To follow Sufism is to undertake the mystic quest, a process whereby the soul enters the Arc of Ascent. It is to die gradually to oneself and to be born anew and to become aware of what one has always been from eternity. It is a 'quest', which enables man to transcend the finite and reach the Infinite. It is an inner sub genetic remembrance that gives man the meaning of what is already within him. The method is one of spiritual alchemy. Through this profound transformation, the substance of the soul is changed or undergoes a process of transformation.

In order that this transformation may take place there must be a traditional link with the origin or a Silsila, a discipline or method to train the soul. The first step is to seek a Sheikh who can apply the method and who can guide the disciple through stations of the journey. The purpose of the spiritual Sheikh is to cleanse the heart of the novice seeker so that the seeker may come to reflect the rays of the beauty of Divine Unity.

As a prerequisite there must be a formal 'baya' (initiation) which attaches the disciple to the Sheikh and his spiritual chain as well as to the higher order of beings of the Spiritual Order. In Sufism, initiation symbolizes the death and rebirth of the individual ego. It connects the disciple to the infinite. It is the realization of the covenant with Allah. So membership of a Sufi Order is obtained by binding oneself by oath to the head or the Sheikh of an Order. The disciple must give his oath and his promise to his sheikh, to learn how to give up his bad qualities to lift himself to good conduct in order to reach the knowledge of spirituality. This oath is inspired by the oath given to the Prophet (Allah's peace and blessings be upon him and his family) by his companions at Hudaibiyah. The meaning of initiation and its conditions has been mentioned both in the Quran and the Prophetic Traditions. We see the Quran encouraging the people to give their oath to the Prophet (Allah's peace and blessings be upon him and his family). The Quran indicates this in the following verse of Sura al - Fatiha.

'Those who swear allegiance to you do but swear their allegiance to Allah. The hand of Allah is over their hands. So whoever breaks his oath, breaks it to his own loss; and whoever fulfills the covenant that he has made with Allah, He will surely give him a great reward' (48:10)

and in Surat-an-Nahl, Allah says:

'And fulfill the Covenant of Allah when you have made it; and break not your oaths after making them firm, while you have made Allah your surety. Certainly, Allah knows what you do' (16:91)

According to the Prophetic Traditions, the oath was taken from men, as a group, or as individuals; from woman, also, as a group or as individuals and even from children.

So the oath of initiation is defined as a beneficent force of divine origin, which causes superabundance in the physical sphere and prosperity in the spiritual order. No Sufi would think of performing any of the practices of Sufism unless he had been properly initiated into them. Every Sufi order is associated with a Saint who received great powers along the spiritual way, and this chain extend to the present through a continuous chain of transmission which goes back to the time of the Prophet (Allah's peace and blessings be upon him and his family). This chain of transmission is the only guarantee of the authenticity and regularity of the spiritual Presence. The Presence must come from Allah and begins with revelation. Initiation is a means of opening the door. Going in depends upon one's self and desire.

The chain of transmission within a Sufi order is of central importance in the Sufi work. It is a major conduit of the Baraka or 'energy' of any genuine Sufi order. The initiation, which in truth is a pact between Allah and His slave, eternally bonds together the Murshid and his mureed. Within the bay'ah or initiation there is a sacred moment in which the spiritual energy (barakah) of the spiritual chain (silsila) is transmitted from the Murshid to the mureed. This enables the mureed to travel in safety under Divine Protection and with Divine Aid. The chain of transmission within a Sufi order links the mureeds of that order with the combined spiritual predecessors and with the unseen transformative forces that transpire behind the outward manifestation of the chain, which is called the Silsila. The representation of the chain of transmission is called the 'sijra'. The sijra or lineage of the Silsila is sometimes committed to memory, and is recited at group dhikrs of the Sufi order and at other special occasions.

Spiritual methods employed by the Sufi masters differ from one Sufi order to another. The common factor amongst all however is that the spiritual practices performed need the support of external forms of ritual prayers, such as reciting the Quran, salaat and fasting etc. Spiritual virtues such as humility, charity, and truthfulness are internalized by the Sufi and practiced upon. Other spiritual practices employed, depending on the aptitude of the student, are the tools of meditation, contemplation and dhikr (remembrance or invocation). As a bridge between the daily prayers and the invocation, the seeker under instructions from the Sheikh begins by performing the wird (litany). Every order chooses a verse of the Quran or a prayer of the Prophet (Allah's peace and blessings be upon him and his family), which is, repeated a number of times. The repetition continues, either alone or in an assembly, aloud or silent, until the Sufi identifies the heartbeat with the Divine Presence. The assembly is presided over by the Sheikh himself or his appointed Khalifa and is usually held every Thursday night or sometimes every night, where most of the disciples attend. This gathering serves as a reminder to the brethren of their responsibility to one another and to their order.