Ismaili Dictionary & Encyclopedia

MatiEncyclopedia Topic

Clay

Various Sources MatiEncyclopedia Topic

Mud, clay, dust, soil

Various Sources MatiEncyclopedia Topic

Mud, clay, dust

Various Sources MAtI MITadINoun

Poussière. "MAtI MITadI RIdI BHIdI JAYSHE" (Poussière dans poussière...).

Heritage Dictionary of Ismailism, entry #684general MatriEncyclopedia Topic

Having cast a spell

Various Sources MATTER AND SOUL [ see RUH WA MA'DA ]Encyclopedia TopicEncyclopaedia of Ismailism by Mumtaz Ali Tajddingeneral MatvalaEncyclopedia Topic

Intoxicating, fond of

Various Sources MatvaloEncyclopedia Topic

Intoxicated, drunk

Various Sources MAUJOUDNoun

V. HAZaR.

Heritage Dictionary of Ismailism, entry #74general MAUTA, EXPEDITION OFEncyclopedia Topic

When the Prophet summoned the nations the message of Islam, one of his letters was addressed to Shurahbil bin Amr, the ruler of Ghassan, and the vassal of Caesar of Rome. The letter of the Prophet was carried by Harith bin Umayr, who was killed at a place called Mauta, a village not far from Balka in Syria. The murder of the Muslim envoy by a feudatory of the Roman empire was an outrage, which could not be passed over in silence. It would have been unwise to allow the enemy any leisure to muster huge forces to fall upon the Muslims; therefore, an army of 3000 strong was forthwith mustered at the command of Zaid bin Harith to avenge the blood of his envoy Harith bin Umayr against the Ghassanid ruler in 8/629.

The Muslims suddenly found themselves in the presence of a force several times more numerous than themselves, near the village of Mauta. Zaid bin Harith seizing the banner which the Prophet had entrusted to his hands, led the charge of the Muslims, plunging into the midst of the enemy ranks until he fell transfixed by their spears. Jafar Taiyar seized the banner from the dying Zaid and raised it aloft to command the Muslim force. The enemy closed in on the heroic Jafar, who was soon covered with wounds. When both his hands were cut off gripping the banner, he still stood firm holding the staff between his two stumps, until the Byzantine soldiers struck him a mortal blow. Immediately, the banner was caught up by Abdullah bin Rawaha, who also met death. Khalid bin Walid, newly converted to Islam, assumed control at this moment of defeat. Then, by retiring methodically, the survivors, under Khalid's leadership, withdrew from the field. When the defeated Muslims approached Medina, the Prophet and the people went out to receive them.

Encyclopaedia of Ismailism by Mumtaz Ali Tajddingeneral MavnaEncyclopedia Topic

To contain

Various Sources MAWALIEncyclopedia Topic

"The Shi'ites from Iran were not granted equal status by their Arab co-citizens in the social system of Kufa, and thus they were called mawali (sing. mawla) means clients, a term to indicate inferior social standing, or second-class citizens. The expression mawla at the latest stage of its evolution means the people descended from foreign families whose ancestors, or even they themselves, on accepting Islam, have been adopted into an Arab tribe, either as freed slaves or freeborn aliens. Juridically there were three classes of mawali: mawla rahimin (blood relation), mawla ataqa (freed man) and mawla'l aqd (free Arab who becomes a member of a tribe to which he belongs neither by birth nor by previous affiliation as slave). Of these the first is conceivably a way of incorporating matrilineally related persons into a patrilineal society; the second type is the freedman who would often, be freed born but enslaved through capture in war; while the third type is the man who by compact or covenant voluntarily accepts the position of "client" to a "patron".

Encyclopaedia of Ismailism by Mumtaz Ali Tajddingeneral MAWLAEncyclopedia Topic

Some 127 meanings of the word mawla have been given in the lexicons, notably master, lord, or one who deserves superior authority, guardian or patron. The Koran says, "God is Guardian (mawla), and He gives life to the dead" (42:9) and "He is your Master (mawla); how excellent the Master (mawla) and how excellent the Helper!" (22:70). The word mawla occurs in different forms in the Koran, such as mawali (4:33. 19:5), mawalikum (33:5), al-mawla (22:13, 44:41), mawlakum (3:150, 8:40, 22:78, 57:15, 66:2), mawlana (2:286, 9:51), mawlahu (16:76, 66:4) and mawlahum (10:30).

During the event of Ghadir al-Khum, the Prophet asked the people, who has the greatest right upon you? (man awla bikum). The people replied that God and His Prophet knew better. The Prophet then said, Have I not right on the believers more than their own selves (alastu awla bi-mu'minin min anfuihim), according to what God, the Exalted has commanded in the Koran (33:6) that, "The Prophet has a greater right on the believers than they have on themselves" (awla bial-mu'minin min anfusihim). The people replied, "Yes, O Prophet of God." After repeating it three times, the Prophet took the hand of Ali bin Abu Talib and said, "Whose Master (mawla) I am, this Ali is his Master (mawla)." Thus, the word mawla refers to one who deserves superior authority. As the words ana awla (I am superior) indicate that mawla means awla (superior). What the Prophet meant by this sentence was, God is superior in right and might to him and he is superior in right and might to the faithful and Ali is superior in right and might to all those to whom the Prophet is superior.

Encyclopaedia of Ismailism by Mumtaz Ali Tajddingeneral MAWTEncyclopedia Topic

The soul is the principle of life, which leaves the body at the moment of death. Human life is not the individual's property but a divine gift to be used in God's service or to be dedicated to a divine cause or to God Himself. Death is no longer the end of life, but only the end of the appointed period (ajal) in which humans are tested in the world. Death in this perspective is simply the end of a testing period and a threshold, which must necessarily passed. Human existence has been extended to eternity and death becomes a merely transitional phase during which the soul provisionally remains separated from the disintegrating body.

The Koran takes the human fear of death for granted. Death is the great of humankind, which overtakes (adraka) even those who seek refuge in lofty towers (4:78). Death need be feared only by those who have led evil lives. Those who have given witness of their belief by dying as martyrs should be thought of not as dead but as living (2:154, 3:169). An unbeliever, however, clings to this life and believes death to be the inevitable result of fate (dahr). Unbelievers who do not believe in the resurrection are only concerned with life in this world (6:29, 23:37). The Koran describes vividly the last moments of their lives (6:93, 33:19, 47:20, 56:83) and their agony (50:19). Angels of death stretch out their hands and speak to them while they are dying (6:93). Those attached to this world flee death in vain. One text, however, describes how in a particular case God had pity on thousands of people who, threatened by death, left their houses (2:243). The word za'ika means taste, occurring three times in the Koran: "Every soul shall taste of death" (3:184), "Every soul must taste of death" (21:35) and "Every soul must taste of death" (27:57). Thus, with Islam, death is no longer the end of life, but only the end of the appointed period (ajal) in which humans are tested in the world.

Hasan bin Ali bin Abu Talib said, "Death is a greatest joy, which comes upon the believers when they go from this house of affliction to eternal bliss. And it is the greatest tribulation, which comes upon the infidels when they go from their paradise (earth) to a fire which abates not, nor is it extinguished."

According to Risalatu'l I'tiqadati'l Imamiya, Imam Zayn al-Abidin was asked, what is death? He said, "For the believer it is like taking off clothes which are dirty and lousy or breaking heavy shackles and fetters, and changing into the most gorgeous and perfumed of apparel, and (riding on) well-trained mounts, and (alighting in) familiar resting places. And for the unbeliever, it is the pulling off of gorgeous apparel and changing into the most filthy and coarse clothing; and the transportation from familiar places to the wildest resting places and the greatest torment."

Imam Muhammad al-Bakir said, "It (death) is the sleep which comes to you every night, except that it is of long duration. The sleeper does not awake from it except on the day of resurrection. Some see in their sleep certain kinds of joy the worth whereof cannot be estimated; others, certain kinds of terror, which are beyond the pale of estimation. How then can his condition (be described) who may be happy or fearful in death? This then death, so be prepared for it." Imam Jafar Sadik said, "To the believer, death is like the most perfumed breeze, which he inhales and then doses off on account of the perfume, and his weariness, and pain disappear from him. To the unbeliever it is like the biting of vipers and the stinging of scorpions; nay, it is even more painful. Imam Jafar Sadik relates that once a man went to Abu Dharr al-Ghifari and asked, why is it that we dislike death? He said, "Because you have built for this world and ruined (your prospects for) the next, and men dislike shifting from a settled habitation to a ruin."

Mention of the word “death” whips up emotions of fear and sadness in most people. This is quite natural, because biological death marks the end of physical life on earth. To people, who are preoccupied with material things and sensual delights, death represents an end to all that. Religion aims to awaken in human beings the realization that while life on this earth is short and transient, it has immense potentialities to achieve higher spiritual stations that lead to life eternal. The Koran says, “This life of the world is but a pastime and a game. Lo! the home of the hereafter – that is life, if they but knew” (29:64). The Prophet also said, “This life on earth is a slumber, death marks the awakening of the soul.”

Encyclopaedia of Ismailism by Mumtaz Ali Tajddingeneral MayaEncyclopedia Topic

Mercy, kindness

Various Sources MayaEncyclopedia Topic

Love of this world, Illusion, wealth, greed of this world

Various Sources MayaEncyclopedia Topic

Mercy, kindness

Various Sources MayaEncyclopedia Topic

Illusion, worldly love, affection, deceit, compassion

Various Sources Maya (Maiya)Encyclopedia Topic

Kindness, mercy

Various Sources MAYMUN AL-QADDAHEncyclopedia Topic

"He was born in Ahwaz in Iran. He belonged to the Makhzumi clan and was the mawla (freed slave) of Imam Muhammad al-Bakir and Imam Jafar Sadik. His surname al-Qaddah is usually taken to mean oculist, which seems extremely doubtful. It is a word connected with al-qidah i.e., an ancient Arab play or a form of divination with the help of arrows. Tusi (d. 460/1068) in Tahdhibul Ahkam while dealing with Maymun al-Qaddah, explains the word as "a man who practises the game of qidah (yabra'ul qidah). Thus, he was a specialist in divination with the help of arrows.

Maymun al-Qaddah was a very pious man of ascetic life. Because of his close association and faithfulness, he was chosen for the task of stimulating the secret Ismaili mission, and became the primary architect in articulation of the Ismaili mission.

It also appears that the activities of Maymun al-Qaddah had been exaggerated by the Arabs because of being an Iranian. The derogations of his Arab enemies can be judged from their baseless propaganda that he and his son, Abdullah bin Maymun were against the Islamic tenets, and had planned to blow it up, and broadcast that the Ismailism was typically an Iranian. Silvestre de Sacy (1758-1838) therefore, is inclined to make his judgment curiously in his Expose de la Religion des Druzes (Paris, 1838, p. 31) that the Ismaili doctrine is typically Iranian, and later E.G. Browne in A Literary History of Persia (New York, 1902, 1:405) also advanced same views. Being influenced with the Arab propaganda, the orientalists adopted the theory that the Ismailis were of Iranian origin, which has been however falsified by W. Montgomery Watt, vide Islamic Philosophy and Theology (Edinburgh, 1985, p. 126). This idea led the other scholars to theorize the Ismailism not merely an anti-Arab movement, but more so an anti-Islamic revolution; but the recent researches have ruled out such groundless propaganda.

Allegorical interpretation (tawil) of the Koran was in vogue among the people of all walks of life, attempting the evolution of a religious philosophy. The Ismaili da'is had purified the Islamic Shariah polluted by the ignorants. The draining off the adulterated tenets through the agency of tawil by Maymun al-Qaddah and his son was violently opposed and misinterpreted by the Arabs, who were basically against the philosophical approaches. Most of the historians tried to project Maymun al-Qaddah as an enemy of Islam, planning to destroy it from within by founding the Ismaili movement and evolving its doctrines in such a way as to present Zoroastrian or Manhchean teachings in the Islamic garb. These historians want us to believe that Maymun al-Qaddah had nothing but contempt for Islam and fierce hatred towards the Arabs and that they conceived the idea of a secret society which should be all things to all men, and which, by playing on the strongest passions and tempting the inmost weaknesses of human nature, should unite malcontents of every description in a conspiracy to overthrow the then existing Abbasid regime. These are fantastic allegations levelled with a calculated purpose to discredit the Ismailis in the eyes of orthodox Muslims. Many eminent orientalists like de Goeje, R.A. Nicholson, etc., have erred in taking this story from the prejudiced historians.

Evincing their utter ignorance, the philosophy was officially banned in the orthodox orbits, propagating that it was the tool used by the Ismaili da'is to undermine Islam. Syed Abid Ali Abid writes in Political Theory of the Shi'ites (cf. A History of Muslim Philosophy, Germany, 1963, 1:740) that, "The orientalists - nay even such an erudite Iranian scholar as Muhammad Qazwini, the editor of Tarikh-i Jhangusha by Ata Malik Juvaini - were misled by the voluminous Abbasid propaganda, hostile commentary of the orthodox Shiites, and the specious argument of those opposed to the Ismailites, into thinking that Maimun and his son Abd Allah were opposed to the tenets of Islam or were inspired by the hatred for the Arabs." J.J. Saunders also advanced his doubts in this context, vide A History of Medieval Islam (London, 1965, p. 128). Besides, Maymun al-Qaddah is shown as a real founder of Ismailism, which is starkly a fabrication, and it was apparently a "brain-wave" on the part of Ibn al-Razzam, whose historical character is yet doubtful.

Maymun al-Qaddah was canonized in the rank of hijab (screen), whose function was in addition to screen the real Imam from his enemies, and was thus the hijab of Imam Ismail and his son. According to W. Ivanow in The Rise of the Fatimids (Calcutta, 1942, p. 56), "The idea of the hijab, or a dignitary, whose duty was to pretend to be the Imam, thus sheltering the real holder of the office."

The functions of the hijab in pre-Fatimid period were the same as the hujjat. The hijab was the most trusted, tested, devoted and reliable dignitary who was ostensibly assigned with high religious authority, posing as an Imam to the ordinary people, accepting oath of allegiance on behalf of the concealed Imam. According to Kashfu'l-Asrar by Jawbari, quoted by L. Massignon, Maymun al-Qaddah died in 210/825, leaving behind two sons, Aban and Abdullah.

MAZHAB [ see RELIGION ]

Encyclopaedia of Ismailism by Mumtaz Ali Tajddingeneral MAYMUN AL-QADDAHName

Descendant of Salman Pak*. He was trained at the Dawa by the order of Imam al-Baqir and raised to Dai Al-Akbar by Imam Jafar as-Sadiq. He was also sent to Syria along with Imam Ismail.

Descendant de Salman Pak*, formé à la Dawa par l'Imam al-Baqir et promu Dai al-Akbar par l'Imam Jafar as-Sadiq qui l'envoya en Syrie auprès de l'Imam Ismail.

Heritage Dictionary of ismailism, entry #311general MAZHAREncyclopedia Topic

The word mazhar is derived from zahr meaning to manifest or become apparent. Thus, the mazhar means epiphanic form, or more accurately theophany, that is to say a manifestation of God. In Ismaili tariqah, the Imam is the mazhar, who bears Divine Light in the terrestrial world. He is the most perfect expression of the divine hypostasis because in him the theomorphosis is fully realized and the Absolute becomes manifest to mortal eyes. It then becomes clear in what manner the Imam represents the macrocosmos, the microcosmos as well as axis (qutb) of the universe, without whom the world would not survive even for an instant. Nasiruddin Tusi writes in his Rawdatu't-Taslim (tr. W. Ivanow, 1950, p. 119) that, "The Highest Word, the First Aql, the Nafs-i Kulli, each has an embodiment or manifestation (mazhar) in this world. The manifestation of the Highest Word is the Imam, who is beyond human thought and imagination and above all definitions, positive or negative."

Encyclopaedia of Ismailism by Mumtaz Ali Tajddingeneral MECCAEncyclopedia Topic

The city in the Arabian peninsula that was the birthplace of the Prophet of Islam, which due to the presence of the Kaba therein, is revered as one of the holy cities in Islamic culture. Mecca was also known as Makuraba. Mecca is explicitly mentioned twice in two relatively passages of the Koran (in 48:24, makka; and in 3:96 spelt bakka). Several other passages make reference to the city or its surroundings, such as 14:37: "a valley without cultivation." Initially it was only the tribe of Qoraish, which lived in Mecca, and of which the Prophet was a member. The very short sura of the Koran (106th) sets out the fundamental elements of the dialogue between the God and the Prophet and the tribe (referred to "you" and "they"). For instance, "their assembly" (al-mala'u minhum) (38:6). This dialogue was to last for the entire period preceding the expulsion of the Prophet in 622 A.D., and which is clearly indicated in 47:13 as qaryatuka allati akhrajatka means "your city, which has expelled you," where the word qarya is used for a "place of fixed abode." Another term umm al-qura means the mother of the cities (42:7, 6:92) explicitly refers to Mecca. The Qoraish, who are named only once in the Koran (106:1) are immediately summoned to worship the Lord of the House. The Koran (48:24) gives the precise location of the Kaba, which is situated in the lower regions of Mecca (batn makka), that is in the lowest part of the town, into which the rainwater runs and wherein are located the famous wells of zamzam. The theme of Mecca as a secure city, benefiting from effective protection, is repeated in the Koran, using a terminology, which is to recur constantly, haram amin (an inviolable and secure place) (28:57, 29:67), balad al-amin (the protected city) (95:3) certainly refers to Mecca, as the city "which (God) made inviolable" (harramaha) (27:91). The change of the qibla took place in the Prophet's period in Medina. The formula al-masjid al-haram (17:1) refers to the site of the Kaba in Mecca.

Encyclopaedia of Ismailism by Mumtaz Ali Tajddingeneral MECCA, CONQUEST OFEncyclopedia Topic

"The Treaty of Hudaibia had been nearly two years in force. Acting on the discretion allowed by the treaty, Banu Khazao and Banu Bakr, inhabiting Mecca and its neighborhood, the former had become the allies of the Prophet, the latter had entered into an alliance with Qoraish. These two rival tribes had been fighting among them for a long time. Aided by a party of Qoraish, Banu Bakr attacked by night an unsuspecting encampment of Banu Khazao, and slew several of them. The Khazao were forced to take refuge in the Kaba, where they were also persecuted. A deputation of forty men from the injured tribe hastened to Medina, and spread the wrongs of Banu Bakr before the Prophet, and pleaded that the treacherous murders be avenged. The Prophet sent a messenger to Qoraish, offering three alternatives: - a) Blood money for all the men killed be paid. b) The Qoraish should withdraw their help for the Banu Bakr. c) It should be announced that the treaty of Hudaibia has been abrogated.

Qaratah bin Umar, on behalf of Qoraish, said that only the third alternative was acceptable. After the departure of the messenger, the Qoraish regretted their reply, and sent Abu Sufian as their ambassador to get the treaty of Hudaibia renewed. Abu Sufian came to Medina, but he got no reply and returned back to Mecca. The Prophet was therefore impelled to march with a force of ten thousand Muslims. The move of the army started from Medina on 10th Ramzan, 8/January 1, 630. Having no courage to resist, the Meccans laid down their arms. The Prophet triumphantly entered Mecca at the head of a formidable force after a banishment lasting for years, on 20th Ramzan, 8/January 11, 630. Many had lost their nearest and dearest at the hands of the people now completely at their mercy. All of them carried in their hearts bitter memories of cruelty, persecution and pain inflicted by their now humble enemies. Yet none thought of vengeance or retribution, and none raised his arm against a defenseless foe. Stanley Lane Poole writes in The Speeches and Table-Talk of the Prophet Mohammad (London, 1882. p. 47) that, "It was thus Mohammad entered again his native city. Through all the annals of conquest there is no triumphant entry comparable to this one."

As soon as Mecca was occupied, the Prophet went to Kaba, and circumambulated the House of God seven times. Ibn Hisham (2:412) writes that the Prophet soon turned and looked at the Qoraish. There was a hushed silence as the assembled populace gazed at him, wondering what their fate would be. "O Qoraish!" called the Prophet, "How should I treat you?" "Kindly, O noble brother, and son of a noble brother!" the crowd replied. "Then go! You are forgiven." The Prophet now entered Kaba with Ali and saw the idols and deities arranged along its walls. In and around the Kaba, there were 360 idols, which had long polluted its sanctity; being carved of wood or hewn out of stone, including a statue of Abraham holding divining arrows. The Prophet smashed these idols to pieces. When the task was finished, he felt as if a great weight had been lifted off his shoulders. The Kaba had been cleansed of the false gods; now only the true God would be worshipped in the House of God. The conqueror of Mecca ordered no celebration mark his glorious victory. Instead, the Muslims bowed themselves in genuflections of prayer and gave thanks to God.

Encyclopaedia of Ismailism by Mumtaz Ali Tajddingeneral MedaEncyclopedia Topic

Gathering, crowd, happiness

Various Sources MedaEncyclopedia Topic

Happiness, prosperity

Various Sources MedaEncyclopedia Topic

Concourse, gathering

Various Sources MedaEncyclopedia Topic

Union, meeting

Various Sources Meda mileEncyclopedia Topic

Join

Various Sources Meda miloEncyclopedia Topic

Meet, gather

Various Sources MedaniEncyclopedia Topic

Concourse

Various Sources MedeEncyclopedia Topic

My

Various Sources MedeEncyclopedia Topic

My, mine

Various Sources MedeEncyclopedia Topic

In the concourse, in the gathering

Various Sources MedieEncyclopedia Topic

Unite

Various Sources MedieEncyclopedia Topic

In the concourse of people

Various Sources MEDINAEncyclopedia Topic

Medina, one of the major settlements of the Hijaz and some 350 km to the north of Mecca, was in pre-Islamic times commonly called Yathrib (the Iathrippa of the Greek geographers). The town is named in the Koran (33:13) where the Medinan Muslims are addressed as "people of Yathrib" (ahl yathrib). This name was also in vogue in pre-Islamic poetry and in the Constitution of Medina. The term medina means the town in Arabic, appears as the designation for Yathrib in 9:101, 120; 63:8 and quite possibly in 33:60; in other instances, however, the noun al-medina (pl. al-meda'in) is not used as a proper noun but refers to other cities (7:123, 12:30, 15:67). The origin of the name Medina for the settlement of Yathrib is uncertain, though it seems more likely that it derives from the Aramaic term for town, city or settlement (madita) that it is an abbreviated form of the Arabic epithet "the town of the Prophet" (medinat al-nabi). The town was given many honorific epithets, which were reckoned as names as well. The most prominent among these is al-tayba (the perfumed or healthy). In modern age, the name of Medina is commonly extended to al-medina al-munawwara (Medina the illuminated), whereas in former centuries one often spoke of al-medina al-sharif (the noble city). During the Prophet's period, the people in Medina essentially living off of their agricultural production, and local dates were among the most cherished products. The hot climate, however, is described as unhealthy and the vast lava-fields outside the town diminished the size of the arable land. Although a number of markets existed there, Medina cannot be regarded as a commercial town like for example, Mecca. The settlement itself was a loose grouping of living quarter or zones, interspersed with groupings of palm groves and fields, with the individual living quarters often fortified by strongholds (atam). Medina extended over a large area and thus covered a wider but less densely populated area than does the modern town. The population of pre-Islamic Medina consisted of pagan Arab and Jewish clans with only a marginal presence of other monotheists. The two Arab super-clans known as Aws and Khazraj constituted the most important pagan faction in Medina, who immigrated in pre-Islamic times from Yamen to Medina. When the Prophet came to Medina in 622 A.D., the town was divided between the various pagan and Jewish clans. The clans of Aws and Khazraj became the Muslims and were henceforth known as the Prophet's helper (ansar). The decade following the Prophets' move from Mecca to Medina is commonly dubbed the "Medinan period"- a creation of the true Islamic state. For Islam, Medina was the place where almost all decisive elements of the Islamic creed took definite shape. The longer Medinan suras of the Koran have been deeply influenced in the formation of Muslim life. Many details of ritual, such as fasting, prayers, pilgrimage and the direction of prayer were introduced during the Prophet's Medinan years. The Prophet's presence in Medina also conferred a unique sacredness on the town and the later legal authority Malik bin Anas (d. 179/796) would not mount a donkey in the town because he would not allow its hooves to trample upon the soil that contained the Prophet's sepulcher.

Encyclopaedia of Ismailism by Mumtaz Ali Tajddingeneral MEDITATIONEncyclopedia Topic

Meditation is a deep religious thought over a particular subject. It is a strenuous spiritual exercise requiring composure of mind, internal quietitude, abstraction from sense and persistent concentration of attention. It can also be defined briefly as devotion or contemplation in a particular pious direction. The term is invariably used in an esoteric sense and associated with human indulgence in establishing communion with the Divine. It is also understood as the seeker's involvement in certain prescribed physical austerities for attainment of moral and spiritual heights, and suppression of carnal desires inherent in human nature. Worship in Islam requires concentration of mind as well as the discipline of the body, but cannot be regarded as a synonym for meditation. The other terms used in the context of meditation are fikr (reflection), mushahida (contemplation), mujahida (self-mortification), isteghraq (absorption), tawajjuh (concentration), tark (abstinence), taqwa (piety) etc. All these may be accepted as the several types of acts characterized by meditation. In Sufi parlance such acts are called ashghal or occupations, which require guidance of a perfect preceptor for acquiring the maximum spiritual benefit from them.

Encyclopaedia of Ismailism by Mumtaz Ali Tajddingeneral MediyaEncyclopedia Topic

Buildings

Various Sources MediyunEncyclopedia Topic

Palaces

Various Sources MedniEncyclopedia Topic

In the world, amongst human beings, amongst crowd

Various Sources Medni / MedaniEncyclopedia Topic

Crowd, men, people

Various Sources MedoEncyclopedia Topic

To meet, congregation

Various Sources MedoEncyclopedia Topic

Mine

Various Sources MedviEncyclopedia Topic

Together, having gathered together

Various Sources MeghEncyclopedia Topic

Rain, cloud

Various Sources MeghEncyclopedia Topic

Cloud, rain

Various Sources MeghEncyclopedia Topic

Rain, cloud

Various Sources Megha damarEncyclopedia Topic

Thunder, rain, lightning

Various Sources MehEncyclopedia Topic

Rain

Various Sources