Reminds me of this class in high school where our teacher was talking about “let me introduce you to the Greek gods” and this Egyptian kid in the back yelled “astaghfarullah what are you talking about there’s only one God” 😭
When Sufi master Bahā’ ad-Dīn Naqshband was asked, ‘What is the basic principle of your spiritual path?’ he replied, ‘It is solitude in the crowd, or loneliness in the community. That is, being outwardly with your fellow creatures, but inwardly with the Lord of Truth (Exalted is He).’
[looking at people younger than me] you have your whole life ahead of you, [looking at people older than me] you have your whole life ahead of you, [looking at myself] it's over.
The Sufi master (pīr) does not draw attention to himself. The early masters worked for their livelihood, did not seek financial support from their disciples, and avoided contact with political authorities. The Sufi master Sayyid Nizamuddin Awliyā (may Allāh sanctify his secret) even refused an invitation from the ruler of his time. One of the Persian Sufi masters explains that the role of the spiritual guide in the life of the novice is to protect him from going astray in his search for the truth.