True Vision - "Anā" and "Fanā'"

"Anā" and "Fanā'"

At the end of the attractive and pleasing subject of "True Vision", it is appropriate to explain some realities of "anā (I)" and "fanā' (annihilation)". Because the most useful result of the blessed and sacred vision of the spiritual or real beloved is that the "I" or "ego" of the true lover should be effaced and annihilated in his reality. And this supreme bliss is attained by a wise mu'min only if he or she takes the complete help of knowledge and good deeds.

The subject of anā and fanā' has many aspects, therefore a lot can be written about it. However, keeping in view the facility and interest of readers, we want to present that aspect of the subject in which abstruse and difficult terms are not involved. Thus, anā in Arabic means "I" or "ego", which is indicated by saying "I" and fanā' in Arabic means to efface and annihilate this anā according to the special rules of religion, so that the mu'min may get rid of every kind of defect and short-coming and merge in "Companion-on High (rafīq-i a`lā)".

The lower "I" of man can be annihilated only when, enraptured in true love, he succeeds in offering sacrifices of body, soul and intellect for the sake of the completion of religious goals, because the lower "I" subsists on human existence which consists of these three things and hence in this respect sacrifice and annihilation is of three kinds: physical, spiritual and intellectual.

If a true mu'min always strengthens religion through his physical services without any show or ostentation, his lower "I" and egoism come to an end or become weak. Similarly, the lower "I" can be effaced and sacrificed by worship (`ibādat), spiritual exercises, remembrance, reflection and shedding of tears in true love and this is through the soul. The same purpose can also be achieved through sincere intellectual sacrifices. That is, serving the nation and the community with mind and intellect and considering oneself humble and insignificant. Thus, these three kinds of sacrifices result in effacement of the lower "I" and revival in the communal and universal soul.

One great and special mercy among the unbounded Divine mercies which are available in Islam is that the lower "I" can be effaced and annihilated with unselfish monetary sacrifices also, like those of the above-mentioned sacrifices. It is so important because of the fact that contrary to it, the desire for the plenitude of wealth, parsimony and avarice cause many vices, such as self-conceit, egoism, selfishness, worldliness, voluptuousness, disobedience, which stop the growth of any zeal for altruism, sacrifice, effacement and annihilation. Thus, the prevention of these spiritual diseases and their cure are possible only through monetary sacrifices.

The Holy Qur'ān says: "Everything is perishable save His Face. His is the authority, and to Him you shall all return." (28:88). According to the wise people, this wisdom-filled verse means that a mu'min can only become revived in his origin, namely the higher "I" (anā-i `ulwī) and have the Divine vision (of the face of God) if everything of his existence is annihilated either by willing annihilation or unwilling annihilation (i.e. death), otherwise everything (such as body, soul and intellect) which is not purified and dissolved becomes a veil in front of him. Therefore, it is said: "Die (spiritually), before (physical) death", so that by voluntary annihilation you may merge in God.

According to Sufīs, there are three levels of effacement and annihilation, which are: fanā' fi'sh-shaykh (annihilation in the Shaykh), fanā' fi'r-rasūl (annihilation in the Prophet) and fanā' fi'llāh (annihilation in God). This concept is very pleasing according to the people of haqīqat also. However, there is a fundamental difference that the pure Shaykh in whom the mu'min should annihilate himself is only and only the Imam of the time, as the verse of obedience (4:59) commands: "O you who believe! Obey God and obey the Messenger and the ulu'l-amr from among you." In this command of obedience there is a clear logical indication to love them and to annihilate in them step by step, because annihilation is the corollary of love and love that of obedience.

The purport of verses (55:26-28) in which annihilation is mentioned is that annihilation of everything on earth and the ever-abiding of the face of the Lord Who is full of majesty and honour is His greatest favour for both jinn and mankind. This shows that the annihilation of one's ego or lower "I" by effacing it with humility, and reviving and abiding eternally in the real beloved, is the greatest bounty.

Hazrat Mawlānā Imam Sultān Muhammad Shāh, salawātu'llāhi `alayhi, in his Memoirs has mentioned love, effacement, self-forgetting and annihilation succinctly but extremely comprehensively, meaningfully and in a wisdom-filled way. If one reflects in the light of this blessed and sacred guidance of the Imam, he or she can come to know the great secrets of the purpose of life and the indication of the final destination.

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