6.) What
role do spiritual powers play on the mystical path?
While many
popularizations of the mystical path often tend to play-up the idea of the miraculous-like
spiritual powers possessed by some of the better-known saints of the Sufi path, such
emphasis is misguided. In fact, the Sufi masters themselves are constantly warning
spiritual seekers and travelers against becoming preoccupied with such things.
Sufi
teachers tend to view these powers as distractions from the true purpose of the path.
Indeed, Allah may lend such gifts to an individual in order to test the individual’s
spiritual sincerity concerning his or her true interests in relation to the spiritual
path.
This is
not to say that these gifts may not be used, by Allah’s leave and under certain
circumstances, to help people or creation. However, more often than not, those who have
insight into these matters and, thereby, understand what is involved tend to resort to the
use of such capacities and abilities very sparingly, and there is a great mystery in their
inclination to proceed in this fashion.
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