Habib Ali Al-Jifri and Sheikh Idris Watts

Trodden path: Good manners ( session one)


Bradford 2008

Introduction by Sheikh Idris Watts


Abu Madyan came to morocco then to Fez and spent many years studying in the Qarawiyyin. He noticed that the knowledge from the scholars was having no effect on the students. It was having no effect on his heart and he wanted to find someone to effect his heart. Until he met Sidi Ali Hirzihim. Abu Madyan said that every word this man said had an effect on him heart so after the gathering and asked, “Why is it that I have sat with the other scholars of the Qarawiyyin but their words have no effect on me. But when I sit in your presence every word you say changes me.” He replied, “My boy, every word I say I desire of Allah and our master Muhammad.”


Pure knowledge entered the hearts of the pure


The people you should sit with are those who words change you


Meeting the beloved refreshes the faith of someone





Habib Ali Al-Jifri


We shall read the book Adab Al-Murid of Imam Haddad


Knowledge calls for action; if it does not find it will depart


Imam Haddad lost his sight aged four but Allah opened his insight


At the age of seven he would pass a masjid on his way to study; pray one hundred units there and continue on his way


He was Al-Ghazali of his age


He used to express his desires for Allah in his works


He tried to make things accessible to everyone


He died whilst he was teaching Al-Muwatta


(He mentioned the chain of narration of the book to the writer)


Know that every word i say that I narrate that comes from an unbroken chain back to the

Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)


This book was a dictation


The man who asked his to compose this work did not reach Allah (mighty and majestic) but many others did


We need to examine our intention


Haste is worldly desires


He mentioned that the station of the teacher is the same is up to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)


This is a gathering of knowledge that you are sat in


The purist of the worldly items has lead us to the state of the world


Use something of this world to get to the next world but do not immerse yourself in its pleasure
Abu Bakr ibn Salam said, “The world is the daughter of the afterlife.” Whoever marries the daughter he cannot marry the mother with or without having a martial relationship. Whoever marries the mother cannot marry the daughter, as long as he has not had a relationship with the mother. It is known that he can marry the daughter if he has no martial relationship with the mother. If the man annuls the marriage before the wedding night then he can marry the daughter


The striving is rewarded by action


The one who has knowledge of the hereafter and does not strive for it is astray


What should our intention be? Imam Haddad famous supplication of intention


The good intention leads to good action and vice versa


He can make a good intention but he made an error and he will be reminded


The one who makes good intentions blames himself for his mistakes


The self is constantly commanding evil as in the Quran


The expressions of blessings that a book begins with would indicate to the contents of the book


A person’s desire indicate to their actions


There was man from a previous community supplicated for rain and when it did not come. He thought that because of the worship of seventy years. Then he reflected and reproached himself for every mistake that he did during that worship. Then the Prophet of that time came and said that to him that Allah had accepted his repentance and that those moments reproaching himself for those acts of worship were better than the seventy years



Session two


A migration is from sins to obedience


This is an example of a hijrah


A person can receive from the men of God


There is a yearning for paradise but the higher yearning is for Allah


This is the highest level


There was a time that the people who fight and then gain an opening from a companion, then a successor then the follower of the successor


Turn your hearts towards Allah


There are three things that will strength you: reflection, remembrance and company of the people of Allah


Keep away from those who are veiled


Seek nearness to Allah


When the chance is given; he should go and not delay


He should not make excuses


Which will allow satan in


The true seeker thinks he is not worthy of walking on the path to Allah


Do not think that the sin cannot be forgiven that implies that the sin is too large to be forgiven


Go to Allah with brokenness


The first station of the seeker is to repent for all his sins


Someone should feel sincere remorse for sins


Some report the Hadith, “Repentance is remorse.”


You cannot repent the sin and desire to repeat it in your heart


Repentance has three conditions


It is the first step to take after a fall
1. Remorse
2. Leaving the sin –straight away
3. Never to return to it
4. If it is do with someone’s rights then return them – either ask their forgiveness or return their stuff


Imam Al-Ghazali states if it would cause more problem to ask for forgiveness because it could cause harm in honour then prayer for the person. (if backbiting has not reached them)