In Sufism, a (Arabic Arabic: مُرِيد) is a novice committed to spiritual enlightenment by (traversing a path) under a spiritual guide, who may take the title, or . A or Sufi follower only becomes a when he makes a pledge to a . The equivalent Persian term is .[1]
The initiation process of a is known as (Arabic: عَهْد) or . Before initiation, a is instructed by his guide, who must first accept the initiate as his disciple. Throughout the instruction period, the typically experiences waridates like visions and dreams during personal spiritual awrads and exercises. These visions are interpreted by the . A common practice among the early Sufi orders was to grant a or a robe to the upon the initiation or after he had progressed through a series of increasingly difficult and significant tasks on the path of mystical development until attaining stage.
This practice is not very common now. Murīds often receive books of instruction from and often accompany itinerant on their wanderings.[2] A fundamental practice involves teaching the mûrîd (Arabic: موريد "the disciple") an array of seven "names".