Habib Muhammad Abd al-Rahman al-Saqqaf

Habib Muhammad Abd al-Rahman al-Saqqaf was born in Seiyun, the principal city of Hadramawt in 1972 (1392). He is a direct descendant of many imams of the Prophetic house, including Imam Taha bin Umar al-Safi (died 1007), the first of the Alawi Sayyids to settle in Seiyun, and Shaykh Abd al-Rahman al-Saqqaf (died 819). The al-Saqqaf tribe is known in Seiyun for having produced great scholars and men of God in every generation, the most recent being Habib Abd al-Qadir al-Saqqaf.

Hadramawt was in the grip of an oppressive socialist government so his parents moved to Jeddah when he was three years old. His father Sayyid Abd al-Rahman was a doctor who would frequent the circles of knowledge in the Hijaz. As a result, Habib Muhammad grew up with a love for scholars. Continue reading Habib Muhammad Abd al-Rahman al-Saqqaf

What are the Principles for Interacting with the Jinn?

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

Interacting with jinn is similar to interacting with humans. There are pious jinn and disobedient jinn just like there are pious humans and disobedient humans. Our interactions with everyone are governed by the Sacred Law and our interactions with the pious among them are on the principle of working together to attain piety and righteousness. As seekers, we should not be concerned with connections to the jinn. If any good is to come of such connections, Allah will facilitate them without us seeking them.

Roll up the distance between me and Your Beloved!

In these supplications, Habib Ali al-Habashi (may Allah have mercy upon him and benefit us by him) teaches us to seek high degrees of love and closeness to Allah and His Beloved ﷺ :

 

اللَّهُمَّ اطْوِ مَسَافَةَ البُعْدِ بَيْنِي وبَيْنَ حَبِيبِكَ المًصْطَفى

Continue reading Roll up the distance between me and Your Beloved!

On Receiving Spiritual Gifts and not being distracted by them

Every believer generally and those taking the spiritual path specifically should perform their obligations with excellence and strive for presence therein while seeking to strengthen their certainty. Whatever spiritual gifts – such as tranquillity, serenity and a feeling of connection – they receive in the course of that are from Allah and go back to Him. They are not theirs. Continue reading On Receiving Spiritual Gifts and not being distracted by them

What does rabitah between the Shaykh and the seeker mean?

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

Generally speaking, the word rabitah means any type of connection between one thing and another. More specifically it is used to mean the sincere connection of one’s heart to one of the people of Allah. It could entail bringing one’s Shaykh to heart in a specific way while reciting a certain dhikr. Continue reading What does rabitah between the Shaykh and the seeker mean?

Selected Salawat: Attaching Everything to the Prophet ﷺ

In this prayer upon the Prophet ﷺ Habib Ali al-Habashi (may Allah have mercy upon him and benefit us by him) teaches us to attach everything we have to the Prophet: our hearts, bodies, actions, intentions and our every movement and stillness.

اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ وسَلِّمْ على سَيِّدِنا مُحَمَّدٍ

وارْبُطْ قَلْبِي بِقَلْبِهِ

وارْبُطْ جِسْمِي بِجِسْمِهِ

Continue reading Selected Salawat: Attaching Everything to the Prophet ﷺ