Annihilation in Love - the idea of losing yourself in love for the Master, the Prophet and God...

75. Let Love flow in

I wish to leave me,

And let Love

Flow in.

For I wish you to

Be in the best

Of company.

And in Love,

You will find that

The best of me is really

None of me at all.

How sweet it

Would be!

And as for me?

Well, I won't

Really matter

Anymore,

Would I?

We make the most grand of promises when we are in love, don't we? We take leave of the common senses and sensibilities of Man. We hitch a ride on the coat-tail of a Sufi Master, keeping our fingers crossed and hoping that we won't bump into any meddling parson who would throw questions of theology as to how we came to be where we are.

The state of fana or annihilation is when the 'we' perish in the spiritual union with the Lord. The 'we' ends and the singular 'I' begins. It is in this state that Sufis of yore used to lose their heads, being in conflict with the law of the land. According to the technical manual for the state of annihilation you first begin with fana-fi-Shaykh (annihilation-union in the Master), then fana-fi-Rasul (annihilation-union in the Prophet Muhammad) and finally fana-fi-Allah (annihilation-union in God). I remember reading all this in a book.

Well, all that is for aspirants of the path, not for the likes of me. Why? Simply because I like me. Although I have concerns and issues with myself, I am not opposed to liking myself, despite being the unrepentant sinner. So you shall probably not see me annihilating myself in anything any time soon.

But you need not choose my way, sunshine. I am sure you can do better. Indeed, it is my fervent hope that you will, for then I will hitch a ride on your coat-tail instead!

wa min Allah at-taufiq.