How the Murid Should Behave Towards His Shaykh
بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ Imam Mahmud ibn ‘Ali al-Qashani ( q.s. ) is the author of the Persian handbook of the Sufis, Miswbah al-Hidayah wa Miftah al-Kifayah , “The Lamp of Right Guidance & the Key to What is Sufficient.” To the muridun of the Suhrawardi, its contents is, perhaps, known to them as ‘Aw’arif al-Ma’arif . This extract is adapted from the chapter on how a murid should behave before the shaykh . We must know this. It belongs to the most important rules of the murid that she or he takes care of behaving properly towards her or his shaykh , because of the fact that the guarding of the ways of behaviour creates love in the heart. It so happens that the beauty of our spirit and the perfection of our intelligence can only be seen in the shape of the beauty of our way of behaviour. If we are always courteous towards our shaykh , then because of the love that is created, we will win a place in the heart of our...