They are believed to transmit spiritual energy or "divine light" heart-to-heart, awakening dormant love for the Creator within the seeker.
The first and most crucial qualification is that the Murshid must be a practicing Muslim who follows the Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet. As Imam Al-Junayd (a great early Sufi master) said: "Our path is closed by the Book and the Sunnah." A Murshid who misses prayers or engages in prohibited acts is not a guide but a charlatan. Murshid
The Arabic word (مرشد) translates literally to "guide," "teacher," or "mentor." However, to reduce it to these simplistic English equivalents is to miss the profound spiritual gravity the term carries. A Murshid is not merely an instructor of theology or a lecturer on ethics. He or she (though historically predominantly male, female saints exist in the tradition) is a transmitter of divine light, a living archetype of spiritual excellence, and the physician of the heart. They are believed to transmit spiritual energy or