Embracing Letting Go: Reflections on Allah's Name Al-Baqi

In our journey towards faith, we often find ourselves clinging to identities, achievements, and the roles we play in life. Yet, there comes a time when we must ask ourselves: Who am I beyond all these superficial appearances and masks? This is the essence of one of the Names of Allah, Al-Baqi, the eternal pathway that guides us to discover what remains when we release our attachments to everything we do and accomplish.

The Pathways of the Heart

The pathways of the heart invite us down many seemingly contradictory paths that all lead to one goal—the discovery of our true selves. This journey is deeply personal and often difficult to articulate. It involves letting go, surrendering, and learning even under the most challenging conditions. It means acting with passion and courage when necessary, yet not holding on to any motto or philosophy as our sole guide.

Letting Go to Discover the Divine

The spiritual life is about gradually letting go of everything we identify with as “I.” The spiritual life of every one of us is the drama of the soul. It’s the crucifixion and the resurrection. The Sufis use the term fana, meaning to dissolve oneself into the divine. When we let go of ourselves, nothing remains except the face of Allah. This is the state of baqa.

Rumi illustrates this with a story: A king once asked a dervish, “When you stand in the presence of Allah, would you please remember me?” The dervish replied, “When I’m standing in that presence, I don’t even remember myself. How can I remember you?”

The Call to Trust and Surrender

Perhaps life is calling us to let go, trust, and find a deeper center within ourselves, even as things around us seem to be falling away. Sometimes, letting go is not a choice but a necessity. Other times, we can choose to let go consciously. In either case, this pathway reminds us, with love and respect:

"All is not as it once was. All is not today as it will be. Eventually, only the face of the One remains."

Finding Peace in Allah’s Eternal Presence

Let’s embrace the power of letting go and trust in the eternal presence of Allah, finding peace and fulfillment in His love. By reflecting on Al-Baqi, we are reminded that what truly lasts is not our worldly achievements or identities but our connection with Allah, the Eternal.