BAYT [Initiation on the Path with a Sufi Master]
The inner aspect of the spirituality of Prophet Mohammad and his companions influenced the people who met them. The effect of the inner aspect of spirituality also affects the physical. When one has been trying to emulate goodness and virtuous deeds and thoughts - the contemplation of doing something wrong causes you to feel depressed and in the same way one feels lighter when one has achieved some good deed or satisfying worship etc., so the spiritual aspect has a great bearing on ones physical self too. The effect on the physical is not as important as the effect on the inner self....
Someone inquired what the essentials to achieve the inner improvement were.
One must acquire knowledge, act upon it and turn to Allah with your heart, in all sincerity. Whether it is done individually or collectively, it will result in the reflection of its good influence. Keeping good company [sohbat] is most important.
The merits of performance of good deeds and keeping good company, has been proved time and again. Even a child learns language and manners and deeds from his home and his parents. If a child is left in the jungle and grows up with animals, he may remain protected but will behave like the animals around him the finer manners of humans will be totally absent.
In olden days when the child was old enough to be educated he was sent to stay with a person known for his virtue, scholarship, knowledge integrity and principles. The student went to live with his tutor and absorb refinement of character and manners. So also all those who had received the Prophet’s company and learnt at his feet were highly respected and people went to them from far and wide to learn from them.
After the Companions of the Prophet, the Followers also received the same reverence and importance. As they had studied from the Companions of Prophet Mohammad, they were all examples to follow.
The inner aspect of their spirituality and goodness becomes reflected in the student; they are stamped so to say with the attributes and qualities of the model.
A student is presented like a fresh unwritten page or an empty container and each one will absorb according to his or her innate capacity. The container must be clean, empty no traces of ego there, if it is not so then the person cannot receive correctly but adulterated. The inner ability to accept must be present. Whether it is general knowledge, spiritual, moral or social truths and ways.
When you come across a person who has knowledge of religion and practices it well and has the excellence of nature and good habits. He is living life as a true Muslim, stay in his company or send your children to be in such company. This has been the way of the world; from following the practices of Prophet Mohammad, peace be upon him, his excellent companions and their followers. Then the followers of the Scholarly Imams like Imam Abu Hanifa and others.
One wishes to follow their ways, as one loves the Prophet and those close to him. One wishes to walk on the path of one's favorite and beloved teachers. Association with the masters has been one of the principles of learning from the beginning of Time.
Q. Is it necessary to do Bayt in order to achieve this sohbat asked the same person?
Hazrat saheb replied: not necessarily but has its advantages/benefits. When one has an intention to do something, it is better to make it clear and concrete. Like when one does any transaction or agreement Allah says in Sura Baqra to write it down. Similarly the Prophet Mohammad made people promise they would pray namaz, give charity, fight in jihad and not run away - all these were like agreements. Just as one shakes hands after completing an agreement, so also in Bayt the promise or agreement for tutorship of the faith, training in religion becomes the responsibility of the teacher and is sealed by a handshake... This brings spiritual blessing of the saints of the lineage and their spirituality whether they are living in this world or not.
In fact, the connection goes all the way to the prophet who took the Bayt from the men who promised to follow his training and from the women he asked that they would not do such and such …whatever was required to be moral and religious. So taking Bayt is giving a formal declaration of acceptance of pupil and teacher relationship and responsibility in place of a vague intention in the heart. This is also following in the footsteps of the Prophet's way.
People go to pay a visit to the shrine of Prophet Mohammad. They do not go there just to see a monument. They go to make a spiritual meeting with him. God says the Prophets are not dead; they are living. When one goes to visit and do ziaret of Hazrat Rasool Allah, peace be upon him, one receives a spiritual radiance from him.
In the same way, all the saints too are living and when you do Bayt you are receiving radiance and light from all the saints of the lineage. Time or distance is no barrier for this. You benefit from their effulgence. Not only do you receive as much as your capacity but being in their company/sohbat causes an increase in your capacity to receive.
2 comments:
Very weird synchronicity. I just read a thing about the need for community and that lone ranger spirituality is not the ideal way. Now I also read this, which is a challenge to take a teacher that making a formal agreement of the practice. Thanks for this post, brother!
:) God guides whom He wills unto His Paths.
That's a line from the Qur'an btw.
My own late Sufi teacher warned often against "solo flight" as he called it.
The Sufis have a saying: He who does not have a master, has Satan for a master.
Or as another saint put it: how can you impose double duty on yourself & be your own leader & your own follower?
Go with God, brother Green Monk.
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