Among the signs of the people of the truth is that they do not become renowned by a name that the people know them by, from among the names that became titles for the followers of certain paths. Also, they do not adhere to just one act that gives them that name, thereby becoming known by it instead of other acts, for this is a defect in servitude, and is a restricted kind of servitude. As for the unrestricted kind of servitude, one who is involved in it is not known by a particular name from among the meanings of its names, for he simply responds to its caller irrespective of its different types; he has a share with every group of people of servitude. So he doesn’t adhere to a particular tradition, indicator, name, fad, or man-made conventional path.
Rather, if asked about his Shaykh, he says, “The Messenger.”
If asked about his path, he says, “Following [the Sunnah].”
If asked about his clothing, he says, “The clothing of Taqwa.”
If asked about his madh-hab, he says, “Judgment by the Sunnah.”
If asked about his goal and objective, he says, “Seeking His countenance.” [Al-An`am 6:52]
If asked about his niche, he says, “[Such niches are] in masjids which Allah has ordered to be raised and that His name be mentioned therein; exalting Him within them in the morning and the evenings, [are] men whom neither commerce nor sale distracts from the remembrance of Allah, performance of prayer and giving of zakah.” [Al-Nur 24:36-37]
If asked about his ancestry, he says,
“My father is Islam, I have no father besides it…
When they boast about Tamim and Qays.”
If asked about his food and drink, he says, “It is none of your concern. It has its feet and its water-container (reservoir), and it will reach water and drink it, and eat the trees till its owner finds it.” [Bukhari and Muslim]
[Madarij al-Salikin, Ibn al-Qayyim (3/174)]
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