In an age where personal empowerment and self-help claim to hold the keys to fulfillment, the Karkariya path offers a strikingly different vision of human potential. Rather than promoting a life of positive affirmation of the self, the Karkariya invites seekers to step into the transformative depths of faqr—a state of ontological poverty where the self is emptied to receive divine light. This way of being calls not for the accumulation of power and “energy” but for its surrender, redirecting the heart through spiritual striving from the distractions of worldly pursuits to a place of radical presence with Allāh. Through faqr, the heart is liberated not through gain but through relinquishment, finding fulfillment only in its proximity to the Divine.

At a time when society pushes us toward self-empowerment, the teachings of the Karkariya raise, indeed, a fundamental question: Can true liberation be found in the growth of the self, or in its diminishment, when it is this very self that chains us, preventing ascent beyond the confines of the senses? Or simply put: how can one truly grow if the very self being “developed” is also what confines them? The Karkariyya’s focus on divine withness (maʿiyya) and inner illumination challenges us to rethink the nature of growth itself. Beyond mere positivity lies a state of annihilation where the heart no longer operates on the terms of the ego but receives from Allāh directly, unencumbered by the veils of the self. In an era captivated by self-development, perhaps the true path to freedom is to look beyond the self altogether, to a place where knowledge does not accumulate but instead transforms, where the heart, surrendering to divine love, finds a reality far richer than the ego’s endless pursuits. 

This reflection explores the guidance offered by Shaykh Mohamed Faouzi al-Karkari on this subject, whose approach combines the pursuit of knowledge with a call to inner transcendence, echoing the legacy of the Shādhili masters like Abū al-Ḥasan al-Shādhilī. Abū al-Ḥasan’s teachings emphasize the concept of faqr and emptying as essential to self-actualization, yet through a careful balance between worldly engagement and spiritual devotion—a principle captured in the works of Ibn ʿAṭāʾ Allāh al-Iskandarī and further explored in Abū al-Ḥasan’s manuscript, al-Qas ilā Allah. In this study, I will draw from the teachings of Shaykh Mohamed Faouzi al-Karkari to comment on passages from these works, illustrating how true self-actualization requires a living relationship with a walī—a true guide whose light is indispensable to the seeker’s transformation.

The Friends of God and the Friends of Satan

Shaykh Mohamed Faouzi al-Karkari encourages his disciples (murīdūn) to excel in both religious and secular sciences, following the example of earlier Shādhili masters. Ibn ʿAṭāʾ Allāh al-Iskandarī, a key successor to Abū al-Ḥasan al-Shādhilī, is widely known for his book of aphorisms but also wrote other important works, including a biography of his two predecessors, Mursī Abū al-ʿAbbās and Abū al-Ḥasan, titled Laṭāʾif al-Minan. In this text, he recounts an encounter with his shaykh, Abū al-ʿAbbās, that illustrates the principle of harmonizing worldly and spiritual pursuits on the path to God: 

I heard the students saying, “Those who keep the company of the [Sufi] shaykhs will not succeed in the exoteric sciences.” This saddened me, for I did not wish to miss out on knowledge, nor the companionship of the shaykh. When I went to the shaykh, I found him eating meat with vinegar. I wished he would feed me a morsel from his hand, and immediately he placed a morsel in my mouth. Then he said, “When we accompany a merchant, we do not tell him to abandon his trade. Nor do we tell a craftsman to leave his craft, nor a student of knowledge to forsake his studies. Rather, we leave everyone in the station Allāh has assigned to them, and what He apportions through us will reach them. The Prophet's Companions accompanied him, and he did not tell the merchant among them to leave his trade, nor a craftsman to abandon his craft, but rather he enjoined them to fear Allāh in all they did.” [1]

This encounter reflects the Shādhili principle of engaging fully in one’s worldly duties while remaining inwardly focused on the Divine. Unlike the common assumption that spiritual growth requires withdrawal from worldly pursuits, this teaching emphasizes that one can excel in both spiritual and practical knowledge without compromising either. The shaykh’s gesture of placing food in Ibn ʿAṭāʾ Allāh’s mouth can also be seen as symbolic of how a walī nourishes the disciple with spiritual insight, allowing them to absorb not only knowledge but the qualities of faith and reliance that underpin a life of sincere devotion.

From a traditional perspective, religious knowledge (ʿilm sharʿī) is acquired through scholars of exoteric sciences. Yet, there is a depth that can only be reached through spiritual knowledge, and many today overlook the need for guidance in this inward science. Sufism (ʿilm al-taṣawwuf), the knowledge of spiritual excellence (maqām al-iḥsān), is accessible only through the purification of the soul (tazkiyat al-nafs), the rectification of the heart, and striving against inner and outer adversaries, including the temptations of the self and whispers of Satan. This journey requires, however, the guidance of a master who is not only a knower of God (ʿārif bi-Llāh) but who embodies that knowledge in every aspect of their being.

The companionship of such a shaykh becomes indispensable, as only they can direct the seeker to escape the influence of Satan and attain a secure spiritual foundation. Such grounding is founded upon tangible proofs in the stations of faith (īmān), reliance (tawakkul), and servitude (ʿubūdiyya). Without a true guide, the disciple is left vulnerable to distraction, doubt, and spiritual deviation. Shaykh al-Karkari, indeed, always reminds us that the path to God is not solely an individual endeavor but a journey grounded in a physical and spiritual relationship with a walī who opens the way to true knowledge and lasting inner peace.

These ideas are echoed by Abū al-Ḥasan al-Shādhilī, who said: 

Whoever desires that Satan have no power over them should correct their faith (īmān), reliance (tawakkul), and servitude (ʿubūdiyya) to God on the way of poverty (faqr), dependence (laja’i), and seeking refuge in God. God the Exalted said, ‘Indeed, he [Satan] has no authority over those who have faith and place their trust in their Lord’ (Qur'an 16:99). And He said, ‘Indeed, My servants—there is no authority for you over them’ (Qur'an 15:42). And He said, ‘And if an impulse from Satan incites you, seek refuge in God’ (Qur'an 7:200). Correcting faith involves gratitude for blessings, patience in trials, and contentment with what is decreed. True reliance means abandoning self-interest, forgetting creation, clinging to the True Sovereign, and persisting in remembrance. If anything appears to divert you from God, stand firm, for God the Exalted said, ‘O you who have faith, when you encounter a force, be steadfast and remember God often, that you may succeed’ (Qur'an 8:45). Correcting servitude involves embracing poverty, incapacity, weakness, and humility before God. The opposite of these are attributes of lordship, which are not yours to claim. So hold firmly to your own attributes and attach yourself to the attributes of God. Say, from the station of true poverty: ‘O Rich One, who does the poor one have besides You?’ From the carpet of weakness: ‘O Strong One, who does the weak one have besides You?’ From the carpet of incapacity: ‘O Powerful One, who does the incapable one have besides You?’ And from the carpet of humility: ‘O Mighty One, who does the humble one have besides You?’ Then you will find the answer as if it were at your command. “And seek help in patience and prayer.” “Indeed, God is with those who are patient.” (Qur'an 2:153) [2]

The followers of this path are known as fuqāraʾ, or “poor ones,” signifying their ontological poverty before Allāh. This state grants them true servitude, orienting them entirely toward the Divine to receive spiritual assistance (imdād). However, this flow cannot emanate directly from the divine essence (dhāt) without the mediation of divine attributes and names, for the essence veils itself from creation. The Prophet indeed said, “Between the Truth—that is, God—and Creation are seventy thousand veils of light and darkness.” The walī, as the embodiment of divine light and master of its sciences, is the medium in this process, for God Most High says, “God is the walī of those who believe; He brings them out of darkness into light” (Qur’an 2:257). This is the Shaykh: the conduit for transmitting knowledge, mysteries, and enlightenment.

When the seeker empties themselves of everything but Allāh, they renounce all that Allāh has forbidden, forget creation, cling to the Creator, and remember Allāh, as He says, “And remember your Lord when you forget” (Qur’an 18:24). Thus, they become a true servant of Allāh—grateful for His blessings, patient in trials, content with His decree, and reliant upon Him with true trust. This steadfastness wards off the heedlessness (ghafla) that Satan exploits to incite his whispers. However, if the seeker fills their heart with self-affirmation and lacks the guidance needed for true emptying, they risk falling into the trap of the illusory "I," for nothing truly exists but the Real “I,” which is Allāh, the Most High. Without this guidance, the person, instead of ascending, sinks into the mire of darkness, living a life of delusion and remaining distant from witnessing the Truth.

Abū al-Ḥasan al-Shādhilī continues: 

The things that bother (muḥriqāt) Satan the most are four: Either you reflect on what brings you closer to God and then pursue it; or you consider what distances you from Him and then avoid it. Or you reflect on your past sins, seeking forgiveness and expressing gratitude; or you think of your past good deeds, giving thanks and seeking forgiveness, that is you thank God for the blessings He has granted you, and you seek forgiveness for any pride or reliance on them, depending solely on His grace and mercy. [3]

Vigilance (yaqaẓa) stands in direct opposition to heedlessness (ghafla). This state of awareness repels Satan. It arises through reflecting (tafakkur) on God’s commands and prohibitions, performing acts of devotion, and steering clear of sins and forbidden acts. It also involves contemplating past sins, seeking forgiveness, and thanking God for granting the ability to repent, for without His grace, repentance would not be possible: “Then He turned to them so that they could repent” (Qur'an 9:118). True vigilance is a state of the heart that perceives its own vulnerability to forgetfulness and seeks refuge in remembrance of God. In this state, one sees every command as a thread linking them to the Divine, and every prohibition as a protection guarding the soul’s journey.

Alternatively, one may reflect on their past good deeds, recognizing them as blessings and grace from God. In doing so, they thank Him and seek forgiveness for any pride, arrogance, or showiness, thereby purifying themselves from the ailments of the heart. They rely not on their deeds but solely on God’s pure grace. This reveals a paradox: even the finest deeds are only praiseworthy when stripped of the self’s attachment to them. Gratitude here becomes a pathway, not just to humility but to freedom from the ego’s ownership of goodness, a reminder that all goodness flows from God alone.

In many self-help circles, spiritual reflection is labeled “positive thinking” as opposed to “negative thinking.” Trainers encourage participants to focus on attracting “positive energy” and dispelling “negative energy” to enhance personality and develop the self. However, true spiritual transformation must be verifiable; otherwise, it remains mere speculation. Spiritual and self-cultivation should therefore not focus on balancing intangible, unverifiable energies but rather on encountering something real and transformative. As we discussed above, like exoteric sciences, spirituality requires qualified training by those who are qualified in this realm. Such training must encompass both religious and secular aspects of life and take place under the guidance of a walī, who imparts light as the source of ontological transformation.

Spiritual transformation in this context requires surrendering the ego fully so that divine light can permeate the heart. Unlike the fleeting positivity offered by self-help, this light is an enduring gift from God, reshaping one’s entire being and linking the soul to the Divine Source. The shaykh as walī is essential here, as this light cannot be accessed or understood without his guidance. The walī leads the seeker from darkness to light through God’s permission, not by engaging in illusions about managing unseen energies. Instead, the walī guides the seeker in a tangible, verifiable way from the darkness of the self, desires, and Satan’s whispers to the light of God. Those who falsely claim spiritual authority (muddaʿīn), however, lead people from sanity into delusion, fostering a false sense of contentment that is actually the lower self (nafs) settling into darkness and the ego inflating with pride. As God says, “God is the walī of those who believe; He brings them out of darknesses into light. But as for those who disbelieve, their allies are false deities who take them out of light into darkness” (Qur'an 2:257).

How vast, then, is the difference between the Sufi shaykh, who guides through divine illumination, and the self-help coach! There is no comparison between imagined energy and true divine light, between illusion and reality. The self-help coach may offer insights that pacify or stimulate the mind, but the shaykh cultivates a wisdom that penetrates the heart and draws it into intimacy with God. This difference reminds us that the journey to God cannot be self-constructed or based on illusions; it requires the guidance of one whose path can be verified, who has truly traveled beyond the self into the realms of divine presence.

Abū al-Ḥasan al-Shādhilī further instructs:

Any knowledge that is preceded by fleeting thoughts, followed by images, and that the soul inclines toward and one’s nature delights in—cast it aside, even if it holds some truth. Instead, embrace the knowledge of God that He revealed to His Messenger, peace be upon him. Follow his example, along with that of the caliphs, Companions, successors, and the rightly-guided imams who are free from desire and its pursuit. In doing so, you will be safeguarded from doubts (shukūk), suspicions (ẓunūn), illusions (awhām), and false claims (daʿāwī) that lead astray from true guidance (hudā) and its core realities (ḥaqāʾiq). [4]

Misleading ideologies rooted in conjecture and false trendy beliefs, often drawn from a modern Western adaptation of South Asian religious and ethical traditions, are spreading rapidly. The rise of self-help courses on neuro-linguistic programming (NLP), Reiki, hypnosis, and similar practices claim a scientific basis but are far removed from genuine knowledge. God the Exalted says: “They follow nothing but conjecture (ẓann) and what the soul desires, even though guidance (hudā) has already come to them from their Lord” (Qur'an 53:23), and “Most of them follow only conjecture. Indeed, conjecture can be of no avail against the truth. Truly, God knows well what they do” (Qur'an 10:36).

In contrast, the walī brings divine light into the hearts of seekers, transforming darkened thoughts into enlightened reflection (tafakkur nūrānī) and replacing satanic impulses (khawāṭir shayṭānīya) with divine inspiration (ilhām rabbānī). Through this divine light, reflection yields knowledge (ʿilm), knowledge brings light, leading to action (ʿamal), and action shapes a spiritual state (ḥāl). When solidified, this state becomes a lasting station (maqām) for the seeker, allowing them to ascend from darkness to illumination. This is precisely the method of Shaykh Mohamed Faouzi al-Karkari with his disciples: a path of poverty (faqr) that does not aim to grow the self but to annihilate it, dissolving into the true real self of “The Light of the heavens and the earth” (Qur’an 24:35), which is Allāh. Here, the self finds actualization through its extinguishment rather than through affirmation—a concept that, sadly, escapes most modern minds and is even often rejected. This aversion to self-annihilation is a symptom of our time, contributing to the prevalence of mental disorders, depression, and the increasing normalization of both immorality and a fractured sense of self.

It’s astonishing that so many turn away from a guiding walī, only to follow false claimants who lead them astray. God the Exalted says, “Whomever God lets go astray, you will find for him no guiding friend” (Qur'an 18:17), and “Those whose striving has gone astray in this world, while they think they are doing good” (Qur'an 18:104). Stranger still, people freely engage in practices like yoga, which lack grounding in Islamic tradition, while denying Sufis their spiritual fervor and presence in the remembrance of God. They spend large sums on self-help courses and energy-healing sessions, while the people of God mention Him and receive divine light without cost. God the Exalted says, “Follow those who ask no reward from you, for they are rightly guided” (Qur'an 36:21). Indeed, this path is for those blessed in pre-eternity, whom Allāh loved beforehand. Through the overflow of His love, manifested by the radiant light of His Face, they are raised from death, realizing their ontological poverty and journeying back to Him. This path opens up questions about the very nature of freedom, purpose, and guidance in our time—questions that only the stations on the way towards the divine presence can answer.

Conclusion

The Karkariya, like all genuine revivals within the Shādhiliyya tradition, guides seekers from outward observance to a profound presence with Allāh, where the seeker, embracing faqr (spiritual poverty), turns their whole being from creation toward the Creator. This state is one of liberation, not deprivation—a place where the heart finds fullness in divine remembrance, and where servitude (ʿubūdiyya) becomes the bridge to transcendence. True companionship (ṣuḥba) with a shaykh opens the door to an inexhaustible spiritual inheritance—a light that cannot be replicated by self-help or secular therapies.

In an era dominated by self-empowerment and “positive energy” coaching, faqr offers a countercultural message: freedom lies in liberating oneself from the ego’s attachments and desires, returning instead to God. The Karkariya’s focus on divine withness (maʿiyya) and inner illumination challenges us to rethink our assumptions about guidance and growth. Rather than advocating for self-affirmation as a tool for self-improvement, this path invites a state of openness that receives from Allāh, unobstructed by the self. 

This spiritual perspective critiques our modern obsession with the self, opening a door into the vast realm of true surrender. Knowledge and liberation, rather than amassing for the ego, flow into the soul as divine light, guiding the heart toward a state of pure, uninterrupted presence. Here lies a further journey—an invitation into the mysteries of divine love—a path that only those who walk it can truly comprehend. 

Footnotes:

[1] Ibn ʿAṭāʾ Allāh al-Iskandarī, Laṭāʾif al-Minan, 73.

[2] Abū al-Ḥasan al-Shādhilī. al-Qaṣd ilā Allāh. Edited by Sihem Chaabeni. Manuscript, 46.

[3] Ibid., 47.

[4] Ibid., 48.