The etiquette of discipleship (adaab-e-muridi):

In Sufism, adaab (good manners) is of paramount importance. It is said by a Sufi Shaikh: “Tasawwuf is wholly adab.” IN the realm of love, etiquette and good manners (adaab0 are of utmost importance except of course, when the seeker is overwhelmed with spiritual intoxication.

Mir sits far from this heart-burning.

Love is not gained without good manners.

The Shaikh is a medium between man and god. He is visible to your physical eyes. But God Almighty is not. In the beginning, a murid is the prisoner of time and space, but he ends up in timelessness and spacelessness. It is the Shaikh who is the manifestation of the Divine Name Ya Hadi (The Guide). So by giving his hand in the hands of the Shiakh, the murid starts receiving faizaan from the Divine Name Ya Hadi, and the Shaikh withdraws from between as soon as the murid reaches Divine nearness and union. This is a tremendous success for the murid, achieved through the medium of the Shaikh, who deserves the greatest respect and honour. The murid should be grateful to him for this kindness, love him with all his heart, and think that no one in the world is better than his Shaikh in bringing him to his Goal. The Shiakh Should be regarded as a physician and nothing kept secret from him, nor should a murid doubt the Shaikh’s genuineness or ability to guide, and obey the Shaikh in every way. Without giving any other interpretation to the Shaikh’s words, he should obey him, even if he is unable to understand the wisdom of the Shaikh’s orders. He should regard himself a dead body in the hands of the one who bathes the dead (ghassaal). However learned the murid may be, he should regard himself less knowledgeable than his Shaikh. He should not disclose the Shaikh’s secrets of supernatural deeds without his permission. He should behave like the most humble servant of the Shaikh with gaze lowered and neck bent down. When talking to the Shaikh, keep his voice as low as possible. He should not step on the prayer mat of his Shaikh, nor should he seat himself on a prayer mat before the Shaikh. The murid should not offer naffil prayer in the presence of the Shaikh, nor should he talk with familiarity as an equal. Unless the Shaikh himself lifts the veil on a spiritual secret, the murid must not ask the Shaikh to disclose it. He should know that when the Shaikh finds the murid receptive, he himself will disclose it. In this connection the murid should remember conversations between Hazrat Musa (Moses) and Khizr. Hazrat Khizr admonished Hazrat Musa (Moses) about questioning what he did. The murid should avoid any thing which is contrary to his Shaikh’s nature or temperament. He should not raise any topic without the Shaikh’s permission.

These are etiquettes of discipleship (muridi) along with those mentioned at length in Sufi literature. Disregard of these etiquettes results in shortage of inspiration (faizaan) from the Shaikh. The murid receives faizaan from the Shaikh which is commensutate with his love for him and this determines the murid’s status in the eyes of God. Therefore, it is incumbent on the murid to keep his Shaikh satisfied with his behavior, obedience, service, adaab, sacrifices and self ahnegation.

In Sufism, adaab (good manners) is of paramount importance. It is said by a Sufi Shaikh: “Tasawwuf is wholly adab.” IN the realm of love, etiquette and good manners (adaab0 are of utmost importance except of course, when the seeker is overwhelmed with spiritual intoxication.

Mir sits far from this heart-burning.

Love is not gained without good manners.

The Shaikh is a medium between man and god. He is visible to your physical eyes. But God Almighty is not. In the beginning, a murid is the prisoner of time and space, but he ends up in timelessness and spacelessness. It is the Shaikh who is the manifestation of the Divine Name Ya Hadi (The Guide). So by giving his hand in the hands of the Shiakh, the murid starts receiving faizaan from the Divine Name Ya Hadi, and the Shaikh withdraws from between as soon as the murid reaches Divine nearness and union. This is a tremendous success for the murid, achieved through the medium of the Shaikh, who deserves the greatest respect and honour. The murid should be grateful to him for this kindness, love him with all his heart, and think that no one in the world is better than his Shaikh in bringing him to his Goal. The Shiakh Should be regarded as a physician and nothing kept secret from him, nor should a murid doubt the Shaikh’s genuineness or ability to guide, and obey the Shaikh in every way. Without giving any other interpretation to the Shaikh’s words, he should obey him, even if he is unable to understand the wisdom of the Shaikh’s orders. He should regard himself a dead body in the hands of the one who bathes the dead (ghassaal). However learned the murid may be, he should regard himself less knowledgeable than his Shaikh. He should not disclose the Shaikh’s secrets of supernatural deeds without his permission. He should behave like the most humble servant of the Shaikh with gaze lowered and neck bent down. When talking to the Shaikh, keep his voice as low as possible. He should not step on the prayer mat of his Shaikh, nor should he seat himself on a prayer mat before the Shaikh. The murid should not offer naffil prayer in the presence of the Shaikh, nor should he talk with familiarity as an equal. Unless the Shaikh himself lifts the veil on a spiritual secret, the murid must not ask the Shaikh to disclose it. He should know that when the Shaikh finds the murid receptive, he himself will disclose it. In this connection the murid should remember conversations between Hazrat Musa (Moses) and Khizr. Hazrat Khizr admonished Hazrat Musa (Moses) about questioning what he did. The murid should avoid any thing which is contrary to his Shaikh’s nature or temperament. He should not raise any topic without the Shaikh’s permission.

These are etiquettes of discipleship (muridi) along with those mentioned at length in Sufi literature. Disregard of these etiquettes results in shortage of inspiration (faizaan) from the Shaikh. The murid receives faizaan from the Shaikh which is commensutate with his love for him and this determines the murid’s status in the eyes of God. Therefore, it is incumbent on the murid to keep his Shaikh satisfied with his behavior, obedience, service, adaab, sacrifices and self ahnegation.