PRAISING THE SHAYKH

Euzubillahiminesshaytanirracim Bismillahirrahmanirrahim
A student’s relationship with his/her teacher is a very important one in getting close to Allah. One must follow certain principles in doing so. Shaykh is not your friend, shaykh is an employee of Allah who is helping you to have a relationship with Allah. It is your job to respect the door or the window or the means that you are getting Allah’s knowledge from. The critical point is this: It is Allah who is teaching you through the Shaykh, you have to remember this. Your biat (initiation) is to Allah, your focus is on Allah, your target is Allah, your beloved is Allah, what you yearn for is Allah, don’t forget this. And all praise is due to Allah, it is mentioned in suratul Fatiha. Some people praise their shaykh because they are told Allah’s light is shining through their shaykh’s face. Seeing this yourself is one thing and being told that this is so is another thing. You have to act from the level that you are in. Otherwise, you can fall into shirk. Even if you see Allah’s light in your shaykh, your job is to praise Allah, no matter what. Because Allah the most High says, “Look at the Sun, but adore Allah who created it”. So don’t go too far in praising your shaykh, just respect him or her. Simple titles will be sufficient, no shaykhs praise themselves, no prophets praise themselves, they all praise Allah. Why don’t we all do that?