The Conditions of Spiritual Guidance — What Kind of Person Should Be Made a Spiritual Guide

Question

Is it permissible for a spiritual guide to converse without hijab with the women of his disciples, when these women are adorned with jewellery and fine clothes, and the guide lets one end of his handkerchief hang down towards his feet, and these women, approaching the guide without hijab, bow as in ruku‘ and kiss the hanging end of the guide’s handkerchief; and the disciples’ women sing songs of praise when the guide arrives, and the guide, on hearing the singing, congratulates the disciples’ women?

Answer

It is necessary for a person to adopt sound beliefs, noble character and righteous deeds, and this becomes possible when he guards against false beliefs, base character and evil deeds. Experience and observation show that this is not attained without a mentor (murabbi). Whichever mentor’s guidance is capable of producing this is fit to be taken as a spiritual guide.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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