DEAR GOOGLE SHAYKH…

With Google at our fingertips who needs a shaykh?

Folks today our enmity lies with Google…..relax just kidding! ( We all love Google I know J). Following on from my previous post if one was to need a shaykh  then theoretically they would approach them through normal conventional means e.g. mosque, institutions, school etc. However with the online phenomenon this can be far from it, one wouldn’t have to look very far to get in contact with a shaykh (hence the snide remark about Google). Allow me to prove my case :

“Dear shaykh google, Im tired...May I skip Salah? or pray in bed?”  (Like are you for real?????)

 

This post is all about understanding the legitimacy of resorting to online information. Lets face it one can access nearly everything via Google, with the prominence of the web I dare say people would favour getting off their back sides to find a shaykh these days. The prospects of ask the imam,  eshaykh and many more informative sites at the click of a button are seemingly more attractive. Having said that it is impossible to validate everything that is on the web especially when it comes to something as sensitive as religion. With differing views and self- proclaimed scholars danger lies in their sources and trusting the information obtained.

Surely it would be more beneficial to seek guidance in person should the need ever arise. People approach shaykhs/imams for all sorts of enquiries and clarifications from the smallest of matters.  Thus when it comes to giving baya online one can ultimately question its validity, should we take this risk and pledge allegiance blindingly online anyways?  The wiser option would be to do this in person, why wouldn’t you want to consult a shaykh in person with something so important as spirituality with your lord? Why not allow them to share their experiences and knowledge that will ultimately guide you in their footsteps? I don’t know guys what do you think can we attain the same spiritual experiences online or is it just a clear sign of our laziness and ignorance? Personally I opt for the super shaykh any day!



Super Shaykh to the rescue!

 Super Shaykh by my definition: A spritual guider and successor who strives only to achieve the love of the divine and the prophet.  (Amen to that! J)

 Do we need a super duper shaykh in our lives to guide us?

 For those who are unfamiliar with giving baya to a shaykh it may seem  obvious to ask why do we need a shaykh in the first place?  Some are under the view that we have all the knowledge and guidance already ordained for us by the prophetic sunnah and quran so there is no room to speak of relying upon the assistance of a holy other. In all fairness this view is valid and there are many muslims following this and living their normal day to day lives with the absence of a shaykh.

On the contrary some would beg to differ and would highly recommend the need for a shaykh Here are few short pointers as to why Sufis feel the need for a guide:

·         One cannot make this spiritual journey alone, the experiences and knowledge of a shaykh is most needed in order to travel this path correctly.

·         The shaykhs are blessed with esoteric knowledge handed down to them from their spiritual lineage.

·         There is a deep spiritual connection with the shaykh which can impact on our hearts, seek nearness to the divine.

The prospects of having a guide can be quite favourable yet at the same unnecessary for some (so I guess all those in favour of the latter I have lost your vote already!) It is crucial for us to question the legitimacy of shaykhs especially when it is solely involved with online contact. I mean how many of us have had encounters with dodgy, misleading fake shaykhs in the real world let alone in the web?

Some suggested sites for further reading:

1.      Do you need shaykh? Translated by Abdullah bin Hamid Ali  

2.      Shakyh & Mureed Relationship

3.      Tasawwuf-The Importance of a Sheikh

Following up on the love for ones shaykh and the importance of having a shaykh this video is an indication of how sufis deeply respect and love their shaykh, all of which reinforces the importance and the need to give inititation to a shaykh.

A beautiful poem I came accross illustrating the love for a shaykh:

The world was full of beautiful things until an
old man with a beard came into my life and set my heart
aflame with longing and made it pregnant with love.
How can I look at the loveliness around me,
how can I see it, if it hides the face of my Lover?

— PERSIAN SONG

A very short video but good account on whether we need a Shaykh today by Shaykh Nuh Ha Mim Keller, (The famous scholar of Islamic (Shafi'i) law and (Shadhili) spirituality)