Maktabah Al-Imām Al-Ghazālī

The Sufi/Neo-Traditionalist Network The Sufi neo-traditionalist network can be said to be the most sponsored by the UAE. The neo-traditionalist discourse emphasizes adhering to one of the traditional four schools of fiqh (jurisprudence) and one of the two schools of ‘aqīda (theology) as well as practising Sufism. For that, they consider themselves the true representatives of ahl al-Sunna wa-l-Jamā‘a (Sunni Islam) and the continuation of the Islamic tradition transmitted to them through an unbroken chain of transmitters. As “neo-traditionalism” doesn’t have an Arabic counterpart, neo-traditionalists are usually referred to as “Sufis” in the Arabic-speaking world.  The most critical figures for the UAE-sponsored neo-traditionalism are al-Habib Ali al-Jifri – a Yemeni Sufi scholar from the Ba‘Alawi tariqa, Abdullah bin Bayyah – a widely-respected Mauritanian scholar, Hamza Yusuf – an American scholar and founder of the Zaytuna college in the US in 2008, and Aref Ali Nayed – a Libyan s...

Exaggerated celebrations during the mawlid (birthday festival) of "Sayyid Ahmad Al-Badawi" in Egypt, followed by "Sidi Ibrahim Al-Desouki," organized by Sufi orders, have sparked widespread questions. The spread of vulgar scenes inside the mosques where these celebrations are held—alongside the promotion of these festivals by media outlets and Western organizations—has raised concerns regarding the underlying reasons behind the excessive embrace of these un-Islamic rituals. Egyptian Sufi orders celebrate 23 annual mawlids dedicated to "righteous saints." However, the violations and excesses occurring during some of these festivals form part of a broader image promoted globally under the label of "popular Islam," "civil Islam," or "non-political Islam"—terms used by Western newspapers and think tanks that celebrate such festivals and promote the activities of Sufi orders within them. The underlying rationale for celebrating the...

The Description of the great Ṣaḥābī, the blessed and beloved grandson of   Nabī ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam, leader of the youth of Jannah, the flower of the greatest of the Ambiya',  is mentioned in Ṣifat al-Ṣafwah of ibn Jawzī raḥimahullāh (vol. 1, pp. 374- 375) 1. ‘Uqbah bin al-Ḥārith raḥimahullāh says,  “Abū Bakr raḍiyallāhu ‘anhu performed the ‘Aṣr (ṣalāh), then he went out walking. He saw al- Ḥ asan playing with some of the children. He carried him on his shoulders and said, “By my father, he resembles Nabī ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam, not ‘Alī (i.e., he resembled Nabī ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam – his grandfather – more than ‘Alī raḍiyallāhu ‘anhu – his father. ‘Alī laughed (i.e., agreeing with him in his statement, expressing his satisfaction and joy at it). [Bukhārī] 2. Abū Ḥujfah raḍiyallāhu ‘anhu said, “I saw Nabī ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and al-Ḥasan resembled him.” [Ṭabarānī in al-Kabīr] 3. Anas bin Mālik raḍiyallāhu ‘anhu said, “al-Ḥasan...

The hypocrites (munafiqin) never held control over the affairs of the Muslims—neither during the lifetime of Rasulullah sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam nor after his passing—nor did they ever act as the guardians or administrators of Muslim affairs.  Our disagreement with the Shia does not concern the mere existence of hypocrites; rather, it centres on the fact that throughout the entire history of Islam, the reins of Muslim leadership were never in the hands of hypocrites.  The Qur'anic prophecy—that the hypocrites would no longer be able to remain alongside Rasulullah sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam in his city—was fulfilled to the very letter.  As for the lesser-tier hypocrites, or those who merely exhibited certain traits of hypocrisy, they too met their end during the Caliphate of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr al-Siddiq radiyallahu 'anhu. The system of governance was established in all its splendour upon the Nabawi methodology (minhaj-e-nabuwwat), and the world witnessed the banner...

Commenting on the performances done by Habib Umar and his followers at the grave of Shaykh Abu Bakr bin Salim,  @badralialotibi1 [Dr Badr bin Ali Al-Otaibi] says,  'This practice of drumming at graves and other places, chanting heretical and polytheistic poems, and dancing to them in gatherings—all of this is innovation and misguidance. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) neither permitted nor practised it. The Rightly Guided Caliphs (Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and Ali, may Allah be pleased with them) neither said it nor did they. Nor did the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them). Nor did those who followed them in righteousness. Nor did the seven jurists of the Successors (Sa'id, Urwah, al-Qasim, Kharijah, Ubaydullah, Sulayman, and Abu Bakr ibn Abd al-Rahman). Nor did the four imams of the major cities (Malik, Sufyan, al-Awza'i, and al-Layth). Nor did the four imams of jurisprudence (Abu Hanifah, Malik, al-Shafi'i, and Ahmad). Nor did the author...

Hereunder is an excerpt of an article by Habib 'Ali al-Jifri regarding Christmas and the birth of Sayyiduna 'Isa 'alayhi as-salaam,  The article can be accessed from his website:  https://www.alhabibali.com/en/writing/christmas-and-the-glorious-birth-peace-be-upon-me-the-day-i-was-born/  In this article, Habib 'Ali al-Jifri has confused the reader, adding interfaith teachings, and corrupting the meaning of the Noble Qur'an.  [The Qur'an tells us: “And remind them of the days of Allah; indeed, in them are signs for those who are forbearing and grateful.” As we approach the occasion of Jesus Christ’s birth, we feel that we are confronted with a day from among the ‘days of Allah’. This day was distinguished by an immense miracle related to his birth. This birth was connected to meanings of peace that we are in dire need of today. Yes, Allah made Jesus Christ a symbol of peace for this world. Did the Qur'an not inform us of Christ’s words, “Peace was upon me the...

[What is the Tabah Foundation? Tabah Foundation is a non-profit organization based in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, chaired by Habib Ali al-Jifri. It focuses on renewing contemporary Islamic discourse, providing research, ethical consulting, and policy recommendations to global opinion-makers.] Study the following interview Question posed to Habib 'Ali al-Jifri: The Tabah Foundation, which you established in Abu Dhabi, plays an important role in fostering communication and dialogue with the West. Do you believe it has borne fruit? - It remains a blessed endeavor—I pray to Allah to bestow upon it the blessings inherent in the name "Tabah," which is one of the names of Madinah. By Allah’s grace, it has already yielded some early fruits; however, the ultimate goal for which it was founded still lies ahead. The mission we hope and pray Allah will enable the Foundation to fulfill is the rehabilitation of contemporary Islamic discourse, making it more accessible and relevant...

8 February 2015  "Welcome, Sheikh Ali al-Jifri. I am truly delighted to see you. We are in dire need of tolerance and moderation; the whole world has grown weary of us—the world has grown weary of us." This dramatic scene was enacted by Sisi on the stage of the Al-Jalaa Theater during an educational seminar organized by the military, attended by a host of political and partisan elites, Al-Azhar scholars, Coptic figures, members of the armed forces and police, and media personalities. It follows, then, that the world has "grown weary of the Egyptians"—or, if you prefer to generalize, of the entire Islamic nation. Consequently, Sisi feels the need for someone to teach the Egyptian people tolerance and moderation. Thus, the warm reception accorded to Al-Habib al-Jifri—who is presented as an embodiment of moderate, centrist Islam—serves as the launch of this "star" into Egypt’s firmament, tasked with guiding the Egyptian people toward Sisi’s envisioned goal: f...

Thursday, September 1, 2016 Fadi Qaraqra - Palestinian writer It is one of Allah Ta’ala’s laws in the universe that truth and falsehood clash, that nature abhors a vacuum, and that any vacuum that occurs is filled by another alternative, whether positive or negative. Since what the enemies of Islam seek is to wage war and besiege what they call "Islamic fundamentalism," it is natural that a vacuum will result in the Islamic world. This prompts the enemies of Islam, in all their various forms, to support and fill this vacuum by creating new groups and ideologies, such as the Qadiani movement, or by adapting existing groups or individuals, such as the Sufi orders during the French occupation, to become an alternative that accepts foreign ambitions and hegemony over the resources of the Islamic nation. The French Muslim writer Eric Joffre says in his book, "Sufism: The Inner Path of Islam": "The political authorities in the West encourage Sufism and push it ...