Fana: The Passing Away of the Self
One of the fundamental aims of the Sufi path (seyr ü sülûk) is for the servant to completely detach from their own will, personal desires, and egoistic passions, ultimately merging within the Divine Will. This state is known in spiritual terminology as Fana. Great gnostics like Imam Rabbani have named this station, reached through the realm of attraction (cezbe), “Vücud-i adem” (the state of non-existence). In this station, the individual enters a complete surrender, seemingly as if their independent existence does not exist. However, this initial feeling of Fana may not always be permanent; there is always a possibility for the traveler on the path to return to human characteristics and the traits of the ego. Therefore, the seeker should not be deceived by these transient states of attraction and assume they have reached the end of the journey.
Baqa-Billah: Abiding in God
The true and unwavering spiritual zenith is the Baqa-Billah station, which follows the transient state of Fana and is permanent. When the annihilation of self (Vücud-i fena) is completed and a return to human desires becomes impossible, the servant attains absolute subsistence (Baqa – abiding in God). Hâce Bahaeddin Nakshibend explained this secret as follows: “The state called Vücud-i adem becomes the natural state of man. But the annihilation of self does not return to the human form.” Perfect saints who attain this station are both transient and eternal, eternal yet also transient. The Divine tranquility within their inner worlds is continuous, and no worldly preoccupation can divert them from this tranquility.
Liberation from the Tyranny of Time
In Sufism, it is praised to be a “Son of Time” (İbnü’l-Vakt), but those who attain the station of Baqa surpass this as well, ascending to the position of “Father/Master of Time” (Ebu’l-Vakt). The fleeting feelings of Fana are merely transient emotions and changes during the states and fluctuations of the heart. However, the states of those who have attained Baqa do not change; for their concern is not with states or times, but directly with the One Who creates those states and times. Passing away and depletion belong to time; however, the soul that has become unified with the Lord of Time is eternally freed from these dangers and attains unwavering tranquility in Divine presence.