Category: Dawah

On Exhaustion Due to Dawah Work

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

I have been involved in dawah for some years and I feel drained and I lack the support of those around me. What advice do you have for me?

You must remember for Whose sake you are working. You must be true to Him and remain serving Him until you meet Him. Even if no one on the face of the earth supported you and everyone was against you, it would still be your obligation to remain calling people to Allah until you meet Him. At one point Sayyiduna Ibrahim was the only believer on the earth. Allah said about him: Truly Ibrahim was an entire nation.

On Dealing with Objections to Tasawwuf

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

My husband does not agree with the way of tasawwuf and does not like my attachment to this way. What can I do?

You need to deal with him according to the principles of tasawwuf: being patient, treating him well and not arguing with him. If you do this he will be completely immersed in tasawwuf. Treat him well and treat him gently and ask Allah in abundance to expands his heart.[1] All that the people of tasawwuf need to do in every situation is to deal with people according to the principles of tasawwuf. The realities of tasawwuf are, however, hard to attain and its stations are lofty and we ask for a great portion of it.

 

[1] Meaning he becomes convinced of the correctness of the way of tasawwuf

On the Concept of Khilafah and the Reality of Political Power

At a time of political turmoil in the Muslim world, Sayyidi Habib Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah protect him and benefit us by him) expounds on some of the meanings of khilafah and clarifies the reality of political power. 

There are two types of khilafah. The first is the outward khilafah which relates to political power, which is not noble and honourable in itself. Anyone may attain political power, whether they be pious or corrupt, whether they be a believer or a disbeliever, whether they be a Prophet or a wretched person. Continue reading On the Concept of Khilafah and the Reality of Political Power

Remaining Connected

Sayyidi Habib Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah protect him and benefit us by him) talks about the importance of remaining connected. Extracts from a talk delivered in Masjid Ba `Abbad, on the visit to the Prophet Hud (peace be upon him), 7th Sha`ban 1434 /16th June 2013.

We find that at times people are given openings and unveilings as a result of their acts of worship or they are given success in calling people to Allah. They then, however, become disconnected from their chain of connection to the great shaykhs and to the Beloved ﷺ. They may think they are gaining something when in fact they are losing. Allah did not allow anyone to see themselves as being independent of their chain of connection. Continue reading Remaining Connected

On Difficulties in Working With People Attached to other Shuyukh

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

We sometimes find difficulty in working with people attached to other shuyukh. What should we do?

You should do what you can to overcome your differences with them through your perception, intention and feelings for them. Your differences should not cause you to distance yourself from each other and they should not destroy the spirit of co-operation. They may not agree with something you are doing, so do not force them to take part in it. If it is something important that cannot be left, do it in a way that does not cause friction. If it is something that can be left, then do something else which does not cause any friction. We should help and co-operate if they are doing something which does not conflict with our principles. If what they are doing will cause conflict or harm to the dawah we very gently decline to get involved.