Adab of the Sincere Seeker

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

The following is taken from Adab al-Murid asw-Swadiq by Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Buzaydi (q.s.). 

Of the proper manners of the seeker is not to convey repugnant words which would change the hearts of the brethren or of any ordinary persons, let alone the hearts of those who make remembrance of Allah (s.w.t.) from amongst his brothers or the heart of his shaykh.  This is the case even when the seeker sees a certain necessity in conveying these words.  He should avoid such words and consign the matter to Allah (s.w.t.), and be convinced that Allah (s.w.t.) has already Informed the shaykh of them. 

Whosoever is not convinced that his shaykh is informed of this, and of what is even greater, will never be illumined about the secret of the path, even if he remains with the folk of Allah (s.w.t.) for years.  The door of spiritual illumination is veneration and it is through this door that propriety originates. 

The person who sees something in the brethren and conveys it to the shaykh is himself the one who is really heedless of Allah (s.w.t.), and is, further, worse than all his brothers.  Had this person been busy with the remembrance of Allah (s.w.t.), he would have been blind to the fault of others.