allah preserves them from letting the Scale of the Law slip from their hands.'


Tariqah can also be defined as:


'The Way or Path. Tariqah is the narrow and steep Spiritual Path to Reality (haqiqah). The qualified seeker can travel this path, only under the direction of a qualified Guide (murshid, pir, shaykh). The name tariqah is specific to the Islamic Spiritual Path.


Ma'rifah has been defined as:


'Divine Knowledge. Marifah is a light which Allah casts into the hearts of whomsoever He wills. This is the true knowledge which comes through 'unveiling' (kashf), 'witnessing' (mushahidah) and tasting (dhawq). This knowledge is from Allah, it is not Allah Himself, because He is unknowable in His essence. The triad of the Sufi Path of return is comprised of fear (makhafah) knowledge (ma'rifah) and love (mahabbah). Fear leads to Knowledge which leads to unconditional love of Allah. It is said that spiritual struggle (mujahidah) is childs play, while ma'rifah is mens work.


Since there are many types of haqa'iq, for example , the Qamus has given over twelve definitions of the different types of haqa'iq, we will have a look at definitions of a few.


The word haqa'iq means spiritual realities. Each existent entity has it's own specific spiritual reality, which is it's relationship with the Real (haqq). 'Al haqa'iq al Rabbaniyyah' are the Lordly Realities. These are the Beautiful Names. Every existent thing is connected to the 'Haqa'iq al Rabbaniyyah' (the Lordly Realities), and is therefore in the grasp of Divine Reality.


The Haqiqah is the Divine Reality. Al-Haqiqah indicates the Essential Realty of things, or the 'Divine Truth'. It is the Reality of the Entity. Al-Haqiqah is the negation of the effects of the slaves qualities by 'His Quality', so that He is the agent through, in and from, the slave.


These are a few of the definitions, and explanations of the words that you have asked about. May Allah the Almighty give us all the true understanding, and meaning of the terms, and may He Help us act upon them.



Wallahu A'lamu Biththawaab



M. Waseem Ashrafi



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