Understanding Spiritual Death and Abandoning the Ego
One of the most fundamental principles in Sufism is the secret of “die before you die.” This doesn’t refer to the physical body, but rather the annihilation of egoistic desires and negative traits. Abdülkadir Geylani (may Allah be pleased with him) describes spiritual death as follows: “Destroy obedience to the nafs (ego), eliminate bad deeds. Do not rush towards the commands of people when there are the commandments of Allah… Expect nothing, desire nothing from anyone other than Allah. Be silent before His decree. If you do these things, you will be considered dead. Know that this is true life.” This is a genuine station of fanā (annihilation). For select servants (the havas), death means erasing all creation from the heart and completely relinquishing personal preferences and wills. A person who reaches this level, even while physically present in the world, is spiritually in the presence of Allah and acts according to His will.
Overcoming the Fear of Physical Death
Many people fear the grave and the Angel of Death. However, for a believer who has spiritually died and attached their heart to Allah, physical death is merely a short sleep, a momentary pause. For them, true death occurs when they are distanced from remembrance of Allah. When bodily death arrives, the veils of paradise and the blessings of the Hereafter are opened for the faithful, thus lessening the torments of death. Geylani (may Allah be pleased with him) advises, “Find spiritual death before the soul leaves the body. Patiently kill your evil; oppose your nafs.” He announces that as a result of this challenging struggle, divine resurrection will come. One who dies naturally has detached themselves from transient things; the grave for them is itself the path to Allah, the very essence of union (vuslat).
Resurrection: Finding Life with Allah
To the servant who has stripped away their own existence, will, and desires (who has spiritually died), Allah bestows an eternal and boundless life. This resurrection is a feeling of divine nearness. When a person of gnosis (ma’rifa) attains this state, worldly sorrows, losses, or gains no longer affect them. As Sayyid Ahmed er-Rifai said, “If they had known what death is, they would know that death is the true life for people.” In short, becoming blind and deaf to material desires, whims, and masiva (everything other than Allah) allows the heart to beat only with the remembrance of Allah. Those who attain this exalted station are in constant communion and contentment with their Lord while living physically in the world.