How To Become Free Of Bad Character

Our Grandshaykh is saying – his every advice is like ammo for guns, given to you to use against the enemy. But you are only taking them and making a stash. We are giving them to you for shooting; that is our intention. We are giving you shells for every range, some for nearby and some for the other side of the mountain. Yet our Grandshaykh is saying: “I can’t find anyone to keep my advices.” I hope you may keep his advice.

Our Grandshaykh is asking, what is that which Allah and his Prophet don’t like? You must know, and when knowing, keep far away from it. He answers that it is to look after a person’s faults. Allah has prohibited this. It is a big sin and the worst action a person can make. You also have faults–everyone has so many–and you have a responsibility for those faults in the Divine Presence. So why are you looking at the faults of others; you must eliminate your own. When one is looking to the faults of another, the respect we have for him or her in our heart disappears, and the love toward thatperson is extinguished. Therefore, it is prohibited. Everyone has so many faults, that if we were looking at them, all would become enemies to one another. It causes separation of the Community and then comes Satanto capture us. Sufism calls for such actions as bring love and strong relations between people, to protect from badness and give power to faith. Therefore, we are ordered to worship together, so that our faith will grow stronger.

Our Grandshaykh says we must be careful that Satan does not make our worship unacceptable. It is unacceptable when we are asking for any rewards. We must ask for our Lord’s pleasure only. When all the ego’s desires are finished, then one is a servant of the Lord. To look for some reward for worshipping is like idol worship; it is a secret form of polytheism. Sincerity is to ask only your Lord’s service. So many people are worshipping and then doing what their ego demands. This means that they are servants of Allah and of Satan. It is a dangerous way. Until we become clean of bad character we can’t be free of Satan, this world, our egos, and vain desires. Until you become fullyaware for each you make with your foot, whether that step is on the right way or the wrong way, you remain in need of alignment in your heart. You must know and be awake to where you are putting your foot. One second’s heedlessness may be cause a dangerous accident. Therefore, we are always in need to repeat the word of Testification, to put us on the right way. Until we become free of bad character, we cannot attain to real faith; and without real faith, then there is no real life, the life that is forever. Whoever realizes real faith in this world will live on in the tomb, his body not turning to dust. That is a sign from God that he or she has reached true life.

How is it possible to save ourselves from bad character? A bad characteristic is pride. Satan was thrown out of the Divine Presence for his pride. If a person is not humble enough to accept another to teach him lessons, he is proud. You must have a Sufi Teacher to show you how to apply the Divine Ordinances to yourself. He learned from his Shaykh how to use Shariah on himself. There can be no surgeon who hasn’t witnessed a surgery performed, but learned only from books.