The self develops and gets to know Allah to the extent that it becomes moralized with the morals of Allah. Until then he knows his Rabb. After the Pleasing Self the way to knowing Allah opens through the names and he is free to advance as much as he can…
The Pleased Self (radhiya) is about overcoming the conditions of the names and finding oneself at the level of the names. The Pleasing self (mardhiya) is about finding oneself at the level of the attributes and observing his essential reality. Not from the point of Rabb but from the point of Rahmaniyyah!
The Pure Self cannot be described or talked about! It is the state of the Absolute Self (dhat)! It is the reflection of the Absolute Self (dhat)! One cannot talk about the Absolute Self; hence it is not possible to talk about the Pure Self.
So then essentially there are three levels to knowing oneself.
The Self-Accusing Self, the Inspired Self and the Peaceful Self.
Until the state of Peaceful Self, one knows only his Rabb. If at the state of the Inspired Self one receives divine inspirations among others (not all inspirations are divine), this will force him to move on to the state of the Peaceful Self.
At the level of the Inspired Self one has the opportunity to turn from Rabbani calls to Divine calls. If he can turn to the divine calls with absolute certainty he will reach the state of the Peaceful Self and his guide (wali) will become Allah (waliyyullah). He will begin to adopt the morals of Allah and embarks on a path to becoming an intimate of Allah.
Let us underline an important point here:
Sainthood (wilayah) is to know Allah. The only way to know Allah is by understanding the secret of Unity (wahdah). Being grateful, being pleased, acknowledging one’s poverty and impotence, and experiencing love are only steps that take one to unity.
If these steps are followed properly and one reaches unity then the door of sainthood will open! One who has not reached the secret of unity cannot become a saint!
Sufism is based entirely on the mystery of unity. For without foregoing your person, your individual notion of a self, and dive into the ocean of unity, you cannot know Allah! And one who does not know Allah cannot be an intimate of Allah (wali - saint).
It’s easy for people to look at one’s deeds, behavior and speech and label as them a saint, especially if they see someone to be above themselves!
Whereas in reality for one to be a saint he must know Allah; he must have reached and experienced the secret of unity and he must have adopted the morals of Allah.
This process begins at the level of the Inspired Self. When he reaches the Peaceful Self he experiences oneness. But only at the level of the Pleasing Self does oneness turn into unity…