The Traveller

The traveller on the path to truth must have intelligence, understanding and insight. These are his prerequisites.

"Allah created servants wise and understanding
Who leave the world, the abode of afflictions.
They take to the sea where waves are their only trial,
Where good deeds are ships on which to ride the waves."

The traveller is on the path because there is a place to which he wishes to go. His attention is fixed principally upon that goal, yet he cannot ignore the importance of the preparation for this voyage. When he prepares, he must take heed not to be fooled by the attraction of appearances, and he must not load himself with luggage nor take the stops and stations as his final goal.

The people of the mystic path say that deeds belong to the One who created them. Man is not fully responsible: in his hands deeds may appear other than what they are. Allah says:

"....one is secure from Allah's scheme except the people who have lost everything [and are in total want]." (Sura A'raf, 99)

This is fundamental on this path: to leave all luggage behind and depend on Allah, undistracted by the temptations of the stations on the path. In divine tradition Allah says:

O Muhammad, give the good news to the sinners that I am All-Forgiving. But tell the ones who are truly Mine and sincere in their wish for Me that I am Most Jealous (of anything that they may wish for besides Me).

The miracles that appear through those close to God and the spiritual stations in which they appear are true. Yet, even such people are not safe from Allah's schemes and His tests inciting them to sin - sometimes they are even granted success when they begin to sin, so they think that their states belong to them and that the miracles are theirs. It is only the prophets and their miracles that are free from such tests. It is said that the fear of losing ones faith at one's last breath is the only safeguard that will grant faith at one's last moment.

An excerpt from "The Secret of Secrets" - Revelation of Islamic Sufism & Mysticism by Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani