Teacher's Guidance in Spiritual Wayfering

"Guardianship (Wilayat) and Nafs of a teacher/mentor is spiritual and belongs to Malakoot (Kingdom of Angels) and Nafs of a Saalik (wayfarer) which has not travelled the path, is polluted and ruined. If it comes under the guardianship (Wilayat) of a teacher, the Nafs of the teacher becomes a guide in the existence of a wayfarer.

And if the wayfarer acts according to his own will and authority, he, with all pollution, is his own guide. The premise is this: "He is a wayfarer, not a perfect human (انسانِ کامل). He is still travelling, not the one who has travelled all the way. Therefore, his desires are according to Nafs e Ammara and devil."

Allama Sayyid Muhammad Husayn Husayni Tihrani (ra)

Ref: Ruh e Mujarrad, p. 47