But many people who are in cults will be in denial and blind to the fact that they are in a manipulated and mind controlled. If cults showed their true agenda from the onset very few people will join them.
It is only once you have committed yourself that you become a part of the workings of the group.
When reading these questions, the reader should be honest to himself and firstly to his Lord. Whether he denies it to others he cannot deny the truthful answer to himself and especially to his Creator.
The way to answer is yes or no. The result is given at the end.
So here are some questions for them to ask regarding their group, themselves or their leader:
AM I IN A CULT QUESTIONNAIRE FOR POTENTIAL SHEEP
When you ask yourself "Am I in a cult?" you think straight away... "Of course not, I would never join a cult..."
Have your friends or family commented that you have changed and that they don't really like the changes? (This includes beliefs, principles, opinions, attitudes)
Have you noticed that the groups ideas have filtered into all areas of your life, work social, personal life?
Do you find it boring or awkward spending time with people outside the group because they seem boring, or they don't understand the language of the group? (Sunnis that you have severed ties with solely because of the group)
Do you believe that outsiders are not on the same level as you and other group members? (many 'sufi' cultists sound patronising, condescending and self righteous)
Do you consider that the groups ideas and beliefs are the way forward in sorting out the problems of the world? (As opposed to the wider Sunni scholarship you believe your leader should lead the Ulama and they should go under his banner. In some cases dreams are reported that the leader was leading the Ulama of the world etc)
Or have you thought that if only everyone knew this stuff the world would be a different place? (stuff that only your group leader knows as oppose to the general Ulama)
Has someone close to you told you that they think you are in a cult?
Do you sometimes feel like you know more than outsiders about life, about people, about the world?
Have people said that you are pushy or obsessive about the group?
Questions regarding the leader:
Do you think the leader is always right?
Do you feel very indebted to the leader and he or she is not afraid to remind you of this?
Does the leader make all the decisions, is the final judge, and is answerable to no-one but himself?
Does he change his mind whenever it suits him, and it usually for his benefit?
Have you noticed that there is one set of rules for the leader or elite, another set for the group members?
Do you ever feel bad or guilty for not behaving as the leader/group says you should? (when you know in some cases that the order is against shariah, or in other cases against your better feeling)
Do you find that you have lots of very strong emotions, sometimes for no apparent reason?
Do you sometimes feel alone when there seems no real need to feel lonely?
Are you experiencing frustration because you can't seem to get the groups techniques to work for you?
Is marriage only encouraged within the group, as well as trade? (as opposed to the wider Sunni community)
Have you ever left a group meeting feeling angry and vowing never to return and you went back anyway?
In some cases has the group leader held you back from things you wanted to do, like studies for instance, and instead used you for the benefit of his group or himself? (this may happen under the guise of tariqah, suluk etc)
Can you write down 3 defects or faults of the group's leader?
When you think of these defects are you trying to justify those faults or reason them away?
If you cannot name 3 defects, or you justify any potential problems, the chances are that there is more going on in the group than you are aware of....
If you answered mostly yes, the chances are that there is mind control being used against you in the group.
Some people dismiss this by saying this is only true for non Muslims. That is not the case. Brainwashing, mind control and other psychological methods have been used for centuries against Muslims by deviants. Read the history of the false prophets and how they brainwashed their followers who were formerly Muslim. Read on the false sufi guides and mahdi claimants in history and how they deluded their followers with trickery. The history books are replete with such examples.
Only by understanding how cults actually trick and deceive people can you get to the point of realizing that you have been recruited into a cult.
Rasputin was not only a Russian phenomenon, their have been many prior to Rasputin in the Muslim world. Subtle and obvious, but it is the more subtle ones that stay aloof from detection.
Learn about psychopaths, mind control and cults and you will be able to detect a lot.
The questions that can be added:
Your shaykh sells his cult via miracles and visions. As far as you know these are claims, but have you experienced anything for real?
If you claim you have, are you sure it was not your mind playing you into thinking you are experiencing something?
Does your shaykh ever contradict himself?
Does your shaykh use stories of service to the guide and defense of the guide in order to encourage the aspirants to serve him?
Are you really sincere in the group or do you show off to other members?
Is your reason for being in the group so you maintain or attain a position?
What benefit are you getting from being in the group? Be honest to yourself, is it fame and position or some other worldly benefit? Are you really sincere for Allah or are you gaining something and fooling yourself that you are sincere?
Why does the shaykh place 'muqaddams' who themselves are ignorant, arrogant and self righteous?
If you joined such a group why were you propelled to a 'role' before you were spiritually prepared?
Is there an over emphasis on money collecting?
As a group member do you really know where all the money goes?
Have you ever traveled and lived with your shaykh?
Have you ever dealt in money with him?
How much time have you spent with him and how close have you been to him?
Does he stay aloof from the cult members and when he is in their presence it is a controlled environment?
How much of his background do you really know? Do you know how he lived his life prior to becoming a cult leader?
Is everything you know about him from himself or have you verified from his home city from third party sources?
The people he claims support him as a cult leader, have you verified everything from them and do you even know who they are?
Does your leader covertly discredit other scholars and when he meets them or they pass away he praises them to attain credibility from their followers?
How many times have you been to his home?
How does your shaykh earn a living and where does he get his money from?
The above needs to be checked if he lives in a mansion with a swimming pool and flies first class to stay in five star hotels.
Does your shaykh become extremely angry when anything is questioned?
Does your shaykh have a pyramid style organisation, where he gives orders from the top which then trickles down? (this is done so no one can say it is the leader who is bad but the followers, if he gave direct orders he will be exposed)
Does your shaykh leave certain things vague and leaves people confused until he can trust them? This will include beliefs and fiqh rulings.
Does your shaykh have no certain direction and is abrupt in his choices? (Narcissistic Personalities tend to be like that)
How does your shaykh treat his family? Is he abusive to women? (This last question maybe dismissed that 'it is his private life'. But that contradicts the teachings of Islam where we are told that 'The best of you are the best to their families' etc)
The list to make people think can be expanded.
Of course one or two things maybe found in an individual but if most of thhese things are found then alarm bells should ring. These questions are simply there to make people think...
A few more for the cult member to think of:
As an individual do you have self low confidence?
Do you consider your own understanding as weak and irrelevant?
By default then do you think that the only person who can understand religion correctly for the context of the modern age is your shaykh and everyone falls short?
In effect does that make you more susceptible and easily accepting of any opinion that the shaykh puts forward even if it does contradict your former beliefs and convictions? In that case even if does contradict great scholars of the past?
Since you have joined the group have you lost former friends based on their differences with your group or shaykh even though they are Sunni?
Have you and others been told to shun other Sunnis but yet your group and its leader keep links with deviants?
Have you changed your body language and the way you speak putting on a different persona since you have joined the group?
Does the group try its utmost best to attract the rich, famous and attractive as opposed to the simple folk?
Do many of the members have insecurities about themselves, whether regarding their race (like pretending to be white or Arab) or a strong insecurity oftheir religion (like not wanting to be seen as 'Barelawi')?
