As for Abraham and the family of Abraham—the sincere monotheists and prophets—they know that a distinction must be maintained between the Creator and creation, and between obedience and disobedience. They know that the more a servant advances in realization, the greater his love for Allah, his servitude and obedience to Him, and his turning away from worshipping, loving and obeying anyone other than Him.

These misguided polytheists equate Allah with His creation, whereas Allah’s intimate friend says:

“Have you considered what you have been worshipping,
you and your forefathers?
They are enemies to me, except the Lord of all worlds.”

They cling to ambiguous statements made by the spiritual masters, just as the Christians did. An example is the term “fanā” (annihilation). There are three kinds of fanā: one belonging to those who have attained perfection among the prophets and Allah’s friends; another belonging to those striving among Allah’s friends and the righteous; and another belonging to the hypocrites who deviate from the truth and liken Allah to His creation.

(As for the first), it is “ceasing to desire anything other than Allah,” such that a person loves none but Allah, worships none but Him, relies on none but Him, and seeks none but Him. This is the meaning that must be intended by the words of Shaykh Abū Yazīd when he said: “I desire to desire only what He wills.” That is, what He wills in the sense of loving and approving of it—what is intended by His prescriptive will. The servant’s perfection lies in desiring, loving and approving only what Allah wills, approves of and loves: what He has commanded, whether as an obligation or a recommendation. He loves only what Allah loves, such as the angels, the prophets and the righteous.

This is the meaning of their explanation of His words:

“Except one who comes to Allah with a sound heart.”

They said: “It is a heart free of anything other than Allah, or anything other than worship of Allah, or anything other than