Need of a Murshid e Kamil (Spiritual Guide) and Bay'at (Spiritual Allegiance) "Man Arf" (Knowing yourself) is the starting

point of spiritual journey and to know oneself a Kamil Murshid is needed as a mirror is needed to see ourselves. Huzoor Mohammed (SAS) said a momin is a mirror, a talib (seeker) needs a Kamil Murshid to reflect his real image and to reveal the secret of Man Arf. Bay'at literally means selling, it is an act, where a seeker sells himself/herself to kamil murshid in the path of Haq. Bay'at is mandatory for the seeker of Haq, who wants to annihilate his/her 'being' in the ishq of Murshid, Rasul and ultimately Allah. A poet says "Iman-o-Dil dediya itni si baat par, Murshid ka haath Allah ka haat jaan kar". Reference to Bay'at in Quran : Indeed, those who pledge allegiance to you, [O Muhammad] - they are actually pledging allegiance to Allah . The hand of Allah is over their hands. So he who breaks his word only breaks it to the detriment of himself. And he who fulfills that which he has promised Allah He will give him a great reward. Surat Al-Fat (48:10) Verily, Allah has purchased from the faithful their selves and their properties, and in return for them is the Garden) (9:111) O Prophet! When believing women come to you making bayat on the terms that they will not associate anything with God and will not steal, neither commit adultery, nor slay their children nor bring a calumny they forge between their hands and their feet, nor disobey you in anything honorable,...) (60:12) People who accepted Islam, did at the hand of prophet and pledged their allegiance and subsequently at the hand Sahaba (companions) and then at the hands of Tabaien (followers of sahaba) and then Tab -e-Tabaien and the chain continued and continuing in the orders of Sufism. Prominent among them are Qadriyya, Chistiya, Suharwardia, Rifaia, and Naqshbandia. All the spiritual orders trace back to Holy Prophet Mohammed (SAS) through Hazrat Imam Ali Karram-Allahu Wajhahu. Continuation of Bay'at

The practice of bay'at continued after wisal of Huzoor Mohammed Rasoalallah PBUH, one of the most authentic recording of hadith in Imam Bukhari Sharief and Imam Muslim as reported by Hazrat Abu Hurairah (ra) supports the need of continuation of bay'at. The Prophets ruled over the children of Israel. Whenever a Prophet died, another Prophet succeeded him, but there will be NO Prophet after me. There will, soon be Khalifahs and they will number many. They asked 'What then do you Order us?' He said: Fulfill allegiance to them one by one. Give them their dues. Verily Allah will ask them about what He entrusted them with. When a boy or girl reaches state of mental maturity, he or she should seek out a Kamil Murshid who would guide him/her in the path of Allah and reach a station of nearness to Allah. Hazrat Ghousul Azam Dastagir Mehboob e Subhani Qandeel e Noorani Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jeelani (RA) went in search of Kamil Murshid when he was a young boy and devoted himself under his Pir's guidance to reach the station of Qutubul Aaqtaab. Imam Ghazali (RA), a great scholar and Sufi saint, after mastering the orthodox Islamic studies set himself towards the path of Sufism after concluding that religious knowledge will not lead him to Allah. Imam Ghazali (RA) contributed significantly to the development of a systematic view of Sufism and its integration and acceptance in mainstream Islam. One of his title was Hujjatul Islam, meaning "Proof of Islam" . Bayat is the path which has been tread by the faithfuls of Prophet Mohammed and all Auliya Allahs. All auliyas have Shaikh /Pir o Murshid, which illustrates the fact that bayat is obligatory on all Muslims who wants to reach higher station of imaan. Whom to take as Shaykh/ Pir/Murshid (Teacher/Guide)

""

-