1. Surrender | The Spirit's Surrender to Allah | Dying Before Death
Contrary to the common belief that a person dies if the spirit leaves the body, the fundamental teaching of the Islamic faith and the Holy Qur'ân is based on the spirit reaching Allah while still alive. Islam, the only religion of the universe and also known as the Hanif Religion of Ibrahim, involves a 28-step process of spiritual evolution. The most critical stage of this process is the spirit reaching Allah.
To Wish to Reach Allah and Being Chosen
The vast majority of people remain at the first two steps, which consist of experiencing and evaluating events. However, salvation begins with the 3rd step: to wish to reach Allah. Those who do not wish to reach Allah are, as stated in the verses, in a state of heedlessness.
10/YUNUS-7: Verily, they do not wish to reach Us (to reach their spirits to Allah while alive). They are pleased with the life of this world and have become satisfied with it, and they are those who are heedless of Our verses.
10/YUNUS-8: Their abode is the fire (hell) because of what they have earned (degrees).
For the person who turns to Allah, that is, who wishes to reach Him, Allah's promise is clear: Allah definitely causes the one who turns to Him to reach Him.
42/SHURA-13: ...Allah chooses for Himself whom He wills and guides to Himself those who turn to Him (causes their spirits to reach Him while alive).
What is Hidayah (Guidance)?
In the Holy Qur'ân, the concept of hidayah is clearly defined as the spirit reaching Allah before death.
3/ALI IMRAN-73: ...Say: "Verily, hidayah is to reach Allah. (It is the human spirit reaching Allah before death.) It is that someone else be given the like of what you have been given."...
2/BAQARAH-120: ...Say: "Verily, to reach Allah (Allah causing one to reach Him) is that, it is hidayah."...
The 12-Fold Obligation of the Spirit Reaching Allah
Allah (SWT) has made it a duty (fard) upon us in 12 separate verses for the spirit to reach Him (to surrender) while alive. These verses are as follows:
1. Turning to Allah and Surrendering
39/ZUMAR-54: And turn to your Lord (Allah) (wish to reach your spirit to Allah)! And surrender to Him (Allah) before the torment comes to you (surrender your spirit, face, nafs, and will to Allah). (Otherwise) you will not be helped.
2. Being Pious (Owner of Taqwa)
30/RUM-31: Turn to Him (Allah) (wish to reach Allah) and be pious (owner of taqwa) towards Him. And establish the prayer (perform namaz). And (thus) do not be of the idolaters.
3. Returning to the Lord
89/FAJR-28: Return to your Lord, well-pleased (with Allah) and well-pleasing (having earned Allah's pleasure)!
4. Fleeing (Taking Shelter) to Allah
51/ZARIYAT-50: Therefore, flee (run and take shelter) to Allah. Verily, I am a clear warner to you from Him (sent by Allah).
The shelter (meab) here is the Essence (Zat) of Allah. When the spirit reaches Allah, it vanishes in His Essence and attains the shelter.
78/NABA-39: That day (the day when the hand of the spiritual guide is kissed to reach the Truth and one follows him), is the day of Truth. Whoever wishes (wishes to reach Allah) takes to himself a path (the way, the Sirat al-Mustaqim) that leads to his Lord. (To the person who reaches Allah, Allah) becomes the meab (shelter, refuge).
5. Following the Path of the One Who Turns to Allah
31/LUQMAN-15: ...Follow the path of those who turn to Me (who wish to reach their spirit to Allah). Then to Me is your return...
6. The Abode of Surrender and the Sirat al-Mustaqim
10/YUNUS-25: And Allah invites to the abode of surrender (peace) and guides whom He wishes (to reach His Essence) to the Sirat al-Mustaqim.
7. Reaching Him by Cutting Off from Everything
73/MUZZAMMIL-8: And remember the Name of your Lord and reach Him by cutting off from everything.
8. Fulfilling the Trust (Mithaq)
13/RA'D-21: And they reach to Him (Allah) that which Allah has commanded to be reached (their spirits) to Him (before death). And they feel awe towards their Lord and fear the evil reckoning (entering hell).
9. Responding Before the Day That Cannot Be Turned Back
42/SHURA-47: Respond to your Lord (wish to reach Allah), before the day comes that cannot be turned back by Allah...
10. Being on the Sirat al-Mustaqim
6/AN'AM-153: And verily; this is My straight path (Sirat al-Mustaqim). So follow it. And do not follow (other) paths, for then they will separate you from His path...
11. Saying "We Hear and We Obey"
5/MA'IDAH-7: And remember Allah's favor upon you and your trust (mithaq) with which He bound you when you said: "We hear and we obey"...
Allah (SWT) commands us to surrender the trusts (spirit, physical body, nafs, and will) to Him, in accordance with the trust (mithaq) He took from us in the realm of spirits.
12. Delivering the Trusts to Their Owners
4/NISA-58: Verily, Allah commands you to deliver the trusts to their owners and that when you judge between people, you judge with justice...
The Situation of Those Who Deny
In the Holy Qur'ân, the situation of those who conceal the spirit reaching Allah before death (hidayah) and prevent people from this path is clearly stated. These people are in loss and are subject to the curse of Allah.
2/BAQARAH-159: Verily, those who conceal what We have sent down of the clear proofs and the hidayah (the spirit reaching Allah before death) after We have made it clear to people in the Book, those are they whom Allah curses and those who curse also curse them.
4/NISA-168: Verily, those who deny and do wrong (preventing others from reaching the spiritual guide and leading them astray), Allah will not forgive them and will not guide them to the path (the Sirat al-Mustaqim that leads to Allah).
Nafs al-Tazkiyah and the Ascent of the Spirit
When the person who wishes to reach Allah follows their spiritual guide, the process of nafs al-tazkiyah begins. With dhikr, the lights of mercy, virtue, and salawat that descend into the heart purify the heart of the nafs. Every 7% light accumulation allows the spirit to ascend one heavenly floor:
- Nafs al-Ammarah: The spirit reaches the 1st heavenly floor.
- Nafs al-Lawwamah: The spirit reaches the 2nd heavenly floor.
- Nafs al-Mulhimah: The spirit reaches the 3rd heavenly floor (inspiration is received from Allah).
- Nafs al-Mutmainnah: The spirit reaches the 4th heavenly floor (the heart becomes tranquil).
- Nafs al-Radiyah: The spirit reaches the 5th heavenly floor (one becomes pleased with Allah).
- Nafs al-Mardiyyah: The spirit reaches the 6th heavenly floor (Allah is also pleased with the servant).
- Nafs al-Tazkiyah: The spirit reaches the 7th heavenly floor and the arrival (vuslat) to Allah occurs.
35/FATIR-18: ...And whoever cleanses (performs nafs al-tazkiyah), he does so only for his own nafs. And the return (arrival) is to Allah (with nafs al-tazkiyah, the spirit returns to Allah, reaches Him).
Ultimately, the spirit reaches the Essence of Allah and attains the station of Fanafillah (vanishing in the Essence of Allah). The spirit has been surrendered to its owner. This is the key to worldly happiness and the happiness of the hereafter.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it a duty (fard) for the spirit to reach Allah?
Yes, in the Holy Qur'ân, the spirit reaching Allah before death (hidayah) is made a duty upon us in exactly 12 separate verses (e.g., Zumar-54, Rum-31, Fajr-28).
What does hidayah mean?
According to Ali Imran verse 73 and Baqarah verse 120, hidayah is the human spirit reaching Allah before death.
Does a person die if the spirit leaves the body before death?
No, they do not die. The spirit is not what gives life to a person, but a trust. The system that keeps a person alive is different from the spirit. The spirit must be caused to reach Allah while alive through nafs al-tazkiyah.
What is the situation of those who do not wish to reach Allah?
According to Yunus verses 7 and 8, those who do not wish to reach Allah are in heedlessness and their destination is the fire (hell).
What is the trust (mithaq)?
It is a definite promise that Allah took from us in the realm of spirits (Qalu bala) that we would surrender our spirit, our face, our nafs, and our will to Him.
What is the trust and to whom should it be surrendered?
The spirit, physical body, nafs, and will are the trusts in a human being. According to Nisa verse 58, it is commanded that these trusts be surrendered to their owner, Allah.
How does nafs al-tazkiyah occur?
With the dhikr performed after following a spiritual guide, the lights of Allah (mercy, virtue, salawat) enter the heart. With the accumulation of virtues, the nafs is purified step by step.
What is sayr wa suluk?
It is the spiritual journey the spirit makes towards Allah by ascending through the heavenly floors in parallel with nafs al-tazkiyah.
What does Fanafillah mean?
It means the spirit reaching Allah, vanishing in His Essence, clinging to Allah, and reaching the shelter (Meab).
What does Allah do for those who wish to reach Him?
Allah definitely causes His servants who turn to Him and wish to reach Him to reach Himself (Shura-13) and guides them to hidayah.