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UNITY OF BEING VERSUS UNITY OF MANIFESTATION 245acceptance of the doctrine. He remained in this condition ofself-distrust for quite some time until he finally rejectedthe doctrine since the relatively lower position occupiedby it was demonstrated to him. Thereafter he attainedthe stage of zilliyat or adumbration which is a stage higherthan the former. This meek-spirited had no choice in hisrejection of the doctrine and, in fact, he never wanted togo ahead of the stage which had been the destination ofmany an eminent mystic. But, when he reached the stageof zilliyat he found that his own being and the worldwere adumbrations (of the Ultimate Being). He longed toremain even at the latter stage since he still consideredWahdat-ul-Wujud as the acme of illumination and the twostages were rather congenial to one another. The fatehad, however, willed it otherwise. The grace and mercyof God helped him to advance to still higher stages and ultimatelyhe^attained the stage of ‘abdiyat (servitude)i Itwas then that he realised the perfection and loftiness ofthat stage. Then he repented and,regretted his longingsfor the lower stages. Had this poor in spirit not beengradually advanced from one stage to another and alsonot been shown their ascending orders, he would have perhapstaken this stage (of ‘abdiyat) as a regression of spiritualexperience for he had earlier been convinced that therewas no stage higher to the Wahdat-ul-Wujud. Sure enough,Allah sayeth tht truth and showeth the way.”1Moderate Views about Ibn ‘ArabiMujaddid disagreed with Ibn ‘Arab! but his criticism ofthe latter was always moderate and showed no signs of rancouragainst him. In a letter included in the first volume of the1. Maktubat, Vol I, No. 160 to Yar Muhammad Al-Jadid al-Badakihi«r*