Lataif-e-Sitta

Lataif-e-sitta(Arabic:اللطائف الستة) are special organs of perception inSufispiritual psychology, subtle human capacities for experience or action. Depending on context, thelataifare also understood to be the qualities (or forms) of consciousnesscorresponding to those experiences or actions.

The underlying Arabic wordlatifa(singular) means "subtlety" and the phraseLataif-e-sittameans "six subtleties" (although the number oflataifcan differ depending on the specific Sufi tradition).

When realized (or activated or awakened or illuminated (tajalli)),thelataifare understood to be part of Man's spiritual "Organ of Evolution",known asQalb(Heart) (See Disambiguation: Qalb (Heart) orlatifa).

This integration of thelataifinto Qalb is considered by some Sufi orders to be a central part of the comprehensive spiritual development that produces the Sufi ideal of a Complete Man (Al-Insān al-Kāmil).

Different understandings of thelataif

Not all Sufi orders teach about thelataif.Of those which do, descriptions and understandings can differ depending on the specific Sufi tradition and exponent representing it.

In addition, individual Sufi teachers (seeSheikh (Sufism)) sometimes understand aspects oflataiftheory and practice according to how thelataifhave been uniquely revealed to them.

In general, there are at least three major historical understandings of thelataif:

• that derived from theKubrāwīorder, described in the writings ofAla ud-Daula Simnani(Semnani) (1261–1336), which views the Lataif aspotentialpsychospiritual organs/capacities that can be realized as progressive stages in those undergoing spiritual development;
• that derived from the Mujaddidiyya branch of theNaqshbandiorder, described in the writings ofAhmad Sirhindi(1564–1624), which views the Lataif as psychospiritual organs/capacities that arepotentialreceptors of Divine energywhen activated in those undergoing spiritual development;
• that derived from the Punjab tradition within the Naqshbandi order, described in the writings ofIkbal Ali Shah(1894–1969) andIdries Shah(1924–1996), which views the Lataif asactualhuman psychospiritual organs/capacities that are implicit in everyday life and made explicit in those undergoing spiritual development.

Kubrāwīlataif

According to the view of the Kubrawi order there are sevenlataif.They are understood cosmologically as "descending" levels through which reality is created and structured.

In the process of spiritual development, the individual Sufi is understood to "ascend" back through these levels progressively (see ontologicalArcs of Descent and Ascentin Sufism).

The attainment of each level is a stage associated with the activation/realization of a corresponding spiritual organ/capacity, interpreted symbolically throughIslamic cosmologyand theprophets and messengers in Islam.

In ascending order they are:

• Latifa Qalabiya(associated with an experience of the color black) represents the acquisition of a new organ, an embryonicsubtle body.It is understood symbolically as "the Adam of one's being", since Adam was the first human being.
• Latifa Nafsiya(color blue) is an organ that corresponds to the animal soul and is a testing ground for struggle with desires and passions. It is understood symbolically as "the Noah of one's being", since Noah faced the same situation in dealing with the hostility of his people.
• Latifa Qalbiya(color red) is the organ that will develop to become the True Ego, the real personal individuality. It is understood symbolically as "the Abraham of one's being", since the prophet Abraham historically represents the establishment of real religion.
• Latifa Sirriya(color white) is an organ of superconsciousness. It is understood symbolically as "the Moses of one's being", since the prophet Moses participated in spiritual communication with God through this consciousness.
• Latifa Ruhiya(color yellow) is an organ through which an individual becomes capable of acting as vice-regent of God. It is understood symbolically as "the David of one's being", since the prophet David fulfilled that role.
• Latifa Khafiya(color black) is the subtle organ that receives spiritual inspiration. It is understood symbolically as "the Jesus of one's being", since the prophet Jesus was characteristic of such inspiration.
• Latifa Haqqiya(color green) is the subtle organ that is the final achievement of spiritual development: the True Ego. It is understood symbolically as "the Mohammed of one's being", since Mohammed was the final prophet.

Naqshbandilataif(Mujaddidiyya)

According to the view of the Mujaddidiyya branch of the Naqshbandi order there are fivelataif.The reception of eachlatifa'sspiritual energy from its corresponding cosmic realm is interpreted symbolically through the prophets and messengers in Islam, similar to the interpretation of the Kubrawi order:

• Qalb(color yellow; located below left breast) (Adam)
• Ruh(color red; located below right breast) (Abraham/Noah)
• Sirr(color white; located above left breast) (Moses)
• Khafi(color black; located above right breast) (Jesus)
• Ikhfa(color green; located at sternum) (Mohammed)

In this understanding, thelataifall have their physical association in the chest and so are said to be "of the Heart" (Qalb,the potential human "Organ of Evolution" (see: Disambiguation: Qalb (Heart) orlatifa).

Naqshbandilataif(Punjab tradition)

According to the Punjab tradition within the Naqshbandi order there are fivelataif:

• Qalb(color yellow; experienced in left side of the body)
• Ruh(color red; experienced in right side of the body)
• Sirr(color white; experienced in solar plexus)
• Khafi(color black; experienced in forehead)
• Ikhfa(color green; experienced in center of chest)

In the view of Naqshbandi authorIdries Shah(1924–1996), who emphasizes the modern-day psychological aspects of Sufism,thelataifare understood to be spiritual organs/capacities that also underlie ordinary forms of human consciousness.

As such, they are ordinarily only known indirectly through the equivalents (or their distortions) that they pattern on the conventional mental/emotional/somatic level of human experience.

Shah-inspiredspiritual teacher Hameed Ali (A. H. Almaas) (1944–) understands some of these equivalents and conditioned distortions as follows:

• Qalb(Joy/Wanting)
• Ruh(Strength/Anger)
• Sirr(Will/Anxiety)
• Khafi(Peace & Intuition/Agitation)
• Ikhfa(Compassion/Hurt)

Comparison of understandings of thelataif

Latifa	Sufi Tradition	Color Association	Physical Association	Note
Qalb	Kubrawi (1)	Red	(?)
Qalb	Naqshbandi (Mujaddidiyya) (1)	Yellow	below left breast
Qalb	Naqshbandi (Punjab) (1)	Yellow	left side of body
Qalb	Chisti(1)	Red	left breast
Qalb	Inayati(1)	Red	left breast	Inayati:
Qalb	Khwajagan(1)	Red	left breast	Khwajagan:
Ruh	Kubrawi (2)	Yellow	(?)
Ruh	Naqshbandi (Mujaddidiyya) (2)	Red	below right breast
Ruh	Naqshbandi (Punjab) (2)	Red	right side of body
Ruh	Chisti (2)	Green	center of chest
Ruh	Inayati (2)	White	right breast
Ruh	Khwajagan (2)	Yellow	right breast
Sirr	Kubrawi (3)	White	(?)
Sirr	Naqshbandi (Mujaddidiyya) (3)	White	above left breast
Sirr	Naqshbandi (Punjab) (3)	White	solar plexus
Sirr	Chisti (3)	White	right breast
Sirr	Inayati (3)	Green	center of chest
Sirr	Khwajagan (3)	White	left breast
Khafi	Kubrawi (4)	Black/Green	(?)
Khafi	Naqshbandi (Mujaddidiyya) (4)	Black	above right breast
Khafi	Naqshbandi (Punjab) (4)	Black	forehead
Khafi	Chisti (4)	Indigo	forehead
Khafi	Inayati (4)	Indigo	forehead
Khafi	Khwajagan (4)	Green	right breast
Ikhfa	Naqshbandi (Mujaddidiyya) (5)	Green	sternum
Ikhfa	Naqshbandi (Punjab) (5)	Green	center of chest
Ikhfa	Chisti (5)	Black	top of head
Ikhfa	Inayati (5)	Black	top of head
Ikhfa	Khwajagan (5)	White	center of chest
Qalab	Kubrawi (5)	Black	(?)
Qalab	Chisti (6)	Gray	floor of pelvis
Nafs	Kubrawi (6)	Blue	(?)	See Disambiguation: Nafs (Egoic Self) or Latifa
Nafs	Chisti (7)	Yellow	below navel	"
Nafs	Inayati (6)	Yellow	below navel	"
Nafs	Khwajagan (6)	Blue	forehead	"
Nafs	Naqshbandi (Mujaddidiyya)			"
Nafs	Naqshbandi (Punjab)			"
Haqq	Kubrawi (7)	Green	(?)

Activation of thelataif

With rare exceptions,lataifare only experienced directly (and unconditionedly) in human beings who have undergone a spiritual evolution. The spiritual process of their full opening/​activation/​awakening/​illumination consists of various methods, singly or in combination, such as:

• A specific type ofdhikr( "remembrance" ), the recitation of Quranic phrases accompanied by certain postures, breathing, movement, and/or bodily attention
• A direct activation, calledtawajjuh( "transmission" ), of thelatifaby an intentional interaction between teacher and student.
• A special kind ofmuraqabah(meditation), that includes having the student concentrate awareness on the part of the body that is associated with alatifa.

Just as interpretations of thelataifvary depending on different Sufi traditions and teachers, so does their opening/​activation/​awakening/​illumination. For example:

Kubrawi

In the Kubrawi tradition, SufiAla ud-Daula Simnani(1261–1336) described adhikrtype practice that involved certain postures, the rotation of attention and breath to different parts of the physical body, and the recitation of a Quranic credal formula.

Khwajagan

In the Khwajagan tradition, Rif'at Bey described a practice in which the name of Allah is imagined "written in letters of light" at the physical location associated with alatifaand repeated silently until the color associated with it is seen surrounding the letters.

Naqshbandi (Mujaddidiyya)

In the Mujaddidiyya tradition, thelataifare opened through practice one-by-one in "ascending" order, beginning withQalb.Viewed as a progressive activation, eachlatifa(or progressive combination of Lataif) is considered to be a level of spiritual realization.

The method of opening eachlatifatypically begins with a direct transmission ofBarakah(spiritual Presence) by teacher to student, and can also include physical touch (except for women) and the disclosure of the specific one of theNames of God in Islamthat is associated with thelatifa.The student then continues the practice by silentdhikrof the Divine Name, concentrating attention on thelatifa'slocation; sometimes a visualization of the Name, the corresponding prophet, or the teacher is also added.

Naqshbandi (Punjab)

In the Punjab tradition, Idries Shah describes a type ofmuraqabah(meditation), in which the student concentrates awareness on the part of the body that is associated with alatifa.This tradition also employs various indirect methods, including psychological and somatic, which free thelataifby reducing the mental/emotive/somatic distortions that "veil" (seeHijab (Sufism)) their functioning.

Different experiences of thelataif

Experiences of thelataifcan be of (at least) two different types, singly or in combination:

• "Visual" experiences
• "Tactile" experiences

In the Kubrawi tradition

In Persian SufiIlluminationism(see:Najm al-Din Kubra), all creation is a successive outflow from the original Supreme Light of Lights (Nur al-Anwar) (see:Nūr (Islam)). The cosmology of this tradition is a kind ofEmanationismin which immaterial Light descends from the Light of Lights in ever-diminishing intensity. In other words, Creation at all levels of its existence—including that of thelataif—is made up of varying degrees of Light.

Accordingly, the experiences of thelataifarebothan external "visual" experience of photisms ( "acts of light" ) and a tactile inner feeling (dhawq), as described by Henry Corbin.

In the Khwajagan tradition

Thelataifare experienced primarily as colors seen surrounding the name of Allah at the physical location associated with eachlatifa,as describd by Rifa't Bey.

In the Naqshbandi (Punjab) tradition

The experiences of thelataifare primarily localized forms of an overall "tactile" spiritual Presence ( "Hudur") in the body, as described (for example) by Hameed Ali.

Disambiguation of thelataif

Different Sufi traditions often have different "maps" of reality, some of which include thelataifand some of which do not. In addition, these maps often include features or terminology, some of which are more directly related to thelataifand some of which are less directly related.

Arabic, Quranic, or Sufi meaning oflataif

The English wordlataifis the plural of the transliterated Arabic wordlatifathat stems from the trilateral verb la-ṭa-fa, which means "to be subtle".

It assumed a spiritual meaning in theQuranwhere Al-Latifis the 30th of the 99names of God in Islam,reflecting His subtle nature.

And it was subsequently adopted by Sufism to refer to the five spiritual qualities of the World of God's Command (see Disambiguation: Ten, five, or sixlataif) because they are not gross, material qualities of the physical world.

Transliteration or translation or interpretation of thelataif

English language authors use three methods when referring to thelataif:

• atransliterationof the Arabic word
• atranslationof the Arabic word
• aninterpretationof the experience with which the Arabic word is being associated.

Laleh Bahktiaruses both a transliteration and a translation:

• Latifah( "Subtle Organ" )
• Qalabiya( "Mold" )
• Nafsiya( "Soul" )
• Qalbiya( "Heart" )
• Sirriya( "Secret" )
• Ruhiya( "Spirit" )
• Khafiya( "Inspiration" )
• Haqqiya( "Seal" )

Naqshbandi Shaykh Nurjan Mirahmadiuses both a transliteration and a translation:

• Lataif( "Subtle Centers of Consciousness" )
• Qalb( "Heart" )
• Ruh( "Spirit" )
• Sirr( "Secret" )
• Khafi( "Hidden" )
• Ikhfa( "Most Hidden" )

Idries Shah alsouses both a transliteration and a translation:

• Lataif( "special Organs of Perception" and "the Five Subtleties" )
• Qalb( "Mind" )
• Ruh( "Spirit" )
• Sirr( "Consciousness" )
• Khafi( "Intuition" )
• Ikhfa( "Deep perception of Consciousness" )

Hameed Aliuses a transliteration and an interpretation:

• Qalb( "Joy" )
• Ruh( "Strength" )
• Sirr( "Will" )
• Khafi( "Peace" & "Intuition" )
• Ikhfa( "Compassion" )

Ten, five, or sixlataif

In the version ofSufi cosmologyproposed byAhmad Sirhindi(1564–1624),God created the universe in three stages:

• First came the World of God’s Command (alam al-amr), which emerged instantly when God said, "Be!" The five subtle qualities (lataif) of God's Command were: Qalb, Ruh, Sirr, Khafi, and Ikhfa.
• Then came the World of God's Creation (alam al-khalq), which emerged through a process of evolution. The five subtle qualities (lataif) which patterned that Creation were: Consciousness (Nafs), Air (Baad), Fire (Nar), Water (Ma), and Earth (Khak).
• Finally, God created human beings, which combined the World of God's Command with the World of God's Creation.

In this usage, then, there are tenlataifin two categories:

• five relating to the World of God's Command and
• five relating to the World of God's Creation.

In contrast, in most Sufi usages outside this cosmological one (including most of this webpage), there are either:

• fivelataif(from the first category alone, relating to the World of God's Command) or
• sixlataif(the five from the first category... plus Nafs from the second category, relating to the World of God's Creation).

Nafs (Egoic Self) orlatifa

TheNafsin Sufism is considered to be a person's egoic consciousnessor egoic "Self", the subtle (latifa) quality of God's Creation that becomes individual and can undergo a spiritual development. This makes it unlike the fivelataifof God's Command, which are eternal, unchanging qualities.

This egoic consciousness is said (by Idries Shah, for example) to have seven stages of development, the primitive stages of which are considered to be a "barrier" or "veil" to full realization of thelataif.In most Sufi traditions, accordingly, the progressive refinement of the Nafs through the seven stages is understood to facilitate the realization of thelataif.

In the Naqshbandi tradition, however, it is the reverse: the progressive realization of thelataifis used to facilitate the refinement of the Nafs. This is why the Naqshbandi teaching method is famously known as "where others end, there marks our beginning" (indiraj al-nihayat fi’l-bidayat).

Ruh (Spirit) orlatifa

The word "Ruh" is used in Sufism in two different ways, on two different levels:

• "Ruh", as one of thelataifdescribed in the foregoing
• "Ruh"(Spirit), as the Divine Spirit or" essence "in human beings, created by God from his own Spirit.

Qalb (Heart) orlatifa

The word "Qalb", like "Ruh", is used in Sufism in two different ways, on two different levels:

• "Qalb", as one of thelataifdescribed in the foregoing
• "Qalb"(Heart), as the" Organ of Evolution "in human beings, the potential integration of Ruh (the Divine Spirit) and Nafs (the egoic Self).

Sirr (Secret) orlatifa

The word "Sirr", like "Ruh" and "Qalb", is also used in Sufism in two different ways, on two different levels:

• "Sirr", as one of thelataifdescribed in the foregoing
• "Sirr" (Secret), as a super-conscious state of Qalb (Heart) or Ruh (Spirit) experienced as unity with God.

Hal (State), Maqam (Station), orlatifa

In addition to thelataif,someSufi traditions also speak about two other categories of conscious experience that can arise during spiritual practice:

• "Hal"(State), is atemporary stateof consciousness resulting from psychological or spiritual influences acting upon a student. Considered to be gifts from God that arise in experience and then disappear immediately, they include: "Nearness" (Qurb), "Ecstasy" (Wajd), "Intoxication" (Sukr), and "Intimacy" (Wudd), among others.
• "Maqam"(Station or Stage), is apermanent stageof a Sufi's spiritual development/embodiment/transformation achieved by his own effort. Examples of a Maqam, arranged in an ascending seven-level progression, include: "Repentance" (Tawb), "Watchfulness" (Wara), "Renunciation" (Zuhd), "Poverty" (Faqr), "Patience" (Sabr), "Trust" (Tawakkul), and "Satisfaction" (Rida).

The number seven is used repeatedly in Islam and Sufism to enumerate concepts in various religious and spiritual categories. Sometimes the categories are legitimately inter-related, and sometimes they are not.

For example,Seyyed Hossein Nasr(1933-), an Iranian-American scholar of Sufism, characterizes the Prophets associated withAla ud-Daula Simnani's seven ontological levels of Sufi cosmology as corresponding to "states" and virtues that a Sufi can achieve.Since those seven levels are understood by Simnani to belataif,that would imply that thelataifare "states". But there appears to be no consensus agreeing that the categorylataifis related to either of the categories Hal ( "State" ) or Maqam ( "Station" ).

Divine Names orlataif

The DivineNames of God in Islamare understood by Sufism to refer (in the great majority of cases) to the relational action, functioning, or appearance of Divine Attributes/Qualities in immanent, manifest reality.

Thelataif,in contrast, while capable of being experienced indirectly through the somatic, emotional, and mental states they pattern in conventional experience, are primarily direct transcendental experiences of Divine Attributes themselvesand not of functional relationships between the transcendent and the immanent.

History of thelataif

The spiritual experiences identified by Sufism as thelataifhave their immediate historical antecedents in theEmanationismofNeoplatonism,which is known to have influenced the development of Sufism (see:Platonism in Islamic philosophy). The Emanations of Neoplatonism, in turn, arose from theTheory of formsofPlato.

The general concept of spiritual "subtle centers" (usually three) originated within Persian Sufism:Junayd of Baghdad(835–910),Al-Ghazali(1058–1111), andShahab al-Din Abu Hafs Umar Suhrawardi(1145–1234).

Persian and Kubrawi SufiNajm al-Din Razi(1177–1256) proposed five "inner means of perception" (Qalb, Ruh, Sirr, Khafi, and Ikhfa) that parallel the five outer senses of sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. It's unclear to commentators whether these inner senses were already understood aslataifat that time.

The earliest systematic formulations of thelataifspecifically is thought to be that of Persian/ Kubrawi SufiAla ud-Daula Simnani(1261–1336),who proposed sevenlataif,relating them to the seven ontological levels ofSufi cosmology.

From the 17th to 19th centuries, the Indian Mujaddidis, beginning withAhmad Sirhindi(1564–1624), returned to a standardized interpretation of five experientiallataifand associated their locations with parts of the physical body.

The Punjab tradition within the Naqshbandi in the late 19th and 20th centuries continued with fivelataifbut identified the experience of their physical locations differently and viewed them as spiritual organs/capacities that also underlie ordinary forms of human consciousness.

It is thought by somethat, just as with the nominal 99Names of God in Islamand their underlying Divine Attributes,the number oflataifand their potential realization by humanity might actually be unlimited.

See also

• Al-Insān al-Kāmil
• Arcs of Descent and Ascent
• Dhikr
• Emanationism
• Illuminationism
• Islamic cosmology
• Muraqabah
• Neoplatonism
• Platonism in Islamic Philosophy
• Qalb
• Ruh
• Subtle Body
• Sufi cosmology
• Tajalli
• Tawajjuh

External links

• Video:"Idries Shah - the Latifas" on YouTube;accessed December 8, 2023.
• Video:"Pir Zia Sufi Subtle Centers Lataif" on YouTube;accessed December 29, 2023.