The Great Mujaddid Ahmad Sirhindi's Knowlwdge of the Beyond World (Ma'arif-i-Ladunniya) is a collection of spiritual revelations by the Sufi saint Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi (also known as Mujaddid Alif Sani), which was originally written in Persian and later translated into Urdu and now into English for the first time. The book contains his insights into the spiritual world and is a significant work within the Naqshbandi Sufi order.
Ma'arif Ladunniyya is an Islamic and Sufi concept referring to a type of divine, God-given knowledge that is received directly from Allah. It is not acquired through traditional learning, study, or human intellect.
The term is composed of two parts:
Ma'arif: From the Arabic ma'rifah, meaning knowledge, wisdom, or gnosis.
Ladunniyya: From the Quranic phrase 'min ladunna' ("from Our Presence"), which describes knowledge bestowed directly by God. The best-known example is the divinely inspired knowledge given to Al-Khidr, a figure mentioned in the Quran.
Unlike acquired knowledge ('ilm), which is gained through study and effort, ilm ladunni is a gift from God that bypasses the normal process of reasoning and learning. This knowledge descends directly into a person's heart through inspiration (ilham), often as a result of intense spiritual purification and piety. This sacred knowledge transcends conventional understanding and can unlock hidden or esoteric truths that are not accessible to most people. Mainstream Islamic scholars emphasize that ladunni knowledge is a divinely granted blessing, not a substitute for the revealed law (shari'ah). They warn against those who claim to possess such knowledge while disregarding the Quran and the Sunnah, as this can lead to serious theological errors.
The term here refers to this specific translation by Irshad Alam, of the Ma'arif-i-Ladunniya written by the great Naqshbandi Sufi scholar, Imam Rabbani Mujaddid Alf-e-Sani Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi (d. 1034 AH).
