Make your Heart a Fruit-bearing Orchard
Imaan is our greatest wealth and the means of safeguarding this great wealth of Imaan is adopting Taqwa, i.e. to abstain from sins and to fear the displeasure of Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) and in order to be able to adopt Taqwa we should seek the company of the “Saadiqeen” (the Truthful).
Therefore the key to the security of Imaan is adopting Taqwa and the key to adopting Taqwa is to be with the Saadiqeen (to spend time with and to consult a qualified Shaykh).
For attaining full benefit from the company of the Shaykh remember five things:
1. Have ‘Azmat [A high regard]in the heart for the Shaykh due to his close connection with Allah subhaanahu wata’ala
2. Have Muhabbat [Love] for the Shaykh.
3. Adopt Adab (Correct etiquette]. Note that with the above two in the heart the third will be automatic
4. Have True Talab [Yearning] i.e. I want what is in his heart
5. Muhtaazi [Need] i.e. I need to attain what is in his heart, if I do not then I may never attain it and I will be at a loss
The heart is a kheti [piece of land] and the first two points are akin to the land being ploughed (which is difficult) and adopting the company of the Shaykh with the above five advices is like the fertilizer. Now the Suhbat [Company of the Shaykh] are the seeds and his advices is the watering of the seeds which bears forth the fruit quickly.
Two more things which are necessary are Mujaahadah (Striving against the base desires) and Maamoolaat (Prescriptions/Daily quota of Dhikr , Muraaqabah etc). Two things which are a deterrent are committing of major sins and Be-adabi (acting against the etiquettes of being in the company of the Shaykh or causing hurt to him).