137-138

Islam says: لاَ خَالِقَ اِلاَّ هُوَ 1. Furthermore, it does not accept causes and intermediaries as the true source of an effect. It looks to intermediaries through the perspective of ma’nâ al-harfî. The belief of tawhîd and the duty of submission (taslîm) and tafvîdh2 demand this. Due to being corrupted, present-day Christianity considers causes and intermediaries as the true source of an effect and looks to them through the perspective of ma’nâ al-ismî. The belief of waladiyyah3 and clericalism demand this, and drives Christianity to this path. They look to their saints through the perspective of ma’nâ al-ismî, viewing them as a source of faydh and a self-contained mine of nûr — according to one view, like the light of a lamp that is transformed from the sunlight. Whereas, we look to the awliyâ through the perspective of ma’nâ al-harfî, that is, as a place of manifestation like a mirror that spreads the sun’s light. {The Naqshbandis' method of râbita is based on this mystery.}

It is because of this mystery that with us, the ma’nawî journey and ascent of the rûh begins from humility, passes through self-annihilation and reaches the degree of annihilation in Allah (fanâ fillâh), and then begins to journey and ascend through infinite degrees. The ana and the nafs al-ammarah, along with their arrogance and pride, are extinguished. However, not in true Christianity, but in a Christian whose belief has been shaken by philosophy and the corruption of Christianity, the ana strengthens with all its equipment. Thus, if a prominent person of high rank and station with a powerful ana is a Christian, he finds the ground to become uncompromisingly devout, but if he is a Muslim, he becomes indifferent to his religion.