Answered by Sayyidi Habib Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah protect him and benefit us by him)
We are commanded to pray and fast and we are physically capable of doing so. However, we are also commanded to have sincerity (ikhlas). This is an order to attain an internal state which we are not physically able to obey. What should we do? Continue reading On Sincerity in Pious Works and Protection against Ostentation
Answered by Sayyidi Habib Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah protect him and benefit us by him)
How can I attain truthfulness with Allah?
You can attain truthfulness by directing yourself fully to Him and by making your state, your deeds and your words conform to one another. Every person that truly directs himself to Allah will receive assistance from Allah.
Answered by Sayyidi Habib Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah protect him and benefit us by him)
There are too many praiseworthy attributes that we must attain and too many blameworthy attributes from which we must purify ourselves. Even if we focused on just one of these attributes it would take a lifetime. What can we do?
If you can attain two attributes it will lead to the attainment of all praiseworthy attributes and to purification from all blameworthy attributes:
Answered by Sayyidi Habib Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah protect him and benefit us by him)
What is the definition of having a bad opinion of Muslims?
To anticipate that they will be the cause of evil occurring or that evil will befall them in this life and the next. To forbid them from transgressing the Sacred Law is not having a bad opinion of them, but making a judgement that they will not repent, will not be granted forgiveness or that they will have a bad ending is.
Continue reading On Having a Bad Opinion of Others and Its Cure
Answered by Sayyidi Habib Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah protect him and benefit us by him)
How does someone remove hardness from their heart?
By seeking forgiveness often and having a heart that is broken before Allah in the depths of the night and reciting the Qur’an with reflection, and remembering that our ultimate end is to Allah.
Answered by Sayyidi Habib Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah protect him and benefit us by him)
How can we purify our lower selves from pride (‘ujb)?
You can do this by remembering who you really are. Your reality is nothingness and your ending is being taken to account by Allah. So what is there to be proud of between nothingness and being taken to account? Allah says: You have not received any blessing except that it is from Allah (16:53). All bounty belongs to Allah; you possess nothing. So witness your Lord’s generosity, and beware: were He to take you to account for your best actions He would punish you. However, out of His bounty, He rewards you, shows you His generosity and multiplies your good deeds. Reflecting on this will remove your pride.
توجيه النبيه ص 320
Answered by Sayyidi Habib Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah preserve him and benefit us by him).
How can we overcome our anger?
You can do this through knowledge and action. Continue reading On Overcoming and Controlling Anger
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
Answered by Sayyidi Habib Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah protect him and benefit us by him)
Imam al-Haddad mentions that the dunya (the material world) is an obstacle to wayfarers on their path to Allah. What does it mean to renounce the dunya?
Renouncing the dunya in reality means leaving everything which distracts you from focusing on Allah and leaving everything which may lead to disobeying Him. It means having no reliance on worldly things, having no veneration for them and having no pride in them. It does not mean, as someone may imagine, leaving one’s food, drink and clothing and not making an effort to earn enough to support oneself and assist one’s relatives. Continue reading On the Meaning of Renouncing the Dunya
Answered by Sayyidi Habib Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah protect him and benefit us by him)
How can someone overcome the desire of their lower self which strongly calls them to commit acts of disobedience?
Such a person should remind himself of the consequences of wrongdoing. He should remind himself of Allah’s rewards and punishments and reflect upon the return to Allah and upon the fact that he will stand in front of Him to be taken to account. He must cultivate a strong will to leave that which is harmful to his religion, and be firm and determined in this, regardless of the calls of his lower self or the Devil. He must constantly renew his determination to refrain from falling into sin and seek Allah’s assistance in remaining upright. Continue reading On Overcoming the Desire to Disobey Allah
