Advice from Sayyidi Habib Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah protect him and benefit us by him)
Say to all his teachings ﷺ and everything he called people to: “Welcome!”
Then he will say to you: “Welcome!”
Then if he greets you and welcomes you, your Lord Allah will, in turn, greet and welcome you.
147توجيه النبيه ص
Answered by Sayyidi Habib Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah protect him and benefit us by him).
If you see your shaykh in a dream, what does it signify?
For the seeker to see his shaykh in a dream is generally a sign of his connection to him. It may be accompanied by some advice, direction or encouragement from the shaykh. If this advice is clear and in accordance with the principles of the Sacred Law and the spiritual way, then he can act upon it. If it is not, he should not follow this advice and he should know that his lower self is to blame.
If my Shaykh gives me a certain dhikr in a dream should I start reciting it?
This follows the same principle as anything else that is received in a dream, such as advice or instructions: if it is in accordance with the methodology of the Shaykh, then you should act upon it without hesitation.
If, however, it is not in accordance with the methodology of the Shaykh, then you should not act upon it and instead should consult the Shaykh.
Answered by Sayyidi Habib Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah protect him and benefit us by him).
Before I visit the Prophet ﷺ and Sayyidah Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her) I have many things in my heart that I wish to express but when I get there my mind goes blank. What should I do?
Your standing in those places suffices even if you do not say anything. Habib `Alawi bin Shihab said that he knew the intention of anyone that was coming to visit him when they passed Masjid Surur, before even reaching his house. If that was his state, how much greater is the knowledge of the Messenger of Allah and Sayyidah Khadijah of those visiting them? Someone complained to Imam al-Haddad that he would visit Sayyiduna al-Faqih al-Muqaddam and his heart would be full of needs but when he reached the grave he forgot everything. Imam al-Haddad informed him that merely reaching al-Faqih al-Muqaddam was enough.
Answered by Sayyidi Habib Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah protect him and benefit us by him).
Is touching graves a blameworthy innovation, as Imam al-Nawawi mentions?
Doing so may be considered a blameworthy innovation if the person doing so is motivated by an incorrect belief or if it is done in a way that resembles the polytheists. It may also be considered a blameworthy innovation if doing so leads ordinary people who lack knowledge to fall into doing something impermissible. The general principle is that it is disliked unless it is done out of love and longing for the person whose grave it is.
There are several examples of the Companions touching the Prophet’s grave. Sayyiduna Bilal bin Harith al-Muzani pressed himself to the grave of the Prophet ﷺ and kissed it, hoping that the Prophet would intercede and that they would be given rain. He then saw the Prophet in a dream who instructed him to go to Sayyiduna `Umar and to tell him to perform the rain prayer and they will then be given rain and this happened. His actions were witnessed by a number of the Companions and no-one condemned him for doing what he did.
Sayyiduna Abu Ayyub al-Ansari once pressed his face to the grave of the Prophet ﷺ. When he was he was criticised for what he was doing, he said: “I did not come to a stone but rather I came to the Messenger of Allah.”
Answered by Sayyidi Habib Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah protect him and benefit us by him).
We are taught to turn away from this life and focus on the next life. However our worries and responsibilities preoccupy us. How do we clear our minds and focus on the next life?
Our worries should remind us of the worthlessness of this life and cause us to turn away from it. We should flee to Allah and seek that He removes our worries. At the same time, by fulfilling our responsibilities we take provision for the next life.
