A Master and His Role in Spiritual Journey; a Pathological Look

One of the important issues in Islamic mysticism is a wayfarer's need for a master to guide and help him/her during the spiritual journey. The tradition of Sufis is that a wayfarer should learn the manners of spiritual journey from a master and progresses on the path under his guidance. This issue raises the question of the relationship between the wayfarer and the master and the manners of devotee and object of devotion. It provides a proper context for the genesis of damages faced by a wayfarer on the path of mysticism and Sufism so that charlatans in cloisters deceive naïve individuals who want to purify their souls. Reviewing Quranic verses, traditions, mystical texts and Sufi's words, the present paper seeks to explain the necessity of having an eminent master in spiritual issues who has the responsibility of guiding and helping the wayfarer in his way towards acquiring the knowledge of the Truth. There are some damages in this regard, the most important of which is devotion to wrong-headed masters who take the wayfarer to go astray. It is necessary for a wayfarer to completely know the master to selected or followed to be safe from the risk of injury.