The Teaching of Hazrat Inayat Khan
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The other form of the Sufi path is that of Salik. The Salik is a person who believes he can be a sage at the same time as he follows his worldly occupation. His work is one of making his life (earning his living) amid the responsibility of everyday life, and at the same time he does it for a higher purpose; his mind is fixed on higher aspirations, even while 'in the world.' Then, every act in all the affairs of life is directed to higher aspirations. Finally every thought in everything he is doing is directed towards that higher aspiration. So you find that the Salik is a worldly man, with responsibility of home, of profession, of business, of trade, and yet when he has attained to that height, he can be made a Murshid; he can be a teacher. It is not necessary to make a renunciation of 'the world' and be a monk. He can still be a Murshid, even though he is still working in the world. |