The Principle of Swuhbah in the Naqshbandi Order
بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ The following is extracted from the first Volume, 72 nd letter of Maktubat , the “Letters” of Imam Muhammad Ma’swum ibn Ahmad al-Faruqi as-Sirhindi ( q.s. ), the son and spiritual successor of Imam ar-Rabbani wa Mujaddid ats-Tsani , Imam Ahmad ibn ‘Abd al-Ahad al-Faruqi as-Sirhindi ( q.s. ). Attaining a high spiritual station requires a strong and affectionate attachment to the elite of the Ahl as-Sunnah wa al-Jama’ah . A true devotee, owing to his affection towards the murshid , receives the faydh , spiritual emanations, coming from the murshid 's heart. Gradually, he becomes like the murshid . In other thariqa’ , there are mandatory practices such as dzikr , recitations from the Qur'an at stated times, physical hardships and going into forty-day seclusions. Strong attachment to the murshid is not a condition. This thariqa’ , however, is the way of the swahabah . In this Order, ifadhah and istifadha...