Fanāʾ al-fanāʾ (the annihilation of annihilation) is superior to fanāʾ (annihilation in God). For, according to the people of taqwa (God-consciousness), it is the threshold of baqāʾ (subsistence in God). Beware of remaining at the beginning of fanāʾ. Otherwise, in that ḥāl (spiritual state), one falls into error and self-claim, and opposes the people of proper conduct and taqwa. Look at the state of Ḥusayn Ḥallāj. When, at the beginnings of fanāʾ, he was content with his state and uttered 'I...', he fell into hardship. One of his simplest sayings, in which he explains some of his states, is as follows:
I was astonished at both You and myself
I annihilated myself in You
You drew me so near to Yourself
That I thought You were myself
In the phrase 'That I thought You were myself,' there is an awareness of the adab (spiritual courtesy) pertaining to fanāʾ al-fanāʾ. However, fann al-rabb al-maḥbūb
the ḥaqīqa (inner reality) of this meaning has not reached kamāl (perfection). For if it had reached perfection, he would have been saved from human error and would have been adorned with the perfection of adab together with rubūbiyya (Divine Lordship).
The amusement of my life
My comfort after my burial
I have no intimacy with any other than You
You are my fear
Menzā: According to the verifiers (muḥaqqiqūn), the true muḥaqqiq is one whose existence is in a state of fanāʾ, absence (ghayba), and presence (ḥuḍūr).