Category: Blameworthy Attributes

On Purifying the Lower Self from Arrogance, Ostentation and Envy

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

How can we purify our lower selves from blameworthy traits such as arrogance, ostentation and envy?

We can do this with a combination of knowledge and action. Through knowledge we know the reality of these traits and how a person comes to possess them and the fact that they go against our best interests in this life and the next. Then we act against the dictates of these traits. Continue reading On Purifying the Lower Self from Arrogance, Ostentation and Envy

On Envying the Dawah Successes of Others

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

How can we remove the desire to outdo our brothers and our envy for them, especially when we see their success in da’wah?

The cure for this is to look at the reality. The reality is that nothing happens except by the will of Allah, so how can we wish for other than what our Lord wills? The reality is that if our brothers succeed in da’wah or in any other realm of the religion, then this is a source of assistance, goodness, blessings and strength for all of us. So how can we dislike this strength, harbour envy towards the one who has been given it and desire for it to be removed? Continue reading On Envying the Dawah Successes of Others

On Dealing With Those Who Backbite Us

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

How do we deal with those who backbite us, particularly if it has negative consequences on our dawah efforts?

You should ask Allah that He allows such people to repent. You should rely upon Allah’s bounty and generosity in attaining success in dawah and do not be concerned by these perceived negative consequences. All the Prophets and Messengers suffered backbiting and mockery but this did not prevent them from being successful in their dawah. The Devil often deceives people into making perceived negative consequences an excuse not to pardon and forgive the person who has wronged them. Rather you should follow the Prophet ﷺ and the pious in swiftly forgiving such people. If you are truthful in this, Allah will aid your dawah efforts.

Differentiating Between Being Proud of One’s Religion and Between Being Arrogant

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

How do we differentiate between being proud of one’s religion and being arrogant?

Being proud of one’s religion is coupled with humility, fear of the return to Him and good action according to the Sacred Law and in veneration of it. At the core of our religion is humility, fear of Allah, being good to people and wisdom. The two greatest signs that point to someone being arrogant are that they look down upon others and do not accept the truth when confronted by it. Arrogant people are certain that they are better than others and do not live in fear of a bad ending.

On the Difference between Fearing to Meet Allah and Disliking to Meet Him

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

What is the difference between someone who dislikes to meet Allah and someone who is fearful of meeting Him?

There is a big difference. The one who dislikes to meet Allah has no connection to Allah and he attempts to flee from Him. The one who is fearful of meeting Allah may also love Him. He is fearful of not being accepted by Allah or being punished by Him.