Some Sufi Terms

Some Sufi Terms

Bayat - Fealty or homage but in Sufism, initiation.

Begum - Lady or queen; a term of respect, as, for example, 'Pirani Ameena Begum Ora-Ray Inayat-Khan,' the wife of Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan.

Dargah - A royal court, or in Sufi terms, the tomb of a saint or master. The Dargah of Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan is in the suburbs of New Delhi.

Fikar - Thought, reflection. In Sufism, the name of a spiritual exercise involving breath and concentration.

Gayan - 'Singing,' 'song' or 'chant.' The title of a collection of inspired sayings by Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan. Often published together with two other books, Vadan ('instrumental music'), and Nirtan ('dance').

Hazrat - 'Presence' or 'dignity'; a title of respect given to the worldly great and to spiritual masters.

Khatum - 'Conclusion,' 'end,' the name of the third prayer of the Universal Worship.

Mureed - 'Willing,' therefore applied to a follower, student or disciple; an initiate in the Inner School.

Murshid - see Pir-o-Murshid, below.

Nabi - 'Prophet'; encountered in the prayer Salat, 'O Messenger, Christ, a Nabi, the Rasul of God...' [see Rasul, below.]

Nafs - Breath or essence, but if that should be coarse and unrefined, it may also refer to the false ego.

Pir-o-Murshid - Both Pir and Murshid mean a spiritual guide or master. The combined term denotes a teacher of teachers, or in other words the spiritual head of an order, and specifically of the Sufi Order, the inner school of the Sufi Movement.

Rasul - 'Messenger,' a prophet of the highest rank; encountered in the prayer of Salat, 'O Messenger, Christ, Nabi, the Rasul of God...' [see Nabi, above.]

Salat - The name of the second prayer of the Universal Worship, meaning, 'prayer,' 'benediction,' or 'blessing.'

Saum - The name of the first prayer of the Universal Worship, also found in the Gayatri, in the book, Gayan. ln Arabic and Urdu, it means 'fasting,' and therefore evokes religious duty, but Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan may have also used the term because it is a homophone to the western word, 'psalm.'

Sufi - According to Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan, it means wisdom, from the same root as the Greek sophia. Other sources connect it with words meaning purity, and even wool.

Sura - In Arabic, a verse of the Qu'ran. In Sanskrit, a deity, the sun, a melody, breath, sound, or an angel.

Universal Worship - A devotional service given to the world by Hazrat Inayat Khan, in which lights are kindled and scriptures read for major religions as well as for the light of the Spirit of Guidance present in all names and forms.

Wazifa - A spiritual exercise involving the repetition of sacred names or phrases, similar to jap or mantra yoga.

Zikar - 'Remembrance'; specifically, a spiritual exercise central to Sufism, the repetition of a phrase meaning, 'There is no God but God; God alone is.'
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