The Station of Faith

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

Shaykh Muhammad Nazhim Adil al-Haqqani an-Naqshbandi (q.s.) said of Shaykh ‘Abdullah al-Fa’iz ad-Daghistani (q.s.), “Our Grand shaykh said about trials, ‘Everyday they come afresh and the seeker must be ready and careful each time for that test, that his faith may become real faith.  Everyone may improve his station.  For one still under his ego’s rule, he will be tested by that which his ego never likes, of everything: family, friends, work and neighbours.  It may come to you what you do not like.  The way of advancement is the way of patience.  There is no quick advancement.  One must be agreeable to all that happen to and around him.’ 

That is the sign of advancement, to endure peoples troubling you.  It is not important to fly in the sky or to walk on the sea or to be seen in several places at once or to dream good dreams.  What is important in our way is to be patient, resisting every wave of evil like a mountain in a storm, not being pushed back.  That is advancement.  Or like the ocean, not becoming dirty from the rivers pouring into it.  People with extraordinary powers may fly, but may in the end lose their faith when Satan rushes to attack them.  We must be able to endure every harm from everyone. 

Our Grand shaykh said, ‘We must be aware for everything coming contrary to our liking and be ready to tolerate it.  This is the real station of faith.’”