They turn away and turn their backs. Prayers and peace be upon the prophets, who are superior to all created beings. The highest ranks are reserved for them. Walāya (friendship with God) is a part of nubuwwa (prophethood) and is included within nubuwwa. Nubuwwa encompasses walāya in every respect.
There is no doubt whatsoever that nubuwwa is superior to walāya. In this regard, there is no difference between the walāya of a prophet and the walāya of anyone else. In this ḥāl (spiritual state), the state of ṣaḥw (sobriety) is more preferable than the state of sukr (spiritual intoxication). Sukr is included within the content of ṣaḥw. Similarly, walāya is included within nubuwwa. The state of ṣaḥw is the state of the common people, and is distinct from the state of sukr. Therefore, what is discussed here is outside the scope of sukr, and for this reason, there is no point in dwelling on it. Ṣaḥw, which encompasses sukr, is certainly superior to sukr.
Thus, all the revealed sciences whose source is nubuwwa have arisen from the perfection of ṣaḥw. Therefore, anything that contradicts the sharia (the sacred law) comes from the state of sukr. The one who possesses sukr is excused and is not worthy of being imitated (should not be followed). What truly deserves to be firmly adhered to are not the sciences of the state of sukr, but the sciences of the maqāms (spiritual stations) of ṣaḥw. (Maktūbāt, 1, 101)
The first to openly articulate the doctrine of tawḥīd-i wujūdī (the oneness of being) was Muḥyiddīn ibn ʿArabī. Although the statements of earlier shaykhs, even if they spoke of tawḥid (the oneness of God) and alluded to ittiḥād (union), can be interpreted as referring to tawḥīd-i shuhūdī (the oneness of witnessing). Because nothing is seen except the Real (God), some (as part of ecstatic utterances) have said, “Mā fī jubbatī siwā Allāh” (There is nothing in my cloak except Allah), and others, “Subḥānī mā...”