005 What Is Sufism? A Formal Explanation: Part 5 - The Struggle Before The Elevation

A common terminology used in tasawwuf is the word suluk. Derived from the verb 'salaka', which means 'to travel; to follow a road; to adopt a path'. In this discussion it refers to one ascending to the higher levels of the spiritual path. Before one can make this progress, the speaker explains the preliminary stage that needs to be traversed. This is the concept of mujahada (self exertion) and the struggle against the desires of the lowly self.