About The Book

An in-depth explanation of the inward and outward propriety of the seeker on the path to God, this short epistle strikes powerful parallels between the state of a dead person and that of a true novice. The work serves as an ingenious exposition of the Sufi saying ‘A seeker ought to be with his spiritual guide (sheikh) like a corpse in the hands of its washer’.

Writing in a time when Sufism, as a separate branch of Islamic learning, came under fierce attack, the author reinstates the importance and sancrosanctity due to the heirs of the Prophet (God bless him and give him peace).

Description From The Publisher

'The way of the Sufis is built upon three principles only: the first is trueness; the second is abandoning one’s ego; and the third is abandoning one’s wealth.

Trueness is the foundation, abandoning one’s ego is the wall, and abandoning one’s wealth is the ceiling. Trueness is complying with everything that one is told, and abandoning one’s ego amounts to abandoning all its habits and then all its evanescent desires. Of these habits is paying attention to what people think about one, as well as the love of status, the love of distinction, power, wealth and praise.

But the cause of all these habits is the love of this world which lies deep in the heart. Were the love of this world to cease, the heart would be filled with God’s light, and the servant would become God’s servant and would also behold God’s secret.

Nothing veils us from the Real, exalted is He, except our lack of servitude to Him. Whosoever does not devote himself to God will devote himself to his ego, and whosoever does so will devote himself to all things. The slightest thing in this world will then dispose of him because of his remoteness from his Lord and nearness to his ego.

Be absent, therefore, from watching your egos in order that you may become absent from watching things. Watch or behold our Lord in these things so that your vigilance becomes for God and not for things. If you become humble at that moment, your humility will be with God. This is unlike humility with things out of ignorance, for this is directed towards things, not God.

So do understand and be humble with all things after you keep watch of God or behold Him in them. The servant’s humility is commensurate with his knowledge of his Lord.

How amazing is the state of him who does not understand the reality of things! Bring your souls to assume their real traits so that the darkness of their ignorance leaves you, and the light of knowledge will be disclosed to them in order that you may rest from their worries.'

— MUHAMMAD IBN AHMAD AL-BUZAYDI