LETTER 5: SEARCHING FOR A SPIRITUAL GUIDE
LETTER 5: SEARCHING FOR A SPIRITUAL GUIDE
Sheikh Sharfuddin Yahya Maneri
MORE BYSheikh Sharfuddin Yahya Maneri
In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate!
My brother Shamsuddin, may God honor you in both worlds! You
should know that according to the unanimous opinion of famous
saints of the Way, a novice, after undergoing genuine repentance,
should seek a spiritual guide. He should be perfect, well versed in the
vicissitudes of the Way, and firmly established in his high state. In
short, he should be a man who has experienced both the horror of
God’s majesty and the delight of His beauty. “The learned are the descendants of the prophets.” With regard to the spiritual guide, all
these qualities should have been realized in his person. He should be a
physician skilled in the knowledge of medicines and the types of
treatment to be applied to the defects and ailments for which the novice is seeking a cure. God Himself has said: “Associate with the righteous”’ (Q9:119), that is, associate with the prophets. After them come
the great sheikhs, who are the successors to the prophets, since “the
learned are the descendants of the prophets.” It is a Tradition of explaining the process of succession. “My learned ones are like the
prophets of the People of Israel” is a related Tradition as is the declaration that “a sheikh in his community is like a prophet in his.” This
is especially true if the people have no means of acquiring instruction
in the path of religion from a prophet. [Three illustrative quotes follow. ] .
In the beginning, there was no need either for a prophet or a
sheikh, because the seed is such that it requires nothing except the di-
vine grace in order to fall into the soil of one’s heart: ‘God guides
whomsoever He wishes!” (Q42:52). Wherever that seed is found, some
form of guidance, either through the role of a prophet or that of a
sheikh, the prophet’s deputy, is necessary. As the Quran has attested:
“Surely you guide to the straight path” (Q42:52). And also one finds
many theological arguments in Sufi works on this topic. Among them
we have created a group who guide with the truth (Q7:181). One runs
as follows: It is beyond dispute that the road to the Kaaba is clear and
well known but, without a guide, someone who himself knows the
way, a person cannot travel along it. It is not enough to be able to see
the road with one’s eyes and have enough strength in one’s legs.
Imagine what it must be like on that Road along which 124,000
prophets have traveled, and yet no trace of their journey remains!
Without a guide who knows the way, it is impossible to travel along
this Road.
Remember, too, that an ordinary road is infested with thieves
and robbers, so that one cannot travel along it without an escort. As
for the mystic Way, the world, one’s ego, devils, men, and jinn all in-
fest this Way, thus making it impossible to travel along it without an
experienced, holy man as one’s escort. Remember, further, that there
are many slippery places where it is easy to fall. And one can be
plagued with misfortune and dangers from behind! Many philosophers and worldly minded people, as well as others lacking faith, piety, or any semblance of morality—have become followers of their
own base desires. They have gone without a perfect sheikh or leader
who has reached his goal on this Way, and have instead trusted in
their own intellectual powers. They entered the wilderness where
they fell and perished, losing even their faith.
You are an ant; the Way is like the long tresses of beauty.
Beware, O man, of merely guessing or blindly following others.
But the blessed ones, protected by the riches of the saints, have
passed beyond those hidden dangers and arrived safely at their destination. They managed to progress without mishap and, along the
way, have themselves seen where each has fallen, and also the extent
of his corruption. Other travelers who managed to avoid misfortunes
and pass successfully through various trials at last succumbed to lassitude! If the sheikh is possessed of supernatural powers, ke will be able
to protect the novice from either falling or languishing during his
struggles. The explanations and subtle hints of the sheikh can also
guide the novice to the proper way of acting. Otherwise, the novice
will fall into dissipation or formalism and will lose whatever he has
labored to gain!
Seek the shade of a guide, O blind one!
He will serve you better than any staff.
Humble yourself like straw! Shatter the mountain of pride
That the guide may become a magnet for you!
If you do not do this, then heed the words of Attar:
“Every sorrow you endure will be lost to the wind.”
The pilgrim treading this Path will have to pass through several
spiritual stages.'!© When his soul is stripped bare of its outer garment,
a ray of the divine light will illumine it, and the soul might even, in
this state, perform a miracle as an agent of God. In the experience of
divine union, such as was expressed in the “i am the Truth” of al-
Hallaj, and the “Praise be to me” of Bistami, it is possible to become
proud of being blissfully united to one’s Goal. It becomes apparent
that, although endowed with intellect, knowledge, and understanding, such a person is nevertheless unable to exercise true perception.
If, in this condition, a sheikh who is well versed in spiritual matters
does not guide him, there would be great fear that he might lose his
faith and fall into the wilderness of imagining himself as God incarnate or as one identical with God! In the course of his pilgrimage, he
should expect to be assailed by spiritual crises. Also, various types of
mystical experiences might occur; some might be satanic, others
might be produced by his own ego, still others could come from the
Merciful One Himself. This is all entirely new to the novice and he
cannot discern the source of these spiritual experiences. He needs the
assistance of one well versed in discerning these various spirits, in the
same way as cocks alone understand the crowing of their peers. In the
words of a poet:
How can you comprehend the language of cocks,
Since you have never met a Solomon?
At this stage the novice can by no means make progress unless he
has a God-assisted sheikh to help him, a teacher who is widely experienced in the understanding of spiritual matters.
If someone is keen on gaining admission to the presence of the
king in order to acquire rank and position or a province or palace or a
post near the king, and if he has nothing to merit such gifts from the
hands of the king. then he will have to make friends with one of the
close associates of the king and bind himself to that person because
the latter is a confidant of the king. When the confidant advocates the
case of another, the king does not pay attention to the absence of genie eee! ‘
uine claims and services rendered by the petitioner, for his attention
is on the acceptable qualities of his confidant. The king cannot ignore
what he says but, on the contrary, accedes to his request. If the petitioner by himself had tried for many long years he would not have
obtained what he wanted. In a similar way, the sheikhs are kings close
to the King, and their requests are acceptable to Him. All those who
come to the sheikhs and bind themselves to the sheikhs attain what
they desire. The sheikhs, by their clear glances and purity, learn
many secrets and grasp the suggestions contained in the Quran and
the traditions of the Prophet, such as references to the Path, the
Heart, and the Way. In. order to help novices, the sheikhs draw conclusions from first principles and, according to these conclusions, is-
sue instructions to guide them.
The first instruction applies to the moment when God Almighty
opens the eyes of someone to his deeds so that he can judge the good
as good and the evil as evil. There then wells up within him the intention of expunging the latter, but he does not know how to set about
doing so. What must he do? He should visit some holy person who
lives in a religious sanctuary and bind himself to him with the determination of changing his way of life. He hopes that one of God’s
cherished ones will accept him, fallen and lost as he is, and release!
him from the vice of ungodly selfishness that grips him. Second, if:
any blemish or defect comes to light, the guide should, in a gentle and
compassionate manner, induce the novice to abstain from such
things. Third, the guide should keep him away from bad acquaintances and unsuitable companions, and shouid also forbid him to listen
to their conversation. All that it would take the novice a year to accomplish by himself can be finished off in an hour with the proper
guide! The same holds true in other matters.
It is only possible for the novice to reach an advanced stage with
a spiritual guide through whose assistance he obtains his desire. The
novice might have to associate with two, three, four, or even more
guides in order to reach his Goal. Each guide and each association
would become for him the revelation of a stage, but it would be better
if he made no slur about the guide’s own stage of spiritual growth.
Nor should he point out that the guide has only attained to some particular stage. He should say: “It was allotted to me to get this far from
my association with him. He must have gone higher than this!” This
is a more polite way of talking. The really mature ones of the Way of
the Lord Most High do not preoccupy themselves with stages and
states. If you are associated with a guide, you should not depart from
that place without his permission nor, on your own initiative, dissociate yourself from him. This condition should be kept in mind. If the
novice goes to another guide, or sets out on a fruitless search without
the permission of his own guide, he will not achieve what he desires!
Everyone who acts in such a manner becomes a renegade of the Way.
According to the understanding of the sheikhs, such a person has
really abandoned the Way.
When a novice begins to associate with a spiritual guide, he will
have to spend three years in three types of training. If he stands firm
in obeying these orders, he can then don the real garb of the seeker,
and not merely the conventional one. Unless this procedure is followed, experienced guides insist that the novice cannot be accepted
into the Way. The three requirements are: one year’s service on be-
half of other people, one year devoted to God, and another year spent
in watching over one’s own heart. A novice’s hands should be wide
open in prayer and his tongue moving in supplication, for the prayers
of those who weep and moan find favor in God’s eyes. At such times,
the veil of modesty is lifted, and what one desires should be asked for
importunately. Ask for whatever you wish, and do not get caught up
with trifles! Do not leave the divine threshold or cut yourself off from
Him! You should know that He has lavished everything freely upon
men. Faith, as well as the forgiveness of sins, has been freely bestowed. He is the One who can bestow the whole world if He wants
to. “Is there anyone who begs to be heard? Is there anyone who seeks?
Is there anyone who implores forgiveness?” Something within stirred
me up: “Ask Me; for my generosity knows no bounds! I command
you to ask! If you do not, I shall press you for being lax. I give even
what has not been asked for.”
Even what is not asked for He grants;
If you ask, imagine what He will give.
He is a King: If He so wishes,
He can bestow both worlds upon a beggar!
O brother, all this flows from the divine bounty. There should be
no talk of claims here, since His generosity means that He gives with-
out making any claims. Where there is a question of “what is due”
one cannot talk of generosity, since claims make us feel obligated to
someone. Once obligation enters, debt comes as well and requiting a
debt cannot be considered generosity! [An anecdote of Ali’s generosity foilows.] ¥
Peace!
In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate!
My brother Shamsuddin, may God honor you in both worlds! You
should know that according to the unanimous opinion of famous
saints of the Way, a novice, after undergoing genuine repentance,
should seek a spiritual guide. He should be perfect, well versed in the
vicissitudes of the Way, and firmly established in his high state. In
short, he should be a man who has experienced both the horror of
God’s majesty and the delight of His beauty. “The learned are the descendants of the prophets.” With regard to the spiritual guide, all
these qualities should have been realized in his person. He should be a
physician skilled in the knowledge of medicines and the types of
treatment to be applied to the defects and ailments for which the novice is seeking a cure. God Himself has said: “Associate with the righteous”’ (Q9:119), that is, associate with the prophets. After them come
the great sheikhs, who are the successors to the prophets, since “the
learned are the descendants of the prophets.” It is a Tradition of explaining the process of succession. “My learned ones are like the
prophets of the People of Israel” is a related Tradition as is the declaration that “a sheikh in his community is like a prophet in his.” This
is especially true if the people have no means of acquiring instruction
in the path of religion from a prophet. [Three illustrative quotes follow. ] .
In the beginning, there was no need either for a prophet or a
sheikh, because the seed is such that it requires nothing except the di-
vine grace in order to fall into the soil of one’s heart: ‘God guides
whomsoever He wishes!” (Q42:52). Wherever that seed is found, some
form of guidance, either through the role of a prophet or that of a
sheikh, the prophet’s deputy, is necessary. As the Quran has attested:
“Surely you guide to the straight path” (Q42:52). And also one finds
many theological arguments in Sufi works on this topic. Among them
we have created a group who guide with the truth (Q7:181). One runs
as follows: It is beyond dispute that the road to the Kaaba is clear and
well known but, without a guide, someone who himself knows the
way, a person cannot travel along it. It is not enough to be able to see
the road with one’s eyes and have enough strength in one’s legs.
Imagine what it must be like on that Road along which 124,000
prophets have traveled, and yet no trace of their journey remains!
Without a guide who knows the way, it is impossible to travel along
this Road.
Remember, too, that an ordinary road is infested with thieves
and robbers, so that one cannot travel along it without an escort. As
for the mystic Way, the world, one’s ego, devils, men, and jinn all in-
fest this Way, thus making it impossible to travel along it without an
experienced, holy man as one’s escort. Remember, further, that there
are many slippery places where it is easy to fall. And one can be
plagued with misfortune and dangers from behind! Many philosophers and worldly minded people, as well as others lacking faith, piety, or any semblance of morality—have become followers of their
own base desires. They have gone without a perfect sheikh or leader
who has reached his goal on this Way, and have instead trusted in
their own intellectual powers. They entered the wilderness where
they fell and perished, losing even their faith.
You are an ant; the Way is like the long tresses of beauty.
Beware, O man, of merely guessing or blindly following others.
But the blessed ones, protected by the riches of the saints, have
passed beyond those hidden dangers and arrived safely at their destination. They managed to progress without mishap and, along the
way, have themselves seen where each has fallen, and also the extent
of his corruption. Other travelers who managed to avoid misfortunes
and pass successfully through various trials at last succumbed to lassitude! If the sheikh is possessed of supernatural powers, ke will be able
to protect the novice from either falling or languishing during his
struggles. The explanations and subtle hints of the sheikh can also
guide the novice to the proper way of acting. Otherwise, the novice
will fall into dissipation or formalism and will lose whatever he has
labored to gain!
Seek the shade of a guide, O blind one!
He will serve you better than any staff.
Humble yourself like straw! Shatter the mountain of pride
That the guide may become a magnet for you!
If you do not do this, then heed the words of Attar:
“Every sorrow you endure will be lost to the wind.”
The pilgrim treading this Path will have to pass through several
spiritual stages.'!© When his soul is stripped bare of its outer garment,
a ray of the divine light will illumine it, and the soul might even, in
this state, perform a miracle as an agent of God. In the experience of
divine union, such as was expressed in the “i am the Truth” of al-
Hallaj, and the “Praise be to me” of Bistami, it is possible to become
proud of being blissfully united to one’s Goal. It becomes apparent
that, although endowed with intellect, knowledge, and understanding, such a person is nevertheless unable to exercise true perception.
If, in this condition, a sheikh who is well versed in spiritual matters
does not guide him, there would be great fear that he might lose his
faith and fall into the wilderness of imagining himself as God incarnate or as one identical with God! In the course of his pilgrimage, he
should expect to be assailed by spiritual crises. Also, various types of
mystical experiences might occur; some might be satanic, others
might be produced by his own ego, still others could come from the
Merciful One Himself. This is all entirely new to the novice and he
cannot discern the source of these spiritual experiences. He needs the
assistance of one well versed in discerning these various spirits, in the
same way as cocks alone understand the crowing of their peers. In the
words of a poet:
How can you comprehend the language of cocks,
Since you have never met a Solomon?
At this stage the novice can by no means make progress unless he
has a God-assisted sheikh to help him, a teacher who is widely experienced in the understanding of spiritual matters.
If someone is keen on gaining admission to the presence of the
king in order to acquire rank and position or a province or palace or a
post near the king, and if he has nothing to merit such gifts from the
hands of the king. then he will have to make friends with one of the
close associates of the king and bind himself to that person because
the latter is a confidant of the king. When the confidant advocates the
case of another, the king does not pay attention to the absence of genie eee! ‘
uine claims and services rendered by the petitioner, for his attention
is on the acceptable qualities of his confidant. The king cannot ignore
what he says but, on the contrary, accedes to his request. If the petitioner by himself had tried for many long years he would not have
obtained what he wanted. In a similar way, the sheikhs are kings close
to the King, and their requests are acceptable to Him. All those who
come to the sheikhs and bind themselves to the sheikhs attain what
they desire. The sheikhs, by their clear glances and purity, learn
many secrets and grasp the suggestions contained in the Quran and
the traditions of the Prophet, such as references to the Path, the
Heart, and the Way. In. order to help novices, the sheikhs draw conclusions from first principles and, according to these conclusions, is-
sue instructions to guide them.
The first instruction applies to the moment when God Almighty
opens the eyes of someone to his deeds so that he can judge the good
as good and the evil as evil. There then wells up within him the intention of expunging the latter, but he does not know how to set about
doing so. What must he do? He should visit some holy person who
lives in a religious sanctuary and bind himself to him with the determination of changing his way of life. He hopes that one of God’s
cherished ones will accept him, fallen and lost as he is, and release!
him from the vice of ungodly selfishness that grips him. Second, if:
any blemish or defect comes to light, the guide should, in a gentle and
compassionate manner, induce the novice to abstain from such
things. Third, the guide should keep him away from bad acquaintances and unsuitable companions, and shouid also forbid him to listen
to their conversation. All that it would take the novice a year to accomplish by himself can be finished off in an hour with the proper
guide! The same holds true in other matters.
It is only possible for the novice to reach an advanced stage with
a spiritual guide through whose assistance he obtains his desire. The
novice might have to associate with two, three, four, or even more
guides in order to reach his Goal. Each guide and each association
would become for him the revelation of a stage, but it would be better
if he made no slur about the guide’s own stage of spiritual growth.
Nor should he point out that the guide has only attained to some particular stage. He should say: “It was allotted to me to get this far from
my association with him. He must have gone higher than this!” This
is a more polite way of talking. The really mature ones of the Way of
the Lord Most High do not preoccupy themselves with stages and
states. If you are associated with a guide, you should not depart from
that place without his permission nor, on your own initiative, dissociate yourself from him. This condition should be kept in mind. If the
novice goes to another guide, or sets out on a fruitless search without
the permission of his own guide, he will not achieve what he desires!
Everyone who acts in such a manner becomes a renegade of the Way.
According to the understanding of the sheikhs, such a person has
really abandoned the Way.
When a novice begins to associate with a spiritual guide, he will
have to spend three years in three types of training. If he stands firm
in obeying these orders, he can then don the real garb of the seeker,
and not merely the conventional one. Unless this procedure is followed, experienced guides insist that the novice cannot be accepted
into the Way. The three requirements are: one year’s service on be-
half of other people, one year devoted to God, and another year spent
in watching over one’s own heart. A novice’s hands should be wide
open in prayer and his tongue moving in supplication, for the prayers
of those who weep and moan find favor in God’s eyes. At such times,
the veil of modesty is lifted, and what one desires should be asked for
importunately. Ask for whatever you wish, and do not get caught up
with trifles! Do not leave the divine threshold or cut yourself off from
Him! You should know that He has lavished everything freely upon
men. Faith, as well as the forgiveness of sins, has been freely bestowed. He is the One who can bestow the whole world if He wants
to. “Is there anyone who begs to be heard? Is there anyone who seeks?
Is there anyone who implores forgiveness?” Something within stirred
me up: “Ask Me; for my generosity knows no bounds! I command
you to ask! If you do not, I shall press you for being lax. I give even
what has not been asked for.”
Even what is not asked for He grants;
If you ask, imagine what He will give.
He is a King: If He so wishes,
He can bestow both worlds upon a beggar!
O brother, all this flows from the divine bounty. There should be
no talk of claims here, since His generosity means that He gives with-
out making any claims. Where there is a question of “what is due”
one cannot talk of generosity, since claims make us feel obligated to
someone. Once obligation enters, debt comes as well and requiting a
debt cannot be considered generosity! [An anecdote of Ali’s generosity foilows.] ¥
Peace!
- Book : Sharafuddin Maneri The Hundred Letters (Pg. 25)
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