It is to act in accordance with ittibāʿ (following the example of the Prophet).
It is also said: Sufism (taṣawwuf) is to abandon affectation (artificiality, pretension) and to be generous in spirit. (ʿAwārif, 39)
All of Sufism (taṣawwuf) is distress (iḍṭirāb). When tranquility occurs—when distress ends—there is no Sufism (taṣawwuf). The secret in this is as follows: The spirit (rūḥ) is under the attraction (jazba) of the Divine Presence. That is, the spirit (rūḥ) of the Sufi (ṣūfī) is drawn to the stations of nearness (qurb maqāms). As for the nafs (the lower self), its essential nature is to descend to its own (base) world with its existing attributes and to return. In this situation, what the Sufi (ṣūfī) must do is...