Category: Knowledge

Dowra Gathering

Sayyidi Habib Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah protect him and benefit us by him) met with a number of students who have been attending this year’s Dowra from South Africa, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand.

The students spoke of the sacrifices they had made coming to Tarim and what they had learnt in the Dowra. A student from Thailand said that all he possessed was three cows but he had sold them in order to buy a plane ticket to Yemen. A student from South Africa talked about the difficulties he had experienced on the journey to Tarim. He said that every hardship had been a means of purification and that in one of the first lessons he attended, Habib Umar explained the meaning of Allah’s saying in Surat al-Balad: We have created mankind in hardship. Continue reading Dowra Gathering

Appreciating Barakah

Sayyidi Habib Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah protect him and benefit us by him) discusses the concept of barakah. 

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ instructed people to lick their fingers after eating and to clean the dish, saying: “You do not know in what part of the food the barakah lies.”

He also said: “When a morsel of your food falls down, you should pick it up and remove any dirt and then eat it. Do not leave it for the Devil, for you do not know in what part of the food the barakah lies.” Continue reading Appreciating Barakah

On Giving Advice to Shia Friends and Relatives

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

How do we give advice to relatives or friends who follow the Shia branch of Islam?

If you see that they are ready to listen you should try to explain to them in the most appropriate way that the Qur’an praises the Companions, the Prophet ﷺ praised them and so too did Sayyiduna Ali and his children and grandchildren. The example we should follow is the example of the Prophet and the elect of the Prophetic Household (Ahl al-Bayt). Continue reading On Giving Advice to Shia Friends and Relatives

Principles to Follow When Talking About Imam al-Mahdi

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

What principles should be followed when talking about Imam al-Mahdi?

We should restrict ourselves to talking about what is narrated in the hadith about him. We should realise that his coming is a sign of Allah and something that Allah has promised that will come to pass at its appointed time. Our hearts should not be focused on his coming but rather on the obligations we would have to fulfil where he to appear. We should ask ourselves what we are doing to serve the Sacred Law which he will come to serve. Also refer to the section in the book ‘Tawhij al-Nabih’ (page 192) for clarification of our methodology in relation to these affairs.

On Permission to Read the Books of Imam al-Ghazali

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

Do we need permission to read the books of Imam al-Ghazali?

The books of Imam al-Ghazali are extremely beneficial and are quick to rectify and illuminate the heart. It is said that the early Ba `Alawi Imams praised two things to a great extent: the books of Imam al-Ghazali and the visit of the Prophet Hud (peace be upon him). This shows that there is a general permission to read the books and there is nothing to stop the person reading it.

 

Balancing Seeking Knowledge and Remembrance of Allah

A Tunisian scholar asked Sayyidi Habib `Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah protect him and benefit us by him):

How does one balance between seeking knowledge and spending time in the remembrance of Allah (reading awrad or litanies)?

Habib Umar replied:

“The key to seeking knowledge is the soundness of one’s intention. If one’s intention is sound and pure, then seeking knowledge is one of the best acts of worship and one of the best forms of remembrance. Continue reading Balancing Seeking Knowledge and Remembrance of Allah

On Free Will

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

Does man have free will or not?

Man’s Creator requests things from him and decrees things to occur by him. Man has a choice in that which is requested from him but he has no choice in that which is decreed to occur by him. Our role in life is thus to perform that which has been requested from us as well as we can using the strength and ability which we have been given. Continue reading On Free Will

On Taking a Wage for Teaching the Islamic Sciences and the Qur’an

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

Should someone take money for teaching the Islamic Sciences?

Earning money should not be the intention and objective of the one teaching. Teaching the Islamic sciences should not be turned into a business. Rather, the teacher should be concerned about conveying the Sacred Law to people. Continue reading On Taking a Wage for Teaching the Islamic Sciences and the Qur’an