Category: The Path

On Tasting the Sweetness of Worship

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

How can I taste the sweetness of worship?

Not tasting the sweetness of worship is mainly due to the heart not being fully focused on Allah and being preoccupied with other than Allah. It may also be due to a veil in the heart such as pride or hatred for someone. By standing at Allah’s door and attempting to purify your heart, you will no doubt taste the sweetness of worship. `Utbah al-Ghulam said: “I forced myself to perform the night vigil prayer for twenty years until I tasted its sweetness.”

Is Practising Islam Easy or Difficult?

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

Islam is supposed to be easy but I am finding it hard to practise. How can we reconcile between this ease and hardship?

All good things are not beyond a person’s capacity to attain but they are only attained through effort. Even in worldly affairs, effort is required to attain one’s goals. If we look at the religion from the perspective that it does not give us obligations which we are unable to fulfil, we find ease in it. Continue reading Is Practising Islam Easy or Difficult?

The Renewal (tajdid) of Imam al-Haddad

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

Imam al-Haddad is known as the ‘renewer’ (mujaddid) of the 12th Islamic century. What form did his renewal (tajdid) take?

Imam al-Haddad brought about a general renewal and a specific renewal. He brought about a general renewal by giving life to the meanings of the religion in the hearts and the lives of its adherents. This was the promised renewal which the Prophet ﷺ informed us would take place every century. He brought about a specific renewal by explaining the spiritual path of his predecessors and making it easy for those who wish to travel it. He placed everything that a wayfarer on the path needs – whether it be the Ba Alawi path specifically or any Sufi path – in two of his books: ‘Good Manners’ (Adab Suluk al-Murid) and ‘The Book of Assistance’ (Risalat al-Mu`awanah).

Should I Recite Awrad if I Have Prayers to Make Up?

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

Should I recite awrad if I have prayers to make up?

There is a difference of opinion regarding this but the best course of action is to gradually make up your prayers and to take the position that it is permissible to recite the awrad and pray supererogatory prayers at the same time.