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The Tariqa (Spiritual Path)

Allah Sub'hanahu wa Ta'ala says in the Holy Qur'an Kareem:

And those who strive in Us, We shall guide them to our paths and Allah is with those who excel.

You (O Beloved Prophet) do guide to a straight path, the path of Allah to Whom belongs what is in the heavens and earth. It is to Allah that affairs return.

Here end the translations of verses from the Qur'an. Now to return to quotations from the book.

"""Imam 'Abdallah bin 'Alawi Al-Haddad has said: ""The way of Bani 'Alawi is to have accomplished beliefs (aqida), attachment to the shaykh (spiritual master), concern from the shaykh, and education through the secret. This is the method of the salaf (righteous predecessors) such as Hasan al-Basri and others.

Know that the path of the Sadat of the family of Abi-'Alawi is the straight path of Allah. They are among those to whom He has granted the favours of His obedience and that of His Messenger, and the company of the prophets, siddiqin (truthful), shuhada (witnesses), and salihin (pious), and they are the best of companions. Whatever differs from their way and is contrary to it is of the dispersing paths leading away from that of Allah, for their method is based on the beliefs of their salaf salih (righteous predecessors), on sound taqwa (reverential awe of Allah), renunciation of dunya (the worldly), maintaining humility, embracing worship, continuous invocations, feeling fearful, perfection of certainty, excellent character, reformation of intentions, purification of hearts, and avoiding visible and invisible defects.

The reality of the good among people, and the best, is that they are so with Allah. What the words "with Allah" mean pertain to His knowledge of His creation, no one encompasses any of His knowledge save what He wills, His Throne englobes the heavens and earth, and it tires Him not to sustain them, and He is the Exalted, the Formidable.

The most exalted and great among people are those who are nearest to the Exalted, the Great. Nearness to Him is according to the strength of iman (faith), certainty, ihsan (spiritual excellence), upholding obligatory observances, performing additional devotions in abundance, and taking on the attributes of the Prophet, blessings and peace of Allah be upon him and his House, for he has taken on the attributes of Allah Ta'ala, mercy, compassion, transcendence from imperfections and freedom from flaws, giving security, knowledge of the realities of things, exaltation in rank, and all of his other excellent attributes. This is manifest truth, to mention it is to make truth clear by the will of Allah Ta'ala.

There is nothing in Tarim but the words of Allah and His Messenger, and Al-Faqih Al-Muqaddam. The way of the fuqara (those needy before Allah) came to us from none other than him. Our salaf (righteous predecessors) have established matters for us, and we shall follow no others.

Two people deserve the gratitude of Bani 'Alawi, Shaykh Ahmad bin 'Isa who removed them away from bid'a (heretical innovation) and fitna (instigation), and Al-Faqih Al-Muqaddam Imam Muhammad bin 'Ali, who relieved them from carrying arms and who, when he became a faqir, broke his weapons""". (Note: Imam Al-Faqih Al-Muqaddam came eight generations after Shaykh Ahmad bin 'Isa).

"""Our master the Imam of the sciences of deduction and of transmission, Ahmad bin Zayn al-Habshi, may Allah make us benefit from him, has described the method of his forefathers and their party the path of Sadat Abi-'Alawi as: "Knowledge and the practice of it, scrupulousness and fear of Allah, and sincerity with Him, Exalted and Majestic is He""".

"""The Imam, Shaykh of Islam, 'Abdallah bin Ahmad Ba-Sudan (the Salman of the House), may Allah be pleased with him, has said in his book Al-Futuhat Al-'Arshiah: "Our 'Alawi Sadat strive, show zeal, and take great care in researching and realising the sciences of transaction, in knowledge, practice, and taste""".

"""Our master Habib 'Abdal-Rahman bin 'Abdallah bin Ahmad Al-Faqih Ba-'Alawi was asked about the way of the Sadat of the family of Abi-'Alawi. He replied thus: "Know that the path of the Sadat of the family of Abi-'Alawi is one of the sufi tariqas founded on firm adherence to the Book and Sunna, its head is sincerity in being needy and seeing the favours as being freely granted. ....... This is the science of sufism, to use it to travel to Allah Ta'ala is the path of the sufis, its outward is acquiring knowledge and practising it, its inward is to sincerely direct oneself toward Allah Ta'ala in the manner which pleases Him, for the purpose which pleases Him.

They are turned toward Allah and to everything that may draw them nearer to Him. They practice the acceptance of pledges ('ahd), transmission of Zhikr (talqin), wearing of khirqa, spiritual retreat, striving, and keeping company. The majority of their strivings are in purifying the heart in preparation for exposure to the bestowal of the favours of proximity, on the path to wise guidance, and to drawing nearer to Allah Ta'ala, in the company of those who guide. Together with sincerity in directing oneself toward Allah, the favour of Allah is necessary""".



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