The Secret of Secret.- Way of the Sufi

 The word “sirr” (sometimes pronounced sir or sirru) in the Sufi tradition means the secret—the innermost point of the heart, the subtle center of awareness that connects the human being with the Divine. In classical Sufi psychology, the heart (qalb) is not only an organ of feeling but a spiritual organ. Within it are layers or "subtleties" (lata’if) that Sufis seek to purify and awaken.

To simplify:

• Qalb (Heart) – the seat of turning, between the world and God.

• Ruh (Spirit) – the breath of God within, the essence of life.

• Sirr (Secret) – the innermost chamber, where no one but God has access.

• Khafi (Hidden) – a deeper subtlety, more veiled than the sirr.

• Akhfa (Most Hidden) – the most secret of secrets, known only by God.

The sirr is where intimacy (uns) with God is experienced. It is said to be the place where the Divine speaks without words, where the soul receives direct inspiration. That is why many Sufi masters say: “The sirr is between the servant and the Lord; even the angels cannot touch it.”

When a Sufi says “Ya Sirr as-sirr” (O Secret of secrets), it is a way of calling upon that innermost presence of God within the human being.

So when you hear “sir au sir,” it may carry the sense of a respectful call, “O Secret, O Secret!”—addressing that hidden depth of being, the Divine mystery in the heart.

Different Sufi paths (turuq) emphasize the awakening of the sirr in slightly different ways, but the essence remains the same: it is the gateway to intimacy with Allah.

1. In the Naqshbandi Order

• The Naqshbandiyya are famous for their silent dhikr (zikr khafi).

• They say the tongue is silent, but the heart repeats “Allah, Allah” in its sirr.

• The practice is called zikr-e-qalbi (remembrance of the heart). The disciple focuses inward until the Name vibrates not only on the tongue but in the secret center.

• Their saying: “The Naqshbandi way is the way of the sirr.”

2. In the Qadiri Order

• The Qadiriyya use loud dhikr, chanting Allah’s Names with breath and body.

• But after the ecstasy, the master teaches that the true dhikr happens in the sirr, silently, like a flame burning unseen.

• Abdul Qadir al-Jilani said: “The sirr is a lamp lit by the light of Allah. Protect it, and it will guide you to Him.”

3. In the Shadhili Order

• The Shadhilis emphasize being in the world but not of it.

• They often speak of the sirr as the inner privacy with God that remains untouched, even if one is busy in markets or courts.

• The disciple learns to keep the sirr awake even while engaged in worldly duties — a kind of “portable sanctuary.”

4. In the Mevlevi (Rumi’s) Tradition

• For the Mevlevis, music (sama‘) and whirling awaken the hidden centers.

• When the dancer turns, the outer body moves in circles, but the inner sirr becomes still, gazing into the Beloved.

• Rumi often points to the sirr when he says things like, “There is a voice that does not use words — listen!”

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How Sufis “work” with the Sirr

• Silent invocation (Allah, Allah) in the heart.

• Breath awareness — each inhalation and exhalation bearing God’s Name.

• Listening within for inspiration that comes without thought.

• Polishing the heart with sincerity, so the sirr becomes like a mirror for Divine light.

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Lata’if — a concise map of the seven subtle centers

1. Nafs (Base self / Animal soul)

   • Location: lower abdomen / solar plexus area.

   • Quality: appetite, passions, egoic impulses.

   • Work: purification (mujaḥada), restraint, ethical discipline.

   • Practice pointer: grounding breath, accountability, moral vigilance.

2. Qalb (Heart)

   • Location: physical chest, but spiritual centre of turning.

   • Quality: love, compassion, repentance, seat of sincere turning to God.

   • Work: polish the heart through dhikr, charity, humility.

   • Practice pointer: silent dhikr (Allah), contemplative prayer, reading scripture with presence.

3. Sirr (Secret)

   • Location: subtle inward center, often felt behind the heart or at the center of the chest.

   • Quality: intimate communion; where the Beloved speaks.

   • Work: cultivate interior silence (samā‘ khafī), listening, receiving.

   • Practice pointer: quiet, concentrated zikr of the heart; receptive prayer; letting go of deliberate striving.

4. Khafi (Hidden)

   • Location: slightly more subtle / inward than sirr — sometimes placed behind the breastbone or between the eyes (varies by lineage).

   • Quality: deeper secrets and unveilings; veiling of Divine mysteries.

   • Work: patience with unknowns; surrender to what cannot be named.

   • Practice pointer: patience, contemplative surrender, staying with unknowing.

5. Akhfa (Most hidden)

   • Location: the innermost point; known only to God and the innermost witness.

   • Quality: pure, most subtle presence; the seed of being.

   • Work: complete surrender; recognition of non-duality in some teachings.

   • Practice pointer: follow the quietest point of awareness; do not grasp.

6. Ruh (Spirit)

   • Location: above the chest, connected to breath and life itself.

   • Quality: the Divine breath within — the life principle.

   • Work: awaken through remembrance of the Breath of God; sanctify the breath with the Name.

   • Practice pointer: meditative breath practices where each in/out is accompanied by invocation.

7. Lata’if al-Lahut / Sirr al-Sirr (sometimes called the “Secret of Secrets”)

   • Location: beyond the personal subtle centers — the most sublime locus of union.

   • Quality: unitive presence; where individual distinction dissolves.

   • Work: fruition of the path — living as a mirror to Divine attributes.

   • Practice pointer: living from the fruit of the path — service, spontaneous compassion, and abiding witnessing.

How sirr fits into the lata’if

• The sirr sits as the intimate core among these centers: it is the chamber where direct lover-and-Beloved contact happens. Awakening the sirr often follows purification of the lower centers (nafs) and steadying of the heart (qalb). As the sirr opens, one begins to taste the deeper lata’if (khafi, akhfa) and eventually the most hidden presence.

• Practically: the qalb gathers and polishes; the sirr receives and rests; the khafi/akhfa veil and then unveil deeper mysteries.

Simple practice sequence to support the lata’if (doable daily)

1. Grounding (3–5 min): sit quietly, feel the breath into the belly; bring gentle attention to the lower abdomen (nafs) and ask to soften attachments.

2. Heart opening (5–10 min): bring attention to the chest; breathe slowly and silently repeat a Name (e.g., “Allah” or “Ya Rahman”) letting it dwell in the qalb. Let feeling arise without grasping.

3. Rest in the Sirr (5–15 min): move attention inward stiller than thought; listen for silence; drop intentional effort and allow presence to receive. If tears come, let them be.

4. Integration (2–5 min): bring attention outward slowly; set an intention to carry the taste of presence into action — a small act of kindness or attention in the day.