Spiritual Health Learning Community Center Exploring Life's Horizons   »   Streams Menu True believers are only those who have faith in Allah and the Messenger of Allah and have left doubt behind, and who strive hard in Allah's cause with their possessions and their lives. They are the ones who are sincere. [The Qur'an 49:15] Nisbath Nothing is possible on the Sufi path unless, by the grace of God, there is a spiritual connection which has been established between an individual and a spiritual guide. This connection is known as "nisbath". The state of this connection affects whether or not, God willing, spiritual progress will occur. If the connection is spiritually healthy, then, if God wishes, development will take place. If the connection is not healthy, there either will be little, or no, advancement on the path, or the individual will fall away from the path altogether. The responsibility for maintaining the health of the connection rests entirely with the initiate, although, obviously, the spiritual guide is not idle in this regard. The Sufi master is busy doing whatever can be done to help the initiate to have a proper understanding of, and attitude toward, the fundamental importance of the spiritual link between the spiritual guide and the individual. While the responsibility for maintaining the health of the spiritual link belongs to the initiate, in point of fact, initially, nisbath is a gift from the spiritual teacher to the individual. The attraction which an individual feels for the spiritual guide is a manifestation of this nisbath. Nevertheless, at some point, the individual must decide whether or not to accept what is being offered by the shaykh. Even if the individual is not consciously aware of what is going on, the person needs to begin to grasp the importance of taking steps to care for, and nurture, the spiritual relationship which has been established. In a sense, there is a degree of reciprocation on the part of the initiate when she or he starts to deepen the seriousness of purpose with which spiritual matters are engaged. From the initiate's increasingly sincere commitment, comes the attitudes, intentions, and so on which are necessary to cultivate the seed of nisbath which was planted originally by the shaykh. The willingness of a person to cultivate the offer of nisbath by the shaykh is a function of, at least, two factors. To begin with, it reflects, or resonates with, the relationship or association which existed in the realm of spirits prior to birth between the shaykh and the individual. Nisbath does not begin just in this world. In fact, nisbath is a reestablishing of an already existing link. The shaykh's offering of nisbath in this world is, in a sense, a reminder to us of this reality. Sometimes, a person will come into contact with a spiritual guide and no "connection" may take place. This could mean the individual needs to look further to find his or her spiritual family. On the other hand, there are occasions when a shaykh may look after, or help, an individual even though the individual may not be part of the pre-established spiritual family. When appropriate circumstances unfold, the individual may move on to other things. The other factor affecting the willingness of an individual to cultivate nisbath with the spiritual teacher concerns spiritual capacity. Not every one has the same ability in this regard, anymore than everyone has the same intellectual, creative, musical or athletic abilities. According to practitioners of the Sufi path, spiritual capacity is brought to fruition through nisbath. The more the seed of nisbath is cultivated, then, God willing, the greater will be the individual's progress toward realizing the potential of spiritual capacity. Nisbath is, in a sense, a channel between the essential capacity of the spiritual guide and the essential capacity of the individual. As the character of nisbath is strengthened, deepened, enriched and so on, then, if God wishes, more and more of the individual's spiritual capacity is unveiled. By the grace of God, the initiate is being spiritually fed through the umbilical cord of nisbath. As the nature of nisbath undergoes maturation, so, too, will the character of the spiritual nourishment which comes through this connection. The support, protection, strength, kindness, generosity and so on which come through nisbath is what sustains the individual on the spiritual journey. Without it, one would not be able to take a single step on the mystical path. As such, nisbath is a reflection of Divine love for the initiate. In the beginning, the individual tends to find cultivation of nisbath to be easiest when in physical proximity to the shaykh. By seeing, hearing, and interacting with the shaykh, nisbath has the opportunity to develop in a variety of ways. Correspondingly, when the person starting out on the path becomes, for whatever reason, physically removed from the spiritual guide, such an individual may find the spiritual terrain difficult to navigate. Although the Sufi guide is always with the initiate, irrespective of physical separation, the individual's failure to realize this can become a source of spiritual difficulties. If God wishes, the initiate learns, in time, how to be in spiritual association with the shaykh under all circumstances, even those involving physical separation. In other words, the individual comes to understand that nisbath does not depend on time and space. This connection is a spiritual one which transcends physical conditions. Nonetheless, Sufi masters highly recommend that, in the beginning, the initiate should associate, as much as possible, with the spiritual guide, even if only physically. If God wishes, spiritual association will emerge out of physical association. Nisbath is a very personal and intimate relationship with the spiritual guide. Each initiate has her or his own unique relationship with the shaykh through this spiritual connection. Sometimes, initiates who do not understand the nature of nisbath begin thinking in finite, non-spiritual terms. For example, they consider the shaykh to be a non-renewable, finite resource. As a result, initiates who think in this manner, become possessive of the shaykh and jealous of anyone who currently may be enjoying the overt, visible attention of the spiritual guide. They do not understand that irrespective of whatever may be going on in a visibly manifest way, beneath the surface, the shaykh's essential capacity, by the grace of God, is looking after all the initiates in terms of the unique nisbath which the shaykh has with each of those individuals. Unfortunately, many people often feel that if the spiritual guide does not appear to be paying much attention to them, this means the shaykh does not care for them. One of the most important lessons an initiate can learn is the following point. From the shaykh's side of things, nisbath is filled with constant love and concern for the spiritual well-being of each and every initiate. The individual may break faith with the shaykh. The shaykh, however, God willing, would never break faith with the initiate. As a spiritual guide, they are under an obligation to honor the Sufi etiquette of the relationship of nisbath. From the initiate's side of things, there are many things which can poison, if not destroy, the condition of nisbath with the shaykh. Doubt, suspicion, and mistrust concerning the shaykh's integrity as a spiritual guide and human being can be lethal to the health of nisbath with the spiritual guide. Furthermore, heedlessness and rebelliousness concerning the counsel of the shaykh also can be extremely damaging to the individual's nisbath with the spiritual guide. Fortunately, by the grace of God, the Sufi master is very forgiving and forbearing with respect to the mistakes of the initiates. Among other things, due to their experiences with their own spiritual guides, shaykhs have a very deep understanding of, and insight into, the process of maturation of the nisbath relationship. Consequently, they know the ups and downs of the long process of cultivating nisbath, both from the side of the initiate as well as from the side of the shaykh. They appreciate what the initiate is going through as she or he struggles with the numerous challenges and trials surrounding nisbath. In addition to the initiate's ego or false self, there are other agents which can infect nisbath with virulent diseases. For example, satanic forces are constantly at work to undermine the initiate's relationship with the spiritual guide. According to Sufi masters, satanic forces are very jealous of an individual's nisbath with his or her spiritual guide. These forces know that maturation of nisbath is the key which enables the initiate to realize, God willing, the potential of essential spiritual capacity. Therefore, satanic forces can be relentless in their various ploys and stratagems to seduce the individual away from nisbath. Moreover, if not for the grace of God, when these forces link up with the false self, as frequently does occur, the combination easily could lead to spiritual tragedy for the individual. Nisbath goes to the very heart of the mystical journey. It is the ship by which one sails along the streams of life's experiences to the Ocean of Divinity. One needs to be very vigilant concerning its condition so that, God willing, the ship not only will remain afloat but carry one to one's destination. | Return to Streams Menu | Copyright © 2004 Interrogative Imperative Institute. All Rights Reserved.