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3 July 2026

The surrender of the spirit to Allah, fanafillah, sayr wa suluk, the seven heavens and the journey of union explained in the light of the verses of the Qur'ân.

3rd Stage: "The Surrender of the Spirit to Allah" | Cleansing of the nafs and the heavenly floors

Praise and thanks be to Allah, we will examine the subject of the surrender of the spirit to Allah, which is one of the most important stages of the spiritual journey. The human process of complete acceptance (surrender) consists of four stages:

  • First, the surrender of the spirit,
  • Second, the surrender of the physical body,
  • Third, the surrender of the nafs,
  • Fourth, the surrender of the will.

The first three of these elements are bodies. Our spirit, our physical body, and our nafs have the same shape and appearance; however, their essences are different, and they are all trusts. The fourth element, which is not a body, is our will. A human being is also obligated to surrender their will to Allah.

Wish to reach Allah and the first steps

In the process before the surrender of the spirit to Allah, a person passes through certain stages. Events are experienced at the 1st step. At the 2nd step, events are evaluated and an attitude is adopted. People are tested with calamities, and they are chosen by Allahu Ta'ala according to their behavior in the face of these events. The relevant verse is as follows:

42/ASH-SHURA-13: (Allah) has ordained for you the same sharia (divine law) that He enjoined upon Prophet Nuh, and that which We have revealed to you, and that which We enjoined upon Prophet Ibrahim, Prophet Musa, and Prophet Isa: "Establish the religion and do not be divided therein." That which you call them to (the wish to reach Allah) is difficult for the idolaters. Allah chooses for Himself whom He wills, and guides to Himself whoever turns to Him (reaches his spirit to Him while alive).

Allah chooses for Himself whom He wills, and whoever among those chosen turns to Allah (wishes to reach Allah), Allah delivers him to Himself. This happens with a wish from the heart. When this wish is realized, Allah begins to manifest with the name Ar-Rahman. With this manifestation, the following spiritual changes (Furkan) occur in the person:

  • The hijab-i mastura (the veil over the eyes) is removed.
  • The gishavet (the veil over the faculty of sight) is removed.
  • The vakra (the veil over the ears) is removed.
  • The seal on the faculty of hearing is opened.
  • The seal on the faculty of comprehension of the heart is opened.
  • The ekinnah (the covering) in the heart is removed, and ihbat is placed in its stead.

With these 7 furkan, one-seventh of the sins are recorded into the account of rewards for each furkan. Even if the person were to die at this point, their destination would be the paradise of Allah.

The Decree of Not Wishing to Reach Allah

If a person does not wish to reach Allah, their deeds become in vain in accordance with the 65th verse of Surah Az-Zumar:

39/AZ-ZUMAR-65: And it was revealed to you and to those before you: "If you associate partners with Allah (if you do not wish to reach Allah), your deeds will surely be in vain, and you will surely be among the losers."

When the person who wishes to reach Allah reaches the 7th step, Allah turns their heart's gate of light toward Himself and opens a path of light from their chest to their heart. The person reaches khushu through dhikr and earns the right to ask for their spiritual guide (murshid). When the special prayer of need (salaat al-hajat) is performed, Allah will surely show and make them love their spiritual guide.

Allegiance to the Spiritual Guide and People

When a person reaches their spiritual guide, they have received 12 favors from Allah and receive 7 more blessings with the allegiance:

  1. The arrival of the spirit of the imam of the time upon their head.
  2. The writing of faith into their heart.
  3. The conversion of sins into rewards.
  4. The multiplication of degrees from 1 to 10, then 1 to 100, and increasingly up to 1 to 700.
  5. The beginning of the cleansing of the nafs.
  6. The strengthening of the physical body and the will.
  7. The departure of the spirit toward Allah.

In this process, the rates of surrender for the spirit, physical body, nafs, and will are as follows:

  • 51% light accumulation: The surrender of the spirit to Allah.
  • 81% light accumulation: The surrender of the physical body.
  • 100% light accumulation: The surrender of the nafs to Allah.

The writing of faith into the heart and the arrival of the spirit of the imam of the time at the moment of allegiance to the spiritual guide are mentioned in the 22nd verse of Surah Al-Mujadila and the 15th verse of Surah Al-Mu'min:

58/AL-MUJADILA-22: You will not find a people who believe in Allah and the Last Day (reaching Allah before death) loving those who oppose Allah and His Messenger... It is they upon whose hearts (Allah) has written faith. And He has supported them with a spirit from Himself (the spirit of the imam of the time, which has been trained there, settles upon their heads)...
40/AL-MU'MIN-15: Exalting degrees and the owner of the Throne, Allah delivers a spirit (the spirit of the imam of the time) from His command to whom He wills among His servants (to the person whom He wishes to deliver to Himself because that person wishes to reach Allah), to warn (the spirit of that person) of the arrival of the day of reaching Allah.

This spirit warns the person's spirit of Yawm at-Talaq (the day of meeting Allah). With this warning, the spirit leaves the body and the sayr wa suluk journey begins.

Cleansing of the Nafs and the Heavenly Floors

When a person performs dhikr after the allegiance, the lights of mercy, virtue, and salawat coming from Allah fill the heart. The lights of virtue gather around the word of faith written in the heart. This is called the cleansing of the nafs. The 21st verse of Surah An-Nur explains this situation:

24/AN-NUR-21: ...And if it were not for the mercy and virtue of Allah upon you (if they had not settled in the heart of your nafs), not one of you would ever have been able to cleanse his nafs. But Allah cleanses the nafs of whom He wills...

In the process of cleansing the nafs, with every 7% accumulation of the light of virtue in the heart, the spirit rises one heavenly floor. This ascension is parallel to the nafs, which is a pledge, fulfilling its oaths (Al-Muddaththir 38-40).

1st Heavenly Floor: Nafs Al-Ammarah

When 7% accumulation of virtue occurs in the heart of the nafs, the spirit reaches the 1st heavenly floor. This is the level of Nafs Al-Ammarah.

12/YUSUF-53: And I do not acquit my nafs. Indeed, the nafs surely commands evil (wickedness, sin). Except for those (nafs) upon whom my Lord manifests with His name Ar-Rahim...

2nd Heavenly Floor: Nafs Al-Lawwamah

With the second 7% accumulation of virtue, the spirit reaches the 2nd heavenly floor, the pools of irrigation. This is Nafs Al-Lawwamah.

75/AL-QIYAMAH-2: And no, I swear by the self-reproaching (lawwamah) nafs.

3rd Heavenly Floor: Nafs Al-Mulhimah

At the third 7% light accumulation, the spirit rises to the 3rd floor. Here, Allahu Ta'ala begins to inspire. This level is Nafs Al-Mulhimah.

91/ASH-SHAMS-8: Then He inspired it (the nafs) with its wickedness and its piety.

4th Heavenly Floor: Nafs Al-Mutmainnah

When the spirit reaches the 4th heavenly floor, the person has become tranquil (mutmain). Hearts are only tranquil by the dhikr of Allah.

13/AR-RA'D-28: They are those who have reached Allah (amenu) and whose hearts have become tranquil by the dhikr of Allah. Are hearts not only tranquil by the dhikr of Allah?

5th Heavenly Floor: Nafs Ar-Radiyyah

On the 5th heavenly floor, being pleased with Allah, that is, Nafs Ar-Radiyyah, is in question. Allahu Ta'ala addresses this station in Surah Al-Fajr as follows:

89/AL-FAJR-27-28: O tranquil nafs! Return to your Lord, being pleased (with Allah)...

6th Heavenly Floor: Nafs Al-Mardiyyah

The 6th heavenly floor is the station of gaining the pleasure of Allah, that is, Nafs Al-Mardiyyah. Here, the person becomes a servant who has attained pleasure in the sight of Allah.

89/AL-FAJR-28-30: ...and having gained the pleasure of Allah! (O physical body!) Then, enter among My servants (when you have cleansed your nafs and reached your spirit to Allah, you become My servant). And enter My paradise.

7th Heavenly Floor and Vuslat (Reaching Allah)

When 7 times 7% of virtue and 2% of mercy light (51%) are completed in the heart of the nafs, the spirit reaches the 7th heavenly floor. On the 7th floor, the spirit passes through these 7 realms in order:

  1. Cells of destiny
  2. The Mother of the Book
  3. Ocean of divine power
  4. The Praised Station (of prophet Mohammad (pbuh))
  5. The Court of the Righteous
  6. Dhikr Realm (cells of dhikr)
  7. Sidrat al-Muntaha

After Sidrat al-Muntaha, the Essence of Allah is reached through a vertical journey (21st Step). When the spirit reaches the Essence of Allah, the Essence of Allah becomes a Meab (shelter) for that spirit, and the spirit disappears in the Essence of Allah. This station is the station of Fanafillah (22nd Step), and the surrender of the spirit to Allah is completed here.

78/AN-NABA-39: That day (the day when the hand of the spiritual guide is kissed to reach the Truth and allegiance is sworn to him) is the day of Truth. Whoever wishes (whoever wishes to reach Allah) takes for himself a path (the Sirat al-Mustaqim) that leads to his Lord. (Allah) becomes a meab (shelter, refuge) for the person who reaches Allah.
Dr. Abdulcabbar BORAN

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the surrender of the spirit to Allah mean?

The surrender of the spirit to Allah is the state of the spirit leaving the body during worldly life, ascending through the 7 heavenly floors, reaching the Essence of Allah, and disappearing in His Essence (Fanafillah).

How many types of bodies are there in a human being?

There are three bodies in a human being: the Spirit, the Physical Body, and the Nafs. There is also the Will, which is not a body. All must be surrendered to Allah.

Why is wishing to reach Allah of vital importance?

The deeds of a person who does not wish to reach Allah go to waste (Az-Zumar-65) and their destination is hell. Wishing is the key to spiritual salvation and paradise.

What are the signs of allegiance to the spiritual guide?

At the moment of allegiance, the spirit of the imam of the time comes upon the person's head, faith is written in their heart, their sins are converted into rewards, and the cleansing of the nafs begins.

How does the cleansing of the nafs occur?

It occurs through the filling of the heart of the nafs with the lights of mercy, virtue, and salawat coming from Allah through dhikr, and the expulsion of darkness (afflictions).

What is sayr wa suluk?

It is the spiritual journey of the spirit, which begins after allegiance to the spiritual guide, by leaving the body and continuing from the lodge of the imam of the time until the Essence of Allah.

What is the relationship between the heavenly floors and the levels of the nafs?

Every 7% accumulation of the light of virtue in the heart of the nafs enables the spirit to rise one heavenly floor. E.g., 7% light (Nafs Al-Ammarah) opens the 1st heavenly floor.

What is Yawm at-Talaq?

It means the day of meeting Allah. When the spirit of the imam of the time comes upon the person's head, it informs their spirit that this day has arrived.

What does Fanafillah mean?

It means to disappear in the Essence of Allah. It is the spirit reaching Allah (arrival), taking refuge in Him, and surrendering.

What is the purpose of Furkan?

The furkan given to the person who wishes to reach Allah removes the obstacles in the faculties of seeing, hearing, and comprehension, and ensures the conversion of sins into rewards.