Should a seeker consult his shaykh about marriage, travel and work?

The seeker should consult his shaykh about major life decisions such as marriage, travel and profession, and should follow the shaykh's advice in worldly matters as well as spiritual ones. This is one of the etiquettes, the adab, that the path of Tasawwuf asks of a disciple, and it begins with listening carefully and carrying out the shaykh's instructions to the best of one's capability.

The seeker cannot reach his destination by following the path of spirituality on his own accord, and it is the duty of the shaykh to connect the seeker with Allah. Therefore the seeker must accept the shaykh as his teacher and guide, and follow him with true integrity.

The path of Tasawwuf is open to anyone who wants to take it, but each individual has his own pace. If the seeker is steadfast and the intentions are pure, the journey is faster, and one of the main factors determining that pace is the adab, or etiquettes, with the shaykh.

One major hindrance is when the seeker compares the shaykh's judgement on the merits of his own. Where the shaykh's advice is against the seeker's wish, one should still follow it and trust the wisdom of his shaykh.

The shaykh as a true guide does not desire the seekers to follow him; in fact he ensures that his disciples follow the life of the Beloved Prophet ﷺ to achieve the love and the closeness of Allah, Maárfa. A shaykh who fulfils the conditions of a true shaykh will not ask his disciples or others to do anything which is not permissible in Islam.