Ma'rifa
/maˈriːfə/noun
In Sufism and Islamic thought, spiritual knowledge or direct inner recognition of divine truth.
Did you know?Sufi writers distinguish ma'rifa—experiential, heart-centered knowledge of God—from ordinary learned information, often called ʿilm.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Semitic
Proto-Semitic
ʕ-r-f
“A consonantal root associated with knowing, recognizing, and becoming acquainted with”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
ʿarafa
“To know, recognize, or become acquainted with”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
maʿrifa
“Knowledge, recognition, or acquaintance”
Medieval Islamic thought
Arabic
maʿrifa
“Spiritual recognition or intimate knowledge of God, especially in Sufi writings”
19th–20th Century
English
maʿrifa / ma'rifa
“A scholarly and religious loanword used in English discussions of Sufism and Islamic mysticism”
Modern English
English
ma'rifa
“Experiential spiritual knowledge or gnosis in Islamic mystical contexts”