This translated excerpt, with minor edits, is from Mohamed Jedoui’s Etiquette of Spiritual Companionship, a work that delves into the foundational principles and practices of nurturing spiritual relationships with the Shaykh on the Sufi path. The author also includes a short personal commentary alongside the excerpt.

The Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ said in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: “Actions are judged by intentions, and every person will have only what they intended. So, whoever’s migration was for Allāh and His Messenger, their migration was indeed for Allāh and His Messenger. And whoever’s migration was for some worldly gain or to marry a woman, their migration was for whatever purpose they migrated.”

Whoever approaches the imām with intentions that deviate from seeking the Knowledge of Allāh and being guided to the Most Merciful will inevitably go astray. If your purpose is worldly—be it marriage, work, healing, or any other mundane intention—do not present yourself under the guise of īmān, pretending to come for the sake of the Most Merciful. Instead, reveal your true intentions and confess them to your Shaykh. Only then can he correct your shortcomings and properly prepare you for the bayʿa.

As for the one who conceals his true intentions, as soon as the walī takes his hand, the universe will strip him “naked” before everyone, exposing his vice and revealing his lie. Our Shaykh—may Allāh sanctify his secret—often says: “Whoever comes to us and lies about his intention during bayʿa, Allāh will expose him within forty days.”

It is crucial for those who seek to reach the Divine Presence to carefully study the conditions for embarking on the journey with the divinely connected walī. Through this preparation, one gains insight into their own self and the true aim of their heart when placing their foot in the presence of the Cupbearer (al-sāqī), i.e., the Shaykh. One should not approach impulsively, driven by a fleeting desire for discovery or a wish for seclusion to escape worldly troubles. Indeed, this station is not an ordinary one; it is the holy assembly (ḥaḍra) of the intermediate world, subsisting between the highest heavens and the lowest earths—a great, noble, powerful, and dangerous station, crowned with the holder of the secret of transcendence (tanzīh) in the realm of comparability (tashbīh) without a comparable (shabīh). It is the gateway to salvation for those who revere it, and a path to downfall for those who belittle it.

Commentary: 

During my two-and-a-half-year stay at the zāwiya and five years as a disciple in the Karkariya, I gradually realized the importance of intention when approaching the bayʿa and the walī. I witnessed many coming and going, some achieving spiritual elevation, while others lost everything—all depending on their intention when approaching the bayʿa. May Allāh Most High grant us steadfastness and everlasting increase on this path.

I came to understand that for a seeker to truly embark on the journey with a spiritual master, they must approach with pure intention, revealing what lies within their heart. This transparency allows the shaykh to guide them toward purifying any flawed intentions. Without this openness, the seeker risks clinging to hidden motives, obstructing their progress and ultimately losing everything. 

The shaykh must uncover these hidden intentions: if they are sincerely for the sake of Allāh Most High and His Prophet ﷺ then the seeker need not fear, for their ultimate destination will be the divine presence, a station of endless increase. However, if the intention is otherwise, the shaykh will address the seeker based on the conditions they set for themselves during the commitment, granting them more than often what they sought—whether it be fame, wealth, companionship, or healing. But their journey will halt there, as the inner snakes they relied upon to deceive the walī will ultimately turn into shackles sinking them into the deepest darknesses. 

Sincerity is crucial for those seeking the Truth, and without it, the journey ends in tragedy. Allāh Most High says: “Indeed, those who pledge allegiance to you, in reality, pledge allegiance to Allāh. The hand of Allāh is above their hands. So, whoever breaks this pledge only harms themselves, while whoever fulfills the commitment they made to Allāh will receive a great reward from Him.” (Qur’ān 48:10)