Post Tarawih Qasaid

The tradition after the Tarawih prayer in Tarim is to recite poetry in praise of the Prophet ﷺ . Through praising him and bestowing prayers upon him it is hoped that people’s worship is accepted, and he is at his most generous in Ramadan, as the hadith tells us. Other poems that welcome Ramadan, talk about its merits and bid farewell to it are also read throughout the month along with a selection of duas. Many of these can be found in Habib Muhammad al-Haddar’s book al-Nafahat al-Ramadaniyyah. Coffee is served to rejuvenate those present.

Every night, a section is read from three collections of poetry. Each section corresponds to a letter of the Arabic Alphabet and the verses from that section end in that letter. The collections can be downloaded here:

Al-Fazaziyyah

Al-Qawafi

Al-Witriyyah

On Using Computer-Generated Music in Gatherings

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

Can we use computer-generated music in order to encourage people to attend our gatherings?

If the sounds generated resemble instruments that are forbidden (such as the flute) they should be avoided, but if they resemble instruments that are permissible (such as drums) this is acceptable. We should not hasten to attract people using means unless they are clearly permissible, for people will attend your gatherings in due course without the use of these means. Showing good character, reciting with beautiful voices and making our gatherings beautiful are prophetic means of calling people to Allah and are effective.

The Best Dua to be Recited at the End of a Gathering

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

What is the best dua to recite at the end of a gathering?

The best dua is the dua which the Prophet ﷺ taught us:

سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ وَبِحَمْدِكَ أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ أَسْتَغْفِرُكَ وَأَتُوبُ إِلَيْكَ

Subhanakallahumma wa bi hamdika ashadu alla ilaha illa anta astaghfiruka wa atubu ilayk Continue reading The Best Dua to be Recited at the End of a Gathering

On Attending Gatherings in which Forbidden Musical Instruments are Used

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

Can we attend gatherings in which forbidden musical instruments are used?

If there is scholarly consensus that they are forbidden then there is no way we can attend. If the scholars differ over whether they are permissible or not, we should assess what benefit there is in attending. If there is a great benefit to be had in attending, we can overlook the fact that the scholars differ over the permissibility of these instruments. If there is no great benefit to be had, it is better not to attend.

On Laziness after Gatherings of Remembrance

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

I sometimes experience laziness or bad thoughts after attending gatherings of remembrance. What can I do to combat this?

This is a result of the anger of the Devil and the frustration of the lower self, due to the good that you have attained. So ignore these things and the Devil will achieve nothing and continue doing good works.