2. Surrender | Surrender of the Physical Body and Its Verses | What is the Surrender of the Face?
In the Hanif religion of Allah, a person is obligated to surrender their spirit, their face (physical body), their soul (nafs), and their Will to Allah. The surrender of spirit to Allah (guidance (hidayah)) is a process that takes place under the guarantee of Allah and is completed when the person reaches the Nafs al-Tazkiyah level. At this point, the heart of the soul (nafs) is filled with 51% light. They possess half of the happiness in this world, but the most difficult stage begins after this point: Surrender of the Physical Body.
The Steep Slope: The Most Difficult of Surrenders
The Holy Qur’ân defines the surrender of the physical body as the "Steep slope" (Akabe). This process, which begins after the surrender of the spirit, is the most critical threshold of the journey to happiness. In Surah Al-Balad, this difficulty is expressed as follows:
90/AL-BALAD-12: And what will make you know what the steep slope is?
90/AL-BALAD-13: (It is) the freeing of a slave.
For the surrender of the physical body, the rate of light in the heart of the soul (nafs) must reach 81%. When the spirit is surrendered, this rate is 51%. Therefore, the person needs to achieve an additional 30% light accumulation. Reaching this goal requires much greater Will and effort compared to the surrender of the spirit.
Why Is It Called the "Steep Slope"?
There are two main reasons why the surrender of the physical body is called the "Steep slope":
1. The Removal of the Protective Shield
From the moment a person wishes to reach Allah until they reach their spirit to Allah (approximately 5-6 months), they are under a Divine Protective Shield. During this process, the efforts of satan to lead the person astray remain fruitless; because Allah intervenes and prevents the influence of satan.
However, after the spirit reaches Allah, this protective system is removed. The person is left alone with their own partial Will and satan. Like a hunter waiting for its prey, satan watches for this moment when the protection is lifted and attacks the person violently. The goal is to make the person fall from the light they have reached back into darkness (zulmet). This danger is explained in Surah Al-Baqarah as follows:
2/AL-BAQARAH-257: Allah is the friend of those who are amenu (those who wish to reach Allah), He brings them (the hearts of their souls (nafs)) out of darkness into light. And the friends of the disbelievers are taghut (they take satan as a friend, satan is not a friend to anyone), they bring them (the hearts of their souls (nafs)) out of light into darkness. They are the people of the fire. They will abide therein eternally.
If the person cannot show resistance against these attacks, their dhikr begins to decrease, the lights in the heart of the soul (nafs) are withdrawn, and the person may fall back into darkness (misguidance) after guidance (hidayah).
2. The Necessity of Increasing the Duration of Dhikr (Zuhd)
While the surrender of the spirit can be achieved with approximately 2-3 hours (33,000 - 41,000) of dhikr per day, for the surrender of the physical body, this duration must increase to 18 hours per day with a massive increase.
The person needs to increase their dhikr 6-7 times and achieve this despite the intense whispers of satan, without the protective shield. Spending more than half of the day in dhikr is called the post of zuhd (detachment). This situation has been made obligatory in Surah Al-Ahzab:
33/AL-AHZÂB-41: O you who are amenu! Remember Allah with a lot of dhikr (more than half of the day).
Transition from Being a Slave to Satan to Being a Slave to Allah
The surrender of the physical body (face) is, in the true sense, being a slave to Allah. Allah the Almighty reminds us in Surah Yasin of the covenant He took from humans:
36/YÂSÎN-60: O Children of Adam! Did I not take a covenant from you that you would not be a slave to satan? Verily, he (satan) is a clear enemy to you.
36/YÂSÎN-61: And (did I not take a covenant from you) that you should be a slave to Me? This is the Sirat al-Mustaqim (being on the path).
Our Master's companions passed this difficult test successfully and surrendered their physical bodies to Allah. The 20th verse of Surah Al-Imran is the greatest proof that the companions and those who followed them surrendered their faces (physical bodies) to Allah:
3/AL-I IMRAN-20: Then if they argue with you, say to them: “I and those who follow me have surrendered our faces (physical bodies) to Allah.”...
Conclusion: The Gate of Ulū al-Albāb
The surrender of the physical body is the point where the danger of spiritual decline is eliminated. The person who overcomes this steep slope, that is, who reaches the 18-hour dhikr and surrenders their physical body to Allah, no longer experiences the danger of falling. From this point on, the help of Allah manifests intensely once again.
Those who achieve this surrender enter the path of becoming Ulū al-Albāb (possessors of continuous dhikr). The surrender of the physical body is the greatest and most difficult bridge on the path to the final goal (Irshad and Salah level) where the person will also surrender their Will. Those who cross this bridge are candidates for the highest dimensions of happiness in the world and happiness in the hereafter.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should be the rate of light in the heart of the soul (nafs) for the surrender of the physical body?
The rate of light, which is 51% in the surrender of the spirit, must reach 81% in the surrender of the physical body. This means an additional 30% light accumulation and an increase in dhikr.
Why is the surrender of the physical body called the "Steep slope" (Akabe)?
Because at this stage, the protective shield of Allah is removed and the person needs to increase their dhikr from 2-3 hours to 18 hours (to the post of zuhd (detachment)). These two factors make the process the most difficult of surrenders.
What does "The Removal of the Protective Shield" mean after the surrender of the spirit?
Until the person reaches their spirit to Allah, Allah prevents the attacks of satan. However, after the spirits arrival (return) to Allah, the person is left alone with their own Will and satan can attack directly to make the person fall back into darkness.
What is the post of zuhd (detachment) and what is its relation to the surrender of the physical body?
The post of zuhd (detachment) is spending more than half of the day (at least 12 hours, ideally 18 hours) in dhikr. It is a condition for the person to reach the post of zuhd (detachment) in order to surrender the physical body.
Is the surrender of the physical body obligatory?
Yes, it is obligatory. In the 61st verse of Surah Yasin, Allah commanded the surrender of the face by saying "Be a slave to Me." The companions also fulfilled this command.
How does the 257th verse of Surah Al-Baqarah explain this issue?
This verse warns that those who are friends of Allah and come into the light (those who surrender their spirit), if they are not careful, can be brought back from light into darkness (zulmet) by taghut (satan).
Does a person who surrenders their physical body return to their old state?
For the person who overcomes the surrender of the physical body (the steep slope), the danger of falling is eliminated. From this point on, the person progresses safely towards continuous dhikr and the surrender of the Will.
What is the main goal of satan during the stage of the surrender of the physical body?
The main goal of satan is to decrease the dhikr of the person who is left without protection. If dhikr decreases, light decreases and the person may fall back into darkness (misguidance).
Which number of dhikr points to the surrender of the physical body?
While the surrender of the spirit occurs with 33,000-41,000 dhikr, for the surrender of the physical body, the person needs to reach an 18-hour dhikr.
Did the companions surrender their physical bodies?
Yes, the 20th verse of Surah Al-Imran clearly declares that Our Master the Prophet and those who followed him surrendered their faces (physical bodies) to Allah.