Malfuzat – Volume II — Page 289
289 Malfuzat written records of sayings, discourses and audiences of pious men, Sufis and religious divines. maulvi a Muslim cleric mi’raj literally, ‘the ascension’ was a spiritual experience of the Holy Prophet sa in which he travelled into the heavens, met various Prophets and ultimately Allah Himself. Munkar and Nakeer are the names of the two angels appointed by Allah the Exalted to question a person in their grave after death. Those who are able to answer correctly will rest in ease, while those who are not will suffer until they are raised from their grave by Allah Almighty. nafi-o-asbat a meditative practice among the Sufis, in which they recite, as a formula, the Muslim creed la ilaha illallahu muhammadur-rasulullah, and direct the energy of these words throughout their body, whilst holding their breath. First they recite la ilaha (there is no God) and this constitutes a negation (nafi) of all that is besides God. Then they recite illallah , (except for Allah) which is an affirmation (asbat) of the One True God. Nakir see Munkar. Nusherwan surnamed Adil or the Just ascended the throne on the death of his father Qubad as the Chosroes or king of Persia in 531 AD. He died after a reign of 48 years and was succeeded by his son Hurmuz IV in 579 AD. Nusherwan was famed for his exemplary adherence to principles of equity and justice irrespective of religion or creed. qabz or ‘contraction’ refers to a state in which the seeker experiences a low ebb in their spiritual condition. qawwali a style of music employed by certain sufi sects within Islam as a form of devotion and worship. qiblah the direction in which a Muslim should face when observing the formal Islamic Prayer. The qiblah of the Muslims is the Holy Ka’bah in Mecca. rak’at a single unit in the formal Islamic Prayer, consisting of the standing and bowing positions, as well as two prostrations. salahiyyat a higher level of virtue. Please see muttaqi and salih. sati a Hindu tradition in which a widow would burn herself to death on her husband’s pyre as an expression of loyalty to her to him. This was done by the widow voluntarily and, as if, demonstrated that she was a dutiful wife who followed her husband to the afterlife. Seal of the Prophets is Khatam-un-Nabiyyin in Arabic. The Arabic word khatam means, a signet ring, a seal, a stamp or a mark; the end or last part or portion and result or issue of a thing. The word also signifies embellishment or ornament; the best and most perfect. Therefore, the expression Khatam-un-Nabiyyin or Seal of the Prophets would mean, the best and most perfect of the Prophets; the embellishment, ornament or crown of the Prophets. It also means the ‘last’ of the law-bearing Prophets. Seal of the Books is Khatam-ul-Kutub in Arabic and refers to the Holy Quran, which is the best and most perfect book of all divine scriptures. It is also the last of all divine laws revealed by Allah the Exalted. See ‘Seal of the Prophets. ’ Seal of the Book or Khatam-ul-Kitab is one of the names of Surah Fatihah, the first chapter of