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The Conduct of the Seeker of Self Purification (Tazkiyah) with his Spiritual Master/Teacher and his Brothers

There are two categories of conduct of the seeker of self-purification with his spiritual master/teacher; Internal conduct and External conduct.

INTERNAL CONDUCT OF THE SEEKER OF SELF PURIFICATION

1. The seeker of self-purification must submit to the will of the spiritual master/teacher and obey him in all his orders and advice, because the spiritual master/teacher has more experience and more knowledge in haqiqat, in tariqat and in shariah. As the sick person gives himself to his doctor to be cured, so too does the seeker of self purification, sick in his conduct and behaviour, submit to the spiritual master/teacher’s experience in order to be healed.


2. The seeker of self-purification must not object to the way the spiritual master/teacher instructs and controls the seeker of self-purification. Each spiritual master/teacher has his own way, which he has been permitted by his own spiritual master/teacher to use. Imam Ibn Hajar al-Haythami said, “Whoever opens the door of criticism against spiritual master/teachers and their behaviour with their seeker of self purification and their actions will be punished and will be isolated from receiving spiritual knowledge. Whoever says to his spiritual master/teacher, “why?” will never succeed.” [al-fatawa al-Hadithiyya, p.55]


3. The seeker of self-purification must know that the spiritual master/teacher might make mistakes, but that these will not prevent him from lifting the seeker of self-purification up to Divine Presence. So the seeker of self-purification must excuse the spiritual master/teacher, as the spiritual master/teacher is not the Prophet (Sollallahu alaihi wasallam). Only the Prophet (Sollallahu alaihi wasallam) was free of error. Although it is rare, just as the doctor might make a mistake in treating a patient, so too might the spiritual master/teacher make a mistake in treating his seeker of self-purifications spiritual illness, and that must be excused.


4. The seeker of self-purification must respect and honour the spiritual master/teacher in his presence and his absence, if only the spiritual master/teacher can see with the eye of the heart. It is said that whoever is not happy with the orders of the spiritual master/teacher, and does not keep good conduct and adaab with him, will never keep good conduct with the Quran and with the Sunnah of the Prophet (Sollallahu alaihi wasallam). Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani (rhu) said, “Whoever criticised a saint, Allah will cause his heart to wither.”


5. The seeker of self-purification must be sincere and loyal to the company of his spiritual master/teacher.


6. He must love his spiritual master/teacher with an extraordinary love. He must know that his spiritual master/teacher is going to take him to the Presence of Allah Almighty and Exalted, and to the Presence of the Prophet (Sollallahu alaihi wasallam).


7. He must not look to any other than his spiritual master/teacher, though he must keep respect for all other spiritual master/teachers.

EXTERNAL CONDUCT OF THE SEEKER OF SELF PURIFICATION

1. He must agree with the opinion of his spiritual master/teacher completely, as the patient agrees with the physician.  UNLESS IT IS AGAINST SHARIAH. 

2. He must behave well in the association of the spiritual master/teacher, by avoiding yawning, laughing, raising the voice, talking without authorization, extending the feet, and always sitting in a respectful manner.

3. He must serve his spiritual master/teacher and make himself as useful as possible.

4. He must not mention from the speeches of his spiritual master/teacher what the listeners cannot understand. This might harm the spiritual master/teacher in a way that the seeker of self-purification is unaware of. Syidina Ali said, in a hadith narrated in Bukhari, “Speak to people at a level they can understand, because you don’t want them to deny Allah (Azzawajal) and His Prophet (Sollallahu alaihi wasallam).”

5. He must attend the association of the spiritual master/teacher. Even if living far away, he must make an effort to come as often as possible.

6. He must follow the command of the brother or the person in charge the spiritual master has authorised, to do so provided it’s not against Shariah.

7. He must not ask/tell more than three question/dreams or vision in one sitting.

8. After relating the dream or vision, if the spiritual master/teacher does not give a reply to it, then he should disregard it.

Ibn Hajar al-Haythami said, “Many people, when they see their guide is firm on the matter of obligations and the Sunnah of the Prophet (saw), accuse him of being strict. They say that he is praying too much or keeping the Sunnah too firmly. These people don’t realize that they are falling to their own destruction. Beware of believing your ego’s complaints about the firmness of the sheikh’s adherence to the shari’ah.” [al-Fatawa al-Hadithiyya, p.55]

Abu Hafsah an-Nisaburi is quoted in Sheikh as-Sulmi’s book Tabaqat as-sufiyya, p.119, as saying: “Sufism is composed of adaab [good conduct]. For every state and station there is an appropriate adaab. For every time there is a proper conduct. Whoever keeps the adaab will reach the Station of Manhood. And whoever discards adaab is very far from acceptance into Allah’s Divine Presence.” 

THE CONDUCT OF THE SEEKER OF SELF-PURIFICATION WITH HIS BROTHERS

1. He must keep respect for them in their presence and in their absence, not backbiting anyone. 

2. He should advise them when they need it with the intention of strengthening them. His advice to them must be in private and it must be with leniency and free of arrogance. The one advised must accept the advice, must be thankful, and must practice the advice.

3. He must think only good about his brothers and not search out their bad manners.

4. He must accept their apology if they apologise.

5. He must not feel jealous of any spiritual vision, status etc of his brothers, because no one can receive the share of others.

6. He must make peace between them.

7. He must support them when they are attacked.

8. He must not ask to lead them, but to be brothers with them.

9. He must show humbleness with them as much as possible. The Prophet (saw) said, “The master of a people is the one who serves them.”

10. The seeker of self-purification is tested of his spiritual advancement by his conduct with his immediate family and spiritual brothers, if he fails in this test his worship, visions or dreams and spiritual auditions are of no value.

The good conduct of the seeker of self-purification really has no end. He must always be striving and making progress with his spiritual master/teacher, with his brothers, with his community, and with his Nation, because Allah (swt) is seeing him, the Prophet (saw) is made aware of the amaals of the Ummah, the spiritual master/teacher is also sometimes made aware of the amaals of the seeker of self-purification, by the will of Allah (swt), the Masters who went before are also made aware.  With constant improvement, day by day, he will reach with the spiritual master/teacher guidance and support, the State of Perfection.

Tareeqah Muhammadiyah ©