Month: April 2013

On Having a Bad Opinion of Others and Its Cure

Answered by Sayyidi Habib Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah protect him and benefit us by him)

What is the definition of having a bad opinion of Muslims?

To anticipate that they will be the cause of evil occurring or that evil will befall them in this life and the next. To forbid them from transgressing the Sacred Law is not having a bad opinion of them, but making a judgement that they will not repent, will not be granted forgiveness or that they will have a bad ending is.

Continue reading On Having a Bad Opinion of Others and Its Cure

On Removing Hardness of the Heart

Answered by Sayyidi Habib Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah protect him and benefit us by him)

How does someone remove hardness from their heart?

By seeking forgiveness often and having a heart that is broken before Allah in the depths of the night and reciting the Qur’an with reflection, and remembering that our ultimate end is to Allah.

 

On Purifying the Lower Self from Pride

Answered by Sayyidi Habib Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah protect him and benefit us by him)

How can we purify our lower selves from pride (‘ujb)?

You can do this by remembering who you really are. Your reality is nothingness and your ending is being taken to account by Allah. So what is there to be proud of between nothingness and being taken to account? Allah says: You have not received any blessing except that it is from Allah (16:53). All bounty belongs to Allah; you possess nothing. So witness your Lord’s generosity, and beware: were He to take you to account for your best actions He would punish you. However, out of His bounty, He rewards you, shows you His generosity and multiplies your good deeds. Reflecting on this will remove your pride.

توجيه النبيه ص 320

On Purifying the Lower Self from Arrogance, Ostentation and Envy

Answered by Sayyidi Habib Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah protect him and benefit us by him)

How can we purify our lower selves from blameworthy traits such as arrogance, ostentation and envy?

We can do this with a combination of knowledge and action. Through knowledge we know the reality of these traits and how a person comes to possess them and the fact that they go against our best interests in this life and the next. Then we act against the dictates of these traits. Continue reading On Purifying the Lower Self from Arrogance, Ostentation and Envy

On the Meaning of Renouncing the Dunya

Answered by Sayyidi Habib Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah protect him and benefit us by him)

Imam al-Haddad mentions that the dunya (the material world) is an obstacle to wayfarers on their path to Allah. What does it mean to renounce the dunya?

Renouncing the dunya in reality means leaving everything which distracts you from focusing on Allah and leaving everything which may lead to disobeying Him. It means having no reliance on worldly things, having no veneration for them and having no pride in them. It does not mean, as someone may imagine, leaving one’s food, drink and clothing and not making an effort to earn enough to support oneself and assist one’s relatives. Continue reading On the Meaning of Renouncing the Dunya

On Overcoming the Desire to Disobey Allah

Answered by Sayyidi Habib Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah protect him and benefit us by him)

How can someone overcome the desire of their lower self which strongly calls them to commit acts of disobedience?

Such a person should remind himself of the consequences of wrongdoing. He should remind himself of Allah’s rewards and punishments and reflect upon the return to Allah and upon the fact that he will stand in front of Him to be taken to account. He must cultivate a strong will to leave that which is harmful to his religion, and be firm and determined in this, regardless of the calls of his lower self or the Devil. He must constantly renew his determination to refrain from falling into sin and seek Allah’s assistance in remaining upright. Continue reading On Overcoming the Desire to Disobey Allah

On Attaining Consistency in Spiritual Wayfaring

Answered by Sayyidi Habib Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah protect him and benefit us by him)

I have recently been experiencing a lot of ups and downs in my spiritual wayfaring. How can I attain consistency?

You must know that you are not divinely protected from error and you must follow up a bad deed with a good deed and be sincere in your return to Allah every time you fall short. If you are consistent in this, recognising your own incapacity, the All-Merciful will bestow His mercy upon you and make your feet firm.