Advice for Shaykhs and Teachers

Remind and advise, because advice might be of benefit, but only the ones who show awe and respect will take heed, (Al ‘Ala:9-10)

Advice 1: Give Firsthand Knowledge

When you talk as a Shaykh, which in the future, that could be you, you have to talk from where you are at. Do not give them anything that you are not at. What do I do? Like I tell you about Sumerians and then this is not haqq al yaqin to me so I tell you to go read this book, I give you the reference, so you can take it firsthand. The important thing is to make the student attain the knowledge firsthand. Firsthand!

And (there is no doubt that this Qur’an) is Haqq al Yaqin [truth directly from Allah]. (Al Haqqah:51)

Teach Three Ways

A true teacher talks to you ilm al yaqin, ayn al yaqin and haqq al yaqin, especially haqq al yaqin. Yes! Talk the talk and walk the walk. And the other thing that a true teacher will give you is knowledge at your level, or maybe one higher than your level, so you can go up there. You cannot just give somebody within the first level knowledge about the fourth level. So we give them one by one, and level by level.

That you will journey from level to level, stage to stage, layer to layer. (Al Inshiqaq:19)

“It is He Who placed you on earth as His khalifas [representatives; deputies], and raised some of you in levels above others, in order that He may test you with what He has given you. Your Rab is swift in taking into account, and there is no doubt that He is Ghafur and Rahim.” (Al An’am:165)

Advice 2: Have good intention

The important thing is of course the intention. What is the intention? Is your intention to help the people? Or is it in your intention to show how much you know? Or you want to cause some trouble, or some harm? That is why what you say is not important, Allah looks at your intention. Allah looks at your heart, it is in the Qur’an too, Allah looks at your intention. What is the intention?

Allah will not hold you accountable for your taking oaths that were made in error or are (otherwise) invalid, but He will hold you accountable for what your hearts earned. Certainly, Allah is Ghafur and Halim [Gentle]. (Al Baqara:225)

All this is for Allah to test what is in your sudur and to prove (i.e., test and rectify) what is in your hearts. Certainly, Allah knows what is hidden in the sudur. (Aal-e Imran:154)

Advice 3: Stick to Allah’s angle

While you are making changes, people will attack you. You will get attacked because you are changing their realm. You are going to get attacked. But we hold on to the rope of Allah and the sharia and whatever Allah gives you, continue with your walk, no matter what. Do not pay attention to what they say and what they do. You have to continue with your own work. They are doing what they are doing because they do not understand, Allah did not explain it to them. Allah has explained this to you. So they are coming from a different angle and you are going on a different angle.

“I only convey my Rab’s messages to you, and I give you good advice. I (also) know things from Allah that you do not. Is it strange to you that a message should come from your Rab through a man from among yourselves, so that he may warn you, and so that you may observe taqwa, and to give you the opportunity to be among those who find mercy?” (Al A’raf:62-63)

Advice 4: Serve Allah as the Prophet did

If our Prophet (peace be upon him) paid attention to all the people around him who opposed him, there would be no Islam today. They offered him bribes, they offered him power, etc. But he continued to serve Allah as Allah wanted him to serve.

Advice 5: Do not abuse Allah’s Power

The other thing is, especially if the Shaykh is offering you power, then there is something wrong with this and a Shaykh should also know that all power belongs to Allah. When Allah gives you the power, which you will have it, as you grow up on the levels of Sufism, Allah’s power will be there but is this for us to use as we wish? Or is this for Allah to use as He wishes? That is why a Murshid will do nothing to the people until Allah does something to them because Allah did not tell the Murshid, “Go hurt them.” Allah tells the Murshid, “Do this,” that is what the Murshid does and that is what you should do.

This is a clear announcement for humanity, and a guideline and advice for those who have taqwa. (Aal-e Imran:138)

The ones who listen to advice and follow the best they can. Such are those whom Allah guides, and such are ulul albab. (Al Zumar:18)

This is an edited excerpt of the Online Saturday Sohbet given on January 19, 2008 by Murshid Shaykh Taner Vargonen Ansari and published on sufiview.com on September 6, 2021. The translation of the Qur’an verses are also from Murshid Shaykh Taner Vargonen Ansari.

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