Alhamdulillahi Wassalatu Wassalamu 'ala Rasulillah
Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam

THE ALAWIYYA TARIQA IN TORONTO

The Alawiyya Tariqa is a spiritual path leading to Allah Sub'hanahu wa Ta'ala shown by the blessed descendants of the Holy Prophet Sayyidina wa Mawlana Muhammad al-Mustafa Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam in the Ba'Alawi family from Hadhramaut in Yemen. The noble teachings of the beloved Prophet Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam contained in the Holy Qur'an Kareem and Hadith Shareef have been handed down from generation to generation in a spiritual link (silsila) from one spiritual master to another until they have reached us.

The Qutb and Gauth (spiritual pillar) of this Tariqa is al-Faqih al-Muqaddam Muhammad ibn 'Ali Ba'Alawi, Rahmatullahi 'alaih, a direct descendant of the Noble Prophet, Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam. One of its greatest luminaries is Qutb al-Irshad Sayyidina al-Imam 'Abdallah ibn 'Alawi al-Haddad Rahmatullahi 'alaih and our own Shaykh is Sayyidina al-Habib Ahmad Mash-hur bin Taha al-Haddad, Rahmatullahi 'alaih. The 'ulama (learned) and the awliya (saints) in this Tariqa have spread Islam in many parts of the world including the Arab countries, North and East Africa and as far as Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.

The last resting place of Mawlana al-Haddad Rahmatullahi 'alaih is in Tarim in Yemen. Tarim for the 'Alawiyyeen is what Baghdad is for the Qadiriyya and Ajmer is for the Chishtiyya.

In Toronto, Zikr (rememberance of Allah) is held every first Sunday of the month from 'Asr to Maghrib at the house of Sayyid 'Ali Qullatain and every Thursday in the evening at the house of Siddiq Osman Noormuhammad. Recitation consists of some of the following:

1. Surah YaaSeen Shareef or Khatm of the whole Qur'an Kareem.

2. Ratib al-Haddad of Mawlana al-Haddad, Rahmatullahi 'alaih.

3. Ratib al-'Attas of Sayyidina al-Habib 'Umar bin 'AbdurRahman al-'Attas, Rahmatullahi 'alaih.

4. Qasidatul Burda and Mudariyya of Imam al-Buseeri, Rahmatullahi 'alaih.

5. Waseelatush-Shafi of Imam Yusuf ibn 'Ismail an-Nab-hani, Rahmatullahi 'alaih.

6. Tawassul in Tariqatul 'Alawiyya by Sayyidina al-Habib Muhammad bin Zayn bin Sumait, Rahmatullahi 'alaih.

7. Simtud-Durar of Sayyidina al-Habib 'Ali bin Muhammad al-Habshi, Rahmatullahi 'alaih.

These kutub are well known and recited all over the world.

Important occassions that are observed and celebrated in Toronto are:

1. Mawlid-un-Nabi Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam in Rabi'-ul-Awwal.

2. Ziyara of Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani, Rahmatullahi 'alaih in Rabi'-ul-Thani. This is a whole night Zikr held at Imdad Masjid which ends with Salatul Tasbih and Fajr Salah. The observance of this Ziyara in the Qadiriyya Tariqa by the 'Alawiyyeen demonstrates the love and fraternity among the tariqas in general and between the Qadiriyya and the 'Alawiyya tariqas in particular.

3. Hawl of Mawlana al-Haddad, Rahmatullahi 'alaih on 7 Zul Qa'da.

4. Hawl of Imam 'Ali bin Muhammad al-Habshi Rahmatullahi 'alaih on 20th Rabi'-ul-Thani.

5. Hawl of Sayyidina al-Habib Ahmad Mash-hur bin Taha al-Haddad, Rahmatullahi 'alaih on 14 Rajab.

Hawl is the Arabic word for what is known as 'Urs (anniversary celebration) among the Urdu speaking Muslims.

The basic teachings are of Qur'an Kareem and Hadith Shareef, with emphasis on Arkan al-Islam, Arkan al-Iman and Ihsan (doing good), as well as Ikhlas (sincerity), Adab (respect), Taqwa (reverential awe of Allah), and Zikr (rememberance of Allah), musk-scented with the love of the Holy Prophet, Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam, to attain the Ridha (Pleasure) of Allah Sub'hanahu wa Ta'ala.