Good Manners (Continued)

Adab in the Learning Circle
When you come to the Sufi center, come with the intention that you will be in Allah's presence. It is necessary to arrive for mejlis, the assembly, having first taken a thorough ritual bath or shower. It's good to have clean teeth and breath, cleanliness of clothes, as well as deodorizing or lightly perfuming the body as a courtesy to the Shaykh and others.

As soon as you see the Shaykh arrive, go out and greet him. As a greeting you may say, "As-salaam alaykum, Shaykh." Then kiss the top of his right hand if he is not your Shaykh and the palm if he is your Shaykh, and press his hand to your forehead. You welcome the other people who have come with him in the following order: his wife, his family, his khalifas, his guests, his murids. If the Shaykh or his wife are carrying something, take it from them.

Anyone sponsoring a newcomer to the tekke should first introduce that person to the meydan-ji, the host, or khalifas, the Shaykh's representatives, who will then introduce that person to the Shaykh and will further assist the person if necessary.

When the Shaykh enters the room, it is respectful to stop talking, stand up and wait for the Shaykh to be seated. Sit down only after the Shaykh sits down and quietly wait until the Shaykh starts to speak. This is the time to make rabita, the heart connection, and go deeper into your heart and center yourself so that you are in a position to learn with your whole being. When the Shaykh begins his talk, listen with your heart.

When in the Shaykh's presence, sit up in a respectful manner. Never lie down when your Shaykh is around, for it shows your lack of adab and discipline. Never stretch out your legs towards your Shaykh or the other guests when you are in the learning circle. If you are uncomfortable and must do so, then cover up your feet with a cloth or stretch them away from the circle. In a Hadith it is told that once when Allah's Apostle was sitting with his legs outstretched, Gabriel appeared and said, "Muhammad, sit as servants sit before a master."

When the Shaykh is ready to depart, thank him and the guests for visiting you. The students, especially the men, carry the Shaykh's things back to the car and wait in attendance until he leaves before returning to the house.

Adab of Handling the Qur'an
The Qur'an is not an ordinary book. It is a holy book, the direct words of God to our Prophet (saws) and so it must be treated with respect. You don't just leave it lying around or pick it up casually. There are certain musts and certain suggestions in touching the Qur'an, particularly if the Arabic text is included. It has been said that if you take care of the Qur'an, it will take care of you.

Reading or reciting the Qur'an is a sacred activity, like prayer and zikr. Before you open the book, you should always do wud'u. It is also suggested that you dress as you would to offer prayer: both sexes dressing modestly and women covering their heads. State your intention to read the Qur'an and hold it higher than your waist, sitting in a respectful position. Anytime you are not reading the Qur'an, close it, even if you are briefly interrupted and intend to resume reading soon.

Always store the Qur'an in a clean place which is higher than your waist. It should never touch the floor, where people walk. Also, don't put any other books, or anything else for that matter, on top of the Qur'an. The Qur'an, or even any piece of paper on which verses are written, should never be thrown away, but burned instead.

English translations of the Qur'an, without the Arabic text, may be treated with less formality if you are referring to them for learning purposes. You may touch them without first performing ablution. Of course, even with English versions, the more respect you give to the Qur'an, the more blessings you open yourself up to receiving.

previous

next topic: What is a Shaykh?
previous topic: Five Pillars of Islam