“Negahdasht” means vigilance, and it signifies the seeker’s effort to expel all distracting thoughts and whispers from the heart, staying alert to prevent any harmful thoughts from settling in the heart, which could lead to difficulties in their removal. When external distractions and thoughts cease, the seeker will achieve a state of “jama’iyat” and tranquility, eventually reaching the station of “fana” (annihilation) of the heart. If thoughts still persist or do not fade away, the seeker should immerse in the remembrance of Allah and envision their complete and perfect spiritual guide, which, God willing, will free them from unwanted thoughts and whispers.
Hazrat Khwaja Bahauddin Naqshband Bukhari (may Allah sanctify his secret) advises that the seeker should stop the onset of intrusive thoughts and imaginations from the beginning. Once they manifest and the soul inclines towards them, and once their impact strengthens within the soul, it becomes challenging to dispel them.
After mastering vigilance, not only does the seeker stay away from alien thoughts and dangers, but sometimes they become so absorbed in their spiritual state that they are unaware even of their own existence. It is reported about Khwaja Khwajagan, Hazrat Peer Mitha Rahmatpuri (may Allah’s mercy be upon him), that he was so engrossed in preaching and advising that he was oblivious to hunger, thirst, heat, and cold. He lived a long life, consuming only a tiny amount of food, yet his passion for preaching was such that his sermons, starting after Fajr prayer, would continue until noon or even after offering the Zuhr prayer.