The seeker, after further spiritual enlightenment, must leave behind
the ego and surrender all attachments to worldly, material things. Remaining
embroiled in worldly matters de-sensitizes man spiritually and renders
him incapable of responding to the word of God. On the question of
detachment, the Shaykh went so far as to say that without distancing oneself
entirely, both physically and mentally, from the surrounding world, one
remained dormant as a spiritual being. Constant endeavour and an intelligent
approach were essential for spiritual progress. He held that “the beginning
of spiritual life was to transcend the natural urges, tread the path of law and
then move onwards to one’s destiny and still onward to come back to the
natural urges, but on condition of the preservation of the law.” So you
should transcend your urges of nature in the matter of food and drink and
dress and marital relations and place of residence and tendencies and habits,
to honour the injunctions and prohibitions of law.You are to follow the Book
of Allah and the practice of His Prophet, the blessings and peace of Allah be
upon him, as Allah says: ‘And accept what the Prophet has brought to you
and refrain from what he forbids you to do.’” (59:7)
8
F
OR
THE
GUIDANCE
of those who wished to lead a pious life, the Shaykh
laid down ten principles recorded in
Ghunyat
:
9
(1) Refrain from speaking ill of those not present; (2) refrain from
being unduly suspicious of others; (3) avoid gossip and malicious comments;
(4) abstain from looking at anything which is prohibited; (5) always tell the
truth; (6) always be grateful to God; (7) spend money on those who are
deserving of help; (8) abstain from straining after worldly power and
position; (9) be regular in saying the five daily prayers; (10) adhere to the
sunnah
of the Prophet and be cooperative towards Muslims.
8
Fath al Ghaib, sermon 60, tr. M. Aftabud din Ahmad, reprinted in India, Delhi, 1990, p.121
9
Ghunyat, pp. 275-276
