Category: Travelling the Path

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 the Greatness of Visiting the Pious

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

Before I visit the Prophet ﷺ and Sayyidah Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her) I have many things in my heart that I wish to express but when I get there my mind goes blank. What should I do?

Your standing in those places suffices even if you do not say anything. Habib `Alawi bin Shihab said that he knew the intention of anyone that was coming to visit him when they passed Masjid Surur, before even reaching his house. If that was his state, how much greater is the knowledge of the Messenger of Allah and Sayyidah Khadijah of those visiting them? Someone complained to Imam al-Haddad that he would visit Sayyiduna al-Faqih al-Muqaddam and his heart would be full of needs but when he reached the grave he forgot everything. Imam al-Haddad informed him that merely reaching al-Faqih al-Muqaddam was enough.

On Focusing on the Next Life

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

We are taught to turn away from this life and focus on the next life. However our worries and responsibilities preoccupy us. How do we clear our minds and focus on the next life?

Our worries should remind us of the worthlessness of this life and cause us to turn away from it. We should flee to Allah and seek that He removes our worries. At the same time, by fulfilling our responsibilities we take provision for the next life.

 

On Truthfulness

Sayyidi Habib Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah protect him and benefit us by him) expounds on some of the meanings of truthfulness.

Truthfulness (sidq) is a station beyond sincerity (ikhlas). Sincerity relates to your intention and your purpose. Truthfulness is comprehensive and incorporates every expression of your approach to Allah, your aims and your mastering and perfecting your actions. One way of differentiating between the two is that the truthful person has no pride in his actions (‘ujb), whereas the sincere person shows no ostentation (riya’). Continue reading On Truthfulness

True Intellect

Sayyidi Habib Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah protect him and benefit us by him) reflects upon the true meaning of intellect.

To truly possess intellect means to understand the truth that Allah revealed to the Messenger of Truth ﷺ. Whoever does not understand this cannot be described as possessing intellect. Such a person may know how to eat and drink, trade, give and take in this worldly life, but Allah guides even animals to some of these things. He is the One who apportions and guides. He guides animals to fulfil their worldly needs:

Continue reading True Intellect

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.

On Prayer and Vigilance

Sayyidi Habib Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah protect him and benefit us by him) explains that if the prayer is correctly established, it is a means for seekers to take themselves to account (make muhasabah) and be in a state of vigilance (muraqabah). 

One of the wisdoms of the prayer is that it enables us to be in a state of vigilance and to constantly take ourselves to account. By being in control of your body you prepare your heart to attain this. Your prayer then puts light into your time so that the time between each prayer becomes illuminated. The Prophet ﷺ pointed to this when he said: “One prayer to the next; one Friday prayer to the next and one Ramadan to the next – all of these wipe out the sins a person commits between them, as long as grave sins are avoided.” Continue reading On Prayer and Vigilance