Murid

In Sufism, a murīd (Arabic مُرِيد 'one who seeks') is a novice committed to spiritual enlightenment by "sulūk" (traversing a path) under a spiritual guide, who may take the title murshid, "pir" or "shaykh". A "sālik" or Sufi follower only becomes a "murīd" when he makes a pledge ("bayʿah") to a "murshid". The equivalent Persian term is "shāgird".
The initiation process of a "murīd" is known as "ʿahd" () or "bai'ath". Before initiation, a "murid" is instructed by his guide, who must first accept the initiate as his or her disciple. Throughout the instruction period, the "murīd" typically experiences waridates like visions and dreams during personal spiritual awrads and exercises. These visions are interpreted by the "murshid". A common practice among the early Sufi orders was to grant a "khirqa" or a robe to the "murīd" 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 wassil stage. This practice is not very common now. "Murīds" often receive books of instruction from "murshids" and often accompany itinerant "murshids" on their wanderings.