“Rumi said: "In death and sleep, you are free from all concerns; If you want eternal life, die; How lucky is a man who dies before he dies; You are everything when you become nothing; You are all when you are without your self; Die before you die; I am alive because my self is dead; You have freedom in sleep and death; Do not be afraid of the death of your self; After my self died, I found life; Until you do not kill your ego, you will not get rid of it." Attar said: "He who is annihilated in God (ultimate reality) is free and eternal: You are conscious, if you wake up from your sleep: You must be without you: You are free while asleep and after death; You must be without your self all of the time; If you want eternal life, die before you die: You must wake up from your sleep." Ansari said: "I found life after my self died; Leave your self today: Love is annihilation in a lover: The death of your self gives you eternal life." …” “… By "dying," before the real death of the body, mystics meant that a seeker of Knowledge must develop the ability to absolutely free himself from all earthly concerns, as if he had died. The seeker must reach a state of mind in which nothing matters, as in sleep or death, to find Knowledge.” [Source: The Meaning and Purpose of Existence and The Ultimate Reality by Kazem Fani] The saying, “die before you die", is attributed to the prophet Mohammad. It, of course, communicates the Sufi teaching of "fana" or annihilation. But, are there limits to this teaching? Please consider a parable of the space shuttle. The shuttle begins fixed to the earth. It takes the energy and action of the external fuel tank and its solid fuel boosters for the earth’s attractive force to be broken. Thereafter, there is a point where the space shuttle must become detached from that which initially caused it to soar. If it does so, the shuttle will achieve orbit and one purpose of its existence will be achieved. If not, it will crash and burn. We must, as stated by Kazem Fani, become detached from earthly concerns. However, can an attachment to that which begins our spiritual journey eventually become deleterious? Could this apply to our understandings? Our beliefs? What else?
Asalaamalaykum Wr Wb Wm, While reading a book on Jalaludin Rumi, I couldnt let go the following sentence: Die before u die! Can anyone tell me wot the meaning is? Or your opion? Walaykum assalaam Wr Wb Wm.
