True 'Aa'lim

There is a quality that a true 'Aa'lim must have in him. It is the fear of Allah Ta'ala. He must have an amount of fear that makes him abstain from sins and makes him execute the commandments of Allah Ta'ala. Otherwise, there are many who are 'Aa'lim because they have passed their exams of Aa'lim. But these are 'Ulama on paper. But we should not underestimate them because still they have acquired a good amount. They only have to develop the Muhabbat and the fear of Allah Ta'ala. There are means to acquire that too. And those means are also very effective. One should spend a considerable amount of time in the company of a Sheikh-e-Kaamil, that is, a spiritual guide, who has been reformed/nurtured under the supervision of a Sheikh and has received approval and appreciation for his internal and external behaviour from his Sheikh. It is like someone who does his internship or apprenticeship after graduation under the supervision of a senior for a great period of time. It is only after this stage that the person concerned has the right to practice his work and profession. And people also trust him.

So the Muhabbat and the fear of Allah Ta'ala develop sincerity in a person. A truly sincere person is someone who does not hesitate to accept the truth. He accepts his shortcomings and makes the desired effort to rectify himself. With sincerity, everything falls in order because one lives for Allah Ta'ala. Bad manners and lowliness such as jealousy, boasting, pride, arrogance, etc. begin to eliminate. It makes him recognise the merits of his adversaries and he has the audacity and courage to disapprove the faults of those around him, be it his own beloved. It is a stage that a person only experiences when Allah Ta'ala becomes his Mehbub Haqeeqi (true beloved). And it is practically impossible without evolving under the supervision of a Sheikh-e-Kaamil for a great period of time. It seems strange just like a small child sees a certain attitude of an adult, strange which is nevertheless quite normal and natural.

[English version of "Vrai ‘Aalim" – Al Jamiat – Vol.7 No.14]