ayn (pl. ‘ayan) (al-‘aī n [pl. al-a‘yān])

(Language: Arabic)

Alternate Spellings: ‘ayn

Short Description: Essence, first determination, eye, spring

Long Description: al-‘ayn ath-thābitah, or sometimes simply al-‘ayn, is the immutable essence, the archetype or the principial possibility of a being or thing

Sources: Introduction to Sufi Doctrine (by Titus Burckhardt)