Today, due to the advancement of science and technology, we have taken a lot of innovation in outward travel, but this same technology has made us so encumbered that our souls are imprisoned and our spiritual journeys and social interactions are on a decline. In today's materialistic age, there is a dire need to reconnect with our spiritual roots and embark on the spiritual journey of self-realization. In this era of spiritual and moral crisis, Sufis teach us how to transcend the snares of the lower self (nafs) and to achieve higher goals.
In Islam, this world is looked upon as a temporary transitional stage of man’s life and it is reported that Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said, " Be in this world as a stranger or a wayfarer."
The Holy Quran comes up with a command to ‘travel through the land’ (29:20) and to contemplate over how God began creation and makes it work according to His ‘perfect design’.
It clearly makes us understand that this world is one of the greatest miracles of God and if we observe things with a keen eye, there are clear signs in each and everything around us giving a notion that there is a perfect Designer and Planner behind this cosmos. This is the reality that we come across while studying the Holy Quran.
"We will show them Our signs in the horizons and within themselves until it becomes clear to them that it is the truth." (41:53)
However, it is never easy to travel as it is at times challenging and exhausting. There are hardships and trials in travel as is mentioned in a hadith of the Prophet (SAW),

“Travel is a Kind of Torture.”

The Sufis from all the orders, love to travel from one place to another. They involve themselves in meeting new people, learning new things and gathering information regarding all the fields of life. Travel has a humbling effect as it makes us realize what a tiny place we occupy in this world.
Travel is a memorable and insightful experience for those who go for it. The soul dies of dwelling at rest, it becomes more alive by perpetual soaring. Travel offers a chance to connect deeply with God, embodying 'nadhar bil Ibrah' - looking through things to understand the reality behind creation. Travellers move beyond 'nadhar bi Shahwah' i.e., looking at things with a strong desire, seeking the signs of God (Ayatullah) in every leaf, stone, and breeze. Each step becomes a reminder of God's presence, guiding one to reconnect with the Creator and discover the Ultimate Reality that sustains all of creation.
Maulana Azad once said,
"I have gained half of my knowledge from travel. Reading in solitude provided me intellectual growth, but the observations of travel broadened my mental horizons. Those who do not travel live in a limited space of experiences. Travel gives a person indirect knowledge of the history of nations, just as scientists empirically understand the reality of things, in the same way, travel provides practical knowledge of human qualities, moods and natures of different nations."
As far as Sufism is concerned, it is all about the journey of a 'wayfarer' (salik) or conscious human soul towards the Ultimate Reality that lies behind the temporal existence.
The life of a Sufi can be summed up as a quest for the Ultimate Truth, the quest for self-realization as a part of the Divine Plan of existence. Hence, seeking or exploring is an essential part of a Sufi's life. There is a persistent longing for the divine beloved in a Sufi's consciousness as is expressed in the opening lines of Rumi's 'Mathnavi'. Seeking is the practical manifestation of the concept of Wahdat ul Wujud (The Unity of Being) and in the words of Rumi, "What you seek is seeking you." He tells a ‘salik’ to have a personal enquiry and to unfold his or her own myth,
"Don't be satisfied with stories, how things have gone with others. Unfold your own myth." In most of the Sufi orders, travel is an integral part of the spiritual life of a Sufi.

According to Ibn Arabi

"The whole existence, due to some reasons, is a part of ‘world travel’ which has no end, neither in this world nor in the hereafter. Man from the time immemorial is a traveller who is not stationary because the basis of existence is 'movement' and if this existence seizes to move, it will return to 'nothingness'...If we understand enough that our existence is established by this movement and its death is in inertness, then we will always make sure that we are on a travel...There are two types of travel: one is the travel that we are not made responsible for, but that is a requirement of our outward state, such as business travel, economic travel, tourism travel, or those travels that sustain our outward existence, such as the travel of our breath for life. The second is the travel for which we have been made responsible and there is a lot of good in adopting it. It is the journey of [religious life comprising of] Shariya and Tariqah." (Kitab ul Isfar)
Travel is a process of spiritual awakening as it unlocks the mysteries of the path in a splendid manner. Spiritual walks, adventures and getaways refresh minds with a broader insight to look beyond the temporal things and to search for the eternal bestowments.

According to a Sufi Poet

"A [Sufi] friend taught me one thing well
If you want [spiritual] light, travel
Following this, I just set out exploring
Since then, travel has become an integral part of my life."
Thus, here have been many globetrotting Sufis like Ibn Arabi, Shams Tabriz, Sheikh Saadi, Rumi, Imam Ghazali, Najmuddin Kubra, Shah Hamadan Mir Syed Ali Hamadani, Makdum Ashraf Jehangir Simnani, Makhdum Jahaniya Jahan Gasht, etc. who travelled different parts of the globe for spiritual nourishment. Shah Hamadan in particular is believed to have travelled the whole Islamic world three times and obtained the blessings from the great scholars and saints of his time. One can easily understand how difficult these travels would have been in those times without the conveniences of the present era. There were no roads, no convenient means of transport and there were the dangers of wild animals and robbers. The mules, horses and camels, were used to travel from one place to other. The unfavourable weather conditions would make the travel more difficult. His travels continued for about 21 years. Actually, travel was an integral part of his 'mujahida' i.e., striving in the path of God.
"And those who strive for Us - We will surely guide them to Our ways. And indeed, Allah is with the doers of good." (29:69)
Hardships offer challenges that are to be undertaken by a Sufi to make his 'tazkiyya' i.e., the spiritual purification. The trials and tribulations act as a barrier against the materialistic propensities and help in attaining higher spiritual goals. Rumi accepts these trials as the essential part of this learning experience,
"If you are irritated by every rub, how will your mirror be polished?"
There is no ‘polishing’ without ‘rubbing’ and it is ‘rubbing’ which enlightens you.
Some Sufis would travel long distances to benefit from other Sufi Sheikhs and gather spiritual blessings. Others would travel to do the ziyarah of Islamic historical places, khanqahs, shrines and holy relics to refresh their faith.
The Sufis undergo a state of spiritual ascension which refers to a sort of spiritual upliftment of an individual towards the metaphysical realms of self-realization. This spiritual odyssey demands complete annihilation (fana) of the ego of the individual to absorb and reflect the divine lights (tajaliyyat). The great Sufis like Bayazid Bistami and Ibn Arabi often refer to this state in their expressions.
Travel is always rewarding as it takes an individual close to his purpose or destination. The question is, what can be the best reward for a spiritual odyssey? The answer is ‘self-realisation through Godliness’ and this is what Sufis are offering.
“And you? When will you begin that long journey into yourself?”
Rumi

Email:--------------------imtiyazaafreen@gmail.com