Answered by Sayyidi Habib Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah protect him and benefit us by him)
We must love them for Allah’s sake, feel sadness for what saddens them and feel joy for what gives them joy. We must offer them whatever support we can in whatever form that takes. We must counsel them to hold fast to the truth and to be patient and steadfast. We must pray for them in abundance.
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
Answered by Sayyidi Habib Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah protect him and benefit us by him)
There are many wisdoms in this. One of the greatest of these is that it makes us conscious of Allah’s grace: had He wished, He could have made the same thing happen to us when we were children. It also allows us to come to know the greatness of Allah’s lordship in that He does whatever He wishes with His creation. We also need to realise that beyond this there are elements of divine mercy which our intellects cannot comprehend and we must recognise that we only partially perceive what is taking place in existence. They also make us realise that this world is a place of calamities so we become more detached from it and prepare for the everlasting abode of the next life.
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)
People tend to go to excess with regard to birthdays. Rather than making a big fuss about them as people around us often do, birthdays should be an opportunity for us to reflect on the passing of our lives and to show gratitude to Allah for His blessings. We should give some charity and take ourselves to account. We should renew our resolve to do good and get closer to Allah. We should make tawbah and resolve to stay away from wrongdoing. The birthdays we should commemorate are the birthdays of the Prophets and those who reached high ranks.
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.
Can we benefit from Islamic TV serials?
Answered by Sayyidi Habib Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah protect him and benefit us by him)
The best and most appropriate thing is for a Muslim to learn Islamic history directly from reliable sources – either books or scholars. These serials vary in terms of their accuracy, quality and presentation of the facts so if we are going to watch them, we should choose the best ones.
They may be beneficial in several ways: they may educate beginners and those who don’t have the desire to read and study; they may cause people to research a particular subject more deeply and someone who is already well-versed in a certain area may also watch them to get a better understanding of the field and may do something better in the future.
Another of them said, ‘Do not kill Yusuf, but, if you must, throw him into the hidden depths of a well where some caravan may pick him up’ (12:10)
One of Yusuf’s brothers dissuaded the others from going as far as killing Yusuf. This was all part of Allah’s plan, as He had decreed that Yusuf would have a long life. Continue reading Who is in Control?
