Hakim al Umma Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi (Allah have mercy on him) said,

‘It is due to the Shaikh (1) that acquisition of nisbet e batini is facilitated. Alone hundreds of years of spiritual struggle maybe needed to acquire it.

This nisbet e batini is a gift from Allah. The spiritual struggle is required for it but it is not the reason d’être for it.
Even if it (is considered to be a) a cause then it is a commonly occurring (result) and not the real one.’

Husn al Aziz, Malfuz # 459, volume 1, page 83

(1) His guidance and barakah.