1.
So they found one of Our servants, on whom We had bestowed Mercy from Ourselves and whom We had taught Knowledge from Our own Presence.
- Chapter of the Mysterious Cave
The Quran, 18:65
2.
The art of the Masterful,
is to impart the unteachable ~
To reflect the light of Divine Understanding ~
To remind you of who you "really" are.
For as long as we walk upon this earth, Spiritual Masters will always be here. Thank Goodness ~ as humanity has never been more in need of their Presence.
3.
The real spiritual teacher, the Master is not a master over others, but a master of himself --and this self-mastery is reflected in his every gesture and his every word. He is not a teacher with a doctrine to impart, nor a supernatural messenger with a direct line to God, but simply one who has become a living example of the highest potential that lies within each and every human being. In the eyes of the Master, a disciple finds his own truth reflected. In the silence of the Master's presence, the disciple can fall more easily into the silence of his own being. The community of seekers that arises around a Master becomes an energy field that supports each unique individual in finding his or her own inner light. Once that light is found, the disciple comes to understand that the outer Master was just a catalyst, a device to provoke the awakening of the inner.
As far as the question implies the disciple, if the disciple does not yet have the urge to find the master, then there is no way to help to find him. If you have the urge, that very urge helps. There is no other help needed. Your very urge becomes your path. How do you find if you are thirsty, in a desert; how will you find water, how will you find an oasis? You will run hither and thither; you will do all that you can do because thirst will be killing.
And your thirst will decide whether you have come across real water or not, because your thirst will be quenched whenever you come across real water. If it is a mirage and from far away it looked like water and you ran to it, when you come face to face with it you will know it is not water. But the only criterion is your thirst.
4.
In any path we follow there are people who have reached an higher station or level of understanding and they (can) teach us the inner and deeper meaning ..
However as its is written its very difficult to find true teacher or shiekh in this dunya (world of appearances) ..but there are teachers who are hidden and some of them who are known do have higher station.
5.
We accept teachers and masters in our life - at school, college, karate classes, even for driving lessons. But for the most important thing - the spiritual journey of our life - we believe we can do without a guide...
Of course the risk of false masters is real. But the challenge is to search in right earnest rather than abandon the quest. When the disciple is (really) ready, the (real) Master will appear!
6.
To light a candle, you need a burning candle. Just as one candle can light many other sleeping candles, so can an illumined soul alone can enlighten many other unawakened soul by the grace of God Who is the Source of Real Light.
That single burning candle, that illuminated soul is the spiritual teacher. Dont pride yourself not needing the fire to illuminate, while you are sleeping all along.
Moses saw the fire at the burning bush
at the side of Mount Sinai
and ran to it without hesitation,
and behold what fire indeed he found!
7.
We are all children of God. Even our enemies can be our best teachers. But words, at the right moment, by a trusted and loved guide offer comfort in that dark of darkest places.
If it was not for the guidance of spiritual friends at important moments of my life, I would still be floundering in confusion, judgement and rage.
8.
It takes a great force to overcome nafs. Nafs will deny this. I speak from my own experience.
.. it (is) clear that this force, this grace, is, of course, Allah, the Divine, through the straight sluice known as the Murshid, Pir, Shaykh to the receptive heart.
9.
God alone is the Guide, Al Hadiyy... Yes, but the forms in which He guides may not always have the label "God" clearly identifiable on them.
There is a lovely joke that illustrates this. A man swims out too far from the shore and gets into difficulties. A boat passes and asks if he needs any help.
"I trust in God - he will help me, thank you", says the man waving the boat away.
A while later another boat comes, but the man sends this away with the same explanation.
But by now his difficulties are increasing, and the coastguard notices him through his binoculars. He calls an Air-Sea Rescue helicopter which circles above the man. He just has enough strenth to send this away, too. "God is the only Helper - He is enough for me".
Eventually the man drowns.
Arriving in the Divine Presence, he is really man. "God, I believed in you, I took you for my Wakil, my only Trustee, but what did YOU do? You let me drown!!!"
"What do you mean I let you drown?" God replies indignantly. "I sent two boats and a helicopter!!!"
The Teacher is God's Helicopter.
10.
On the path of tariqat or suluk, all are saliks (seekers) at different stations. Some Sheikhs, some Murids. Murids (disciples) too become Sheikhs at some point if they reach that station.. even the unconscious ones who are not following the path with open eyes head towards Him.
Fear not, hope more, trust Lord and seek guidance from Him, may He send the best to you when you are ready or make you ready for it when the time comes, whatever channel He chooses to guide; He does as He wills. "Ya Haadi, Ya Rahim!"
As far as the question implies the disciple, if the disciple does not yet have the urge to find the master, then there is no way to help to find him. If you have the urge, that very urge helps. There is no other help needed. Your very urge becomes your path. How do you find if you are thirsty, in a desert; how will you find water, how will you find an oasis? You will run hither and thither; you will do all that you can do because thirst will be killing.
And your thirst will decide whether you have come across real water or not, because your thirst will be quenched whenever you come across real water. If it is a mirage and from far away it looked like water and you ran to it, when you come face to face with it you will know it is not water. But the only criterion is your thirst.
4.
In any path we follow there are people who have reached an higher station or level of understanding and they (can) teach us the inner and deeper meaning ..
However as its is written its very difficult to find true teacher or shiekh in this dunya (world of appearances) ..but there are teachers who are hidden and some of them who are known do have higher station.
5.
We accept teachers and masters in our life - at school, college, karate classes, even for driving lessons. But for the most important thing - the spiritual journey of our life - we believe we can do without a guide...
Of course the risk of false masters is real. But the challenge is to search in right earnest rather than abandon the quest. When the disciple is (really) ready, the (real) Master will appear!
6.
To light a candle, you need a burning candle. Just as one candle can light many other sleeping candles, so can an illumined soul alone can enlighten many other unawakened soul by the grace of God Who is the Source of Real Light.That single burning candle, that illuminated soul is the spiritual teacher. Dont pride yourself not needing the fire to illuminate, while you are sleeping all along.
Moses saw the fire at the burning bush
at the side of Mount Sinai
and ran to it without hesitation,
and behold what fire indeed he found!
7.
We are all children of God. Even our enemies can be our best teachers. But words, at the right moment, by a trusted and loved guide offer comfort in that dark of darkest places.
If it was not for the guidance of spiritual friends at important moments of my life, I would still be floundering in confusion, judgement and rage.
8.
It takes a great force to overcome nafs. Nafs will deny this. I speak from my own experience.
.. it (is) clear that this force, this grace, is, of course, Allah, the Divine, through the straight sluice known as the Murshid, Pir, Shaykh to the receptive heart.
9.
God alone is the Guide, Al Hadiyy... Yes, but the forms in which He guides may not always have the label "God" clearly identifiable on them.
There is a lovely joke that illustrates this. A man swims out too far from the shore and gets into difficulties. A boat passes and asks if he needs any help.
"I trust in God - he will help me, thank you", says the man waving the boat away.
A while later another boat comes, but the man sends this away with the same explanation.
But by now his difficulties are increasing, and the coastguard notices him through his binoculars. He calls an Air-Sea Rescue helicopter which circles above the man. He just has enough strenth to send this away, too. "God is the only Helper - He is enough for me".
Eventually the man drowns.
Arriving in the Divine Presence, he is really man. "God, I believed in you, I took you for my Wakil, my only Trustee, but what did YOU do? You let me drown!!!"
"What do you mean I let you drown?" God replies indignantly. "I sent two boats and a helicopter!!!"
The Teacher is God's Helicopter.
10.
On the path of tariqat or suluk, all are saliks (seekers) at different stations. Some Sheikhs, some Murids. Murids (disciples) too become Sheikhs at some point if they reach that station.. even the unconscious ones who are not following the path with open eyes head towards Him.
Fear not, hope more, trust Lord and seek guidance from Him, may He send the best to you when you are ready or make you ready for it when the time comes, whatever channel He chooses to guide; He does as He wills. "Ya Haadi, Ya Rahim!"
Thanks and blessings to all contributors: Anonymous, Aliya, Abrahim, AV, Caliean Benjamin, Farheen, James Soutter, Mo'in, Tiffany, Vimesh.
# Related Post: Do we really need a guide in spiritual journey?
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