“Firar, which literally means to run away from something, is used in Sufism to denote the journey from the created to the Creator, sheltering from the ‘shadow’ in the ‘original,’ and renouncing the ‘drop’ of water in order to plunge into the ‘ocean.’ Further, it means discontent with the piece of glass (in which the Sun is reflected) and the turning to the ‘Sun,’ thereby escaping the confinement of self-adoration to ‘melt away’ in the rays of the Truth. The verse flee to God (51:50), which points to a believer’s journeying in heart and in spirit, refers to this action of the heart, the spiritual intellect. The more distant people are from the suffocating atmosphere of corporeality and the carnal dimension, the nearer they are to God, and the more respect they have for themselves. Let us hear from Prophet Moses, upon him be peace, a loyal devotee at the door of the Truth, how one fleeing to and taking shelter in God is rewarded: Then I fled from you [Pharaoh] when I feared you, and my Lord has granted to me the power of judging (justly and distinguishing between truth and falsehood, and right and wrong) and has made me one of His Messengers (26:21).

Prophet Moses states that the way to spiritual pleasure and meeting with God, the Divine vicegerency and nearness to Him goes through a stage of fleeing. Ordinary people flee from life’s tumults and sin’s ugliness to take refuge in God’s forgiveness and favor. They declare or consider the meaning of: My Lord, forgive and have compassion, for You are the Best of the Compassionate (23:118). They seek God’s shelter in total sincerity, saying: I take refuge in You from the evil of what I have done. Those distinguished by their piety and nearness to God flee from their own lesser qualities to the Divine Attributes, from feeling with their outward senses to discerning and observing with the heart, from ceremonial worship to its innermost dimension, and from carnal feelings to spiritual sensations. This is what is referred to in: O God, I take refuge in Your approval from Your wrath, and in Your forgiveness from Your chastisement. The most advanced in knowledge and love of God and in piety flee from Attributes to the Divine Being or Essence, and from the Truth to the Truth Himself. They say: I take refuge in You from You, and are always in awe of God.”¹⁾

Taking Shelter (I’tisam)

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