webPulaaku
History. Culture. Islam

Louis Brenner
West African Sufi
The Religious Heritage and Spiritual Search of Cerno Bokar Saalif Taal

University of California Press
Berkeley & Los Angeles. 1984. 215 p.

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Glossary of Arabic, Fulfulde and other African terms

  • adhkâr, see dhikr
  • anndude (Ful). To know
  • anndal (Ful). Knowledge
  • 'aqida (Ar). Article of faith or tenet of dogma
  • 'aql (Ar). Intellect or mind
  • awliyâ', see walî
  • baraka (Ar). A spiritual quality which is transmitted by holy men or holy places; spiritual grace
  • bâtin (Ar). In Sufi terminology that which is internal or hidden, such as hidden knowledge; the esoteric
  • cerno (Ful). Scholar; equivalent to the Arabic 'alim
  • dhawq (Ar). literally, taste; in Sufi terminology refers to the direct, immediate perception of esoteric truths
  • dhikr, pl. adhkâr (Ar). Remembrance; the recitation of prayers which recall the name of God; “a spiritual exercise designed to render God's presence throughout one's being” (Trimingham, The Sufi Orders)
  • dîn (Ar). Religion
  • Fâtiha (Ar). Opening Sûra of the Qur'an
  • fiqh (Ar). Islamic jurisprudence
  • firugol (Ful). Translation or commentary; training in Fulfulde literacy
  • funûn (Ar). Islamic scholastic disciplines
  • ghâzî (Ar). Vaporous
  • hadîth (Ar). Traditional accounts of the Prophet's words and deeds
  • hadra (Ar). Meeting for Tijani prayers held each Friday aftermoon
  • hailala (Ar). Praising God by reciting the phrase, “There is no god but God” (lâ ilâha illâ Allah); a form of dhikr
  • hâjj (Ar). Pilgrimage to Mecca; see Mecca
  • hâl (Ar). In Sufi terminology, those spiritual states of being which man can achieve only with the aid of God
  • haqîqa (Ar). Ultimate reality or truth
  • al-Haqq (Ar). Truth; one of the names of God
  • hudûr ar-rûh (Ar). Presence of the divine light or spirit
  • hulm (Ar). Dream
  • ihsân (Ar). Faultless conduct; the third pillar of Islam in the mâ'd-dîn
  • 'ilm al-hurûf (Ar). The esoteric science of letters, related to numerology; see also Numerology
  • imâm (Ar). individual who leads prayers in the mosque; the leader of the Muslim community
  • imân (Ar). Faith; the second pillar of Islam in the mâ'd-dîn
  • insân al-kâmil (Af). Perfected man,
  • Islâm (Ar). Literally, submission; submission to God and His law
  • isnâd (Ar). Chain of transmission of a mystical or prophetic tradition
  • istikhâra (Ar). Prayer performed with the intention of seeking resolution to a problem, usually through dreams
  • jawaambe (Ful). A class of free persons in Pullo society who acted as clients and associates of the rulers
  • jawharâl al-kâmil (Ar). Prayer recited as part of the Tijani wazîfa (Hamallists recited this prayer eleven times, other Tijanis recited it twelve times)
  • jihâd (Ar). Literally, struggle; refers to the Muslim “holy war” to spread Islam; referred to by Sufis as the “lesser jihâd,”
  • jihâd al-nafs (Ar). The internal spiritual struggle of the Sufi to master the carnal soul; the “greater jihâd,”
  • Ka'ba (Ar). The holy shrine in Mecca containing the venerated Black Stone which is circumambulated during the rituals of pilgrimage
  • kabbe (Ful). Tenet of faith or dogma; equivalent to the Arabic 'aqîda; the teaching of tawhîd in the Pular/Fulfulde language
  • kabbenkoobe (Ful). Adherents of the kabbe
  • karâma (Ar). Miracle
  • karamoko (Mande). Teacher or scholar; equivalent to the Arabic 'âlim
  • khalîfa (Ar). Successof or deputy; a specially appointed successof to the shaykh of a Sufi order, superior to the muqaddamûn
  • khalwa (Ar). Sufi spiritual exercise of seclusion
  • lâzim (Ar). Sequence of Tijani prayers
  • mâ'd-dîn (Ar). literally, “What is religion?” The second lesson in Cerno Bokar's catechism
  • maqâm (Ar). Stages of personal development which a Sufi achieves through his own efforts; not to be confused with hâl
  • marabout (Fr). Scholar, teacher or clerk; a popular French West African usage derived from the Arabk murâbit
  • muhâmin (Ar). Attorney of lawyer
  • mulk (Ar). Self-will
  • muqaddam, pl. muqaddamûn (Ar). Leader in a Sufi order who authorizes the recitation of its various prayers
  • murshid (Ar). Sufi spiritual guide
  • nafs (Ar). Carnal or animal soul of man (see also jihâd al-nafs)
  • nazar (Ar). Literally, to see; in Sufi terminology, the profound understanding of principles
  • qalb (Ar). Heart; in Sufi terminology, not only the physical organ but also the seat of faith; a source of internal energy
  • qibla (Ar). Direction of the Ka'ba in Mecca
  • qutb (Ar). Pole; the highest level in the Sufi hierarchy of saints or awliyâ
  • qutb al-zamân (Ar). The pole of the era
  • rûh (Ar). Human spirit
  • ru'yâ (Ar). Vision; (see also Visions)
  • sâ'il (Ar). Liquid or fluid
  • salat al-fâtih (Ar). Tijani prayer recited as part of the wird and of the wazîfa
  • shafâ'a (Ar). Intercession
  • shahâda (Ar). Islamic profession of faith: “There is no god but God, and Muhammad is the Prophet of God,”
  • sharî'a (Ar). Islamic law
  • sharîf, pl. shurafâ' (Ar). Descendant of the Prophet Muhammad
  • shaykh, pl. shuyûkh (Ar). A Sufi title indicating high spiritual attainment and the highest level of leadership in the order; (see also walî)
  • silsila (Ar). Spiritual chain of authority for the transmission of the wird; chain of spiritual descent
  • sirr (Ar). Secret; see also Secrets
  • sulb (Ar). Solid or hard
  • sunna (Ar). Customaq practice of the Muslim community, based on the practices of the Prophet Muhammad
  • sûra, pl. suwar (Ar). Chapter of the Qur'an
  • tafsîr (Ar). Commentary on the Qur'an
  • talibe (Ful). Sufi disciple, derived from the Arabic tâlib
  • tâ'lim (shaykh al-) (Ar). Teacher of Islamic scholastic subjects
  • talqîn (Ar). Initiation, of the transmission of secret or esoteric knowledge; see also Initiation
  • taqdîm (Ar). Procedure of appointing a muqaddam
  • taqlîd (Ar). Uncritical acceptance of Islamic practice; the imitation of one's shaykh or teacher
  • tarbiya (shayhh al-) (Ar). Literafly, education or guidance; in Sufi terminology, the spiritual guidance of the disciple by his murshid
  • tarîqa (Ar). Literally, way of path; a Sufi order or way
  • tarqiya (shaykh al-) (Ar). The transmission of spiritual benefits through personal contact
  • tasawwuf (Ar). Sufism; see also Sufism
  • tawhîd (Ar). Muslim doctrine of the unity of God; dogmatic theology
  • walî, pl. awliyâ' (Ar). “Friend of God” or saint, (see also shaykh)
  • wâsita (Ar). Intermediary
  • wazîfa (Ar). Sequence of Tijani prayers recited once or twice daily
  • wird (Ar). The litany of supererogatory prayers peculiar to a Sufi order
  • zâhir (Ar). In Sufi terminology, that which is external and manifested; the perceptible world; the exoteric
  • zakât (Ar). Annual tithe for the poor, prescribed by Islamic law
  • zâwiya, pl. zawâyâ (Ar). Sufi centre or meeting place