bismillaharrahmanarrahim
The aim of tariqa(sufi way) is to change the animal characteristic of somenoe to human characteristic. This is because, one only benefits from the sustenance of the spirituality and noor (divine light and blessing) by changing his animal characteristics. The way to do this is, to abonden eating and drinking too much. Our prophet PBUH had said:
"Do not kill the hearts by eating and drinking too much. Indeed, the heart is like crop. As too much water kills the crop, eating and drinking too much kills the heart."[1]
"Eating less, doing diet is the main cause for healing"[2]
Allah is most angry among people with those who eat and drink excessively.
Animal foods kill the soul. The reason one continues to these foods is because, that person suffers from the illness of keen indulgement and greed. The sufi thinks that if he stops these foods, he would starve or become weak. The food of the child in mothers womb is blood. If it is told him to get out of that darkness and place of hardship, there are foods and beauties of the earth, he would deny this. When he is cut off from blood, milk is given to him. When he stops milk, many fruits and foods are given. The person who is a child in the sufi way must abonden the bodily foods, so that, he could eat the bites of the secrets of spiritual meanings.
The people of ignorance are also similar to this. Just like the contentment and happiness of the baby to stay in mothers womb, the keen indulging of the worldly people to the world, prevents them from turning towards the spiritual world. Whenever a friend of Allah says to them:
"The earth of Allah is wide"(Zumar 39/10) there is a spiritual world of the souls beyond this dark and narrow world, they don't accept. Because, their illness of keen indulgement to the world prevents them from accepting the truth. There is the veil of keen indulgement over their eyes. For this reason, the words of the wali saints don't have any effect on them.
For this reason, it is said, "Avoid keen indulgement, as, keen indulgement makes one blind and deaf". One must take refuge with Allah from keen indulgement. Keen indulgements does not only mean to be involved in worldly posessions and the world. A hadith of the prophet says:
"Take refuge with Allah from keen indulgement, as keen indulgement causes ones heart to be sealed"
Our prophet PBUH made an anology between the believers who are veiled, ignorant of the hereafter and loving this world and the baby in mothers womb. He says:
"The way a believer in this world is like a baby in the mathers womb. When the baby comes out of the mothers womb and sees light, he cries until he is put on the ground. He then does not want to go back."[3] So, the believer is also the same. He is scared of death, but, when he reaches to the presence of his lord, he does not come back to the world just as the baby not wanting to go back to the mothers womb.
A baby sitting in mothers womb and feeding with blood from the mother does not listen to the advice of someone who is outside and does not accept his words. As such, a nation who likes and is keenly indulged in eating vegetation and meat does not listen to the advice of adviser.
[1] - Iraqi, Tahricu Ahdadisi'l-Ihya, 6/380
[2] - Ajluni, Kashfu'l Hafa, 1/132
[3] - Iraqi, Tahricu Ahadisi'l Ihya 9/422
Sheikh Sayyid Muhammad Efendi of Istanbul - 2012