Answered by Sayyidi Habib Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah protect him and benefit us by him)
When scholars talk about fighting against the nafs (lower self) this is not meant literally. Harming the nafs is not what is intended. What is meant is purifying it and elevating it. Fulfilling its desires and followings its whims is what really harms it. Doing the opposite, although it may be difficult, is what really benefits it. Any dhikr performed with presence of heart also helps to purify the nafs.
Habib Muhammad al-Haddar reminds us of the greatness of seeking forgiveness and how this confounds the Devil.
The Prophet ﷺ said: “The one who keeps seeking forgiveness is not regarded as a persistent sinner even if he were to return to the same sin seventy times a day.”[1]
All praise belongs to Allah for the blessing of seeking forgiveness (istighfar). Even if you were to keep committing a sin seventy times but you sought forgiveness, your Lord is All-Forgiving. The main thing is you seek forgiveness with your tongue and your heart. If the Devil tries to outdo you by sending you astray, outdo him by seeking forgiveness more. Continue reading
In this short book, Habib Hussein al-Saqqaf (may Allah protect him and benefit us by him) directs us to some inward and outward obligations towards Allah’s Messenger ﷺ and teaches us how to have correct etiquette with him.
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I’ll tell you what we need to boycott. We need to boycott the bad character traits, the pornography, the fashion trends, the false ideologies, the veneration for anything other than the Creator and the heedlessness that we suffer from.
There are hearts and souls that are thirsty for the light of our Master Muhammad but we have failed to spread it.
Anyone can shout and scream and make a noise – “they hit us, let’s hit them back!”
Anyone can do this but can you remain firm on the path of Muhammad? Continue reading
Habib Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah protect him and benefit us by him) explains the root causes of attacks on the Prophet ﷺ and the best response.
The insults you hear levelled at our Master, the Chosen One ﷺ in France or elsewhere are in reality the result of Muslims disregarding the teachings of their Lord and of their Prophet ﷺ; neglecting their obligations, falling into forbidden things and looking up to certain non- Muslim figures. This is the root cause of the problem. Continue reading
The Prophet ﷺ used to love optimism and positivity and dislike pessimism and negativity. He would tend to see things around him as good signs and not as bad signs. What is meant by this is that you hear or see something and interpret it to be a good sign of things that are happening or will happen in the future.
One of the practices of the pious is to open the poetry collections of the Imams of the past with the intention of seeking guidance regarding a matter facing them at that time (for example, whether to travel or not). They would use the first verse of poetry their eyes would fall upon as indication or a sign as to how to proceed.
Sayyidi Habib Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah protect him and benefit us by him)
Answered by Sayyidi Habib Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah protect him and benefit us by him)
Allah is with all of His creation in a general sense but He is with certain categories of His servants – such as the people of taqwa and sabr – in a special sense and this is manifested in Him giving them His direct aid and support. This being with Allah in a special sense is one part or one aspect of His love for His servants, which is more expansive and comprehensive than His being with them.
In this short poem, Imam al-Haddad counsels us to be people of sabr (steadfastness or patience). He extols the virtues of steadfastness, gives glad tidings to those who possess this trait and points to its connection to other lofty spiritual stations. He reminds us of the nature of tribulations and their connection to the divine decree. Finally, he calls upon us to emulate the steadfastness of the pious who have gone before and their master, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ
Habib Umar bin Hafiz is explaining the poem line by line at the beginning of his daily Rawha sessions as part of this year’s Dowra
Download the poem with translation here
Photo credit: thanks to Zach Reiner for sharing their work on Unsplash.
This supplication was composed by Habib Abu Bakr al-Mashhur (may Allah protect him and benefit us by him) to be recited after Surat al-Kahf. It is a comprehensive dua asking for spiritual elevation and protection from all tribulation including the Dajjal.
Thanks to muwasolahsg.com for the original translation
Habib Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah preserve him and benefit us by him) tells the following story to illustrate the necessity of placing one’s hopes in Allah alone. (The story is narrated by Imam Ibn Asakir in Tarikh Dimashq) Continue reading