The Essence of Islam – Volume III — Page 64
64. Essence of Islam-III son whose true condition is known only to God Almighty. . In this context, it should be clearly understood that once the condition of: اسْلَمَ وَجْهَهُ لِلهِ 54 is fully established, which the Sufis designate as fanā, and which the Holy Qur'an describes as steadfastness, the grade of baqā and liqā' follow immediately upon it. . In other words, when a person empties himself completely of his condition as a creature and altogether discards desire and design and arrives at the stage of perfect surrender, he immediately experiences the stage of baqā. . But until the condition of fană is fully established, and leaning wholly towards God Almighty becomes a natural characteristic, the stage of baqā cannot be reached. That stage is reached only when obedience ceases to be an effort, and the green and waving branches of obedience sprout forth from the heart like a natural growth and all that is considered one's own truly becomes God's, and just as other people delight in indulgence, such a person's whole delight centres on worship and remembrance of God, and the pleasures of God take the place of his personal desires. . When this condition of baqā is fully established and saturates the being of the seeker, and becomes his permanent characteristic, and he witnesses a light descending from heaven which removes all obstructions, and a fine, sweet and delicious feeling of love which had not been perceived before is generated in the heart, and a coolness 54 He who submits himself completely to Allah. '-Al-Baqarah, 2:113 [Publisher]