Freeing Ourselves from Deception

Advice from Sayyidi Habib Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah protect him and benefit us by him). Extracts from a talk during the mawlid in Dar al-Mustafa the night of 28th Sha`ban 1432/ 28th July 2011.

You can see in front of you in the material world people expending all their efforts to attain that which amounts to nothing. Had these efforts been expended for the sake of Allah, attempting to purchase His merchandise, the results would be amazing! But the one who is imprisoned in the physical realm remains asleep until the veil is lifted, at which point it is of no benefit. Sayyiduna Ali, who had a direct understanding of these concepts, spoke the truth when he said: “People are asleep, and when they die they wake up.” Continue reading Freeing Ourselves from Deception

True Remembrance of Allah

Sayyidi Habib Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah protect him and benefit us by him) delves into the deeper meanings of remembrance.

All types of closeness are superficial except that which is close to the Lord, the Close. Your closeness to one another is based upon your closeness to Allah. According to your closeness to Allah, you will be close to one another, and all distance and dispute will end – for these are illusions. They are illusions that dominate the superficial world, the physical world. They dominate most people, such that it is correct to say: Most people do not know and most people do not understand. The greatest thing they reach or hope to reach can be called ‘play,’ or it can be called ‘delusion,’ or it can be called ‘conjecture,’ or it can be called ‘a mirage,’ or it can be called ‘ash scattered by the wind on a stormy day.’ This is what Allah has called it in His Book. Continue reading True Remembrance of Allah

Our Relationship with the Prophet ﷺ

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

People’s ranks and the gifts which they receive from Allah vary according to their relationship with Muhammad ﷺ. Some perfect their following of him and the gifts they receive in this life and the next are beyond description. In Paradise they will hear the tidings of:

“Peace!” – a word of salutation from a Lord Most Merciful.1 Continue reading Our Relationship with the Prophet ﷺ

Counsels for Our Students

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

What advice do you have for your students and what hopes do you have for them for the future?

We counsel our students specifically and students of the Sacred Law generally to check their intention and the thoughts which enter their minds, which cause them either to act sincerely for the sake of Allah or to seek other than Allah. We counsel them to reject every thought originating from caprice (hawa), from the lower self (nafs) and from the Devil which calls them to seek other than Allah and to desire anything other than attaining His nearness and pleasure. Continue reading Counsels for Our Students