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Some people who are overwhelmed by a spiritual state may fall into a form of divine indwelling or union. Union has both true and false senses. Yet when something comes upon a person that deprives him of reason or makes him oblivious to everything except his beloved, and this is not due to any sin on his part, he is excused and is not punished for it as long as he lacks reason. For an insane person is exempt from accountability until he regains his senses. Even if he is mistaken in this, he falls within His words:

“Our Lord, do not impose blame upon us if we have forgotten or erred.”

And He said:

“There is no blame on you for what you do by mistake.”

This resembles the story told of two men, one of whom loved the other. The beloved fell into the sea, and the other threw himself in after him. The first said, “I fell in, but what made you fall in?” He replied, “I became so absorbed in you that I lost awareness of myself, and thought that you were me.”

This state affects many of those devoted to love and spiritual aspiration, whether directed toward Allah or toward something else, although it involves deficiency and error. A person becomes so absorbed in his beloved that he loses awareness of his love and of himself; in the one he remembers, that he loses awareness of his remembrance; in the one he knows, that he loses awareness of his knowing; in the one he witnesses, that he loses awareness of his witnessing; and in the one whose presence he experiences, that he loses awareness of his own existence. At that point, he no longer perceives distinctions or his own existence.

In this state he may say, “I am the Truth,” “Glory be to me,” “There is nothing in this robe but Allah,” or similar things, while intoxicated by the ecstasy of love—a pleasure and joy unaccompanied by discernment.