The Bawa Muhaiyaddeen Fellowship

On the path of God, whether we are performing our worldly duties or following the sheikh, we must constantly be like first-rate, observant detectives.

Once there was a police station which had a vacancy for a detective. Many people applied for the job, and they were all led upstairs by a senior officer. When each one was asked what he had observed along the way, only one applicant could describe the route, the number of turns, and other identifying signs. He alone had counted the one hundred and twenty-eight steps. The others had blindly followed the senior officer without noticing anything.

In the same way, there are many steps for us to climb while following the sheikh. It is our job to carefully observe each point along the way. In the world there are six steps or levels of consciousness: feeling, awareness, intellect, judgment, wisdom, and divine analytic wisdom. The sheikh is constantly checking these steps of our wisdom. If you are trying to climb this mountain to attain that state, the sheikh will say, "All right, if this is what you want, then come along."

You must also climb the five steps of earth, fire, water, air, and ether. On the journey of your life you must surmount and conquer each one. If you wish to do this, the sheikh will begin the climb and ask you to follow closely behind. It is your job to observe carefully each point along your path. First is the earth, your body. What are its signs? What is its state? What does it do? What explanation does it give? You must study all these points.

Secondly, when you turn left you will come upon the fire of your hunger. You must observe what there is to be seen in this; you must understand what needs to be understood. Then when you turn to the right you come to the third step, air. What do the gases and vapors do to the body? What does air do? Does it fatigue you? Does it make you breathless or tired? How does this air work within you? What about the breath, the gases, the spiritual worships, magics, and tricks? How do they function? Observe these signs attentively and understand point by point.

At the fourth turn you come to water: the clouds, the things in your life which are capable of torporizing your wisdom and judgment. Creation and torpor are water. What do these torpors do? In what way are they torpid? How do they come? How does desire hypnotize? How does the mind hypnotize? In what way does this state come to you? You must understand the point.

The fifth turn, to the right, is maya, or illusion. That is the ether. What is the state of your destiny, your nasib, your life's limit? What effect does maya have upon you? How many forms does illusion take? What beauty does it show you? What section does it reveal? You must understand every point in this step.
The sixth step goes straight through to the right. This is the path that leads to he west. At the sixth level, you must analyze and discriminate between right and wrong, good and bad. There you will learn to say, "This is bad and must be discarded. This is good. We must keep it." You must understand everything on this path.

Once you have separated right from wrong and have completed the sixth level, you will find yourself on a plateau. Then the sheikh will ask, "All right, you have climbed this far. Now what is your aim? What do you need? Do you want status or position? Was it for the sake of position that you came here? What wondrous things did you see along the way? What did you observe as you climbed the steps?"

You must answer him carefully. If you sputter meaningless words you will not receive that state because you failed to understand the point. If you say, "Oh, I didn't see anything," he will ask, "In that case, how did you manage to climb to this point? How many steps were there? How many corners? Which way did you turn after each point?" If again you answer, "Oh I didn't pay attention, I was merely following you blindly. I didn't observe anything," he will say, "Is that so? Then you have lost your point."

The subtle one of the group will answer, "Yes, I noticed everything. I took this many steps, then turned to the left, saw certain signs, took so many more steps, and turned to the right where I saw these identifying signs. When I turned to the left again, it was like this, and then when I turned to the right it was like this. In all, there were one hundred and twenty-eight steps and six corners or turns. The initial and final paths were both straight; in between were these five corners."

The sheikh will reply, "That is correct. You are the one who is worthy of attaining the seventh step called perr-arivu. You are worthy enough to see this divine luminous wisdom." Then the sheikh will reveal to you the light of the nur, the resplendence of Allah. "You alone are fit to see this. Go there now and continue your studies."

Thus, as you walk behind the sheikh, you must observe each and every point-what you see as you progress, what you observe in his words and his actions, what he does and what he looks at. Through this observation you must recognize what you yourself must see and do. As you watch, you must pay attention to all these things. This is the map, this is gnanam. You must understand everything and carry this map as you follow him. Whenever he asks you a question, you must be able to answer.

If you walk behind him carelessly, smoking a cigarette and talking, you will lose the point of your journey. It is a very subtle point. On this path, as you journey from birth to death, until Judgment Day, there are so many points and signs that need to be seen and understood. It is only if you grasp these points that you will be an adept person who can be given that station of Man-God. Then God's kingdom, as a true human being, as God's child, you can do His duty and function in that state of service. But if you are not attentive and follow behind the sheikh without being watchful, then your wisdom will have no clarity.

On your path there are also the four steps of tanum, nitanum, avatanum, and gnanam. The first, tanum, is the complete surrender of yourself. Nitanum is concentration and focus, walking very carefully on this dangerous path. Avatanum is perfect balance, watching very closely that you do not topple to one side or the other when the wind, mind, desire, maya, money, and bloodties push against you. Avatanum is the perfect balance on the path which is sharper than the edge of a sword. To walk along it is certainly very difficult. If your attention lapses you may stray or fall. But if you succeed in walking that sharp edge, then you will reach the station of gnanam.

If you can succeed in crossing, you will attain that state of wisdom. Only then will you be capable of completing the duties you were assigned. If you want to perform these duties so that you can satisfy people's needs, comfort their minds, dispel their worries, and give them peace, then as you walk behind your sheikh you must pay close attention day and night to his every breath. Take account and grasp each point. Go within and analyze his every word. Go within and analyze his every look. See what that look means. Observe how the sheikh is walking, and from this discern if there are snakes or scorpions about. Only if you can evaluate all this while walking behind the sheikh will you be given that state. Then he will say, "Oh yes, you are certainly fit for this path," and he will point you to that station.

This world is a map, and you are the detective who must follow the clues and catch the thieves. This world is filled with thieves like mind and desire, the five elements, attachments, cravings, religions, caste differences, racial and color differences, property, wealth and riches, status and exalted positions. All these dwell within the body, within the mind, and within the world. They are all rogues. How are you going to catch them and lock them up? Earth, fire, water, air, ether, arrogance, karma, and maya; tarahan, singhan, and suran; anger, miserliness, attachments, fanaticism and envy; intoxicants, lust, theft, murder, and falsehood; the division between 'you' and 'I', the religious and racial differences are all thieves trying to steal that wealth which belongs to God. They have strayed from God's justice but are trying to steal His wealth. They have strayed from compassion, from God's love, and from unity. They steal for the sake of self-gain.

So how do you think you can capture these rogues? You have to be very, very attentive and observant of each step as you walk along. If you are not alert and watchful, you will never succeed in arresting these thieves who live in your kingdom. In fact, they might catch you! They might even kill you. Therefore, make it your responsibility to catch these rogues and imprison them. If you can subdue and arrest them, you can bring the justice, peace, and tranquillity of God's kingdom to all lives.

If you want to be appointed to that station, if you want to bring His state to all lives, then you need the subtle attentiveness, subtle actions, and the qualities required to catch all these thieves. Only then will you be qualified to present yourself for the examination. Then, having studied everything with sheikh and having taken the right points, you can instruct others in God's kingdom and comfort them. However, if you claim you are following the sheikh, while in fact you have not observed or heard anything, then your life will have been in vain. If you are not alert, the rogues might grab you and carry you away; demons and maya might carry you off.

Those of you who are following the sheikh and who aspire to an exalted station have to reflect upon this. Do you understand? To attain that station, how very careful we must be, how attentive and observant. My love you my sons, daughters, and grandchildren. Think about what we must accomplish on this path and how we can make ourselves worthy of that appointment. May God help you. May He give you the strength, the wisdom, and the iman to attain that high station. Amin.