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Like worldly knowledge, Bait (becoming student
of spiritual knowledge) is a fundamental act in ecclesiastical (khankahi)
order. Bait is not mandatory just as are many other acts in the world for
instance it is nowhere written that learning the skill of a doctor, carpenter
or engineering is necessary. However, acquiring knowledge is one of the
fundamental requirements in a society. Allah has enumerated the advantage of
bait in the holy Quran.
God said in Quran:
"O Prophet, those who swear fealty to you,
swear fealty to Allah Himself. The Hand of Allah is a above their hands"
(Surah Al- Fatah: Verse 10)
"Allah has purchased the faithful their
lives and worldly goods in return for the paradise".
(Surah Al Tauba: Verse 111)
"Believers, have fear of Allah and seek
the means by which you get His favors"
(Surah Al Maida: Verse 35)
According to exegesis and interpreters the word
wasila (means) implies the meaning of murshid (spiritual teacher) e.g. the
relationship of teacher and pupil. Shah Wali' ullah Dehlavi has taken this
meaning of Wasila. The Aulia (saints) are also in favor of the meaning of
sheikh-e-tariqat (the teacher of spiritual order). But opponents of the
spiritual school of thought favor the meaning of Wasila as "virtuous
deeds"
Shah AbduI Aziz says:
"If a virtuous deed is a means the course
of spiritual following for a vassal is also a means to achieve divine pleasure
after his knowledge of the self or to tread the right path. Allama Zamahsh:-y,
Shah Wali'ullah, Shah Abdurrahim, Bayazeed Bustami; Junaid Baghdadi, Moeenuddin
Chishti, Nizamuddin Auliyaa,, Mujadid Alf-e-Sani, Maulana Rome, Fariddudin
Attar, Allama Iqbal , Qalandar Baba Auliya and other saints following Qadriya,
Chishtiya, Suhuwardia, and Naqsbandiya schools of spiritual thought also favour
the meaning of Wasila as shaikh (spiritual teacher).
When we brood over human nature and instinct,
we tend to take recourse to the need for a teacher in order to learn anything.
Some people object to the requirement of a
teacher in the presence of the book of God and maintain that in the presence of
the book from Allah, the need for a teacher raises a question mark.
It is an established fact that there is no
skill in this world which can be learned without a skilled teacher or expert.
Deen (Islamic religion) is a complete knowledge
and Shari'ah is also knowledge in deen and along with Shari'ah, Tariquat
(spiritual following) is also a knowledge. Deen is a centre for unitheists.
Shariah is the guidelines and procedures for sticking to this centre. Tariquat
(mystic way of life) is a means to achieve enlightenment and blessings accruing
from this centre.
When some person devotes himself to Allah after
quitting polytheism and idol worship, he needs a teacher there as well. A teacher
is also needed to learn Shariah (divine laws) after becoming a Muslim. A
teacher is also required to get acquainted with prayer requirements, their
timings, procedure of fasting, pilgrimage, social laws, Allah's rights,
neighbor's rights and with collective duties of Muslims according to Islamic
tenets.
The holy Quran is the last book of Allah which
was revealed to the last prophet of Allah (PBUH). A teacher is also needed to
understand this book as well as tasavuff or mysticism. When we want to learn
some discipline, we ensure that the instructor to expert. If we come to know
that the instructor lacks in the skill we want to learn, we shall not become
his pupil.
In order to learn spiritual knowledge, it is
important to verify
whether the person whom we are going to choose
our Murshid (Spiritual instructor or guide) knows the spirituality or not.
Consciousness is not possible without education and training. Consciousness and
unconsciousness both are taken to mean achievement of education and training.
When some thing comes into existence in this world, it is not aware of anything
except the realization of its self.
After the birth of man, God said: 'And (We)
taught him what he did not know'.
Allah has also said: 'And We taught Adam the
knowledge of names'. It implies that the first consciousness of a person is his
knowledge.
Example
Suppose there is a person whose name is Zaid
but he is named so after his birth. Before birth his name was not introduced in
society. The first consciousness that he developed after being born was his
proximity to mother. That, proximity to mother, is also knowledge. After the
knowledge of proximity to mother, the child is nursed and with the passage of
time his consciousness keeps increasing. His parents and other members of
family keep transferring the knowledge of the needs of life according to their
level of consciousness. At last, the child is able to expand the level of
consciousness absorbing the conscious imprints of his parents, family and
community. Then on the consciousness continuum, consciousness of the child multiplies
by intermingling with collective consciousness of his nation and then of the
nations of the world. The rule is that: the greater the accumulation of
consciousness in a man, the greater the genius and expertise he gains. However,
it is an undeniable fact that if the newly born baby lacks in the capacity to
receive consciousness, he will never become a scholar; rather he will become
handicapped.
It is an undeniable fact that without the role
of a teacher in society, a child cannot become intellectual. Role of teachers
in society means education and training, there should be schools, colleges, and
universities. Just as schools, colleges and universities are necessary for
acquiring worldly knowledge, ecclesiastical academies are necessary for
learning spiritual knowledge. Since the time when ecclesiastical system was
curtailed, man has fallen a victim to such dreadful diseases like restlessness,
anxiety, AIDS, and cancer. It is also so because the material self of man is
nothing but a decaying and putrefying matter which causes disease.
Along with worldly knowledge, the perception of
the Quran and Sunnah (practice of the holy Prophet (PBUH), compliant supporting
and energizing spirit are necessary (which are possible through swearing of fealty).
The basic principal underlying bait is that spirit which is the essence of man
is composed of light and as long as a man of light associates himself with the
material self, he remains alive. When such a man leaves material self, he dies.
A spiritual teacher, who is called Murshid in
other words, is aware of such a principle and this knowledge keeps on
transferring via his Murshid and the prophet of Allah. When a mureed (spiritual
vassal) comes within the ambit of a Murshid, the positive and negative. lights
are refreshed. The light of mureed comes in· contact with that of a Murad This
phenomenon gives effect to reduced putrefaction. The lesser the putrefaction,
the greater the accumulation of finer light.
It is necessary for a vassal to be satisfied with
the affairs of the life of a Sheikh (Spiritual teacher). If intellectual
incongruity exists between them, swearing of fealty between them runs counter
to common sense.
To sum up, until there is conformity in
conduct, disposition, habits, behaviour and etiquette of murshid and vasaal,
there is no benefit in swearing fealty.
After swearing fealty to a Murshid, a vassal
cannot swear fealty to another Murshid except with the consent of the first
Murshid. It does not come to an end even with the death of Murshid as spiritual
reward continues even thereaf ter. However, discipleship of spiritual master
(an expert in spiritual matters) can be adopted. In fact, spiritual knowledge
is a legacy. Just as a real father considers the best upbringing of children as
his object of life, a Murshid engages himself in the training of his spiritual
children; puts up with great difficulties, torments and anxieties in order to
pass on spiritual framework to his vassal. He bears with his mistakes, forgives
his delinquencies, and is all sacrifice for the sake of his spiritual pupil.
There are two methods of training: one is to
train by hardship which involves the use of castigation. The training _ 1 this
way does not prevent the trained from transgressing the limits in the absence
of enforcers. The other method is to be patient over delinquencies and forgive
mistakes so much so that one abjures them after feeling ashamed of them. Such a
person does not repeat these mistakes; rather, loves his trainer to the extent
of self-sacrifice.
The following are the characteristics of a
spiritual teacher as described by Auliya Allah (saints of Allah):
(1) He should fulfill the rights of people.
(2) He
should believe in the life in the hereafter.
(3) He
should be fond of seeing Allah.
(4) He
should not claim to be at the zenith of perfection.
(5) He
should not be desirous of demonstrating miracles.
(6) He
should have the proximity of Auliya Allah (saints of Allah).
(7) He
should lead life as led by the prophet (PBUH) of Allah and should train his
vassals accordingly.
(8) His
objective in life should be the attainment of the best model of manners i.e.,
the prophet (PBUH) of Allah.
(9) He
should be expert in knowledge.
(10) He
should attribute every thing to Allah.
(11) Those
who keep his company should not have love of the world and should long for the
love of Allah.
12) He
should practise what he demands of the vassals because an action sans practice
is not of any consequence.
(13) He
should be virtuous and knowledgeable.
(14) He
should attend and address to the plaints of the needy.
(15) He
should be pleased with serving the creation of Allah.
(16) He
should stay obliged with whatever Allah has given him, and not complain about
what has not been given to him.
Passion is greatly required to acquire
spiritual knowledge. No Muslim can become momin (perfect believer) without
passion for Allah and His prophet (PBUH). 'Allah says, the believers
passionately love Allah'.
'O prophet, say, if you love Allah follows me;
He shall love thee'.
(Surah Al-e-Imran: Verse 31)
One whom Allah loves becomes His beloved. It
implies that · obedience to the prophet (PBUH) elevates one to the status of
His beloved. The prophet (PBUH) says; 'One sans love is sans belief
According to Hadith-e-Qudsi: 'I was a hidden
treasure; I brought forth the creation with love so that the creation can
recognize me’
In case of indecisiveness about the selection
of a Murshid before swearing of fealty, one should decide whether his proximity
evokes a particular effect or not i.e., it should evoke love for Allah and
distance from vice. Ahadith describing a sign of the saints of Allah reads as:
'Seeing them brings before you the memory of
Allah'
KHWAJA SHAMS-UD-DEEN AZEEMI
Many a scholar has written a lot about
spiritualism and pantheism. One school of thought is of the view that as saints
often used to wear wooly dresses therefore people would call them sufis. Wool
is called sauf in Arabic. They used to wear such a dress, for it had been the
habit of many a prophet, saints and pious people. According to some people, as
they have been associated with the Ashaab-e-suffa that is why they are called sufis;
whereas according to yet another school of thought the word sufi is linked with
suf a.... but all these explanations are not satisfactory.
In fact, the terminological meaning of Sufi'ism
(tasawaf) is self cleansing. It is the name of a true spirit that is related
to conscience and the light of conscience is always inherent. A sufi always
thinks in the context of Allah. His talk moves around Allah. He lives with
Allah and dies in the name of Allah. He recites His words and always praises
Him and remains enmeshed in His love. He sacrifices everything in order to see
and meet Allah.
