The Bawa Muhaiyaddeen Fellowship

From The Golden Words of a Sufi Sheikh, Word#634.

My son, when the sheikh speaks, it is the responsibility of each child to explore what is said for something that might apply to him. When the sheikh speaks in the presence of his children, his words are like the rain of benevolent grace, rahmat.

When rain falls from the sky, each creation takes up the water in its own way, according to its own needs. Trees, grasses, and tubers take what they need, and so it is with every plant in creation.
The balance of the rainwater flows to the sea by way of lakes and rivers. The rain does not fall for the sake of only one creation, one tree, or one shrub. It falls equally on all, and it is the responsibility of each creation to take its own share according to its needs.

In the same way, when the sheikh’s wisdom of grace rains in the presence of his children, they should not think it is meant for any one person alone. The words of the sheikh are the grace of divine knowledge, rahmatul-‘ilm. Just as the trees, grasses, and weeds take what they need from the rainwater, everyone must take his share of that ‘ilm according to his state, his wisdom, and his intellect. His words are not meant for only one person. Having received them, each child must realize, understand, and correct himself.

This is what the sheikh does in his effort to protect and bring up his children. In his prayers to God, he says, “O God, protect all the children. Give them a long life, a life without illness, and give them the fullness of the wealth of grace.”

M. R. Bawa Muhaiyaddeen