[DenisMoor]

Hakim al-Ummat Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanawi in Haqiqat al-Tariqa min as-Sunnah al-Aniqa:

"Ali ibn al-husayn related that Safiyyah said: “The Messenger of Allah was in seclusion (itikaf) so I went to visit him one night. I spoke to him for some time and then got up to leave. He accompanied me until, when he reached the door of the masjid, two men from the Ansar passed by. When they saw the Messenger of Allah a they hastened [so that they may leave the precinct of the masjid quickly because they saw Safiyyah with him, and etiquette demanded that they do this]. The Messenger of Allah said to them: ‘Walk slowly [there is no need to hurry]. This is Safiyyah bint Huyayy [my wife. Do not have any other thoughts].’ They said: ‘Glory to Allah, O Messenger of Allah! [Can we have any evil thoughts about you that some strange woman is in solitude with you?!]’ He a said: ‘Satan flows in man as blood flows through his veins. I feared he might cast some evil in your hearts’, or he said: ‘some evil thoughts in your hearts.’”

This was related by Bukhari, Muslim and Abu Dawud.

Commentary: Avoiding whatever gives rise to suspicion

Some Sufis are extremely imprudent. Despite their adherence to the Sharia, they make careless statements or perform acts which cause not only the masses, but also their close associates to have negative thoughts about them. Such Sufis should ponder the lesson of this hadith, how cautious the Messenger of Allah was! As for those Sufis who really do not consider it essential to follow the Shari‘a, what can be said about them?! These days, most aspirants are like this [not bothered about following the Shari!a], and so are their masters."