Answered by Shaykh Hamza Karamali, SunniPath Academy Teacher
After hearing from a friend of the benefits of having a sheikh, I was wondering how one goes about finding one, what qualities should one be looking for, and whether it is possible not to be worthy of having a sheikh. I feel as though there is so much more I should be doing in my life, in terms of ibadaat and living a wholesome, good life but I become lazy and depressed at times. I know I have much to be thankful for and I feel I would be helped by having someone as a spiritual guide. Is it possible after finding someone suitable, asking them to help, that they may refuse because I am not “good” enough? Is there something wrong in me trying to find someone to help me with my Islam and aspects of my worship because I feel that I cannot do it on my own? Does it mean that I am already a lost cause?
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful and Compassionate
Qualities of a Shaykh
(1) Sufism is a branch of Islamic knowledge. There is no Sufism without Islam. The spiritual guide must be Muslim and subscribe to the belief of Ahl al-Sunna wa’l-Jama’ah, whose practical manifestation is adherence to either the Ash’ari or the Maturidi school in tenets of faith.
(2) The masters of the spiritual path unanimously concur that the way to Allah is by following Sacred Law. Another condition, then, for any spiritual guide is that he be knowledgeable in the rulings of Sacred Law, and that he exalt the Sacred Law, putting it above himself and above every human being. Flouting the Sacred Law is a sign that Allah has abandoned one: how can someone in such a state guide others to Allah?
(3) The guide must embody the perfections of faith and purity of heart that his students want to attain, and be able to pass on these traits to his followers. This can sometimes be gauged by looking at his students and seeing what they have gained from their companionship with their teacher.
(4) The spiritual guide must have been trained and authorized to teach by another spiritual guide, who must also have been trained likewise, all the way back to the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace).
Am I good enough?
The whole point of taking a shaykh is to refine one’s character and to purify one’s heart. If one is dejected by how bad one is, and one finds someone who can help show one how to cleanse oneself, then one should hurry and take the means before it’s too late and death overtakes one. One does not wait to recover from a physical illness before visiting a medical doctor; if one did, one’s illness may well end up taking one’s life. Likewise, it makes no sense to recover from a spiritual illness before visiting a spiritual doctor; matters could very quickly get worse and out of hand.
And Allah knows best.
Hamza.
Faraz notes: the articles by Shaykh Abdal Hakim Murad and Shaykh Nuh Keller on Islamic spirituality (tasawwuf) on Sidi Masud Khan’s excellent site, www.masud.co.uk, are very useful reads.