The right meaning of the extinction (fana')

borges
New Member

Posts: 2

The right meaning of the extinction (fana') Apr 27, 2015 11:48:30 GMT

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Post by borges on Apr 27, 2015 11:48:30 GMT

Salam alaikum.

I'm new in this forum, so at first I want say thank you for accept me here. For a time I'd like just read the posts in order to know better the forum. But, nevertheless there are an issue which is very important for me and I want put "on the table". Is about the technic word of tasawwuf "fana'", which is often translated in western languages as "extinction".

My point is that: in this time, especially in western countries, this word "extinction" is not well understood and can drag people to some kind of nihilism. I mean: if the final destiny for person who arrives to this station (fana') is that becoming nothing, is disappear, then the Creation has not sense. And if the arrive to this station (fana') is be fusioned with God, this seem like a some special kind of pantheism (because to lose the hierarchy between God and His creation).

Obviously, those meanings are opposite to the Quran teachings. So, "fana''" would mean other thing, not to becoming nothing neither to becoming God, but what is this meaning?

Of course I don't expect understand this deep thing just by reflexion and rational way, but perhaps some explanation could help to put the issue in a proper frame. Can anybody say something about that?

Thank you.

jinn
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Posts: 8

The right meaning of the extinction (fana') Apr 30, 2015 23:59:14 GMT via mobile

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Post by jinn on Apr 30, 2015 23:59:14 GMT

Salam

I think your over thinking it, hence the confusion.

Fanaa is a sufi urdu term and all it means is that you do whatever the shaykh you are bayah with tells you to do. As long as what he says doesn't go against the Shariah in any form or sense. So you try to implement all his teachings in your life.

This is also known as the first stage of tasaweuf, fanafil shaykh.

Others are free to correct me, but I hope that makes sense.

Requesting duas

IbnNurAlShanti
Junior Member

Posts: 103

The right meaning of the extinction (fana') May 5, 2015 0:39:52 GMT

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Post by IbnNurAlShanti on May 5, 2015 0:39:52 GMT

The correct translation of fana' would be annihilation and it does not mean that everything literally ceases to exist in reality apart from Allah, rather it is a concept of removing oneself from seeing and experiencing anything other than Allah. It does not mean that this person becomes nothing in the literal sense and therefore ceases to exist, it means that the person who has reached such a station has removed all realities from within their heart and mind to turn their entire focus towards Allah and His remembrance. Ibn al-Qayyim explains this in his Madarij as-Salikeen;

“As to annihilation (fana) from seeing anything apart from He, this is a concept that the majority of the latter Sufis have called towards and which they consider the goal…They do not mean the annihilation of the existence of everything apart from Allah on the outward, but the obliteration of the self from seeing and feeling everything apart from Allah. Its true nature is the absence of one of them from everything apart from what he is witnessing, rather also his absence from seeing himself and his being. This is because he becomes absent from his worship on account of He who is worshiped, absent from his dhikr on account of He who he is remembering, absent from his love on account of his beloved, and absent from seeing himself on account of He who is being seen."

The meaning and purpose of fana is not to be fused or in unison with Allah but instead comprehend the true reality of Allah alone without distraction from anything else that exists. The individual who reaches such a state may momentarily feel as though they have reached union with Allah however this is incorrect and it occurs because such an experience is overwhelming and difficult to comprehend as ones senses are removed, but as this stage is not constant or permanent, later they realise that they are distinct from Allah and they only felt contrary to that because the reality of everything else including themselves was removed. Ibn al-Qayyim explains further;

"At times, a spiritual state such as this is called intoxication (sukr), annihilation (istilam), obliteration (muhw) and being in the state of union (jam‘a). They sometimes differentiate between the meanings of these terms and, at times, the prevalent meaning is the seeing of the heart its Beloved and the One it is remembering until he disappears into Him and becomes annihilated in Him and thinks he is in union with Him and that he has joined Him, rather he thinks he is He. This is similar to the story in which a man saw his beloved throw herself into water and so the lover threw himself behind her. The beloved said, “What made you throw yourself into the water?” The lover replied, “I lost myself in you and thought surely you were I." When his sense returns, he understands he was mistaken in that and that the realities are distinguished in themselves. Hence, the Cherisher (Rabb) is the Cherisher, the slave is the slave, and the Creator is separate from the creation, there is nothing from Himself in His creation, and nothing in Him from His creation.
"

Likewise, Shaykh Zakariyyah Khandelvi (rahmatullahi alayhi) explains this phenomenon in his Shari'at and Tariqat: Indivisible and Inseparable;

"This state occurs often among the people of love and the murideen with their shuyukh. This condition happens more often with the love for Allah, however, there is some imperfection in the attainment of this oneness with Allah. In this state, one becomes so absorbed in his love for his beloved (i.e Allah) that he loses consciousness of his own love and even reaching a level of self-annihilation. He cannot distinguish remembrance from the one being remembered, observation from the one being observed, and presence from the one who is ompnipresent. In this condition, one loses ones awareness of ones own existence. In this condition, a person may say "ana al-haqq" ('I am the truth') or "subhani" ('I am glorified'), or "ma fil jabati illalah" ('nothing in my jubbah [shirt] except Allah') or other such delirious statements. Such a person is intoxicated in the love of Allah. Here, the intoxication was not caused by something impermissible therefore utterances made from this type of condition should not be publicised." [pg. 230-231]

Ibn al-Qayyim's statement regarding such a person being excused from utterances that may indicate pantheism or nihilism supports the above, he further writes in his Madarij;

"However, at the time of sukr, muhw, istilam, fana and jam‘a this difference [between creator and creation] becomes absent, and at this time, those involved may say such things as have been narrated from Abu Yazid who said, “Glory be to myself,” or, “There is nothing in this jubbah except Allah.” Speech such as this would render the speaker a kafir if his mind were with him. However, on account of the absence of the faculty of differentiating and feeling, he is not held blameworthy.” [Vol. 2, pg. 438 and Ibn Taymiyyah says similar words in his Majmu al-Fatawa Vol.2 pg. 236]

I hope and pray that this brings some clarity to you and grants you a better understanding of fana'. May Allah forgive me for any shortcomings.

adeola New Member Posts: 1	The right meaning of the extinction (fana') Nov 21, 2016 20:48:20 GMT via mobile Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by adeola on Nov 21, 2016 20:48:20 GMT Ameen Thanks so much seyyid , Jazaakumullahu khairan,

The right meaning of the extinction (fana')

Post by borges on Apr 27, 2015 11:48:30 GMT

Post by jinn on Apr 30, 2015 23:59:14 GMT

Post by IbnNurAlShanti on May 5, 2015 0:39:52 GMT

Post by adeola on Nov 21, 2016 20:48:20 GMT

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