Finding a True Master

1 Oct

The following is Jandi’s (d. 1300) personal account of his inner struggle and quest to find a genuine master of the Path. God led him to the great sadr al-Din al-Qunawi (d. 1274, buried in Konya, Turkey) at whose hands he had his spiritual opening.

“With manifold arguments and no shortage of nagging, my teachers, father, family, friends, and loved-ones, sought to hold me back from cutting my worldly ties and setting off alone in search of God and a true master; and in their efforts to do so they would attempt to clinch the matter with various rational and religious objections. Then there was the sway exerted by my own soul, my passions, natural disposition, the comfort and security gained from that which is familiar and homely, and my habits and routine, all of which was more than sufficient in itself to cause me to hesitate … As I could see no way of resolving this perplexity by myself, I determined to commit the matter into God’s hands. Thus, with this end in view, I betook myself to the gathering (majlis) of the Qurʾan reciters, watchful as to which sign God would give me, for I had resolved to take the first verse that I heard them read in that gathering as a divine augury. Whereupon, the reciter began reciting the verse:

Say: If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives, your clan, your possessions that you have gained, commerce you fear may slacken, dwellings with which you are contented, if these are dearer to you than God and His Messenger, and to strive on his Way, then wait warily and watchfully until God brings His command; God guides not the disobedient and profane.

This poor, watchful wretch was at once overcome by an overpowering spiritual state and ecstasy, and, no longer able to ignore the voice of my inner calling, I resolved to renounce all that is other than Allah … Wherefore, having relinquished all my worldly ties, I crossed the sea with the intention of performing the pilgrimage, until finally God provided me with the companionship of Shaykh sadr al-Din al-Qunawi, who was the perfect man of his age, the pole of poles of the time, and the khalifa of the seal of Muhammadan sainthood. For ten years in his service I spent most of my time in spiritual retreats, forty-day vigils and disciplines, until finally the true spiritual opening and the unequivocal good tidings were achieved through the blessed grace of the Shaykh – may God be pleased with him.

(Jandi, Nafha - “The Sufi Doctrine of Man,” Richard Todd)

More Teachings

Is the Path for Everyone? Yes — here’s why

Choose a Path for yourself. You can be an Adamic human being by virtue of the inblowing of the Spirit within you…or a bestial human being by virtue of the dominance of your bestial body, so that the Spirit’s influence weakens within you. You will then become ignorant of your reality, and you will not draw out the treasure that is buried within you.

The Path and the Name

The seeker must journey from the Haʾ of the Name back to the Alif, bearing in mind their differing levels. Entering unto the singular Alif is achieved through the attributes of the saint, not through those of the believer. Attaching to the elevation of the Alif enables the knower of God to taste the reality of servanthood.

God’s Light is Real — Not Metaphorical

When you strive against your lower self, the reality of this world becomes evident to you, you know that it is non-existent; that it has no existence except through God. Then God provides you with light, and through that light you come to know how close He is to you.

The Mantle of Divine Majesty

A mantle conceals the upper part, whereas a garment conceals the lower part. The higher part of the divine mantle is an allusion to Lordship (rububiyya). This mantle of Lordship comprises two sides: the outer side is the aspect of Lordship, and inner side is the pre-cosmic reality of the Cloud (al-ʿamaʾ).

Three Levels of Being within the Microcosm and Macrocosm

the sensorial human being is the one whose heart is stamped by the forms of the sense-objects. He is marked by a dominant love for the herebelow. Moreover, the spiritual human being is the one whose inward vision (basira) has opened up so that he perceives what lies beyond the sensorial realm.

Fasting the “White Days” of the Lunar Month

The Prophet (s) recommends fasting during these blessed days, and it is said that Ibrahim (s) fasted them as well. The early Arabs called these days the “White Days” (al-ayyam al-biḍ) because the moon is brightest during this period and it achieves its most complete perfection.

Finding a True Master

With manifold arguments and no shortage of nagging, my teachers, father, family, friends, and loved-ones, sought to hold me back from cutting my worldly ties and setting off alone in search of God and a true master; and in their efforts to do so they would attempt to clinch the matter with various rational and religious objections.

Why is the Divine Name the Mirror of the Spiritual Traveler?

The spiritual traveler’s journey through the Name, however, must begin at the last letter Haʾ, which we call the Haʾ of Divine Identity (haʾ al-huwiyya).

Knowledge of God Inspires Reverential Fear of God

Reflective thought that is devoid of the remembrance God (fikr duna dhikr) is a transgression. For true reflection only occurs in the wake of long periods of remembrance (dhikr tawil), once your time has been filled with the invocation.

“I am the Dot”

And this is the dot that is ascribed to the all-inclusive names and divine realities because it is through the basmala that God takes charge over the servant who has realized the station of servanthood and upon whom His names and attributes have become manifest in both his knowledge and his state.

Yousef Casewit