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 Scholars Taking Political Stances

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

Many of the scholars of whom we have a high opinion of have taken political stances in these times of discord. How should we deal with this?

If they have taken political stances we should firmly believe that they have taken these stances on the basis of understanding given to them by Allah. We accept their stances but do not follow them in them and do not publicise those stances. We should follow them in other things.

On General Dhikr

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

What type of dhikr can someone make if they are not affiliated to any tariqah?

The dhikr of Allah is beneficial in whatever form is it made. If it is taken from someone with a sanad (unbroken chain of connection) to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ it has more effect and is more likely to be accepted and this is essentially the meaning of tariqah. Furthermore, if it is taken from someone with a sanad in travelling the spiritual path then it will have a more illuminating effect and be more effective.

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 Helping to Educate New Muslims

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

How can we best educate those who have recently accepted Islam in our community?

The best thing we can do is to teach new Muslims a sound understanding of the religion. We need to teach them how to perform the most important acts of worship and we need to teach them about Allah, His Prophets and Messengers, the angels and the next life. We should encourage them to show people noble character, especially their parents and families. We should direct them to be a cause of guidance of others. We should hold gatherings for them or establish a place of learning for them.

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

Al-Faqih al-Muqaddam

His Lineage

He is al-Faqih al-Muqaddam, al-Ustadh al-`Azam, Muhammad, bin `Ali, bin Muhammad Sahib Mirbat, bin `Ali Khali` Qasam, bin `Alawi, bin Muhammad Sahib al-Sawma`ah, bin `Alawi, bin `Ubaydullah, bin al-Imam al-Muhajir il-Allah Ahmad, bin `Isa, bin Muhammad al-Naqib, bin `Ali al-`Uraydi, bin Ja`far al-Sadiq, bin Muhammad al-Baqir, bin `Ali Zayn al-`Abidin, bin Husayn al-Sibt, bin `Ali bin Abi Talib and Fatimah al-Zahra’, the daughter of our Master Muhammad, the Seal of the Prophets ﷺ.

Continue reading Al-Faqih al-Muqaddam

Shaykh Abd al-Rahman al-Saqqaf

His Lineage

He is Shaykh `Abd al-Rahman al-Saqqaf bin Shaykh Muhammad Mawla al-Dawilah, bin `Ali Mawla al-Darak, bin `Alawi al-Ghayur, bin al-Faqih al-Muqaddam Muhammad, bin `Ali, bin Muhammad Sahib Mirbat, bin `Ali Khali` Qasam, bin `Alawi, bin Muhammad Sahib al-Sawma`ah, bin `Alawi, bin `Ubaydullah, bin al-Imam al-Muhajir il-Allah Ahmad, bin `Isa, bin Muhammad al-Naqib, bin `Ali al-`Uraydi, bin Ja`far al-Sadiq, bin Muhammad al-Baqir, bin `Ali Zayn al-`Abidin, bin Husayn al-Sibt, bin `Ali bin Abi Talib and Fatimah al-Zahra’, the daughter of our Master Muhammad, the Seal of the Prophets ﷺ. Continue reading Shaykh Abd al-Rahman al-Saqqaf

Imam al-‘Aydarus al-Akbar

His Lineage

He is Imām `Abdullāh al-`Aydarūs bin Shaykh Abū Bakr al-Sakrān bin Shaykh `Abd al-Raḥmān al-Saqqāf bin Shaykh Muḥammad Mawlā al-Dawīlah, bin `Alī Mawlā al-Darak, bin `Alawī al-Ghayūr, bin al-Faqīh al-Muqaddam Muḥammad, bin `Alī, bin Muḥammad Ṣāḥib Mirbāṭ, bin `Alī Khāli` Qasam, bin `Alawī, bin Muḥammad Ṣāḥib al-Ṣawma`ah, bin `Alawī, bin `Ubaydullāh, bin al-Imām al-Muhājir il-Allāh Aḥmad, bin `Īsā, bin Muḥammad al-Naqīb, bin `Ali al-`Urayḍī, bin Ja`far al-Ṣādiq, bin Muḥammad al-Bāqir, bin `Ali Zayn al-`Ābidīn, bin Ḥusayn al-Sibṭ, bin `Alī bin Abī Ṭālib and Fāṭimah al-Zahrā’, the daughter of our Master Muḥammad, the Seal of the Prophets ﷺ. Continue reading Imam al-‘Aydarus al-Akbar

Shaykh Abu Bakr bin Salim

His Lineage

He is Fakhr al-Wujūd Shaykh Abū Bakr bin Sālim bin `Abdullāh bin `Abd al-Raḥmān bin `Abdullāh bin Shaykh `Abd al-Raḥmān al-Saqqāf bin Shaykh Muḥammad Mawlā al-Dawīlah, bin `Alī Mawlā al-Darak, bin `Alawī al-Ghayūr, bin al-Faqīh al-Muqaddam Muḥammad, bin `Alī, bin Muḥammad Ṣāḥib Mirbāṭ, bin `Alī Khāli` Qasam, bin `Alawī, bin Muḥammad Ṣāḥib al-Ṣawma`ah, bin `Alawī, bin `Ubaydullāh, bin al-Imām al-Muhājir il-Allāh Aḥmad, bin `Īsā, bin Muḥammad al-Naqīb, bin `Ali al-`Urayḍī, bin Ja`far al-Ṣādiq, bin Muḥammad al-Bāqir, bin `Ali Zayn al-`Ābidīn, bin Ḥusayn al-Sibṭ, bin `Alī bin Abī Ṭālib and Fāṭimah al-Zahrā’, the daughter of our Master Muḥammad, the Seal of the Prophets ﷺ. Continue reading Shaykh Abu Bakr bin Salim