Sayyidi Habib Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah protect him and benefit us by him) explains the criteria for showing people respect and veneration.
It is praiseworthy to show respect and veneration to someone to who the Sacred Law commands you to show respect, such as a scholar, an elder or your parents. Kissing someone’s hand and standing up for them when they enter is an expression of that respect and veneration. Continue reading Criteria for Showing People Respect and Veneration
Sayyidi Habib Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah protect him and benefit us by him) emphasises the importance of reflection (tafakkur).
If someone’s reflection is sound and their heart is pure, their reflection increases them in faith, tranquillity, certainty and knowledge of Allah. It leads them to perfect their transaction with Him. They will then receive spiritual assistance (madad) from everything that they gaze at. Continue reading Reflecting on Your Own Self
Answered by Sayyidi Habib Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah protect him and benefit us by him)
I have some books which contain deviant beliefs and opinions. What should I do with them?
To remove harm from the path of the believers is one of the branches of faith so you should remove these books from the path of the believers by burning them or disposing of them in any other way that is appropriate. Continue reading On Books Containing Deviant Beliefs
Answered by Sayyidi Habib Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah protect him and benefit us by him)
How do we understand the statement of Shaykh Abu Madyan that someone who is not on the same path as you is like a child even if he is seventy years old? Continue reading On Shaykh Abu Madyan’s Statement Regarding the Path
Answered by Sayyidi Habib Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah protect him and benefit us by him)
How do I maintain a good opinion of others?
You do this by ignoring their faults and focusing on their praiseworthy qualities and by remembering that Allah may forgive anyone and give them a good ending. Be certain that the smallest of your sins is far graver than the sins of all other people. Remember that your Creator has commanded you to have a good opinion of others and to have a heart full of love and respect for them.
Answered by Sayyidi Habib Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah protect him and benefit us by him)
I want to follow the Sunnah but I feel pride and ostentation in my heart when I do so. What should I do?
You should try to remove those blameworthy qualities while continuing to follow the Sunnah. The Devil may try to make you leave the Sunnah by making you fear falling into pride and ostentation. If he succeeds in doing that, he may then succeed in making you leave the prayer.
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See these classes delivered by Habib Ali al-Jifri on ostentation and how to deal with it
Answered by Sayyidi Habib Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah protect him and benefit us by him)
Can we take lessons in tasawwuf from other shuyukh?
This is fine if there is benefit in those lessons whether they are in tasawwuf or in any other science then unless your shaykh has specifically forbidden you from doing so.
Answered by Sayyidi Habib Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah protect him and benefit us by him)
What do you say about watching football matches?
It depends on the individual and his or her state with regard to travelling the path to Allah. If it is a waste of time for you then use your time wisely. If it is a means of relaxation and it allows you to recharge then it is like any other permissible means of recreation and it is fine as long as it does not cause you to neglect your obligations.
Answered by Sayyidi Habib Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah protect him and benefit us by him)
How do we respond to those that claim that Sayyiduna Muawiyah is not one of the Companions and that we should not say ‘may Allah be pleased with him’?
The best response is to continue to say ‘may Allah be pleased with him,’ and to avoid any argumentation. This is just one of a number of issues that certain people bring up today to cause friction, disunity, to waste Muslim resources, to stop them from having an influence on others and to show them as being divided. So we should focus on that which is of benefit and not allow them to achieve these base goals.
Answered by Sayyidi Habib Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah protect him and benefit us by him)
How do we combine between forbidding evil, maintaning a good opinion of others and leaving that which does not concern us?
When we forbid someone from doing something wrong we do not believe that they will have a bad ending or that they will be punished. Rather we believe that Allah will forgive them and replace their bad deeds with good deeds and perhaps they will intercede for us on the Day of Judgement. At the same time we do not spy on them or pry into their private affairs. If we do this we have left that which does not concern us. If we do see someone committing an act of disobedience then it concerns us to stop them from them doing it as far as we are able. The Prophet ﷺ said that if someone falls into an act of disobedience they should seek Allah’s concealment but only if they expose themselves we carry out the hadd punishment.
