Reflections from the Nasihat of Sheikh Muhammad Bava Ustad at the Sultaniya Majlis
In the sacred gathering of the Sultaniya Majlis, Sheikh Muhammad Bava Ustad addressed his disciples with words both timeless and urgent. Words that echo the profound reality of the spiritual path rooted in the legacy of the Ahlul Bayt and the golden chain of wilayah handed down from the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, and his noble successors.
With characteristic humility and spiritual clarity, the Sheikh opened by reminding us that the authority to serve as a Caliph- a representative in the spiritual domain, is not a rank one claims, but a mantle bestowed by Allah alone. This divine appointment is reserved for those who pass through the fires of trial, sacrifice, and secret discipline, and who endure the states that test and mold the soul.
“The authority of being a Caliph is given only to those specially chosen by Allah from their Sheikhs,” he declared. “Although the Sheikhs may support their disciples in ways no one else can, only a few become qualified. Therefore, those who desire wilayah must work hard to become worthy of it.”
A Journey of Becoming
To illustrate this truth, the Sheikh narrated a story that reveals the subtle wisdom with which spiritual mentors prepare their disciples for the perfection of Tawḥīd.
A seeker once wandered far in search of a sheikh murabbi and finally found a humble fakir. He stayed in his service for years, and one day, with sincerity, expressed his desire to become his Caliph. The fakir paused, then said, “Continue your search. After fifteen years, you will find your Sheikh beneath a tree in such-and-such a place. He will give you the caliphate you seek.”
Obediently, the seeker resumed his journey- wandering across lands, gaining experiences that refined his soul. After fifteen long years, he arrived at the very place the fakir had mentioned. There, beneath the tree, stood the same fakir.
Stunned, the seeker asked, “Why did you not give it to me then?”
The fakir replied, “Because only now are you ready to receive it.”
The Sheikh used this story to remind us of a critical truth: even if the perfect Sheikh stands before us, the disciple must prepare the vessel within to hold the spiritual trust. One cannot bypass readiness. The transmission of spiritual light demands a heart made ready through discipline, sincerity, and struggle.
A Path Paved with Gold and Kindness
A seeker on this path should recognize the divine opportunity at hand. One must actively search, struggle, and persist in devotion, for what lies hidden beneath the soil of effort is no ordinary reward.
“You are standing at the shade, at the foot of that ‘real tree’. On the path of Sultaniya and Wilayah. The place where you sit is a treasure,” the Sheikh reminded. “Dig—dig like a chicken digs for its prey. Then Allah will give you wealth, just as He gave it to Khwaja Muinuddin Chishti (RA).”
The Sheikh then turned his disciples attention to the great Khwaja Muinuddin Chishti (RA), whose illustrious journey exemplifies the unseen treasures that lie along the path of obedience and surrender. As Khwaja Muinuddin Chisti (RA) travelled with his Sheikh, he was instructed to pick up stones along the way. He obeyed without question. One day, a stone he picked up turned to gold. His Sheikh then said:
“Go. Our journey has ended here. You have attained the perfection of wilayah.”
The great sage went on to become a radiant beacon for humanity, known as the helper of the helpless. His shrine in Ajmer remains a treasure trove of spiritual nourishment and divine generosity even today.
This, the Sheikh affirmed, is the true outcome of walking the Sulthaniya path; a soul that is enriched inwardly, and whose presence becomes nourishment to the world.
The Sacred Discipline of Dhikr
Yet, the Sheikh cautioned that even the act of dhikr, the remembrance of Allah requires readiness and permission. He recalled how, after years of service and learning from his own Masters, he once sought permission to give dhikr publicly. But his Sheikh denied him, saying: “It is not time yet.”
“Even something that seems simple to us,” he warned, “if done without the permission of the beloved Messenger of Allah ﷺ, can lead to destruction.”
This is not legalism, but divine order. In this path, nothing is casual, and the sacred sanctorum must not be approached without inner preparation and the blessing of those entrusted with guidance.
The Danger of Spiritual Disloyalty
Sheikh Bava Ustad also issued a stern reminder about loyalty to one's Sheikh. After pledging allegiance to a Sheikh who stands in the line of perfect Tawheed, turning away from them for another, even within the same path, is a betrayal that may strip both the seeker and the giver of their spiritual light.
“My Sheikh, Qadirullah Sheikh Yusuf Sultan Shah (رحمه الله), taught me the path of Rasulullahi ﷺ and Ghaus al-A‘zam (رحمه الله). If anyone offers something beyond what they gave me, it is not acceptable to me.”
Sheikh Bava ustad continued,
“Loyalty, in this path, is not mere preference…it is covenantal”
How Divine Destiny Unfolds
All things, the Sheikh reminded, are under Allah’s command. “But still there is definite way things fall to its places.” Even that which is near cannot be attained unless Allah permits. The soul may be close to the truth, yet far from realization, until the Lord decrees it.
“Be patient,” he urged. “Persevere. You may not yet understand the depth of what you’ve received. But you will, if you do not give up.”
Trial Near the Light:The Role of the Mashāikh
The path is not without hardship. Its trials are divinely set to refine the seeker and elevate the soul. Often, as we draw near our Sheikhs, Shayṭān prepares for an adventure- whispering doubts, stirring discomfort, hoping to reach the Mashaikh by clinging to us.
In such moments, the Sheikh’s tone may seem unusually stern or harsh. But know this: their sharpness is not towards you, but towards the shadow you’ve unknowingly brought along. It is love in disguise- it’s defence against the intruder.
Even in the time of Rasulullah ﷺ, Shayṭān attempted the same, but was unmasked by the Wahy(revelation). Today, the true Mashaikh are gifted with insight to see what we cannot and they will protect us, even when we misunderstand their ways.
“They may seem stern. But they scold out of love,” the Sheikh said. “They make you do every task so you may reach perfection.”
The Soul’s Purity and Protection
Sheikh Bava Ustad spoke with gravity about guarding the soul, particularly from illicit desires. In our time, he noted, the sexual chaos that pervades homes and society is a direct result of lost faith.
“It is not the body that sins- it is the soul, and it is the soul that must seek forgiveness.”
This struggle requires vigilance of thought, of heart, and of companionship. For that, the gatherings of dhikr and faith are essential. Missing them weakens the heart and Iman, and neglect gives space to doubt.
The Inheritance of the Ahlul Bayt
Sheikh Bava Ustad then declared, with luminous clarity, that this path is not a human invention but a divine trust carried by the Ahlul Bayt, the noble family of the beloved Prophet ﷺ, and all the Prophets before him.
“Even the Prophets are Rasulullahiﷺ successors,” he said. “There is no salvation for mankind or jinn without joining the Ahlul Bayt, who are the gate to the essence of Allah’s knowledge.”
Yet, he clarified, “true Ahlul Bayt are not defined by bloodline alone, but by those who carry thecovenant, its mission and live by the Qur’an.”
Final Exhortation: Taqwa Before Worship
Finally, Sheikh Bava Ustad called for true piety (Taqwa)- for the heart to be aligned with truth before any outer act of worship can be accepted. Taqwa, Sheikh reminded, was the first lesson taught by Allah’s beloved Prophet ﷺ to his companions, even before any ritual obligation.
The Sheikh cautioned against the superficiality of contemporary scholarship that quotes ḥadīths and books without living connection to the ‘Ārifīn, those who know Allah and his beloved through presence, not merely through paper.
“Problems like illnesses and debts come from our mistakes,” he said. “We must return to Him in repentance.”
And the greatest support on that path is love.
“Love is the core of Iman(faith). If you want to move forward, you must love. Love each other. If you can’t help your brother financially, at least pray for him. That too is help.”
A Closing Invocation
This is a reminder to the seekers of light that doesn’t cast a shadow, and to dig relentlessly like a bird in search of its sustenance, and to discover the gold that lies within the soil of patience, sincerity, and obedience.
“May Allah raise you to the heights. Insha Allah,” concluded the Sheikh.
And in that prayer lies both the path and its destination.
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