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Muslim Saints of South Asia: The eleventh to ... - blog blog blog

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GLOSSARY<br />

sajjādanishīn a successor <strong>of</strong> the founder <strong>of</strong> an order, the<br />

present head <strong>of</strong> an order<br />

s˝alāt ritual prayer<br />

sālik pilgrim on the Path<br />

samā‘ ‘audition’, musical recital<br />

s˝aum fasting from daybreak <strong>to</strong> sunset<br />

șaum-i Dā’ūdī <strong>to</strong> eat one day and <strong>to</strong> fast the next one so that<br />

the body does not get accus<strong>to</strong>med <strong>to</strong> either<br />

way<br />

sayyid descendant <strong>of</strong> the Prophet, a group highly<br />

venerated in India<br />

shadd girding, a part <strong>of</strong> initiation ceremony<br />

shahawāt the thoughts and desires <strong>of</strong> an ordinary man<br />

Shahāda the pr<strong>of</strong>ession <strong>of</strong> faith<br />

shaikh ‘an elder’; the head <strong>of</strong> religious fraternity<br />

Shaikh ul-Islām title <strong>of</strong> honour given by Sufis <strong>to</strong> the most<br />

reputed saints<br />

Shaikh title given by secular authority <strong>to</strong> the<br />

ash-shuyūkh renowned religious leaders and mystics<br />

sharī‘at 1 <strong>Muslim</strong> jurisprudence; 2 <strong>The</strong> stage <strong>of</strong> the<br />

mystic Path<br />

sharīf noble, sacred; one who claims descent from<br />

(pl. shurafā’) the Prophet<br />

shirk ‘associating’ someone with God, hence the<br />

greatest sin for a <strong>Muslim</strong><br />

shuţţār ‘couriers’; a category in the saints’ hierarchy<br />

(pl. <strong>of</strong> shāţir)<br />

silsila a chain <strong>of</strong> spiritual descent<br />

silsila al-baraka chain <strong>of</strong> benediction<br />

sirr mystery<br />

sűbh˝ dawn prayer<br />

S¸ūfī a <strong>Muslim</strong> mystic<br />

sukr mystical state <strong>of</strong> ‘in<strong>to</strong>xication’, opposite <strong>to</strong><br />

sahw<br />

Sunna tradition <strong>of</strong> the Prophet<br />

tabarruk sacred relics; a portion <strong>of</strong> presents or food<br />

presented <strong>to</strong> a saint and given <strong>to</strong> his<br />

dependants<br />

t.abaqāt ‘categories’, biographies<br />

t.abaqāt al-awliyā biographies <strong>of</strong> the saints<br />

tahajjud the eighth prayer performed at night<br />

tāj ‘crown’; a high-crowned hat <strong>of</strong> a dervish<br />

tanāzul ‘an arc <strong>of</strong> descent’ in a Sufi’s inner journey<br />

taraqqī ‘an arc <strong>of</strong> ascent’<br />

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