What are the signs that our actions in Ramadan have been accepted?
Answered by Sayyidi Habib Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah protect him and benefit us by him)
There are three signs that you notice in your heart:
an increase in love for Allah and His Messenger ﷺ
a strong attachment to good and a desire to spread it
that you have no resentment or animosity towards your fellow Muslims.
Habib Ali al-Jifri (may Allah protect him and benefit us by him) explains that the essence of our transaction with Allah is closeness (qurb). We realise this when we reflect upon what Allah says in the Qur’an.
The essence of acts of worship is closeness: “Prostrate and draw close.” (96:19) Continue reading Our Transaction with Allah is About Closeness
We want to follow your classes and other programmes live but the time difference makes it difficult. What should we do?
Answered by Sayyidi Habib Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah protect him and benefit us by him)
The desire to follow these programmes is an expression of your heart being connected and this is not governed by time. It is not necessary that you follow these programmes live. You can listen to a recording whenever you have time.
If you sincerely wish to be in a blessed place during Ramadan (or at any other time) like Tarim, Mecca, Madinah, Jerusalem or anywhere else, then your intention will be recorded and you will receive divine gifts according to your intention. Thereafter Allah may facilitate for you to come to that place and perhaps also your children at a later date. Good intentions are a valuable currency which we use in our trade with Allah. The effects of these intentions are amazing. A good intention is the key to every lock.
Sayyidi Habib Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah protect him and benefit us by him)
Answered by Sayyidi Habib Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah protect him and benefit us by him).
The signs that your connection is sound are:
a keenness to follow his teachings and emulate him;
a feeling of ease and contentment when you hear his qualities and instructions being mentioned
witnessing that he is the door to closeness to the Best of Creation ﷺ and to attaining the pleasure of Allah.
What is the origin of negative thoughts and whisperings and how do we deal with them?
Answered by Sayyidi Habib Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah protect him and benefit us by him)
They may be either be a type of punishment for disobedience or a test from Allah. Either way, they do not harm the person as long as they dislike and ignore them. Of course, if someone has fallen into disobedience, they must make tawbah. These thoughts may also be the work of the Devil, who out of envy attempts to shake that person’s faith and tranquillity of heart. Allah says: Secret conversation is the work of Satan, designed to cause trouble to the believers, though it cannot harm them in the least unless God permits it. Let the believers put their trust in God (58:10). There is a great reward in remaining steadfast and not allowing yourself to be affected by these thoughts, and if someone is truthful, Allah will remove them.
See also:
“Kill Yusuf or banish him to another land, and your father’s attention will be free to turn to you. After that you can be righteous” (12:8).
This was Yusuf’s brothers’ plan but what did they gain? The years passed and they didn’t achieve their goal. Their father was not happy with them. He remained in a state of sadness and their life remained difficult. In fact, they only got what they wanted when they recognised Yusuf’s status and submitted to him decades later. Continue reading Bad Decisions and the Lower Self
“Although we are many, Yusuf and his brother are dearer to our father than we are – our father is clearly in the wrong” (12:8)
We find that the Prophets may love certain individuals more than others. That individual may be a wife or a child or a companion. This is because their love is for Allah’s sake. The more the individual possesses attributes beloved to Allah, the more that prophet will love them. No one would deny that the Prophet ﷺ loved Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali more than other Companions. Continue reading No Ordinary Love
‘My dear son, tell your brothers nothing of this dream, or they may plot to harm you – the Devil is man’s sworn enemy.’ (12:5)
When Yusuf told his father Yaqub (peace be upon them both) of his dream, his father feared that envy would cause Yusuf’s brothers to harm him. Continue reading Jealousy: the Devil’s Scorpion
Answered by Sayyidi Habib Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah protect him and benefit us by him)
Should I recite the Ratib of Imam al-Haddad or the Ratib of Imam al-Attas?
If you cannot recite both, there is no problem to alternate between the two Ratibs – one takes the place of the other.
