glossary of terms used by frithjof schuon - Sophia Perennis

– whether it is a question of the Principle or of manifestation – and the “form,” which is
its reflection or mode of expression. [SME, Creation as a Divine Quality]
Sufic Onomatology: “The First” (Al-Awwal): the Supreme Principle insofar as It is
“before” Manifestation, and insofar as its Infinitude “desires” its Radiation. Mystery of
the Origin, of the primordial Perfection.
“The Last” (Al-Akhir): The Principle insofar as It is “after” Manifestation, and insofar as
its Absoluteness “desires” its Unicity. Mystery of the final Good, of eternal Peace.
“The Outward” (Azh-Zhahir): the Principle insofar as It manifests Itself through and in
the World; from this derives the perspective of analogy. Mystery of universal
Manifestation; of Symbolism.
“The Inward” (Al-Batin): the Principle insofar as It remains hidden behind the
appearances of Manifestation; from this derives the perspective of abstraction. Mystery of
Immanence as well as of Transcendence.
“God” (Allah): the Principle insofar as It includes all of its possible aspects. Mystery of
Divinity.
“The One” (Al-Ahad): the Principle insofar as It is One in Itself. Mystery of intrinsic
Unity.
“The Unique” (Al-Wahid): the Principle insofar as It is One in relation to Manifestation.
Mystery of extrinsic Unity.
“The Impenetrable” (As-Samad): the Principle insofar as nothing can be added to It,
given that It contains everything; there is nothing that It does not already possess, thus
nothing can enter into It. Mystery of exclusivity.
“He” (Huwa): the Principle insofar as It is Itself; the Essence beyond the Qualities.
Mystery of Ipseity, of Essentiality, of Aseity.
“There is no divinity save the sole Divinity” (La ilaha illa Llah): the Principle insofar as
It excludes and annuls the illusory World, while at the same time affirming the unique
and supreme Reality. Mystery of Negation and of Affirmation; of Reality.
“The Clement” (Ar-Rahman): the Principle insofar as it is in its nature to wish to
communicate its Goodness, its Beauty, its Beatitude, insofar as It is the Sovereign Good
“before” the creation of the World. Mystery of intrinsic Goodness.
“The Merciful” (Ar-Rahim): the Principle insofar as It manifests its Goodness “after” the
creation of the World and within it. Mystery of extrinsic Goodness. [TM, Sufic
Onomatology]
Sufism: The concrete content – and thus the origin – of Islamic spirituality is the spiritual
Substance of the Prophet, the Substance whose modalities Qushayri, Ibn al-‘Arif and
others have tried to catalog by means of the notion of “stations” (maqamat). Sufism is the
realization of Union, not only by starting from the idea of Unity that is both transcendent
and immanent, but also, and correlatively, by being reintegrated into the hidden and yet
ever-present Muhammadan Substance, directly or indirectly or in both ways at once: thus
the mystical “traveller” (salik) may “follow the example of the Prophet” in a way that is
either formal or formless, hence indirect or direct; for the Sunna is not just the multitude
of precepts, it is also the “Muhammadan Substance”* of which these precepts are the
reflections at various levels, and which coincides with the mystery of the “immanent
Prophet.” In principle or in themselves the intrinsic qualities are independent of outward
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