Solitude of the Heart with God (Khalwat)
The sweetest fruit of the Sufi journey is the profound divine nearness and the state of “ünsiyet” (sincere friendship) that the servant feels in his heart. When the servant sheds off gossip, hypocrisy, and everything other than Allah by purifying his heart, a tremendous tranquility begins within his inner world. Abdülkadir Geylani (q.s.) stated, “If your solitude with God is purified, your insides will tremble, your heart will shine. Your gazes will be filled with awe,” thus indicating that this unique spiritual solitude elevates man to great heights. While thinking about worldly affairs and transient desires blackens the heart, khalwat with Allah bestows eternal life knowledge upon the soul.
The Silence of the Realm of Conversation
The spiritual conversation established with Allah is a state of profound silence (sükût), completely detached from worldly chatter. Geylani (q.s.) describes this station as follows: “Look at becoming an associate in conversation with Him. His conversation is truly silence. It is such a realm of silence that every word unfolds there.” In this silence, the servant realizes his own impotence and surrenders completely. If Allah wills, He will speak to that servant; otherwise, the silence continues. This exalted silence is opening the heart and secret solely to Allah’s observation, becoming ready to listen to His inspirations without intermediaries.
Divine Wealth Brought by Union (Vuslat)
A believer who truly finds nearness to Allah no longer feels the anguish of any worldly deficiency. When that servant attains unsiyet with the Divine Essence, he is completely freed from the worry of being preoccupied with things other than it. The glad tidings, “You will be a guest in His presence. Every guest is treated with generosity, especially the guest of the sultan,” summarizes the spiritual gifts afforded to the servant by this nearness. The servant whose heart is filled only with the remembrance of Allah, turning away from people and transient causes, enters into the compassionate protection of his Creator and will never again experience fear or sorrow.