LETTER 7: DISCIPLESHIP

In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate!

Brother Shamsuddin, discipleship is a matter of wanting something

from the heart. Our inner musings are related to some particular

thing. As a result of our thinking about it, a certain uneasiness arises

in our hearts. This produces the determination to seek the thing it-

self. The more esteemed the desired object, the better and nobler it is

to seek it. The desire of God is wholly pure, stripped of anything

base, untainted by selfishness, and free from inconstancy. It will be

enriched by God Himself, Who will remove any obstacle that might

obstruct its attainment. In this way a person can enter the divine

world.

As long as heaven and hell clutter your mind.

How can your soul become aware of this secret?

When you have been liberated from both these places,

Will this wealth burst forth like down from the shades of

evening?

A determined man will have to face up to a number of obstacles

and impediments. They may be caused by weakness of purpose, or

frailty, or something else that hinders the attainment of the desired

Object. Even the desire for a good name or praise can become an impediment. A sincere novice is one who resolves to be purified of all

pleasures and self-interest. If he turns away from the whole world but

remains hesitant about one object, then that will remain as an obstacle for him! “If a slave requires only one silver piece for. his manumission, he still remains a slave!” Purposefulness in the Way is like intentionality in the Law, for the Law says that all worship performed

without an intention [to praise God] has no value. Similarly, in the ©

Way, every enterprise that is without a purpose or desire has no consequence. There are three kinds of desire:'*

1. Desire of the world. When a man is totally immersed in seeking the world, his desire is an unmitigated calamity, a mortal illness!

When it clouds the heart of the beginner, it is an obstacle to all virtuous deeds. Troubles appear on his way and, on the Day of Resurrection, everyone whose intention has been engrossed by desire of the

world will be deprived of comfort and eternal happiness, as has been

said, “There is an obstacle between them and what they desire”

(Q34:54). Experienced saints have noted that no probity can be expected from a novice who remains inclined toward the world from

the outset. Everything that is beyond the minimum necessary for

strength and sustenance will turn out to be the cause for their repentance and sighing on the Day of Ressurection!

2. Desire for the things to come. This desire manifests itself

when a man’s heart progresses beyond the present world and eternal

bliss becomes his fervent desire. He undergoes many austerities,

adopts ascetic practices, and purifies his life all for the sake of his

heart’s desire, that, on the Day of Resurrection, he might attain the

coveted Object. This is what ascetical and devout people want and

hence it has been called “longing and fearing.” The Quran has alluded to both kinds of desire: “There are those among you who seek

this world, and those among you who seek the next world” (Q3:15).

The latter is eternal, while the former is merely ephemeral. Covetous

people become the disciples of this world; pious folk, disciples of the

world to come.

3. The third desire is for God Himself. It arises when the vision

of God is disclosed to a man and he courageously passes beyond all

creatures, indeed beyond all things that are under the sway of the divine command, but remain merely created signs of the Master. By

groping after something trifling and created, a person exalts nothing

but his own baseness. But whoever seeks the shade of the canopy of

the Honor of both worlds himself gains honor in both; as the Quran

says: “Tell the person who desired honor that all honors are from

God” (Q35:10). The God-Seeking novice has gone beyond this world

but at the same time is not content with the world to come. Everything that comes between himself and the Object he desires and

yearns for is reckoned as a Brahmin’s thread'? or an idol. Someone

asked a saint: “What is an idol?” The saint replied, “Whatever diverts

you from God is your idol.” Everything that preoccupies you with other than God is, therefore, an idol. A person should gird up his

loins in preparation for this quest and set out manfully along the path

of religion, following some compassionate spiritual guide so that the

latter might help him to tread the Way and inform him of the dangers

of each stage, and thus prevent him from being cut off at any stage, or

from falling into any sin or fault. For such a novice nothing is more

important than a compassionate guide.

People say that a tree that springs up by itself does not give fruit,

and if it does, the fruit is tasteless. The activities, states, and all the

works of a novice who lacks a guide are devoid of originality and become routinized. They do not help him to mature or progress since a

novice, at the beginning, is like an undifferentiated mass of sound and

corrupt elements. When a sick person, out of contempt for others,

tries to cure himself, he falls into destruction. He should seek out an

experienced physician who can provide a remedy for his illness. Just

as people need a prophet; a child, a nurse; a sick man, a physician; a

thirsty person, water; and a hungry one, bread—so too a novice needs

a compassionate guide. He should be a man who has experienced the

divine Presence and is acquainted with the intricate questions concerning the various stages of the Way, so that he can appreciate what

facilitates and what impedes progress along it. When there is someone at hand who grasps the nature and causes of sicknesses and knows

what syrups and potions should be prescribed, how does it benefit a

novice to rely on himself? It would be like a person who, though ignorant of the Way, acts as a guide and is thus destroyed. It is said that, if

a novice wants to learn all about these states from books, he becomes

exactly like someone who associates with the dead—and he too be-

comes dead at heart!

All knowledge is based on this premise, that students follow the

instructions of their teachers, and that people are obedient to their

prophets. So, too, a novice should show respect to a righteous spiritual guide in order to obtain salvation. They say that everyone who sets

out upon the Way thinking that he is self-sufficient and is content

with his own company, that man remains a proud idolater and will

never delve deeply into the treasure trove nor attain a prominent position.

In this connection, take note that by no means is it within the

power of any guide to make an unruly novice into an earnest seeker,

just as the Prophet could not make a rejected people into sincere believers. Moreover, since God Almighty Himself has laid the foundation for the treasure of Islam, this very foundation becomes manifest

when a person heeds the call of the Prophet. Similarly, the benefits of

Sufism and the secrets of the Way will be manifest only while the

novice is living with his guide and being of service to him—provided

that the requisite foundation already exists!

Once you have understood what discipleship is, then know further that the desire of the righteous and the intention of the sincere

do not come from you or me nor are they your work or mine! For you

or for me, to wear the sacred thread or to worship idols is equally inappropriate. A church or a temple is not a place fit for us, nor would

any idol or idol shrine accept us. What are we to do? We cannot falsely lay claim to being disciples. Nor can we boast about being Muslims. What place do we have among righteous and sincere believers?

It may well be that they draw us into the crowd of liars and boasters.

Even if no bouquet can be made from us,

Still, we may be fit brambles for the fire-pot!

This saying is completely true: “It is better to be in this sanctuary, even under false pretenses, than to be anywhere else!” If nothing

ever happened to you, how could you grow in goodness? Look how

many people there are who set out on the road and suddenly the One

referred to in these sayings comes and throws the halter of yearning

for Himself around their necks—something they had never imagined

or desired! If this is not His wish, then do not bother entertaining

even the slightest hope. But if He wants it, you have no reason to be

afraid. Look, the verdict has already been written down and the un-

seen Judge has signed it!

Peace!

In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate!

Brother Shamsuddin, discipleship is a matter of wanting something

from the heart. Our inner musings are related to some particular

thing. As a result of our thinking about it, a certain uneasiness arises

in our hearts. This produces the determination to seek the thing it-

self. The more esteemed the desired object, the better and nobler it is

to seek it. The desire of God is wholly pure, stripped of anything

base, untainted by selfishness, and free from inconstancy. It will be

enriched by God Himself, Who will remove any obstacle that might

obstruct its attainment. In this way a person can enter the divine

world.

As long as heaven and hell clutter your mind.

How can your soul become aware of this secret?

When you have been liberated from both these places,

Will this wealth burst forth like down from the shades of

evening?

A determined man will have to face up to a number of obstacles

and impediments. They may be caused by weakness of purpose, or

frailty, or something else that hinders the attainment of the desired

Object. Even the desire for a good name or praise can become an impediment. A sincere novice is one who resolves to be purified of all

pleasures and self-interest. If he turns away from the whole world but

remains hesitant about one object, then that will remain as an obstacle for him! “If a slave requires only one silver piece for. his manumission, he still remains a slave!” Purposefulness in the Way is like intentionality in the Law, for the Law says that all worship performed

without an intention [to praise God] has no value. Similarly, in the ©

Way, every enterprise that is without a purpose or desire has no consequence. There are three kinds of desire:'*

1. Desire of the world. When a man is totally immersed in seeking the world, his desire is an unmitigated calamity, a mortal illness!

When it clouds the heart of the beginner, it is an obstacle to all virtuous deeds. Troubles appear on his way and, on the Day of Resurrection, everyone whose intention has been engrossed by desire of the

world will be deprived of comfort and eternal happiness, as has been

said, “There is an obstacle between them and what they desire”

(Q34:54). Experienced saints have noted that no probity can be expected from a novice who remains inclined toward the world from

the outset. Everything that is beyond the minimum necessary for

strength and sustenance will turn out to be the cause for their repentance and sighing on the Day of Ressurection!

2. Desire for the things to come. This desire manifests itself

when a man’s heart progresses beyond the present world and eternal

bliss becomes his fervent desire. He undergoes many austerities,

adopts ascetic practices, and purifies his life all for the sake of his

heart’s desire, that, on the Day of Resurrection, he might attain the

coveted Object. This is what ascetical and devout people want and

hence it has been called “longing and fearing.” The Quran has alluded to both kinds of desire: “There are those among you who seek

this world, and those among you who seek the next world” (Q3:15).

The latter is eternal, while the former is merely ephemeral. Covetous

people become the disciples of this world; pious folk, disciples of the

world to come.

3. The third desire is for God Himself. It arises when the vision

of God is disclosed to a man and he courageously passes beyond all

creatures, indeed beyond all things that are under the sway of the divine command, but remain merely created signs of the Master. By

groping after something trifling and created, a person exalts nothing

but his own baseness. But whoever seeks the shade of the canopy of

the Honor of both worlds himself gains honor in both; as the Quran

says: “Tell the person who desired honor that all honors are from

God” (Q35:10). The God-Seeking novice has gone beyond this world

but at the same time is not content with the world to come. Everything that comes between himself and the Object he desires and

yearns for is reckoned as a Brahmin’s thread'? or an idol. Someone

asked a saint: “What is an idol?” The saint replied, “Whatever diverts

you from God is your idol.” Everything that preoccupies you with other than God is, therefore, an idol. A person should gird up his

loins in preparation for this quest and set out manfully along the path

of religion, following some compassionate spiritual guide so that the

latter might help him to tread the Way and inform him of the dangers

of each stage, and thus prevent him from being cut off at any stage, or

from falling into any sin or fault. For such a novice nothing is more

important than a compassionate guide.

People say that a tree that springs up by itself does not give fruit,

and if it does, the fruit is tasteless. The activities, states, and all the

works of a novice who lacks a guide are devoid of originality and become routinized. They do not help him to mature or progress since a

novice, at the beginning, is like an undifferentiated mass of sound and

corrupt elements. When a sick person, out of contempt for others,

tries to cure himself, he falls into destruction. He should seek out an

experienced physician who can provide a remedy for his illness. Just

as people need a prophet; a child, a nurse; a sick man, a physician; a

thirsty person, water; and a hungry one, bread—so too a novice needs

a compassionate guide. He should be a man who has experienced the

divine Presence and is acquainted with the intricate questions concerning the various stages of the Way, so that he can appreciate what

facilitates and what impedes progress along it. When there is someone at hand who grasps the nature and causes of sicknesses and knows

what syrups and potions should be prescribed, how does it benefit a

novice to rely on himself? It would be like a person who, though ignorant of the Way, acts as a guide and is thus destroyed. It is said that, if

a novice wants to learn all about these states from books, he becomes

exactly like someone who associates with the dead—and he too be-

comes dead at heart!

All knowledge is based on this premise, that students follow the

instructions of their teachers, and that people are obedient to their

prophets. So, too, a novice should show respect to a righteous spiritual guide in order to obtain salvation. They say that everyone who sets

out upon the Way thinking that he is self-sufficient and is content

with his own company, that man remains a proud idolater and will

never delve deeply into the treasure trove nor attain a prominent position.

In this connection, take note that by no means is it within the

power of any guide to make an unruly novice into an earnest seeker,

just as the Prophet could not make a rejected people into sincere believers. Moreover, since God Almighty Himself has laid the foundation for the treasure of Islam, this very foundation becomes manifest

when a person heeds the call of the Prophet. Similarly, the benefits of

Sufism and the secrets of the Way will be manifest only while the

novice is living with his guide and being of service to him—provided

that the requisite foundation already exists!

Once you have understood what discipleship is, then know further that the desire of the righteous and the intention of the sincere

do not come from you or me nor are they your work or mine! For you

or for me, to wear the sacred thread or to worship idols is equally inappropriate. A church or a temple is not a place fit for us, nor would

any idol or idol shrine accept us. What are we to do? We cannot falsely lay claim to being disciples. Nor can we boast about being Muslims. What place do we have among righteous and sincere believers?

It may well be that they draw us into the crowd of liars and boasters.

Even if no bouquet can be made from us,

Still, we may be fit brambles for the fire-pot!

This saying is completely true: “It is better to be in this sanctuary, even under false pretenses, than to be anywhere else!” If nothing

ever happened to you, how could you grow in goodness? Look how

many people there are who set out on the road and suddenly the One

referred to in these sayings comes and throws the halter of yearning

for Himself around their necks—something they had never imagined

or desired! If this is not His wish, then do not bother entertaining

even the slightest hope. But if He wants it, you have no reason to be

afraid. Look, the verdict has already been written down and the un-

seen Judge has signed it!

Peace!