Excerpt: Abu Sa`îd al-Kharrâz
said: "When God desires to befriend (
yuwâli)
a servant of His, He opens the door of dhikr for that servant. After
the latter takes pleasure (
istaladhdha) in dhikr, He opens the door of
proximity (
al-qurb) for him. After that, He raises him to the meetings
of intimacy (
majâlis al-uns) and after that he makes him sit on a
throne of Oneness (
kursi min al-tawHîd). Then He removes the veils
(
al-Hujub) from him and He makes him enter the abode of Singleness
(
dâr al-fardâniyya) and unveils Majesty (
al-jalâl) and Sublimity
(
al-`aZama) to him. When the servant beholds Majesty and Sublimity, he
remains without 'he' (
baqiya bila hu). He becomes extinguished (
fâni),
immune (
bâri') to the claims and pretensions of his ego (
da`âwa nafsihi),
and protected for God's sake (
maHfûZan lillâh)."
