Wonderful analogy given by my dear Shaykh (hafizahullah) explaining why there is a need for a Shaykh....

“Take the example of a person who wants to lose weight. In the initial weeks, with self motivation at its peak, he will exercise regularly, follow a special diet and do all the necessary things required to achieve his objective. However, after a few weeks once the initial motivation wanes, he will return to his old ways and will end up as he started, with no long term benefit whatsoever.

In contrast, if this person had taken professional advice from the outset, he would have been able to set a timetable and develop a manageable action plan under expert guidance. This in conjunction with the continued supervision of the dietician would have resulted in long term benefit and success in his objective.

This is precisely the example of the relationship between a shaykh and a murīd. A murīd will find great difficulty in purifying his soul and acquiring the recognition of Allāh ta’ala by himself. Thus he needs someone to slowly – but surely – guide him and take him along the path that leads to soul rectification and the recognition of Allāh ta’ala. That someone is the Shaykh.”

Courtesy of In Shaykh's Company: a blog maintained by the students of Shaykh Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullah www.shaykh.org