The high ranks and closeness to Allah achieved by the Awliya Allah are primarily due to two fundamental qualities: Ikhlas (sincerity) and Tawakkul (trust in Allah).
Ikhlas means every action should be performed solely for the pleasure of Allah, without seeking recognition or praise from creation. Human praise is temporary and will perish.
When one's intention is to please others, Allah might allow that praise to occur, but the action loses its true spiritual value. For example, if a reciter is concerned about mistakes only when others are listening, their intention is flawed. A true believer is indifferent to human praise or criticism, acting purely for Allah.
Tawakkul means to adopt the necessary means but then place complete reliance on Allah for the outcome. Do not depend on your own efforts or actions, but on Allah's grace and assistance.
An anecdote illustrates this: A person who performed extensive worship desired Jannah based on their deeds. However, they were shown that Jannah is attained solely through Allah's grace, not by the merit of one's actions alone, as even their vast worship was not enough to earn water in a moment of extreme thirst without Allah's direct grace.
Even Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) emphasized that entry into Paradise is by Allah's grace, not purely by deeds, highlighting the importance of reliance on Allah's mercy.
The 'noor' (light) gained from correct intentions and good deeds needs to be preserved by abstaining from sins. Sins are like opening 'windows' (through the eyes, ears, mouth, etc.) that cause the accumulated light to diminish and disappear from the heart. Just as an air-conditioned room loses its coolness if windows are open, the heart loses its spiritual light when indulged in sins.