Question:
Peace of Allah: I was wondering what the Order’s formal teaching is on private dissent from certain teachings expounded by the Order. In most communities dissent is permitted if it does not cause scandal and offense. I am just wondering what the official position is in this Order about personal dissent. For instance, when one’s conscious is in conflict with some teaching made by some authority in the Order, one should be true to one’s conscious I would imagine, as this is the most common teaching in world religions, but I do not have the benefit of formal training in this Order’s tradition so am asking this question here in this forum. Not everyone can agree with everything in any institution and so most institutions make statements about personal conscious and dissent and I would love to read this Order’s statement about this matter. Blessings and bliss to All!
Answer:
Follow your conscience but be aware that shaytan might also be tricking you. Give your Guide the benefit of good opinion and do not object. As Shaykh Abd al-Qadir Jilani said: “Whoever say ‘Why?’ to his Shaykh will not succeed.”
Hajj Gibril Haddad
