Subtle faculties (Sufism)

Of the ten subtle faculties of man, five are concerned with the world of command - [Alam-i-amr]

- and five with the world of creation - [alam-i-khalq]

. The faculties of the world of command are qalb, ruh, sirr, khafi and akhfa. Those of the world of creation are the four elements (earth, water, air and fire) and the nafs. The alam-i-amr and the nafs are connected with the inner life of the individual and are located at particular areas of the body. The [dhikr of dhikrs]

of the shaykhs of the Naqshbandiyya-Mujaddidiyya order involves remembering God (dhikr) at the different positions in order, ending with latifa-i-nafs (which is the essence in reality of the four elements), and then with the whole body, so that the movement of the dhikr is felt in all and is it is heard with the heart. At this stage of perfection the voice of all created beings is heard praising God.