Objecting
to one's Murshid leads to ruin
Undoubtedly, the Islamic student and
the disciple objecting to his Islamic teacher and Murshid remain deprived of
the blessings of knowledge and gnosis and fall into the abyss of ruin.
A'lā Hadrat, Imam of Ahl-e-Sunnat,
Reviver of Sunnah, Eradicator of Bid'ah, Scholar of Shari'ah, Guide of Tariqah,
'Allāmah, Maulānā, Al-Hāj Al-Hafiz, Al-Qārī Ash-Shah Imām Ahmad Raza Khan عَلَيْهِ رَحْمَةُ الرَّحْمَنِ has narrated: 'A
disciple must not object to his Murshid as this is a deadly poison for him.
There would hardly be any disciple that manages to attain salvation in spite of
objecting to his Murshid. If he ever fails to comprehend the wisdom of any act
on the part of his Murshid, he should recall the events of Sayyidunā Khiḍr عَلَيْهِ الصَّلُوةُ وَالسَّلام as he عَلَيْهِ الصَّلُوةُ وَالسَّلَام did such acts that
apparently seemed to be highly objectionable (like damaging the ship of a
destitute person and killing an innocent boy).
However, when he عَلَيْهِ الصَّلُوةُ وَالسَّلَام justified his acts,
it would become clear what he did was right. Likewise, the disciple should have
a firm belief that his Murshid has an irrefutable proof for the permissibility
of the act that does not seem to be right to the disciple.' Sayyidunā Imām Abul
Qasim Qushayri رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ
has written in the booklet ‘Risāla-e-Qushairiyah’ that he رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ heard Sayyidunā Abu
'Abdur Rahmān Sulami عَلَيْهِ رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ
الْقَوِى say (Abu 'Abdur Rahman Sulamī's Murshid, Abū Sahal Saluki رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ) said to him: "Anyone
who says 'why' in any matter to his Murshid will never be able to attain
salvation."
(Risāla Qushairiyah,
p. 362) (Fatāwā Razawiyyah, Vol. 21, pp. 510-511)
Perfect
and imperfect Murshid
Dear Islamic brothers! The foregoing
blessed Fatwa of A'lā Hadrat رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى
عَلَيْهِ appertains to only a perfect Murshid. As for the so-called
'Murshid' who is not only a blasphemer of the Holy Prophet and his companions but
also an apostate and a religious bigot, it is impermissible and sin to become a
disciple of such a person. Similarly, the person committing major sins with
impunity or committing minor sins repeatedly is Fāsiq-e-Mu'lin (open sinner).
For instance, the one committing such sins as missing Şalāh openly, taking
drugs, abusing, meeting and talking with unveiled women freely, allowing women
to kiss or press his hands or feet, watching films and dramas openly, shaving
his beard or trimming it less than a fist-length—such a person is an absolute
open sinner and, thus it is not permissible at all to become his disciple. One
should be careful and cautious before becoming disciple.
Therefore, it is stated on page 278
of the first volume of Bahar-e-Shari'at, a masterpiece of Şadr-ush-Shari'ah,
Badr-ut-Tariqah, 'Allāmah Maulānā Mufti Muhammad Amjad 'Alī A'zamī عَلَيْهِ رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ الْقَوِى: There are four
preconditions for a Murshid (spiritual guide). These preconditions must be fulfilled
before Baï'at:
1. The Murshid must be a Sunni Muslim
with correct Islamic beliefs.
2. He must have adequate Islamic
knowledge that he can find out necessary rulings from books.
3. He must not be a Fāsiq-e-Mu'lin (an
open sinner).
4. His spiritual order must be
connected with the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللَّهُ
تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّم.
(Bahar-e Shariat)
(Fatāwā Razawiyyah, Vol. 21, pp. 603)
If a Murshid fails to fulfil even a
single of the foregoing four preconditions, it is not permissible to become his
disciple. If someone unknowingly became a disciple of such a Murshid who is not
of the above-mentioned calibre, it is mandatory for the disciple to break his
Baï'at (i.e. no longer remain the disciple of such a person). For this, he does
not have to inform that 'imperfect Murshid'. Instead, just saying that he has
broken his Baï'at is enough.
Further, losing belief in one's
Murshid automatically leads to the termination of Baï'at. He can now become a
disciple of any perfect Murshid. Furthermore, it is also not necessary to
inform the new perfect Murshid about the termination of previous Baī'at with
so-and-so person.
The
perils of terminating Baï'at of perfect Murshid
By Sharī'ah and Tarīqah, it is
strictly prohibited to break Baï'at of a perfect Murshid, without a valid
Shar'ī reason. In this regard, a number of sayings of saints have been narrated
in different authentic books.
The reason of its prohibition in
Shari'ah is that one should at least be grateful to the person who has shown
benevolence to him. By virtue of doing Baï'at with a perfect Murshid, a
disciple attains a lot of blessings such as spiritual link with the friends of
Allah, ease in the path of Tariqah and, at times, occurrence of a complete
Madanī transformation in life. Breaking Baï'at instead of being grateful to
Murshid in return for such great blessings is nothing but an utter
ungratefulness that is prohibited by Sharī’ah. Therefore, a Hadīš says:
مَنْ لَّمْ يَشْكُرِ النَّاسَ لَمْ يَشْكُرِ
اللَّهَ
"The
one who has not expressed his gratitude to people, in fact, has not expressed
his gratitude to Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ."
(Jāmi' Tirmiżī, Vol.
3, pp. 384, Hadīš 1962)
Further, when a person becomes a
disciple of a perfect Murshid, he attains many blessings, though sometimes, he
may not observe it. So, when he is attaining blessings, he should let it
continue as stated in the following Hadīš:
مَنْ رُّزِقَ فِي شَيْءٍ فَلْيَلْزَمْهُ
"One
should stick to the means whereby he gets sustenance."
(Shu'ab-ul-Imān, Vol.
2, pp. 89, Hadīš 1241)
It should also be kept in mind that
the termination of the Baï'at of a perfect Murshid without Shar'ī reason
usually leads the disciple to committing many sins. For instance, the disciple
breaking his Baï'at usually looks down upon his former Murshid, which is an
extremely Harām act leading to one's ruin. Similarly, the termination of Baï'at
amounts to deliberately hurting one's Murshid, which is also Haram. Likewise,
those breaking Baï'at indulge in backbiting and having ill opinion about their
former Murshid, opening the door of many other sins. Therefore, it is better
and safer to stick to only one court as it is fruitless to wander hither and
thither on the path of Tariqah.
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