Fana' fi al- Rasul : The Utmost Degree of Devotion to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ - Marcia Hermansen Ph.D.- Sufi Illuminations Journal Vol.4 No.1 Spring 2008

 The following paper will consider the theme of the utmost degree of love and devotion to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ  among the mystics is characterized as “annihilation in the Prophetﷺ " (fana’ fi- al-Rasul).[1] In Sufi thought the two terms, fana’ and baqa’ are used as pairs in order to illuminate their respective qualities. “Fana’” in English is sometimes translated as “annihilation” and when indicating the role of a spiritual seeker, this may allude to the idea of the loss of self-identification or ego consciousness in the awareness of something far greater and encompassing. Abu Sa’id Kharraz ( d. 899),[2] one of the earliest Sufis to speak about fana’, is quoted by al-Hujwiri in the Kashf al-Mahjub as saying, Annihilation (fana’) of a person is the person’s extinction from perceiving his own servitude (‘ubudiyyat), and subsistence is the person’s subsistence in witnessing Divinity (ilahiyyat), i. e., it is an imperfection to be conscious in one’s actions that one is a servant, and one attains to real servitude (bandagi) when one no longer regards the actions as his own, but is annihilated so as not to see them, and becomes subsistent through beholding the grace of Almighty God. Hence, all one’s actions are referred to God, not to one’s self, and whereas a person’s actions that are connected to himself are imperfect, those that are attached to him by God are perfect. Once the God’s servant is annihilated from his own attachments, he subsists through the beauty (jamal) of Divinity.[3] al-Hujwiri’s Kashf al-Mahjub further relates fana to safa—“being pure from all existing things”. al-Hujwiri quotes Ibrahim ibn Shayban, an early Sufi, who says, “the knowledge of annihilation and subsistence (fana’ and baqa) turns on sincerity (ikhlas) and unity (wahidiyya) and true servitude; all else is error and heresy”.[4] al-Kalabadhi (d. 995) also spoke of fana and baqa. For example, he describes how there are two kinds of people in the station of fana’; some who should not be followed as models since they are absent from their own attributes, although they are preserved in their duties to God, and others who are leaders to be followed since they have the qualities of subsistence (baqa’) and manage their affairs though the divine qualities, not through their own attributes.[5] We later see the polarity of fana’ and baqa’ expressed in the teaching of the Naqshbandi Sufi Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi (d. 1625), author of the well-known collection of letters, Maktubat [6] In Sirhindi’s formulation, baqa was associated with the station of the Prophet ﷺ  returns to the world and humanity to work for social and spiritual upliftment after having passed through the state of annihilation or self-effacement (fana’) in the realization of the divine.[7] Recently scholars of Islam in the West have been debating the origin and emphasis of the doctrine of devotion to the Prophet in Sufi thought. Some have identified it as symptomatic of a modern reformist attitude moving away from the idea of mystical union in the divine through accentuating the personality of the Prophet ﷺ , the study of his sayings, the hadith.[8] In response, others [9] have tried to show that the idea of the Prophet ﷺ , the Perfect Man and a particular object of devotion is an early and persistent theme in Sufism which can be traced to certain doctrines of Ibn ‘Arabi which were given a practical as well as a philosophical articulation in the works of ‘Abd al-Karim al-Jili (ca. 1408). I might further add that even in the case of later Sufis this emphasis on the veneration of the Prophet ﷺ  not diminish the emphasis on trying to draw nearer to Allah, it is rather a means to this end. When it comes to the issue of the source for these concepts, it must be emphasized that the Sufis of the past drew on the Qur’an and the hadith for their understanding of the Prophetﷺ , augmented and interpreted of course by their own spiritual experience. For example, an early work such as the Kitab al-Tawasin of Mansur al-Hallaj (922) may be seen in part as a commentary on Chapter 53 of the Qur’an (al-Najm) which elaborates the spiritual role of the Prophet ﷺ  in its symbols. The Quranic verses most often cited in the context of discussing the concept of “fana’ fi al-Rasul” are: “Surely you possess a noble nature” (khuluq ‘azim). (68:4) According to Ibn ‘Arabi’s interpretation the Qur’an’s commendation to the Prophet ﷺ that he has a noble nature (khuluq ‘azim) is a reference to the perfection of Muhammad’s ﷺ  of his own original nature, created upon the divine form.[10] This process of coming to manifest the Divine Attributes is known as “takhalluq”. Yet another Qur’anic verse related to devotion to the Prophet ﷺ , “If you love Allah then follow me, so Allah will love you.” (3:31) “In tuhibbuna Allah, f-attabi’uni yuhbibkum Allah” This verse certainly represents devotion to the Prophet ﷺ  the connection between this love and following the the injunctions of the Islamic law (shari’a). In addition to these Qur’anic verses whose outer meanings clearly point to the spiritual effects of utmost love and devotion to the Prophet ﷺ,  there are many esoteric allusions in the Qur’an as well as many citations in the hadith referring to this spiritual role. Some of these will be mentioned during the course of this paper. Sufis have often commented on the meaning of hadith such as “Whoever sees me has seen his Lord”,[11] which discuss the results of love for the Prophet ﷺ  developing the connection to him. Iqbal uses this hadith as part of the following verse:[12] bi-chashm-i man nagah avardeh-i tust furugh-i la ilah avardehi tust ducharam kon bi subh-i „man ra’an’i” shabam-ra tab-i mah avardehi tust! It is you (O Holy Prophet ﷺ ) who has brought me insight It is you, who has brought “there is no God but Allah”’s light , Enlighten me with the dawn of, “Whoever has seen me” It is you who has brought the illumination of the moon to my night. Having made these introductory points, in the following part of this paper I would like to discuss some theoretical and practical dimensions of the doctrine of fana’ fi al-Rasul or the utmost degree of love and devotion for the Prophetﷺ . I will first discuss some of the Sufi expressions of the concept of fana fi-al-Rasul. What does fana’ mean? In Arabic it conveys the idea of “passing away” or “annihilation”. For example in Sura al-Rahman the Qur’an says “everything upon earth is perishing and the face of God remains” (55:27). We have shown that early Sufis used the concept of fana’, but the specific connection of fana’ with devotion to the Prophet was only gradually elaborated in their writings. Thus it can be asserted that in early Sufism, the precise expression “fana’ fir-rasul” was not used, although allusions implying such a concept can be traced, especially in post-Ibn ‘Arabi (d. 1240) writings. An important step in this process was the articulation of the Prophet’s ﷺ  station using the expression “al-insan al-kamil”, indicating the idea of the perfect or complete human exemplar.[13] By the time of al-Jili this had become a concept capable of extensive philosophical and doctrinal articulation of the Prophet’sﷺ role in an exemplary and ontological sense. A further aspect of this doctrine is the high rank of Muhammad ﷺ , the Prophets and the Perfect men is demonstrated, according to Ibn ‘Arabi, by the hadith in which Muhammad ﷺ  that he was given the all-comprehensive words (jawami’ al-kalim). These words, according to Ibn ‘Arabi, represent the names of Allah and indicate the all-inclusiveness of the message brought by Muhammad ﷺ and why he will be the master of humanity of the Day of Resurrection. This indicates that the religion brought by Muhammad ﷺ comprises all other revealed religions and that he is the most perfect of perfect men. In addition it is interpreted by “the Greatest Shaykh”, Ibn ‘Arabi, as referring to Sufi practices of devotion to the Prophet ﷺ . Another element of doctrine connected with the fana’ fir-Rasul concept is the relationship between the divine plane (lahut) and the human plane (nasut) as mediated by the Prophet ﷺ . Thus, while humanity forms a barzakh—boundary or point of mediation—between the spiritual and the material worlds, in the sense that Adam is composed of both the earthly matter and the divine spirit (ruh),[14] the Perfect Human being, i. e., the Prophet ﷺ , constitutes the Supreme Barzakh (al-barzakh al-a’la).[15] In Sufi tafsir and terminology this relation of the barzakh is coded in the Qur’anic references to the “maraja al-bahrayni yaltaqian, baynahuma barzakhun la yabghian.” (al-Rahman 55:19-20). “He has given freedom to the two great bodies of water so that they might meet, yet between them is a barrier which they may not transgress.”[16] The two seas here are said to represent the higher and lower realms, or the divine and human level.  Another allusion to the role the Prophet ﷺ  as a bridge or station on the way to the realization of God is the expression (qab qausayn )--" the distance of two bow spans", mentioned in al-Najm. (Q. 53:9), " He descended and drew nearuntil He was two bow spans away or nearer". The Sufi, Abd al-Rahman al-Jili, has written a treatise on this topic entitled, Qab-iQausayn wa Multaqa al-Namusayn (" A distance of two bow spans and the meeting of two realms ).[17] Note that al-Jili's more famous work , al-Insan al-Kamil fi Ma'rifat al-Awakhir wa al-Awail, [18] is considered an important development in the concept of fana fi al-Rasul since in it he elaborates the concept of the " Perfect Human Being" indicated more briefly in Ibn Arabi. It was also al-Jili who explained how the most highly developed Sufis could begin to merge aspects of their individual consciousness with the consciousness of the Prophet   . [19]   Further elaboration of the concept of fana’ fir-Rasul may be found Muhammad Lahiji's (d.1516) commentary on the Gulshan-i Raz of Mahmud Shabistari (d.1320). According to Annmarie Schimmel ,  "This poem (Ghulshan-i Raz) is the handiest introduction to the thought of post-Ibn Arabi Sufism; it deals with the Perfect Man, the stages of development, and mystical terminology, among other things.[20] The selection quoted below is cited from the chapter,"The Station of Muhammad ﷺ is the Pinnacle of Perfection of the Realized Ones (wasilan)".[21] Since the furthest limit of the perfection of the perfect ones and those who have achieved union ends at the station of the praised one, Muhammad ﷺ -- he (Shabistari) said, " Follow the footsteps of Muhammad ﷺ in the Mi'raj (the Night Journey) in which the Prophetﷺ  ascended to meet with Allah)'. First comes the perfection of existent things and the Seal of the Prophets ﷺ , due to the ascension (mi'raj) of baqa after fana, and sobriety after intoxication.Then comes the (stage of) traveling in  God (sair billah) which is the station of his (the Prophet's ﷺ  constancy and the transcending of otherness and duality as indicated in the hadith--" whosoever see me sees (the truth) God".[22] This is the station of confirmation ( tahaqquq) in true existence without non-existence, knowledge without ignorance, power without weakness and will without compulsion, and this is the level of " so that through Me he hears and through Me he he sees and through Me he speaks".[23] We can thus observe how the Sufi, Lahiji, in his commentary explaining Shabistari's poem is using concepts drawn from the Qur'an and hadith. For example, he cites both the hadith, " Whoever sees me (man ra'ani), [24] the hadith of supererogatory practices (nawafil) [25] which states that a worshipper approaches God through extra acts of worship and devotion until God become the source of all his actions. Each hadith can be related to how the stage of fana' fi al-Rasul leads to the further station of annihilation in the Divine consciousness ( fana' fillah ).          Continuing with Lahiji's text: Since the Muhammadan station which is the oneness of union (ahadiyyat al- jam') is an expression of the union of the end point with the beginning he (Shabistari) says:   " One the end point reaches the beginning--There you find no place for either angel or messenger," [26]

This then, also refers to transition from annihilation in the Messenger  (fina'fi al-Rasul) to annihilation in the divine (fan' fillah) through mentioning a hadith describing the station attained at the height of the Mi'raj. A further relevant selection drawn from the commentary on the Gulshan-i Raz is the chapter entitled," The Spiritual Path of the Saint (Wali) in Attaining the Rank of Mahbubiyyat (Belovedness) and Wilayat (Friendship/Saintship)" Lahiji writes: Since without perfect love which is a connection between God and the creation, reaching the station of perfection cannot be attained, Shabistari says that:" You must go from the level of " in kuntum tuhibbuni" (if you love me) to the place of seclusion of " yuhbibkum Allah" (God will love you)." This is a reference to the Quranic verse 3:31), " Say if you love Allah, then follow me (the Prophet) and God will love you." This citation evokes the Sufi terminology of the "muhibb" and the "mahbub". A Sufi once explained to me the relationship of the muhibb and the mahbub on the spiritual path. The muhib is the one who is aspiring to fulfill love and who is making efforts towards perfection and love Allah and his Prophet  -- but the muhibb,like lovers of this world , must be vigilant and aware of his faults, he will be held to account for his smallest imperfections and errors. The muhibb on other hand is that enviable state of what we might call in today's language being " the recipient of unconditional love", the muhibb basks in the delight and ecstasy of knowing and receiving this divine love, seemingly without any effort.[27] In Sufism progress is conceived of as occurring from "fana' fi al- Shaykh" to "fana' fi al-Rasul" and then to "fina fillah". The secret of this is that often it takes the attention of the spiritual teacher, the Shaykh or Pir, to awaken the aspirant to these other levels. The love of the Shaykh allows the Sufi to experience the quality of belovedness ( mahbubiyyat), so that she or he can develop this relation to the Prophet  . In turn, the overwhelming effect of becoming conscious of the spiritual reality of the Messenger  transforms the love of individual to a cosmic love which prepares for the experience of the constant love of Allah which sustains all beings. Returning to the commentary on the Gulshan-i Raz, Lahiji further observes,  "Thus due to loving me ( Muhammad ) characteristic of belovedness (muhbubiyyat) will become present in you and just as I am the beloved of God, you will also become the beloved of God because of this connection to me, and God will love you and through the decree of, "When I love him I become his hearing and his sight", you will reach the rank of " perfected one" and union, at the station of wilayat of the Prophet  which is " Essential Unity" (tauhid-i dhati);--that of " la yasa'uni fihi malak muqarrab wa la nabi mursal", ( there is no place for any near angel or any Prophetic messenger ) [28] and you will become a location of the manifestation of the Muhammadan perfections, may the peace and blessings ofAllah be upon him." 

Poem: Out of love he became the beloved of God ------------Whatever he desired became the will of God    Love became the manifestation of harmony -------- --------------------  Without love the world is imperfect    Due to love fire becomes light --------------------------------- --------Due to love the demon became a hour      Due to love thorns became roses --------------------------------- ----      Due to love vinegar became honey      Once the sun of love begins to shine -- --------Mastery becomes servitude and servitude becomes mastery

Along this same theme, a further line from Shabistari, " From 'if you love me' you will achieve it" Lahiji comments on this line, saying: " That is, lover (muhibb) of God and the supreme lover ( ashiq-i mutlaq) since he knows that the means of achieving the desired end which is attaining union with the Beloved, depends on obeying the Prophet  and on following his speech, actions, and deeds, according to one's ability , will give priority to making attempts and efforts to follow in the footsteps of the Prophet  on the path of Shari'a and Tariqa. Every mirror in which the belovedness of the Holy Prophet  shines through the saint (wali) finds a way to the place of solitude of "Allah will love you" which is the rank of " Mahbubiyyat". Then the "muhibb" and the "mahbub" become single entity and all duality and otherness is eliminated." Once love becomes perfected, the friend of Allah (wali), due to his following the Prophet  , certainly attains the rank of " belovedness" (mahbubiyyat) of Allah which is, "Follow me, and Allah will love you". [30] We see the doctrine of fana' fi al-Rasul fully articulated in the later 18th century work, 'Ilm al-Kitab, [31] of the Naqshbandi Sufi and Urdu poet, Khwaja Mir Dard (d.1785) who writes,  " Since the Prophet is an intermediary (wasta) between humans and God the exalted, fana fi-l-llah is impossible without fana' fi-l-rasul. Thus the spiritual guide (murshid) is an intermediary and means of connection (wasila) between the Umma and the Prophet  . Without fana fi al-Shaykh, fana fi al-Rasul is illusory and imaginary." [32] In every Sufi tariqa, according to the masters of the spiritual path, there have been  determined to be three types of fana, firstly fana fi-l-shaykhs. , second fana fi-r-rasul, and thirdly, fana fi-llah. Proximity (qurb) to Allah will not be acieved by the spiritual aspirant (salik) without these fanas.  They say that the salik progresses from the degree of fana fi-s-shaykh and by means of of the Pir then arrives at the level of fana fi al-Rasul," [33]                        

   Practical Aspects: Now we consider what have the Sufis have said about the ways to achieve fana' fi al-Rasul. According to Sufi theory, the utmost level of love and devotion for the Prophet ﷺ is achieved through following both the shari'a and tariqa. In Jili's treatise, Qab-i qausayn this may be expressed by the idea that the connection to the Holy Prophet ﷺ ( al-ta'alluq bi-Muhammad   ) is of two types: formal and spiritual, (suri wa ma'navi)[34]. In the Islamic intellectual and spiritual disciplines such as calligraphy and traditional writings, one praises the Prophetﷺ and may even recite the fadha'il, all various ways in which Muhammad ﷺ is the most superior being in all creation, spiritually, morally and physically. al-Jili suggests that this practice enables one to picture the physical form of the Prophetﷺ as a preliminary to the experiencing a vision of the Prophet [35] ﷺ . Al-Jili cites the hadith which mentions that a person does not have a faith until he loves Muhammad ﷺ  more than himself, his property and his children. [36] If you do not yet have this love, al-Jili says, you must recognize that your faith id deficient, so constantly ask God's forgiveness ( astaghfir'Allah ), repent for your sins and remember the Prophet ﷺ , demonstrating proper respect for him, doing what he commanded and avoiding what he forbad (i.e; by following the Shari'a and Sunna), so that you can reach this (love) and be gathered with him on the Day of Judgement. For he has said, "A man will be with one he has loved". [37]                                                           On the theme of praising and remembering the Prophet ﷺ Urdu poet has said;                                        Bandigi ka husn barhkar hadd see bee hadd ho gaya--hamd kartee kartee Ahmad see Muhammad ho gaya   " The beauty of servitude kept increasing until it transcended all limitation , By continuously praising Allah, the one who praised so much ( Ahmad) himself became worthy of praise (Muhammad )"  [38].  The act of praising or sending blessings ( salawat or darud sharif) on the Prophet ﷺ is based on the   Qur'anic Verse (Q. 33:56) which states: " Allah and His angels send blessings on the Prophet ﷺ .O you who believe send peace and blessings upon him." " Inna' Allah wa mala'ikatahu yusalluna 'ala al-Nabi.Ya ayyuha alladhina amnu sallu 'alaihi wa sallimu tasliman". Following the pattern of many classical Islamic texts, al-Jili divides the ways of cultivating the connection with the Prophetﷺ into two main types, each of which has two sub-categories.[39] The first type of cultivation in the level of formal practices, the first category of these consisting of complete obedience to what was ordered in the Qur'an and Shari'a, in one's words, actions, and beliefs. The second sub-category of "formal" connection involves following the Prophetﷺ with intense love until you experience your love for him in your entire being. al-Jili exclaims, " For I find my love for him, by Allah, in my heart, soul, body, hair, and skin--just as I feel cool water running through my whole being after performing intense exertions in great heat." [40] al-Jili notes that love for the Prophetﷺ is incumbent on everyone as God has said, " The Prophetﷺ is more deserving of the believers," (Q. 33:6) and he ﷺ said , " Until I am dearer to him than himself, his property and his children". [41] The second type of connection is the spiritual (ma'nawi ) connection, the first category of which may be attained by keeping the Prophet's ﷺ image constantly in mind. al-Jili suggests among ways to to cultivate this spiritual attachment to the Prophetﷺ is the contemplation of his virtues with awe and respect. If this is too difficult or abstract, then calling to mind his image if you have seen him in a dream; if not , constantly sending blessings on him. During your dhikr imagine yourself with him in this life. If you haven't done this but have visited imagine his tomb, you may recall its image in your mind with such respect and awe that it is as if you experience his spiritual reality manifesting to you.[42]. Al-Jili further counsels: "Know that the reality of Muhammad ﷺ has an appearance at every plane of existence ( 'alam ) corresponding to the condition of that plane so his appearance in the physical world is not like his appearance in the world of spirits because the bodily world is restricted to an extent which does not permit what can be encompassed by the spirit world. Neither is his manifestation in the world of spirits like his appearance in the world of ideas, because the world of ideas is subtler than the world of spirits and more expansive.  Therefore, his appearance on the earth is not like his appearance in the heavens and his appearance in the heavens is not like his appearance at the right side of the Throne and his appearance at the right side of the Throne is not like his appearance before Allah, praised and exalted, above the Throne where there is no place or quality. The higher the station, more perfect and complete is his manifestation that at the lower station. Every manifestation has a majesty and awe in proportion to the position until it concludes at a place where no one among the prophets or angels may be seen and this is the meaning of his ﷺ statement,    " I have time with Allah which no one can share except my Lord" or another version , " I have a time with Allah which has no room for any near angel nor any messenger who has been sent".[43] So raise your zeal, my brother, so as to see him at highest manifestations at their greatest spiritual ranks, for he is he ﷺ .  I counsel you, O my brother, to constantly keep him before you in image and idea, and if you are diligent and keep him in mind always, in a short time as your soul develops closeness with him, he will appear to you externally and you can speak with him and address him, and he will love you and he will speak with you and address you and you will have attained the rank of being " one of the Companions", may Allah be pleased with them and you will become permanently attached to them, God willing," [44]  The second category of establishing spiritual attachment or connection to the Prophetﷺ is by  recognizing that he is the isthmus ( barzakh ) between the two sides of existence -- the eternal and the created. [45] This is associated with the image of two-bow spans mentioned in the Qur'anic verse, " He drew near and suspended, and was two bow-spans away or closer" (Q. 53:9). [46] The image here, according to Sufi commentary, is that of a circle ( the circle of existence) composed of two bows--the line dividing the circle into two halves is the string of each bow.[47] The early Sufi work, Kitab al-Tawasin of al-hallaj, had already discussed this symbol in esoteric terms. The distance between them was 'two bow spans'. He hit the mark of 'where' (ayn) with the arrow of 'between' (bayn). He stated there were two bow spans to specify the exact place, and 'or' because of un-delineated nature of the Essence, 'a little closer' is the Essence of the Essence". [48] The bow string represents the balance between the things of this world and the spiritual realm--again, this could be an image of the balance between the rules of Shari'a, the external or Zahir --and the Tariqa--the inner and spiritual dimension behind these practices and indeed all activities. This idea the intermediary state ( barzakh ) is also seen in the Sufi concept of the 'alam al-khalq  ( the world of created existence ) and the 'alam al-'amr ( the world of the divine command ). The Prophet ﷺ who transmits this 'amr is the bridge between the worlds. Similarly, in the Chishti spiritual path the station of the Prophetﷺ is associated with the realm of Jabarut, the World of Divine Dominion, between the realm of Lahut (divine) and Nasut (human). This is above the Malakut or angelic plane and esoterically we can see the interpretation of being commanded by the Shari'a as in the story, the Primordial Covenant ( mithaq) and the creation of Adam. One interpretation is that human beings are linked to the divine through divine command and obeying the Shari'a at a station even above the plane of angels. The Prophet ﷺ  had brought this blessing to humanity through transmitting the divine command ( 'amr ). Another esoteric reference to fana' fi al-Rasul is the idea of sharh al-sadr ( the opening of heart ) referred to, for example , in Qur'an. (94:1).[49]  At one level sharh al-sadr is the experience of the opening of the heart and human consciousness to the divine love. In this, the Prophet's ﷺ experience is said to open the way. The verses of Qur'an , Chapter 94, promise that after difficulty will come ease. [51] From the experience of the longing lover who must watch every movement on his way to the beloved and who feels the pain of separation at every instant; one draws nearer to God until he or she can experience becoming the beloved of Allah  ( mahbub) who in turn can attain the station of wilayat ( sainthood ) in order to radiate this experience to other seekers, and the world at large. The highest level of "sharh al-sadr" is related to the spiritual organ or receptor (latifa) known in Sufism as the mystery (sirr).[52]. 

Conclusion: I hope I have demonstrated continuity in Sufi thought of the concept of devotion to the Prophet ﷺ as a means to arriving at the highest levels of spiritual perfection. The particular formulation of    "fana' fi al-Rasul" may have been refined and further elaborated over time, but a consistent theme is the necessity to discover, in so far as one can, the aspects of divine love and mercy reflected through the presence of the Holy Prophet ﷺ and through following his guidance at both the levels of the outer law ( Shari'a) and the inner love which attracts to the path of spiritual perfection. As Maulana Rum has said in his Mathnavi, " hich kas ra ta nagardad u fana ---------------------------- nist rah dar bargah-i kibriya                                       chist mi'raj-falak in nisti -----------------------------------'ashiqanra madhab-o-din nisti" [53]   'A person who has not experienced annihilation of self (fana') has no access to the assembly of grandeur --Oh what is the ascent to the highest sphere, it is this non-existence -- The religion of the passionate lovers is this very non-existence.    *** Notes not included

Source: Fana' fi al- Rasul : The Utmost Degree of Devotion to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ - Marcia Hermansen Ph.D.- Sufi Illuminations: A Journal Devoted to the Study of Islam & Sufism-Vol.4 No.1 Spring 2008, Published by Naqshbandiya Foundation for Islamic Education (NFIE)

Utmost State of Devotion for Prophet Muhammad ﷺ : Fana Fi al-Rasul. Dr.Marcia K.Hermansen, Professor of Theology, Director World Islamic Studies ,Loyola University, delivered at International Mawlid un Nabi Conference,1996,UIC,Chicago.Sponsored by Naqshbandiya Foundation for Islamic Education (http://www.nfie.com/)

YouTube Video Lecture: https://youtu.be/6fk3Jz6SrUA?si=5wtkLfb_RGgzlcJn