As established above, for a murīd (aspirant, disciple) who desires to attain perfection (kamāl), it is necessary to join oneself to a murshid (spiritual guide) who directs and guides him on the true path and illuminates the darkness within his nafs (the lower self), so that he may worship the Exalted Allah with basīra (spiritual insight), hudā (guidance), and yaqīn (certainty).
In order to be free from all faults, to be adorned with noble qualities, and to realize the ascent to the essence and stations of ihsan (spiritual excellence), one must pledge and give bayʿa (allegiance) to the murshid. The act of taking bayʿa is established in the Qur'an, the sunnah, and in the conduct of the Companions (ṣaḥāba).
Proofs from the Qur'an: In the statement of Allah the Exalted, in Sūrat al-Fatḥ 48:10:
"Indeed, those who pledge allegiance to you, [O Muhammad], they are actually pledging allegiance to Allah. The hand of Allah (His power) is over their hands. So whoever breaks his covenant only breaks it to the detriment of himself. And whoever fulfills that which he has promised Allah - He will give him a great reward."
Since this bayʿa is in reality for Allah, the Exalted, He warned those who take the bayʿa against breaking it. In Sūrat al-Naḥl 16:91:
"And fulfill the covenant of Allah when you have taken it, and do not break oaths after their confirmation while you have made Allah, over you, a witness."
Indeed
Allah
knows
what
you do well.
Again, the Exalted Allah says in Sūrat al-Isrāʾ 17:34:
"And fulfill [every] commitment. Indeed, the commitment is ever [that about which one will be] questioned."
Proofs from the Sunnah: In the purified sunnah, taking the covenant and bayʿa is not limited to a single form, nor is it exclusive to any particular group among the Muslims. Indeed, taking the covenant according to the sunnah applies to communities, men, women, and individuals, and even children who have not yet reached puberty have a place in the sunnah for giving bayʿa.
Bayʿa of Men: In Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, it is narrated from ʿUbāda ibn al-Ṣāmit (may Allah be pleased with him): The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him), while surrounded by a group of Companions, said: "Pledge allegiance to me that you will not associate anything with Allah in worship, will not steal, will not commit adultery, will not kill your children, will not bring forth a slander you have invented between your hands and feet, and will not disobey in any good matter. Whoever among you fulfills his pledge, his reward is with Allah the Exalted. Whoever commits any of these and is punished in this world, that punishment will be an expiation for him. Whoever commits any of these and Allah conceals it, his affair is with Allah: if He wills, He will forgive him; if He wills, He will punish him. We pledged allegiance to the Prophet on these conditions."[1]
Group Transmission: Yaʿlā ibn Shaddād (may Allah be pleased with him) said: My father (Shaddād ibn Aws) spoke to me, and ʿUbāda ibn al-Ṣāmit was present and confirmed him. We were with the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him). The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Is there any stranger among you, i.e., anyone from the People of the Book?" We replied, "No, O Messenger of Allah." He ordered the door to be closed and said: "Raise your hands and say 'Lā ilāha illā Allah' (There is no god but Allah)." We raised our hands and said it. Then the Prophet said: "Praise be to Allah! O Allah, You sent me with this word, commanded it, and promised Paradise to whoever says it. Surely You do not break Your promise." Then he said: "Know that Allah the Exalted gives you the glad tidings of forgiveness."[2]
Individual Transmission: Imām ʿAlī (may Allah be pleased with him) said to the Messenger of God: "O Messenger of Allah! Show me the way that is closest, easiest, and most virtuous to Allah for His servants." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) replied: "Commit yourself to the dhikr (remembrance of God) of Allah, both secretly and openly!" ʿAlī said: "All people do dhikr; tell me something special for me." The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The best of what I and the Prophets before me have said is 'Lā ilāha illā Allah.' If the heavens and the earth were placed on one side of the scale and 'Lā ilāha illā Allah' on the other, 'Lā ilāha illā Allah' would outweigh them. As long as there is someone in the world saying 'Lā ilāha illā Allah,' the Hour will not be established." Then ʿAlī said: "How should I do dhikr?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Close your eyes and listen to me." He said "Lā ilāha illā Allah" three times, then said: "Now you say it three times and I will listen," and then they recited it aloud in this way.[3]
Again, regarding individual transmission, it is narrated in "al-Ṭabarānī al-Awsaṭ," Abū Nuʿaym, al-Ḥākim, al-Bayhaqī, and Ibn ʿAsākir from Bashīr ibn al-Ḥasāsiyya: He said, "I came to the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) to pledge allegiance. I said, 'O Messenger of Allah! On what should I pledge allegiance to you?' The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) extended his hand and said: 'Testify that there is no god but Allah, He is One with no partner, and that Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) is His servant and Messenger; perform the five daily prayers at their times; pay the obligatory zakāt; fast in Ramadan; perform ḥajj to the House of Allah; and strive in the path of Allah.' I said, 'O Messenger of Allah! I will do all except two: I cannot afford zakāt, for by Allah, I have only ten camels, which are the milk and mounts of my family. As for jihād, I am a coward; they say that whoever flees from battle incurs the wrath of Allah. When war is prepared, I fear I will follow my nafs and flee, and I fear Allah's wrath.' The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) took my hand and shook it, saying: 'O Bashīr! With what will you enter Paradise without zakāt and jihād?' I said, 'O Messenger of Allah, extend your hand so I may pledge allegiance to you.' He extended his hand, and I pledged allegiance to him on these terms."[4]
It is narrated from Jarīr ibn ʿAbdullah (may Allah be pleased with him): I said, "O Messenger of Allah! A condition was stipulated for me, and you know best what it means." The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I take your bayʿa that you worship the One, Exalted Allah, do not associate anything with Him, establish prayer, give zakāt, offer nasīḥa (sincere advice) to the Muslims, and avoid shirk (associating partners with God)."[5]
Again, from Jarīr (may Allah be pleased with him): "I pledged allegiance to the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) to establish prayer, give zakāt, and offer nasīḥa to all Muslims."[6] From ʿAbdullah ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with him): "When we pledged allegiance to the Messenger of God to obey him, he would say, 'To the extent of your ability.'"[7]
Bayʿa of Women
Salma bint Qays (may Allah be pleased with her), from the Banū ʿAdiyy ibn Najjār, an aunt of the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) and one who prayed facing both qiblas with him, said: "I went to the Messenger of God and pledged allegiance with the women of the Anṣār. At that time, it was stipulated that we would not associate anything with Allah, not steal, not commit adultery, not kill our children, not bring forth a slander we had invented between our hands and feet, not disobey in anything lawful, and not deceive or betray our husbands. After pledging allegiance, I asked one of the women to return and ask the Messenger of God what was forbidden to us from our husbands' property. The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'It is to take from your husband's property and give it to someone else.'"[8]
Umayma bint Ruqayqa (may Allah be pleased with her): "I came with the women who pledged allegiance to the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him). They said: 'We pledge allegiance to you not to associate anything with Allah and His Messenger, not to steal, not to commit adultery, not to kill our children, not to bring forth a slander between our hands and feet, and not to disobey in anything lawful.' The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'As much as you are able and can do.' They said: 'Allah and His Messenger are more merciful and compassionate to us than ourselves. Let us pledge allegiance to you now, O Messenger of Allah.' (He said: 'I do not shake hands with women. Surely my word to one woman is as my word to a hundred women.')"[9]
Again, Umayma bint Ruqayqa (may Allah be pleased with her) came to pledge allegiance to him upon Islam. The Messenger of God said: "I pledge allegiance to you not to associate anything with Allah, not to steal, not to commit adultery, not to kill your child, not to bring forth a slander between your hands and feet, not to wail over the dead by counting your good deeds, and not to adorn yourself as women of ignorance did."[10]
ʿAzzat bint Ḥayil (may Allah be pleased with her) came to pledge allegiance to the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him). He pledged allegiance to her not to commit adultery, not to steal, and not to kill her daughter openly or secretly. She said: "I understood open killing to mean burying alive, but what is secret killing? I did not ask the Messenger of God, nor did he inform me. I thought it meant abortion. By Allah, I have never aborted a child or corrupted one."[11]
Bayʿa of Those Not Yet of Puberty
Al-Ṭabarānī narrates from Muhammad ibn ʿAlī ibn al-Ḥusayn (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) gave bayʿa to al-Ḥasan, al-Ḥusayn, ʿAbdullah ibn al-ʿAbbās, and ʿAbdullah ibn Jaʿfar (may Allah be pleased with them) while they were still young boys without beards, not yet of age. It is said that the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) did not give bayʿa to any other children besides us.[12]
Again, in al-Ṭabarānī, it is narrated that ʿAbdullah ibn al-Zubayr and ʿAbdullah ibn Jaʿfar (may Allah be pleased with them) pledged allegiance to the Messenger of God at the age of seven, and when the Prophet saw them, he smiled, extended his hand, and gave them bayʿa.[13]
Summary
The noble Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) pledged allegiance to the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) in various forms. They pledged allegiance upon Islam, upon performing Islamic acts, upon migration, upon assistance and jihād, upon dying if necessary, and upon listening and obeying his command.
As for the Companions' Bayʿa to the Caliphs of the Messenger of God
Ibn Shāhīn narrates from Ibrāhīm ibn al-Muntashir, from his father, from his grandfather: When the verse "Indeed, those who pledge allegiance to you, [O Muhammad], they are actually pledging allegiance to Allah" (al-Fatḥ 48:10) was revealed, people pledged allegiance to Allah and obedience to the Truth. Abū Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said during his bayʿa: "Pledge allegiance to me as long as I obey Allah." Bayʿa to ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with him) and those after him was like bayʿa to the Prophet.[14]
Anas (may Allah be pleased with him): "When I came to Medina, Abū Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) had passed away, and ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with him) had become caliph in his place. I said to ʿUmar, 'Raise your hand; just as you pledged allegiance to your predecessor, I will pledge allegiance to you in the same way, to the extent of my ability.'"[15]
From Sulaim Abū ʿAmr (may Allah be pleased with him): The group of Ḥamra came to ʿUthmān (may Allah be pleased with him). They pledged allegiance not to associate anything with Allah, to establish prayer, to give zakāt, to fast in Ramadan, and to abandon the festival of the Magians. When they agreed to these, he gave them bayʿa.[16]
Those who inherited from the Sufi murshids have followed the path of the Messenger of God in taking bayʿa in every age. Ustadh al-Nadwī, in his book "Rijāl al-Fikr wa'l-Daʿwa fī'l-Islām," mentions: Shaykh ʿAbd al-Qādir al-Jīlānī opened both doors of bayʿa and tawba (repentance) wide. Muslims from all over the Islamic world entered into bayʿa. They renewed their covenants and pledges to Allah.
They pledged not to commit shirk (associating partners with God), not to commit kufr (disbelief), not to commit fāsiq (open sin), not to commit bidʿa (innovation), not to oppress, not to make lawful what Allah has forbidden, not to abandon what Allah has made obligatory, not to give their hearts to the world with all their efforts, and not to forget the Hereafter. From the door that Allah the Exalted opened through the hand of Shaykh ʿAbd al-Qādir al-Jīlānī, countless people, known only to Allah, entered. Their states became upright and their Islam became beautiful. The Shaykh trained and supervised them, ensuring their progress. After renewing their bayʿa, tawba, and iman (faith), these spiritual seekers became aware of their responsibilities.[17]
Thus, these covenants and bayʿas have been a great blessing and factor in the purification and reform of individuals and communities.
A- The Transmission of Authorization
This authorization, transmission, and covenant have continued from the time of the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) to the present, passed from hand to hand, from one to another, in an unbroken chain, verified and recorded. The Sufi community has called bayʿa, authorization, and transmission "al-Gabda." Just as the meeting of positive and negative (charges) produces an electric current, so too do the murshids, each meeting the other and holding hands, thus linking the chain. The spiritual effect, which is experienced and felt, penetrates and reaches. These renewing murshids, following one another through the ages, bind people's hearts to themselves and bring them to the light of our Master (peace and blessings be upon him). It is as if, like electricity, transformers placed far from the source draw power from the production centers to give strong light to those around them. These transformer centers are not the source of light, but the places from which light is distributed and transmitted. Because of the distance from the source, these transformers are needed to strengthen the weakened light in the electric line connected to the source.
Thus, murshids in their own times renew faith with their skill. By cleansing the religion of innovations, they restore the Muhammadan light to its original brilliance after a long time and successive ages. This is the reflection of the saying of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him): "The scholars are the inheritors of the Prophets."[18]
The fruit (reward) of taking the covenant is the beautiful results and the emergence of preferred and beloved qualities, as proven by practical experience. For this reason, the predecessors and their successors have adhered to it, and the majority of the ummah have desired it.
B- The Etiquettes of the Murīd
Introduction
After explaining the form, benefit, and importance of the private gatherings of the one who is the inheritor of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), and after describing the ascent to stations through training and the mature disciples produced by the hand of a perfected murshid whose chain reaches the Noble Prophet, who unites sharia (the sacred law) and ḥaqīqa (inner reality), and after clarifying the importance of bayʿa and the necessity of taking the covenant, and after identifying an authorized murshid, we will now mention some etiquettes required for a sincere murīd to attain his goal. According to the consensus of all the people of Allah, one who lacks adab (etiquette) cannot progress on this path. Whoever cannot progress will not attain what he hopes for. For one who possesses adab can reach the exalted stations attained by perfected men in a short time. We will now relate some of the etiquettes of the murīd with his shaykh and his brethren.
a. The Etiquette of the Murīd with His Shaykh
These etiquettes are of two kinds: inward (bāṭinī) and outward (ẓāhirī).
Inward Etiquettes
1- The murīd must submit to his shaykh and obey him in all commands and advice. This is not blind following like one who abandons his intellect and personality to follow another, but rather the submission of one who recognizes expertise and knowledge. After being certain of the essential ideas of his shaykh, the murīd must affirm his shaykh's authorization, competence, special qualities, wisdom, and mercy, for he has united sharia and ḥaqīqa. This is like a patient submitting to his doctor in all matters of treatment and advice. In this case, the patient is not considered to have abandoned his intellect or personality, but rather is a sincere person who acts wisely and justly in seeking healing through expertise.
2- The murīd should not object to his shaykh on the path of training. For in expertise and experience, the shaykh is a mujtahid and authority. The murīd should never open the door of criticism in his nafs regarding any of the shaykh's actions. Such behavior weakens his trust and prevents many benefits. It severs the connection of the heart and the help of the spirit between him and his shaykh.
Allāma Ibn Ḥajar al-Haythamī (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "Whoever opens the door of objection to the mashāyikh, scrutinizing their states and actions, will be deprived and doomed. He will never reach the goal."
Thus it is said: "Whoever says 'why?' to his shaykh will never attain his desire."[19] This applies during the period of spiritual journeying and training.[20]
If the shayṭān suddenly brings doubts about the shaykh's actions to the murīd's heart, this severs union and uproots trust. The murīd must have a good opinion of his shaykh, seek a legal interpretation and a juristic way out. If he cannot, he should respectfully ask his shaykh for an explanation. This will be discussed further in the section on the murīd's discussions with his shaykh.
Again, Allāma Ibn Ḥajar al-Haythamī (may Allah have mercy on him) says: "Whoever overlooks the states of the mashāyikh, leaves their affairs to Allah, focuses on his own nafs, and strives as much as he can, it is hoped that he will soon reach his goal."[21]
3- The murīd should not consider his shaykh to be maʿṣūm (infallible)! Even the most perfected shaykh is not infallible. However, a perfected shaykh does not persist in slips and errors. His aspiration and effort are never attached to anything other than Allah. If the murīd believes his shaykh is infallible, and then sees otherwise, he may fall into objection and rebellion, leading to deprivation.
However, it is not appropriate for the murīd to always suspect his shaykh of error in his commands, prohibitions, and instructions. This would prevent his nafs from benefiting. It is like a patient who, when visiting a doctor, harbors doubts about the doctor's treatment, which weakens his trust and creates doubt, suspicion, and rebellion in his nafs.
4- After the initial stage of investigation, the murīd must believe in the perfection of his shaykh, and that he is complete for training and guidance. He should see that the conditions we have mentioned for a shaykh who is an inheritor of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) are realized in his shaykh. Those who befriend the shaykh advance their faith, worship, knowledge, and character through his divine knowledge.[22]
5- In his companionship with his shaykh, the murīd should be characterized by sincerity and loyalty, be serious in his desire, and be distant from selfish desires and interests. 6- He should maintain respect for his shaykh both in his presence and absence. Ibrāhīm ibn Shaybān al-Qirmisīnī (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "Whoever abandons respect for the mashāyikh will be afflicted with falsehood and disgrace."[23]
Muḥammad ibn Ḥamīd al-Tirmidhī (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "If Allah brings you to a station but deprives you of the respect due to its people and the delight of that station, know that you have gradually fallen into pride."
He also said: "Whoever is not content with the commands and training of his mashāyikh will not be trained by the Book and the sunnah either."[24]
Abū ʿAbbās al-Mursī (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "We have followed the states of this people (the people of Sufism), and we have not seen anyone who denied them and died upon good."[25]
Our master Shaykh ʿAbd al-Qādir al-Jīlānī (may Allah sanctify his secret) said: "Whoever tries to diminish the honor and esteem of a walī (friend of Allah), Allah will afflict him with the death of the heart."[26]
7- While not diminishing the status of other shaykhs, the murīd should be attached to his own shaykh with superior love, but not to the extent of excess or removing his shaykh from the state of humanity. The murīd's love for his shaykh is strengthened by his obedience to his shaykh's commands and prohibitions, his love, and his knowledge of Allah in his spiritual journey. As the murīd's personality grows in conformity, his maʿrifa (gnosis) increases. As his maʿrifa increases, so does his love.
8- So that his heart is not divided between two shaykhs, he should not seek another while with his shaykh. This is like a patient being treated by two doctors at the same time, which leads to confusion and hesitation.[27]
Outward Etiquettes
1- Just as a patient follows his doctor, the murīd must follow his shaykh in commands and prohibitions!
2- He should maintain dignity and tranquility in his shaykh's assembly! He should avoid leaning on things, yawning, sleeping, laughing without reason, raising his voice above his shaykh's, and speaking without permission! For this shows a lack of respect. Whoever behaves without adab and respect with the mashāyikh is deprived of their help, the fruits of their gaze, and their blessings.
3- He should hasten to serve his shaykh as much as possible! For whoever serves is served in return.
4- Even if far away, he should be present in his shaykh's assembly and visit as often as possible! It is said: "Visiting the trainer elevates and disciplines a person."
Indeed, the masters of the Sufis have based their journey on three principles: gathering (ijtimaʿ), listening (istimāʿ), and following (ittibāʿ). Through these, benefit (intifāʿ) is attained.
5-
When the shaykh criticizes, turns away, or is displeased with the murīd, intending his deliverance from spiritual illnesses and base traits, the murīd should be patient, for this is appropriate for his training!
Ibn Ḥajar al-Haythamī (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "There are many souls who, when they see severity in the training of the master, flee from him, accusing him of faults and deficiencies, even though the shaykh is free from such. Whoever has attained the love of his shaykh should beware, for his nafs desires his destruction. He should not turn away from his shaykh and obey his nafs!"[28]
6- The murīd should relate the words of his shaykh to others only as much as they can understand, so as not to harm himself or his shaykh. (It is appropriate to say only what people can comprehend.) In this regard, our master ʿAlī (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Speak to people according to their knowledge. Do you want Allah and His Messenger to be denied?"[29]
All these etiquettes are required of true murīds who seek to reach the Divine Presence. As for metaphorical murīds, their intention is not to enter the Sufi community but to adorn themselves with its appearance through a contract. They are not required to observe the conditions and etiquettes of companionship. Their case is like leaving one path for another. There is no difficulty in moving from one tariqa (Sufi path/order) to another for blessing. This is a known matter among trainers and murīds.
b. The Etiquettes of the Murīd with His Brethren
1- Whether present or absent, he should maintain respect for them and not backbite anyone, nor find fault with anyone! For their flesh is as poisonous as that of the scholars and the righteous.
2- Their advice is to teach the ignorant, guide the misguided, and strengthen the weak. There are conditions for advice, three for the one giving advice and three for the one receiving it:
Conditions for the Adviser
1- The advice should be given privately
2- With kindness
3- Without self-exaltation
Conditions for the One Receiving Advice
1- To accept the advice
2- To thank the adviser
3- To implement the advice
3- As it is said, "The leader of a people is the one who serves them," he should be humble, act justly with them, and serve them as much as possible.[30]
4- He should not occupy himself with their faults but have a good opinion of them, entrusting their state to Allah! As the poem says:
"While you believe, keep your own faults open to yourself and hidden from others! Do not see the faults of others!"
5- Accept their excuses when they apologize.
6- Reconcile them when they disagree or are hostile.
7- Defend them when they are harmed or their honor is violated.
8- He should not seek leadership or precedence over his brethren! For leadership is not given to those who seek it. These are some of the etiquettes that the sālik (spiritual traveler) must observe. For this path is all adab. Some have said: "Make your actions salt and your adab flour!"
Abū Ḥafs al-Nīsābūrī (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "All of Sufism is adab. Every time, every state, and every station has its adab. Whoever adheres to adab reaches the station of the perfected men. Whoever is deprived of adab is far from what he thought was near and rejected from where he thought he was accepted."[31]
Summary
There is no limit to the adab a murīd should have with his shaykh, brethren, and others. On this subject, many special works have been written by training shaykhs such as Ibn ʿArabī al-Ḥātimī, Shaʿrānī, Aḥmad Zarrūq, Ibn ʿAjība, Suhrawardī, and others.
Footnotes
- Extracted in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Book of Faith. Also extracted by Muslim, Tirmidhī, and Nasāʾī. See al-Targhīb wa'l-Tarhīb, vol. 2, p. 415.
- Extracted by Imām Aḥmad, al-Ṭabarānī, and al-Bazzār. The narrators are reliable. See Majmaʿ al-Zawāʾid, vol. 1, p. 19.
- Reported in al-Ṭabarānī and al-Bazzār with a ḥasan chain.
- Reported by Imām Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal. Al-Haythamī in Majmaʿ al-Zawāʾid says the narrators are reliable. Vol. 1, p. 42.
- Reported by Imām Aḥmad and Nasāʾī, in the chapter of Bayʿa for Sincere Advice to Every Muslim.
- Extracted in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Book of Bayʿa, in the chapter on Establishing Prayer.
- Reported in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Book of Rulings, and in Muslim, Book of Leadership.
- Reported by Imām Aḥmad, Abū Yaʿlā, and al-Ṭabarānī. The narrators are reliable. See Majmaʿ al-Zawāʾid, vol. 6, p. 38.
- Extracted in Tirmidhī, Book of Military Expeditions, in the chapter on Bayʿa of Women. Also reported by Nasāʾī. The chain is ḥasan.
- Extracted by Nasāʾī. Tirmidhī also declared it authentic. See Ḥayāt al-Ṣaḥāba, vol. 1, p. 231.
- Reported by al-Ṭabarānī in al-Awsaṭ and al-Kabīr. See Majmaʿ al-Zawāʾid, vol. 6, p. 39.
- Al-Haythamī in Majmaʿ al-Zawāʾid, vol. 6, p. 140, says it is mursal, but the narrators are reliable.
- Majmaʿ al-Zawāʾid, vol. 9, p. 285.
- Al-Iṣāba, vol. 3, p. 458.
- Ḥayāt al-Ṣaḥāba, vol. 1, p. 237.
- Imām Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, as in Ḥayāt al-Ṣaḥāba.
- Rijāl al-Fikr wa'l-Daʿwa fī'l-Islām, p. 248.
- Part of a hadith reported by Tirmidhī in the Book of Knowledge from Abū al-Dardāʾ (may Allah be pleased with him).
- This etiquette is intended for the murīd who seeks training, perfection, and arrival to Allah. As for students of knowledge, it is appropriate for them to question, ask, and debate with their teachers to benefit from their knowledge.
- Ibn Ḥajar al-Haythamī al-Makkī, who died in 974 AH, in Fatāwā al-Ḥadīthiyya, p. 55.
- Fatāwā al-Ḥadīthiyya, p. 55.
- It is not appropriate to be emotionally deceived by outward appearances. Otherwise, without a sound legal measure and sound reason, one may fall into the trap of false claimants to Sufism. Not everyone who claims Sufism is a Sufi or a trainer, even if he appears as a murshid. Just as not everyone who wears a doctor's coat in a hospital is a doctor, for attendants, nurses, porters, and others also wear it.
- Ṭabaqāt al-Ṣūfiyya, p. 405.
- Ṭabaqāt al-Ṣūfiyya, p. 283.
- Madārij al-Sulūk ilā Malik al-Mulūk, p. 12. This book is by Shaykh Abū Bakr ibn Muḥammad Bannānī al-Shādhilī, who died in 1284 AH.
- Madārij al-Sulūk ilā Malik al-Mulūk, p. 12. This book is by Shaykh Abū Bakr ibn Muḥammad Bannānī al-Shādhilī, who died in 1284 AH.
- It should be noted that the shaykh meant here is the training shaykh, not the teaching shaykh. A student of knowledge may have several teachers, and a murīd may have many teachers in knowledge, for his connection with them is intellectual. However, his connection with his training shaykh is spiritual and for training.
- Fatāwā al-Ḥadīthiyya, p. 55.
- Extracted in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Book of Knowledge.
- The hadith is extracted by Ibn Mājah and Tirmidhī from Abū Qatāda (may Allah be pleased with him). See al-Munāwī, Fayḍ al-Qadīr, Sharḥ Jāmiʿ al-Ṣaghīr, vol. 4, p. 122.
- Al-Sulamī, Ṭabaqāt al-Ṣūfiyya, p. 119.
- In the first edition, we did not touch on the subject of knowledge, as our book was dedicated to Sufi indications, clarifying realities, and answering doubts in that regard. Therefore, we did not address matters of creed, worship, or transactions. On the other hand, when a Muslim seeks to purify his soul, cleanse his heart, and rectify his inner and outer self, he must first correct his faith, perform all obligatory acts of worship, and be honest in his dealings. This is only possible with sound knowledge, which is clear and evident. The virtue of knowledge is manifest, and it is agreed upon that knowledge is a condition for the correctness of deeds. In this edition, we have written about knowledge to explain its honor and ranks and to respond to those who claim that the men of Sufism do not value knowledge or give it due attention.