Excusing the Shaykh

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

Shaykh Muhyi ad-Din Abu Muhammad ibn Abu Swalih ‘Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani (q.s.) said, “The seeker must know that the shaykh will make some mistakes, but that this will not prevent him from lifting up the murid to the Divine Presence.  So, the murid must excuse the shaykh as the shaykh is not the Prophet (s.a.w.).  Only prophets are free from error.  Though it is rare, just like a doctor might make a mistake in treating a patient, so too the shaykh might make a mistake in treating the murid’s spiritual illness.  And this must be excused.  It is said that whoever is not happy with the order of the shaykh, and does not keep good conduct, and adab with him, will never keep good conduct with the Qur’an, and sunnah of the Prophet (s.a.w.).”