Waridat is the plural of warid, which linguistically means "that which arrives at water, that which reaches water." In Sufi terminology, it refers to divine inspirations—meanings that enter the heart without the servant’s intent. It is closely related to ilham (divine inspiration), tajalli (manifestation), and fath (spiritual conquest). The word wird, meaning "reaching a fountain, a gathering at water, flowing water, or a stream," is derived from the same root.
Imam Qushayri [rahimahullah] describes waridat as follows:
"One of the most frequently used terms among the Sufis is waridat. A warid is an inspiration, a spiritual illumination, or a thought that enters the heart without the servant’s volition."
The divine waridat that descend upon the heart of the dervish appear suddenly, leaving behind an understanding, an insight, and then departing just as suddenly. Abdulqadir Gilani [quddisa sirruhu] states:
"The arrival of divine waridat is unique; one cannot attain them merely by seeking. Nor do they depart due to any specific reason. Their coming and going have no fixed direction or time."
Since the Sufis adhere strictly to the Qur’an and the Sunnah in all matters, they measure any waridat they receive by these two sources. Abu Sulayman al-Darani, rahimahullah, explains:
"Many times, for as long as forty days, certain inspirations and waridat come to my heart—of the kind that often come to the Sufis. But I do not allow them to enter my heart until I weigh them against the two just witnesses: the Qur’an and the Sunnah. Only when I receive their confirmation do I accept them as truth."
Shaykh Abdullah Dahlawī, rahimahullah, describes waridat as an integral part of the Naqshbandī path:
*"The Naqshbandī Order consists of four essential practices:
- Keeping the heart free from worldly attachments,
- Maintaining a continuous state of spiritual presence and awareness (hudūr and agāhī),
- Spiritual ecstasies (jazbah),
- Divine inspirations (waridat)."*
Before waridat can descend upon the seeker, he is first instructed in the practice of dhikr qalbī (remembrance within the heart), in guarding the heart against thoughts other than the remembrance of Allah, and in wuqūf-i qalbī (self-examination of the heart’s states). Shaykh Abdullah Dahlawī states:
"Only when the heart is freed from worldly distractions and firmly rooted in spiritual presence does the seeker experience jazbah (divine attraction) and waridat."
Thus, the servant does not engage in spiritual practice solely for the purpose of receiving waridat, but without fulfilling these essential disciplines, waridat do not manifest.
The Sufis define waridat as divine grace overtaking the heart of the servant. One of its distinguishing features is its ability to remove spiritual disarray. The more waridat descend upon the dervish, the more he perceives his own nothingness. As waridat increase, this sense of self-effacement deepens.
Ibn Ata’illah al-Iskandarī, quddisa sirruhu, explains that the sudden arrival of waridat serves to prevent the servant from attributing divine grace to his own efforts:
"Most waridat arrive unexpectedly. This ensures that the servant does not mistakenly regard them as the result of his own deeds."
Abu Ali al-Daqqaq, rahimahullah, states:
"waridat descend in accordance with one's awrad (daily litanies). If one does not maintain a regular spiritual practice outwardly, he will not receive divine inspiration inwardly."
This principle later became a well-known Sufi maxim:
"The one who has no wird will have no warid."
One who neglects his daily supplications and remembrance will not receive divine influx. One who does not long for Allah will not receive waridat. The path to Allah follows a disciplined method, and to expect spiritual arrival without adherence to this method is folly. The dervish is one who never forgets the verse:
"O you who believe! Let not your wealth nor your children divert you from the remembrance of Allah." (Al-Munafiqun, 9)
For this reason, he never abandons his awrad.
Ibn Ata’illah al-Iskandarī, rahimahullah, describes the relationship between wird and warid as follows:
"A wird is what Allah asks of you; a warid is what you ask of Him. What He asks of you—where is that, compared to what you ask of Him?"
Thus, the dervish must remain steadfast in his awrad, never neglecting them even in times of travel or illness, performing them as much as his strength allows. His priority is fulfilling what Allah requires of him, rather than what he desires for himself. Since waridat are bestowed as divine gifts rather than earned through effort, their absence does not indicate a deficiency. The true objective is steadfastness (istikamah), not the pursuit of divine manifestations.
The Sufis warn against revealing one’s waridat to others, as this can diminish their spiritual effect and compromise one’s sincerity before Allah. Disclosing such experiences may also lead to arrogance or a sense of exclusivity, which poses a danger to the soul.
Ibrahim ibn Adham [rahimahullah] in describing the value of divine inspirations, would exclaim upon receiving a warid:
"Where are the kings of this world? Let them come and witness the delight of this moment—so that they may be ashamed of their kingdoms!"
