Teachings of Baba Fareed-uddin Ganj Shakar 2

For a while the conversation turned to the basis for spiritual progress, that is, kernel of meaning.

In this conversation the master noted that man once presented himself to Kwaja Ajall Shirazi 

-may Allah grant him mercy and forgiveness- and the Khwaja conferred discipleship on him. 

The new disciple expected Khwaja Ajall to instruct him on the invocations [auraad] and prayers he ought to observe.

"What you do find agreeable for yourself," declared the Khwaja, "do not which it to happen to others;

wish for yourself [only] what you also wish for others."

In short, the man went away and after a while returned, presenting himself again to Khwaja Ajall Shirazi 

-may God have mercy upon him. "On such-and-such a day," he submitted to the Khwaja, "I waited upon you, 

hoping that you might tell me a prayer or invocation [that I could repeat], but you told me nothing. Today I am also expectant." 

"On that day," replied the Khwaja, "what were you instructions?" The disciple was stupefied; he did not answer. 

The Khwaja smiled and said, "On that day I told you that whatever was not pleasing to yourself was also not pleasing to another, and [that you ought to] wish for yourself the same thing that you wish for another. 

You did not remember that instruction. Since you have not learned the first lesson, how can I give you another?"

Hazrat Mehboob-e-Elahi -may Allah be pleased with him

[It is clear from the above allegory of Hazrat Nizam-uddin Aulia that the first lesson of suluuk [spiritual path] is: our wish for others should be the same as our wish for ourselves. This is one of the foundations for spiritual progress. Reciting of invocations is secondary.]