Fana (Sufism) [2]

In this annihilation of consciousness of humanity, transformation into the divine, and disappearance in relation to human qualities, the Sufi is at the last stage of his journey. First there is annihilation of human qualities, then of the vision of God, and finally annihilation of annihilation, the perfect state of fana. Existence is only through existence of God. He passes away from the human qualities such as ignorance, injustice and ingratitude, although the essence of humanity itself is not destroyed but transformed by the divine light.

This state of mystical annihilation, of absorption in God, literally of "passing away", has been equated with transcendental consciousness.

The thirteenth stage in a systematic account of various stations of the Sufi spiritual path. However, according to Shaykh Abu Sa'id ibn Abi'l-Khayr, this is the 21st of 40 stations or maqamat the Sufi must possess for his journey on the path of Sufism to be acceptable. Idries Shah speaks of this state as being the goal of the first of four journeys towards total development.