Detachment, Trust, and Reliance on Allah

Chapter Six

Question: What is the fundamental meaning of the term "Istighna"? Is it synonymous with "Tawakkul" (reliance on Allah) and trust in Him? Please explain.

Answer: When the adept in contemplation transitions from the first stage to the second, their true essence manifests before them in the form of the celestial body or the aura. The initial realization that arises in the mind of the seeker is a profound certainty that the physical body, constituted of particles of soil, is transient, perishable, and fundamentally illusory. The true and enduring reality is the body of divine lights—a luminous essence—that sustains and governs the corporeal form.

At this stage, as the laws of creation unfold within the framework of divine permission granted by Allah the Almighty, it becomes crucial to distinguish between the soul, the aura, and the celestial body.

The phenomenon commonly referred to as "death" is traditionally understood as the departure of the soul. The realm into which an individual transitions after death is typically described as the intermediate realm, where the deceased reunites with the souls of loved ones and companions.

In this intermediate state, the individual continues to engage in activities such as eating, drinking, sleeping, and waking. They interact with their relatives, experiencing both sorrow and joy, and encountering states of peace, comfort, and contentment. To assert that the soul departs entirely at death would imply that the individual loses the capacity to see, hear, or perceive in any form. In truth, what is described as "death" is the severing of the connection between the body of divine lights and the physical body, which is composed of soil. In his book Loh o Qalam, Hazrat Qalandar Baba Sahib (R.A) clearly elaborates on this concept. He states, "A person, in order to protect themselves from heat and cold, and to shield the physical body from the effects of hot and cold waves, creates a dress. This dress may be made of cotton, wool, or any fabric woven from threads. As long as this self-created dress remains upon the body, it retains its movement. The movement of the dress on the body is directly governed by the body's own movement. When the dress is worn, its sleeves inevitably shift with the movement of the arms. It is impossible for the arms to move without the sleeves moving in tandem. Similarly, the sleeves cannot move without the arms also moving. Thus, the movement of the arms always induces movement in the sleeves of the dress. However, if the same dress, which is worn on the body, is removed and placed on the ground or a cot, and one were to instruct it to move on its own, no movement would occur within it. Baba Sahib (R.A.) describes the physical body as the dress for the celestial body (jism-e-misali). The difference is only that the fabric dress is worn on the body, while the celestial body surrounds and sustains the physical body. By establishing the relationship between the dress and the physical body, we observe that when a deceased person’s body or corpse lies on the ground, it, like the dress, remains motionless. No matter how much one tries to make the corpse move by its own will or volition, all such efforts will prove futile and ineffective. The reason for this futility is that the body, which was the vessel for the dress of the soul, has shed this dress.

In common discourse, the concept of istighnā (Detachment) typically refers to the degree of reliance and trust one places in Allah the Almighty. Trust and reliance, to varying degrees, are inherent in every individual's life. However, when we attempt to define these terms, we often find that, much like other acts of worship, they are reduced to little more than a superficial network of words. In essence, trust and reliance imply surrendering all matters to Allah the Almighty. Yet, upon reflecting on the realities of life, it becomes clear that this notion often remains a mere slogan, lacking certainty and practical embodiment. Despite this, it continues to shape the experiences of all individuals. For example, an employee in a firm may constantly worry that if the employer or business owner becomes displeased, they could be dismissed, passed over for promotion, or experience a decline in status. Such concerns clearly contradict the true meaning of trust and reliance. In contrast, in our daily lives, we repeatedly assert that without effort, sustenance cannot be secured, revealing a fundamental lack of true reliance on Allah’s provision.

When a favorable outcome occurs, we often attribute it to our own intellect and foresight. Yet, this tendency reveals that for many, true reliance and trust in Allah the Almighty remain abstract concepts. For those lacking genuine trust and istighnā (Detachment), this becomes even more apparent. Istighnā signifies a state in which a person no longer depends on their own will for life's necessities. Whether Allah provides sustenance through a dish of chicken, bread with sauce, or simple cloth, the person remains content, recognizing every act as part of Allah’s will. Reliance is the foundation, and istighnā follows as a person’s relationship with Allah deepens. With this bond, worldly desires dissipate, and the person becomes independent of external support. Such a person reaches the state described in the five verses of Surah Ikhlas, where Allah defines His essence. Allah declares, "Say, 'Allah is One, Self-Sufficient, in need of none. He neither begets nor is begotten, and none is comparable to Him.'" These verses reveal Allah’s unique attributes, distinguishing Him from all of creation, teaching us the true difference between the Creator and the created.

Reflecting on these divine attributes, it becomes clear that creation is never singular but always plural, bound by various needs in fulfilling life's movements. Creation must also have offspring and belong to a family. Among the five attributes described by Allah, only one can be embodied by creation through will: Allah's self-sufficiency. Creation cannot be independent of multiplicity, nor can it exist without progeny or a family. In these aspects, it is helpless. However, creation can transcend worldly dependencies, aligning itself solely with Allah. This is the essence of true reliance and trust. If a person is influenced by worldly needs, they are distant from genuine trust. A seeker on the spiritual path first learns to surrender their life’s actions to the guidance of their teacher, just as a child’s needs are entrusted to the care of its parents. Until the child attains awareness, the parents remain wholly responsible for their care.

To recount a few more transcendent experiences is essential, as it allows the seeker on the spiritual path to encounter all the stages leading to self-sufficiency. Through this process, a pattern of detachment is formed in the seeker’s mind, causing them, even unconsciously, to attribute all matters to Allah. We have already explained that certainty arises when a person undergoes a transformation, enveloping their entire life, so that despite knowing it consciously, they cannot step outside this realm. Certainty, as we have defined, underpins every stage of existence—from birth to death, the afterlife, resurrection, reckoning, paradise, hell, and the vision of Allah. The first certainty a person gains is the awareness of their own existence, that they are alive, conscious, and endowed with intellect. While they have free will to some extent, they are predominantly subject to involuntary states. For instance, a person who attempts to breathe consciously will soon tire, and attempting to stop breathing will lead to illness or a clot in the brain. Likewise, when hunger arises, a person does not willfully choose to eat; they simply do. Similarly, when thirst strikes, they naturally drink. The functioning of the human body is akin to a machine that operates ceaselessly, driven by forces beyond individual control. Essential organs—such as the heart, lungs, kidneys, and liver—work involuntarily, without any conscious direction. In billions of lives, no one has control over this internal system. The fuel for this machine is also beyond human command, evident when life ceases. Whether gradually through illness or abruptly in heart failure, the cessation of life is not something science can reverse. Humans often believe they control health, but if that were true, no one would ever die. The basic forces of life—birth, health, and death—are beyond human will. No one chooses their birth, and every individual comes into the world for a predetermined time. Once that time ends, they must leave. These are realities that unfold each moment without needing deep reflection. Ultimately, it is Allah’s will that determines life’s course. If He wills, a person is born healthy; if He does not, they may face physical or mental impairments. Despite advancements in science, congenital disabilities remain beyond human control, leaving people vulnerable and highlighting humanity’s inability to change such fates. Nature creates children in various forms, with differing statures. It is unheard of for a short person to grow to seven feet, nor for a seven-foot person to shrink to just a few feet. This illustrates that a person has no control over their physical dimensions. Similarly, when it comes to mental faculties, some are endowed with greater intelligence, while others have less or none at all. Science may boast of advancements like space travel, but it cannot grant wisdom to those devoid of intellect. Those who are blessed with deep thought often believe it is their own achievement, but when this wisdom is taken away, they are left powerless. All aspects of life are governed by a force that moves at its will, halting whenever it chooses. My blessed Murshid Huzoor Qalandar Baba Auliya (R.A) once said, people are misguided in believing they control their circumstances. In reality, humans are like toys, moved by forces beyond their control. If they truly held sway over their fate, no one would remain poor. Even the mightiest fall to death, leaving no trace behind. When death's grip tightened, their legacy disappeared. The stories of Shaddad, Nimrod, and Pharaoh are not just historical tales to gloss over. History repeats itself in every age, though names and forms may change. In our time, the example of the Shah of Iran is telling. He celebrated the 2,500th anniversary of his reign, yet when death seized him, even his vast empire couldn’t contain him. He died in a foreign land, with no one to mourn him. If humans truly controlled their fate, no king would end up destitute and far from home. These are daily occurrences we overlook, calling them coincidences, not realizing that the universe has no place for chance or accident. Everything is part of a divine, interconnected system governed by Allah’s will. What is man but a puppet? Just as the universe’s agents move the strings, so too does man move through life. When the strings stop, life ends. Detachment cannot be realized until one truly understands that all things are from Allah. Once a person sees that every action, large or small, is part of a divine order, a new pattern of detachment is formed. As life unfolds, the connections between events are so clear and undeniable that one can only acknowledge that everything happens as Allah wills. We all know that true belief in something only emerges when it unfolds without any intention, control, or resources, and continues to manifest on its own. Once, I was sitting in my room, rewriting my notes between Asr and Maghrib, when guests arrived from Lahore. Normally, with dinner approaching, I would have thought to prepare food for them. But at that time, I had no provisions, and my clothes consisted only of a lungi and vest. It’s a separate story how I endured the weather in such attire. Yet, when Allah wills, He grants strength and ease, and even the toughest challenges pass quickly. To make it brief, I thought of borrowing five rupees from a neighbor to arrange food. But I hesitated, fearing embarrassment if they refused. I also considered borrowing food from a nearby hut, but my heart rejected it. I remained quiet, trusting that if Allah willed, He would provide. As I stepped outside, a five-rupee note fell from the roof, making a sound as it hit the ground. I was struck with fear, but then I realized: this was from Allah. I picked up the note, and food was easily arranged.