In search of guidance

Today, I spent a day with a friend of mine who is in search of guidance. He wants it. Simply. So we visited a scholar of deen in Punjab University, and after his weekly bayan/lecture sat down with him and asked, my friend: 'How does guidance come?' The scholar replied, 'Through the desire of it.' 'And does one develop it?' my friend asked. 'By (a) praying to Allah for guidance, and (b) "striving" for it, just like the way an ill-person goes to a saturated market of doctors and healers, and seeks the best out of them. The litmus test he has: Firstly, the person is a qualified doctor, i.e., he knows deen well; and secondly, the doctor has to have a good reputation of curing people well, i.e., the person acts upon what he knows about deen.'

'Prayer' and 'to strive' are the keys that are also mentioned in a hadith elementary for success. On returning, I enquired my friend about how useful the conversation had been. Clearly, he wanted to see some other people as well, but his instant positive remark reflected satisfaction in the theory or answer of the scholar.