Fana (Sufism)

Others In terms of Ihsan: Fanaa (Arabic: فناء fanāʾ ) in Sufism is the "passing away" or "annihilation" (of the self).

However, persons having entered this enlightened state are said to obtain absolute awareness of an intrinsic unity (Tawhid) between God (Allah) and all that exists, including the individual themselves.

This second interpretation has sometimes been decried by religious and political authorities as heretical, famously in the execution of Mansur al-Hallaj.

Specifically, the Quran says:[4] "All things in creation suffer annihilation and there remains the face of the Lord in its majesty and bounty.

"Mystics such as Al-Junayd al-Baghdadi, Al-Ghazali and Al-Sarraj maintained that this ultimate goal of Sufism was the vision (mushahadah) of the divine.

[8][full citation needed] However, according to Al-Hujwiri, vision of the divine can not occur without hard work on the part of the seeker.

[4] The interpretation of Fana ascribed to Rumi is as follows: When the Shaykh (Halláj) said 'I am God' and carried it through (to the end), he throttled (vanquished) all the blind (sceptics).