The Sufi Path is a Rarity

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

The following sections are taken from some parts of the Kashif al-Ilbas an Faydha al-Khatm Abu ‘Abbas, by Shaykh Ibrahim ibn ‘Abdullah Niyas al-Kawlakhi (q.s.). 

In Latha’if al-Minan fi Manaqib Abu al-‘Abbas al-Mursi wa Shaykhihi Abu-Hasan of Shaykh Taj ad-Din Abu al-Fadhl Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Atha’illah as-Sakandari (q.s.), Shaykh ‘Abd al-Wahhab ibn Ahmad ash-Sha’rani (r.a.) said, “The path of the Sufi has always been a rarity, in every age.  Few have had the stamina to endure their shaykh’s training, and his examination of their actions.” This is why Shaykh ash-Sha’rani (r.a.) began to see the Muhammadan virtues, such as piety, abstinence, fear of Allah (s.w.t.), and so on, as being in the hands of the people of Allah (s.w.t.).  It is impossible to obtain such characteristics by random means. 

The path of the Sufi thus consists entirely of battling against the lower self.  But where is the one capable of virtuous conduct and dedicated opposition to the lower self, preferring the desire of the Real to the self's desire?  This can only be attained by sacrificing the soul.  We know that the true Sufis were the a’immah of independent scholarly judgement, and the scholars who put their knowledge into practice. 

Imam Abu al-Qasim ‘Abd al-Karim ibn Huzan al-Qushayri (r.a.) said, “The Sufis originally came to be called Sufis when lustful desires and innovations began to appear, during the time of Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal.  The term, ‘Sufi’ was then applied exclusively to anyone who faithfully adhere to the Qur’an and the sunnah, and acted according to them.”