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Chapter Five
LATAAIF I'L 'ARSHIYYAH
Of: AL-HABIB 'ALI BIN MUHAMMAD
AL-HABSHI
Naf'anAllahu Bih
An Appreciation by Siddiq Osman Noormuhammad
FOUNT OF SALSABIL
Marhaba: Welcome.
Welcome to Lataaif i'l 'Arshiyyah Fi's Salawaat i'l Habshiyyah (Mercy from
Allah's Throne in the Salawaat of al-Habshi), a kitab (book) of salawaat
(blessings) on our beloved Prophet Sayyidina wa Mawlana Hadhrat Muhammad al-Mustafa
Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam composed by Sayyidina al-Imam al-Habib 'Ali
bin Muhammad al-Habshi (1259-1333 A.H) of Saywun, Hadhramaut. He is a direct descendant
of Imam Husain ibn 'Ali Rady Allahu Anhu, the grandson of the blessed
Prophet, Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam. He was a Shaykh (accomplished
spiritual master) in the 'Alawi tariqa who learned Islam from his father
al-Habib Muhammad bin Husain al-Habshi Rahmatullahi 'alaih who was the
Mufti in Makkah in the Shafi'i school of Muslim law. His khalifa (successor),
as-Sayyid Muhammad bin 'Aydaroos al-'Alawi had Lataaif i'l 'Arshiyyah published
and as-Sayyid 'Alawi bin Muhammad al-Haddad wrote its introduction, MaashaaAllah!
When we recite the salawaat from Lataaif i'l 'Arshiyyah, the feeling
we get is that they must have come from the heavens because nothing comparable
exists on earth. Hence obviously the title, Lataaif i'l 'Arshiyyah (Mercy from
Allah's Throne). These salawaat are at such a high level in terms of 'ulum
and 'irfaan (spiritual knowledge and gnosis) that it is difficult to comprehend
them. But if you make the effort, the rewards are immense. Once you have recited
the kitab a few times, you realise that the main theme of the salawaat
is that the Holy Prophet Sayyidina Muhammad al-Mustafa Sallallahu 'alaihi wa
Sallam is al-Insaan al-Kaamil (a perfect human), that the salawaat
are ever expanding and are one (spiritual) stage above another (tabaqan
an tabaq) just like the seven heavens are one above another (sab'a
samaawaatin tibaaqaa), and that there is a definite reason and rhyme to the
manner in which they are composed.
Three kutub (books) of Sayyidina al-Habib al-Habshi Rady Allahu
Anhu are well-known. These are: Simtu'd Durar (A Necklace of Pearls)
which is a kitab on the mawlid (birth) of Rasulullah Sallallahu
'alaihi wa Sallam; Diwan, a collection of 87 qasaaid (hymns)
most of them in praise of Rasulullah Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam; and
Lataaif i'l 'Arshiyyah, a kitab of blessings. Recitation of parts of these
kutub (books) in mawlid celebrations have continued to attract thousands
of people to Islam, especially in East Africa. Al-Habib al-Habshi was the Shaykh
of al-Habib Sayyid Saleh Jamal al-Layl Naf'anallahu bih who popularised
these kutub (books) of his Shaykh in mawlid celebrations
in Lamu, Kenya; and as is well-known, Lamu is considered to be the cradle of Islamic
civilization in East Africa.
Al-Habib al-Habshi, may Allah sanctify his secret, drank deep at the founts
of Wahdaaniyyah (Oneness of Allah Sub'hanahu wa Ta'ala) and of Risalah
(Prophethood of Muhammad-e-'Arabi, Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam). In recognition
of this, the noble Prophet Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam honoured him to
serve humanity from three founts: one of zam zam which gushed forth in
the form of Simtu'd Durar; second of kauthar which manifested itself
in the form of his Diwan; and the third of salsabil which spiritually energizes
you so much as to propel you into the heavens, and that is Lataaif i'l 'Arshiyyah.
It has been narated that: Someone once saw Rasulullah Sallallahu 'alaihi
wa Sallam in a dream who informed him that at that time, he loved al-Habib
al-Habshi more than anyone else in all humanity! Allahu Akbar!
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