[StincPriene]

[Just see how his explaination is very similar to Deobandi approach to this topic]

Ibn al-Qayyim has established in Madarij al-Salikin (vol. 1, p.154) a separate chapter discussing fana (annihilation) according to the Sufis, and mentions its types and stages, and its praiseworthy, irreprehensible and moderate traits:

As to annihilation (fana) from seeing anything apart from He, this is a concept that the majority of the latter Sufis have called towards and which they consider the goal, and it is that on which Abu Isma‘il al-Ansari has based his book and made the third stage in each of his chapters.

They do not mean the annihilation of the existence of everything apart from Allah on the outward, but the obliteration of the self from seeing and feeling everything apart from Allah. Its true nature is the absence of one of them from everything apart from what he is witnessing, rather also his absence from seeing himself and his being. This is because he becomes absent from his worship on account of He who is worshiped, absent from his dhikr on account of He who he is remembering, absent from his love on account of his beloved, and absent from seeing himself on account of He who is being seen.

At times, a spiritual state such as this is called intoxication (sukr), annihilation (istilam), obliteration (muhw) and being in the state of union (jam‘a). They sometimes differentiate between the meanings of these terms and, at times, the prevalent meaning is the seeing of the heart its Beloved and the One it is remembering until he disappears into Him and becomes annihilated in Him and thinks he is in union with Him and that he has joined Him, rather he thinks he is He. This is similar to the story in which a man saw his beloved throw herself into water and so the lover threw himself behind her. The beloved said, “What made you throw yourself into the water?” The lover replied, “I lost myself in you and thought surely you were I.”

When his sense returns, he understands he was mistaken in that and that the realities are distinguished in themselves. Hence, the Cherisher (Rabb) is the Cherisher, the slave is the slave, and the Creator is separate from the creation, there is nothing from Himself in His creation, and nothing in Him from His creation.

However, at the time of sukr, muhw, istilam, fana and jam‘a this difference becomes absent, and at this time, those involved may say such things as have been narrated from Abu Yazid who said, “Glory be to myself,” or, “There is nothing in this jubbah except Allah.” Speech such as this would render the speaker a kafir if his mind were with him. However, on account of the absence of the faculty of differentiating and feeling, he is not held blameworthy.

Some of this fana is praised, some of it is criticized and some of it is excused. That which is praised is his annihilation from loving anything apart from Allah, and from fearing and having hope in anything apart from He, and having trust in Him, seeking aid from Him and turning to Him in such a way that the din of the slave, exoterically and esoterically, is for Allah in its entirety.

As to the lack of feeling and knowledge that the person in this state cannot distinguish between himself and others, and between the Cherisher and the slave even though his belief is that there is a difference, and nor between his seeing and that which he has witnessed, rather he does not see what is the other, then this is not praiseworthy, nor a perfect quality, nor something that is desired and which has been commanded.

Rather, the final outcome of such a person is to be excused — on account of his inability and weakness of heart and mind — from distinguishing and differentiating; from treating every person of rank according to their rank in line with the requisites of knowledge and wisdom; from seeing realities according to how they are; from differentiating between what is eternal (qadim) and temporary, and acts of worship and the one being worshipped, something that would allow him to treat acts of worship according to their rank and witness their levels, and give each stage its due in worship and see himself perform this.
-Taken from deoband.org 's related article on ibn qayyim and tasawwuf

[StevenS]

JazakAllah kyran for posting this.