Obscurity is Part of Sincerity

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

Obscurity is part of sincerity.  Indeed, it is usually only achieved by it since the self has no portion in it.  Our shaykh taught us that as long as we see ourselves in worship, in anything, as long as we think it is us in any capacity, there is duality.  There can be no other besides Allah (s.w.t.).  There will never be sincerity as long as the doctrine of tawhid is not realised for true sincerity is the absence of self. 

It is impossible for the self to be present with the Divine.  As long as the self is present, the Divine is Absent.  True sincerity is to be absent in the Presence so that one is Present, and not to be present with the absent.  And hence why the Path can never be realised without the first fana’.  Sincerity is, thus, an aspect of annihilation.  The self will always want, will always yearn.  Even the wanting of Allah (s.w.t.) is a want.  It is a portion of the self manifesting as piety.