Knowing Signs of Fake Spiritual Guides (Murshid)
How to know the signs of Fake people claiming to be spiritual guides? Early in days I wondered much, how a simple person could distinguish between a Fake Spiritual guide (Naqis Murshid) and a True spiritual guide (Kamil Murshid) considering there was not much knowledge to hand which could be used to understand the difference.
Its important to note, the only criteria quoted everywhere in religious institutions, books and online elsewhere, for a person to qualify as a True Spiritual Guide is that, a True Spiritual Guide (Kamil Murshid) must be a true follower of Islamic law (Sharia), however that did not make much sense, since even today’s Mullah’s (religious scholars without spirituality) claim to follow the commandment’s of Islamic law (Sharia) very strictly.
It’s bitter truth numerous Mullah’s in present age & time have disguised themselves as True Spiritual Guides (Kamil Murshid) for various reasons. For some of these fake people, its because they like to boost their egos, to earn fame, to earn money from innocent followers, to make these gullible followers the victim of their lower self desires. Hence it’s absolute a necessity and to a great degree of importance, for one must differentiate between choosing True spiritual guide and a Fake spiritual guide.
Hazrat Sultan Bahu ® states in the last page of his Persian Book “Majalsa tul Nabi” (translated to English):
“A spiritual guide should be like this, like the example of Author (Hazrat Sultan Bahu ®) his Spiritual guide Hazrat Shah Muhiyuddin Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani ® “
A simple way to recognise a true spiritual guide, is to seek the example of a true spiritual guide of the past and if we look up and read closely on the biography of Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani ® then the answer would lie right in front of us.
The Great Sufi Author and Spiritual Master Hazrat Sultan Bahu ® stated in the very same book, what some Sufi people regard in their opinion as the conditions for someone to be labelled as true spiritual guide and we present the same information in the following Quote:
[O True-Seeker] Be enlightened as to what is the difference between an Imperfect Pir (Muslim Saint) and the [Perfect] Spiritual Guide and who is called the [Truthful] Seeker and the [ false] Disciple? By the Perfect Spiritual Guide is meant him, by whose spiritual attention, the love for Lord is produced in the body of the Seeker, The Noor(light) of Lord should enter [the body of the Seeker] by virtue of his gaze in such a way that whatever outsiders of Allah he sees [ in body of the Seeker,] that should totally get out [ of his body ] and the course of the Inward should open at once; the Real observation and researched and realized Taste should be gained by him; Without any veil from the veil and no barrier should last in-between him and Allah; (and) should always remain Absorbed. This is the gaze of the Perfect and Complete Spiritual Guide!
And that Spiritual Guide, who will himself be the seeker of the carrion carcass World; his Seekers [and the followers] will also be the People of World and the followers of innovations.
First of all, the Perfect Spiritual Guide does not let his Spiritually Accepted follower (Murid) to eat the unlawful [ and carcass] and in case, if the Spiritually Accepted follower eats unlawful, the unlawful does not stay inside his body and gets expelled out of it from the upper side (through vomiting). This is the sign (of identification) of the Perfect Spiritual Guide! The Perfect Spiritual Guide does not worry [for getting] World. The Perfect Spiritual Guide should, first, count the hair of the Murid and cut seven Hair [ from the body of the Murid] with a scissor because by these seven hairs, the seven kinds of (efficacious) effectiveness (and the impact) take effect in his body:
- The (efficacious) effectiveness (and the impact) of first hair is this that the greed (and grasping) do not remain in the body.
- The (efficacious) effectiveness (and the impact) of second hair is this that jealousy does not remain in the body.
- The (efficacious) effectiveness (and the impact) of third hair is this that arrogance and vanity do not remain in the body
- The (efficacious) effectiveness (and the impact) of fourth hair is this that the Murid becomes with Dead Ego.
- The (efficacious) effectiveness (and the impact) of fifth hair is this that the Murid becomes Roshan Zamir (enlightened conscience) and the Master of (efficacious) effectiveness (and the impact)
- The (efficacious) effectiveness (and the impact) of sixth hair is this that Murid keeps vigil (the night long) [and offers Tahajud {the Muslims midnight prayer}] and the Zeal and Fervour [for the worship of Lord] take birth in him and the slumber of ignorance goes away of his body
- The (efficacious) effectiveness (and the impact) of seventh hair is this that the fourteen levels of the heavens and earth should become clear on him and the divine Preserved Tablet should remain in his study.
The Spiritual Guide, who by cutting these seven hairs of the Murid, takes him to these Seven Positions, he is the Perfect Spiritual Guide otherwise the Spiritual Guide is a Barber.
The writer [Faqeer Bahu May blessings and mercy of Allah be on him] says: No! No! People said wrong because even this Spiritual Guide is Imperfect and Incomplete and is of the Station of the Nasoor[he has no news of the Spiritual Station of Lahoot] and it is unlawful for him to take offerings and votives from his spiritual follower (Mureedain). Spiritual Guide Should be like him, which is the Spiritual Guide of the writer [ Faqeer Bahu may blessings and mercy of Allah be on him], that is, Spiritual Guide Hazrat Shah Muhyidden Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilaani May Allah sanctify his secret. And Peace. ——————–
If we examine this Quote carefully, we will come to a realisation of bitter truth which is that, many of us are in the hands of spiritually blind people thus are follower of fake guides or to say Mullah’s (religious teachers with absolutely no spiritual knowledge and enlightenment). Its because we had “never” used our intellect and acquired any knowledge on the matter before choosing and making a wise decision to choose a worthy spiritual guide (murshid) for to guide us in matter’s of our religious and daily life affairs, and hence to guide us on the straight path (aṣ-Ṣirāṭ al-mustaqīm) which the Quran prescribed. The following hadith is note worthy and a reflection of the present state:
Ziyad ibn Labeed reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “There will be a time when knowledge disappears.” I said, “O Messenger of Allah, how can knowledge disappear when we read the Quran and we will teach it to our children until the Day of Resurrection?” The Prophet said, “May your mother be bereft of you, Ziyad! I thought you were the wisest man in Medina. Do not these Jews and Christians read the Torah and the Gospel but they do not act upon what is in them?”
Source: Sunan Ibn Majah 4048
The hadith depicts a situation of the present where upon Muslims have neglected the practical side and hence the spiritual part of Islam within their lives. The Quran is read but it does not go beyond the throats and hence our hearts are spiritually dead.
Many of us not recognise, the divine book of Quran is beyond the scope of literal words, meanings and moral values, and in fact the Book if read by a person of clean spiritual heart it elevates him spiritually and increases in him god gifted knowledge by spiritual means. Further the Straight Path (al-Sirat al-Mustaqeem) which Quran refers to, is not just based upon outer understanding of Islam in words but in fact straight path refers to the spiritual path that’s lies in front of a person whose heart is alive spiritually and can perceive and travel the god created mysteries(worlds) that lie beyond the scope of this physical world. To travel on this spiritual path requires the guidance of a perfect spiritual guide.
In Conclusion, it has importantly been highlighted, the difference between a Fake Spiritual guide and True Spiritual Guide, as well as basic introduction to Islamic spirituality has been provided.
Book “Majalsa tul Nabi” Reference:
http://urdu.hazratsultanbahu.com/urdu/book-mn-28.php