by Sidi Abu Madyan Shu’ayb

In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate

O you who seek the pleasure of drawing near, if you wish all good to be seen upon you, the one who is consulted is honest, so listen to the news.

The pleasure of life is only in the company of the fuqarā’ – they are the sultans, the masters, and the princes.

People who are content with the simplest clothing and diet, they never think about this world. Their chests are free of waswas.

Therefore, keep their company and have adab in their assemblies. Leave your portion behind you whenever they send you forward.

Take their ţarīq if you are following them. Leave your claims. Be careful, and avoid being critical of what they desire. Seek their benefit.

Seize the moment and always be present with them. Know that ridā is bestowed on those who are present.

Be pleased with them, by them you will rise and arrive. If they keep you, stay. If they ask you to vanish, disappear. If they don’t feed you, be hungry. If they feed you, eat.

Cling to silence unless you are questioned. Then say, “I have no knowledge,” and be concealed in ignorance.

Don’t criticize the faults of people, even if it is clear and seen. Look with the eye of perfection. Don’t find fault with anyone.

Do not look at faults unless you see a clear fault appear in you, but it is concealed.

You will get what you are seeking from adab. Humble yourself to them, without doubt. But that is modesty in place of adab.

Lower your head and ask forgiveness without cause. Stand apologizing in just treatment.

If you want from them a light for the way, avoid all the actions that they dislike. Keep yourself doing good actions.

If a fault appears from you, then apologize and lift the face of your apology for what has flowed in you from you.

Praise them with compliments and say, “Cure with your reconciliation using the ointment of your pardon the wounds you caused. I am the one at fault, give me your genuine advice.”

Say, “Your insignificant slave is more entitled to your pardon.” Act kindly in forgiveness and adhere to gentleness, O fuqara!

Don’t fear their himmah if you commit a sin. Higher and greater is their relationship to you than to cause you any harm. They are not tyrants that their power will harm you.

Take for granted their goodness for that is their nature. Fear neither overtaking nor harm from them.

If you wish to tread the path of guidance by means of them, work hard to immediately satisfy what they demand of you. Be careful not to put it off until tomorrow.

Always be generous in singing the praises of the brothers in the senses and the meaning. Lower the eye if someone slips.

Be truthful with them, avoid unclean ways, because they are the people of truth, they are the masters and leaders. Pardon everyone of them who harms you.

Watch the Shaykh carefully in his states, perhaps a trace of his approval will be seen on you.

Ask the shaykh to make du‘a for you. You may gain from this. By his barakah, you may obtain what you wish for. Keep a good opinion of him and realize his true inviolability.

Advance seriousness and leap to serve him. Perhaps he will be pleased, and beware lest you become irritated.

Keep his advice. Increase yourself by his guidance. If he calls you, answer him immediately. Lower your voice to gentleness in obedience to him.

The pleasure of the Creator is in his pleasure and his obedience. He will be pleased with you, so then beware of leaving it.

Be with him who is diplomatic with the nafs in this time, for surely the nafs despairs of them, for their trade with people is valueless.

Know that the Path of the People is obscure needing study, and the state of the one who claims it today is as you see.

It is my right to be sad if they leave me, because I am used to being with them. I will always be sad when I am cut off from their company.

When will I see them and where will I see them? When will my ear hear some news of them?

Separation stops me from being worthy of them. I came from them, so blame me. I am not blaming them. O my Lord, grant me righteousness so that I may spend the night in discourse with them.

Whom do I have to help me, and how is it possible for someone like me to compete with them in wells about which I do not recognize impurity?

Their glorious deeds are beyond description and number, the seen ones proving the existence of the unseen ones. Their glory in this world is by their obedience to Allah.

I love them and treat them gently and I offer them my heart’s blood – especially a party of them.

A people who are made leaders of all of creation by their acts of obedience; those who sit with them acquire their courtesies. He who absents himself from their company, his portion is misery.

A people of noble qualities – wherever they sit, a fragrance remains in the place after them.

Try to be with them, do not separate from them, and increase in love. If you absent yourself from them, cry with regret and sorrow. A group with whom a young man gains honor from being with them.

Taşawwuf is guided by their character in the Paths. Excellent harmony is theirs that delights my eye.

I pulled the tail of my robe being proud of my love for them when they accepted me as a small slave in their love. Their right is in their love, I am not their equal.

They are the people of my love and my lovers who are among those who trail the coat-tails of might in magnificence.

I cut my heart into pieces, making poetry about their love. I asked Allah earnestly through them, hoping that Allah would forgive me and all the Muslims together.

May I be reunited with them in Allah, and my wrong actions forgiven and pardoned in Him.

O everyone who has been in this circle with us, I ask Allah through them to erase our sins.

Then blessings be upon the Chosen, Sayyiduna Muhammad, the best of those who fulfilled and who vowed.