Q & A
What character does the path of Suluk produce in a person?
The morals of the Sufis are the same as the morals of the Blessed Prophet ﷺ, as mentioned in the Qur'an: "And you are surely on an excellent standard of character" [Qur'an, al-Qalam 68:4]. All that is mentioned in the Hadith is also inclusive of the morals of the Sufis.
Shaykh Mirati rahimahullah, in his book Tadhkirat al-Rashid, quotes a written script he found by Shaykh Rashid Ahmad Gangohi rahimahullah, which described the attributes of the one on the path of Suluk: "Tasawwuf is the strength of belief and internal and external knowledge of Deen. The way of the Sufis is in the perfection of morals and perpetual absorption in Allah. The essence of Tasawwuf is to be embellished with the meanings of the attributes of Allah, as humanly as possible, elimination of the carnal self and achieving a constant desire to please Allah."
Below is a succinct description of those morals:
- Think lowly of oneself and this is the opposite of arrogance,
- Be compassionate to the creation of Allah and overlook the transgressions of the creation against oneself,
- Avoid anger and treat others with kindness and warmth,
- Be sympathetic to others and prefer them over oneself; to favour the rights of others over one's own rights,
- Be generous,
- Forgive others and overlook their mistakes,
- Be optimistic and cheerful,
- Be soft-spoken,
- Avoid ostentation,
- Spend without stinginess and avoid overspending such that one becomes needy,
- Be reliant on the Creator,
- Be content with the possessions of the material world,
- Avoid arguments or criticism unless it is with truth,
- Avoid jealousy or hatred,
- Fulfill promises,
- Be modest,
- Be insightful,
- Love the fellow Muslims and have good relations with them,
- Be grateful when someone does a favour,
- Be of service to other Muslims
[Kandhalwi, The Inseparability of Sharia and Tariqa 102]
References
- Qur’an al-Qalam 68:4
- Work Kandhalwi, The Inseparability of Sharia and Tariqa 102