A Counsel on the Etiquette of Visiting the Chosen One, peace and blessings

be upon him and his family

By al-Habib Ahmad Mashhur al-Haddad

In the name of Allah, the Lord of Mercy, the Giver of Mercy!

Prophet Muhammad ‫ ﷺ‬said, “He who comes to visit me, having no other desire but to visit me, it
will be incumbent upon Allah to make me an intercessor for him on the Day of Resurrection.”1 And
he ‫ ﷺ‬said, “Anyone from my nation who can visit me, yet does not, has no excuse.”2And he ‫ ﷺ‬also
said, “If anyone salutes me by my grave, Allah will appoint an angel to convey that to me, and his
affairs of this world and the next will be sufficed. And I will be his intercessor or witness on the Day
of Resurrection.”3

In addition to receiving what any visitor is entitled to, the one who visits the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬is granted
ten honours:

● Elevation of rank
● Attainment of his most brilliant dreams
● Fulfilment of his desires
● Unimaginable gifts
● Safety from destruction
● Purification from faults
● Easing of difficulties
● Peace of mind amidst uncertainties of life
● A good ending
● The mercy of the Lord of the East and West

Congratulations to whoever visits the Best of Creation

And lays down the burdens of his ego
For verily felicity is guaranteed
To whoever settles in Tayba or visits it

Someone else said:

When a person reaches the land of the Hijaz,

He has surely reached the best place he could seek
And if he visits the grave of the Prophet of Guidance,
Then Allah has surely fulfilled his hopes

1
Tabarani narrated closely worded to this in ‘al-Mu’jam al-Kabir’, and Darqutni from our Master ibn ‘Umar,
Allah be pleased with them.
2
Narrated by ibn an-Najjar from our Master Anas, Allah be pleased with him.
3
Narrated by Asbahani in ‘ath-Thawab’ and Bayhaqi in ‘Shu’b al-Iman’.
al-Habib ‘Abdullah al-Haddad said:

You can never repay your Prophet, my son,

Even if you came to him walking on your eyes
Visiting him is a triumph, a success, a gain
For the people of sincere and pure hearts

Do not neglect his remembrance ‫ ﷺ‬at any time during your journey; night or day. Think of his
perfection, beauty, mercy and light. Remember that he is the secret of the cosmos, and the reason
for its creation. Make use of books that have been written about his right over us ‫ ﷺ‬or keep the
company of a righteous scholar. Fully appreciate that you are approaching him ‫ ﷺ‬and that he is alive
in his grave and you will converse intimately with him. Seek forgiveness in his presence, and sit
facing him ‫ﷺ‬.

Keep increasing your invocations of salutations and peace upon him the closer you get to Tayba, as
your heart increases in exaltation and fills with yearning and ardent love. Ask Allah for steadfastness.
If you are able to free yourself of all attachments and sincerely devote yourself to visiting his
presence, then do so, for the reward is in accordance with the intention. When you come close to
Tayba, stop at the wells of our Master ‘Ali, and take a bath for this is the sunna of entering Madina.
Be ready to meet him ‫ ﷺ‬with complete joy and humility. Focus on standing in that sacred, awesome
place, without turning to other than him ‫ﷺ‬.

Right away seek the Messenger of Allah’s mosque ‫ ﷺ‬before anything else. Pray two rak’ahs in the
well-known holy Rawdha with Surah al-Kafirun in the first rakah and al-Ikhlas in the second,
intending tahiyyatul masjid (greeting the mosque). When you are done, thank Allah for what He has
bestowed on you, and ask Him for acceptance of your visit. If you stand in the Prophet’s ‫ ﷺ‬mihrab4,
it is better.

Then come to the noble presence and the holy chamber so as to face his holy face –the face by
which clouds deliver rain. Keep at a distance of four arms length or more from him, because this is
greater etiquette. Shed copious amounts of tears. The heart throbs at meeting the Beloved who
hears and responds to you. Choose salawaat (invocations of blessings upon him) that are more
comprehensive of his shama`il (qualities). Then repeat your greetings and convey the greetings of
those you wish. Do not be preoccupied with the decor of the mosque, for today anything other than
the Beloved is a veil. It is better if you read some of the poems of the Gnostics. Greet the two
companions of the Messenger of Allah ‫ ﷺ‬whose places are well known. Strive to know them so you
can face them completely. Then turn towards the chamber of our Liege lady Fatima in the Prophetic
enclosure. Greet her because she is likelier to be with her father than in Baqi’. Greet her and her
husband and two sons. Petition Allah through them, because they embody incredible humility and
compassion. And if you pray two rak’ahs here it is better.
(He then mentions the water and other provisions that one is recommended to take on their journey
to Madina Munawwara. And also visiting its various sacred places.)

4
niche
Likewise, visit the wells that the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬drank from. They are seven in number and well known.
Go to them and take ablution from them and bathe in their water. And (take blessing) from other
such relics. And whenever you pass by the desert or grassland, remember what was said:

With his sheep, the Beloved made for the pasture

What a beautiful guardian -- he tends to my heart!
Beautiful, light-giving countenance,
By him the Sun of dawn became ablaze.
Beautiful, exalted above beauty. His face
is as though the full moons have impressed
I say to him as he walks by
While his sheep around him seek pasture
“Your eyes, O Guardian of the sanctuary, have wiped us out
Some of us are captives, while others are felled.
Were it not for you, O Guardian of the sanctuary,
No soul would long for the trees of Aqiq or Jar’a.
You are not a shepherd of sheep, but rather
You watch over creation, showing us revelation and the law.
By He who makes people laugh and weep; Who
gives death and life; Who brought out the green pasture
Unsuccessful is the one who goes to other than your door
Astray is the one who goes to other than your door even for a day
My beloved, my beloved, you are the guardian of our hearts!

Were it not for you, O Chosen One, green pasture would not have been known!”

Do not forget to visit the people of Baqi’ once a day with complete tahara (purity) because it is an
assembly of noble and virtuous presences. Likewise, visit the people of Uhud, for (the mountain) is a
blessed relic, and all of Madina is holy. If it is easy for you to climb Uhud and eat of its fruits, even if
it be the shrubs, then do so! For it has been related that, “Uhud is at the door of paradise. So
whoever eats of its belly, Allah will make the fire forbidden to his belly.” Strive to do this if you can.
When you visit, it is better if you walk. Otherwise, let your transport be parked outside the inhabited
area. How can a person tread high above places kneaded with the lights of Prophecy and Revelation;
places which Gabriel and Michael frequented, and where the angels and the Spirit descended; and
whose courtyards heard the sounds of worship and glorification; whose earth contains the body of
the Master of Humanity; and from where the religion of Allah and the way of His Messenger spread?
The places where the verses of the Qur`an were studied, the mosques in which the prayer was
made, places that witnessed virtue and goodness; places that saw proofs and miracles; places
associated with the rites of religion and the stations of pilgrimage; the abode of the Seal of the
Prophets and from which prophecy gushed forth and where its waves overflowed; places that
witnessed the Message and the first land whose soil touched the Chosen One’s skin. So it is befitting
that we exalt its ground, inhale its fragrance, and kiss its land, walls and soil, and rub our cheeks with
it.

What I say is that a person should divest himself of people and luxury, and face those places with his
heart and soul. He should avert his eyes from the decorations, design and construction, for verily the
mosque of Allah’s Messenger ‫ ﷺ‬and his house were of date palm branches. Otherwise, the eyes will
be busy; and the heart runs wherever the eyes do. Be assiduous in establishing all prayers in
congregation in the Sacred Sanctuary, especially in the Rawdha. Visit him ‫ ﷺ‬after every prayer. And
offer something in charity, even if a small amount, before every prayer and intimate discourse
because of the Exalted’s saying: {You who believe, when you come to speak privately with the
Messenger, offer something in charity before your conversation}

Show generosity and leniency whenever you buy anything in Madina. Give your neighbour his right
so that you triumph with complete reward and treasure. Do not take anything made from the city’s
soil or trees, even if some permit it. Do not break off your sunna prayers because you want to be
absorbed in that Presence. If you are there on Thursday evening, read Mawlid Dayba’i, as it is
blessed.
In Madina there are elect people who are hidden. Look for them, and you will find them. Do not
deem anything you spend in Madina to be too much. If you can, take back some Zarqa water 5 in a
container to your land, for there is healing in it, as authenticated from him ‫ﷺ‬.

After having taken a share of communion with him and the time comes to take leave from this place
and separation from the Beloved is imminent, the chest weeps and tears flow. And this is a sign of
accord, love and the secret that will carry onto the Day of Meeting at the Assembly; when you will
arrive under his banner, and come to his fountain. Give out charity generously with whatever your
hands permit. Increase in seeking your Lord’s forgiveness and in thanking Him for what He has
favoured you with. Ask Him to bring you back, grant you intercession, and acceptance of the visit.
When you enter Makka al-Mukarrama, do not delay the visit to al-M’ala6 for even a moment.

I hope you reach safely and successfully and return safely and successfully, carrying for yourself and
for your children, fathers and loved ones, the gifts of pleasure, well-being and happiness by which
you are felicitous in this world and the hereafter.

This is a weak memorandum from me. It was inspired by heartfelt love and the hope that you will
supplicate for me there. Peace and blessings be upon our Master Muhammad and his family.

5
Its source is a well that is west of the Quba mosque.
6
The great cemetery of Makka al-Mukarrama
 A short biography of our Master, the erudite Knower of Allah and Caller and Guide to Him, as-
Sayyid ash-Sharif al-Habib Ahmad Mashhur bin Taha ibn ‘Ali ibn ‘Abdillah bin Taha al-Haddad

He was born, Allah the Exalted’s mercy be upon him, in the town of Qaydun in Hadhramawt, in the
year 1325 AH (1907). He was raised in surroundings of knowledge and righteousness, in the bosom
and care of his mother, the virtuous and saintly Safiyya, daughter of al-Imam al-Habib Tahir ibn
‘Umar al-Haddad. She enrolled him at the Ribat of Qaydun where he received knowledge from two
of his uncles and Shaykhs: the two erudite Imams ‘Abdallah and ‘Alawi, the sons of Tahir al-Haddad.
He graduated under them.

His shaykh, ‘Alawi bin Tahir would take him as his companion on some of his travels. He took him to
visit Tarim, where he took from the elect scholars he met there, such as the erudite al-Habib
‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar ash-Shatiry, the erudite al-Habib ‘Abdul Bari bin Shaykh al-‘Aydarus, and others.
When Habib ‘Alawi travelled to Indonesia, he took him as his companion. Habib Ahmad was less
than twenty years old then. There, he took from several scholars from the ‘Alawi Masters and
others, such as the erudite al-Habib Muhammad bin Ahmad al-Mihdar, the elderly erudite al-Habib
‘Ali ibn ‘Abdur Rahman al-Habshi, the Knower of Allah al-Habib ‘Abdullah bin Muhsin al-‘Attas and al-
Habib ‘Alawi bin Muhammad al-Haddad.

He then returned to Qaydun and was constantly with his shaykh, al-Habib ‘Abdullah ibn Tahir,
studying under him. He would also teach at the Ribat. His students gained immense benefit from
him.

In addition to his aforementioned teachers, we cannot forget that at the forefront of those he
exulted in taking from was his father’s paternal uncle, the erudite al-Habib Salih bin ‘Abdillah bin
Taha al-Haddad, as well as al-Habib Ahmad bin Muhsin al-Haddar. Habib Ahmad, Allah’s mercy be
upon him, also met al-Habib Ahmad bin Hasan al-‘Attas at a young age. He prayed behind him and
narrates from him through a general ijaza (authorisation) which al-Habib Ahmad bin Hasan al-‘Attas
granted the people of his time.

The erudite al-Habib ‘Umar bin Ahmad bin Sumayt was the last of the shaykhs from whom he took
perfectly. Allah’s mercy be upon them all. Ameen.

The period that followed his return from Indonesia to his birthplace, Qaydun, was full of teaching,
social work, and receiving knowledge.

Allah gifted him a most ample share from the essence of the Prophetic inheritance. Thus he followed
the path of his fathers and predecessors with enabling grace and help from Allah, Most Exalted, until
the traces of that inheritance in carrying the banner of da’wah (calling to Allah) appeared when he
settled in East Africa. His da’wah encompassed East Africa’s valleys and highlands, and by Divine
Providence, his great efforts bore great fruits. He started schools and institutes of knowledge to fight
ignorance and illiteracy. He founded mosques wherein the Name of Allah was remembered and life
was given to the Quranic verse {Who speaks better than someone who calls people to God, does
what is right, and says, ‘I am one of the Muslims’?}. Habib Ahmad journeyed constantly into the
forests and jungles. He also strove to reconcile people. From the greatest fruits of his dawah efforts
in East Africa was the Islam of tens of thousands of people at his hands.

Habib produced a collection of books and essays that have enriched Islamic scholarship. His books
include: ‘Miftah al-Janna,’7 ‘as-Subha ath-Thamina fi Nadhm as-Safina,’ ‘al-Misk al-Fa`ih fi Ahkam as-
Sayd wadh-Dhaba`ih,’ an essay on recording the Prophetic sunna, and an essay on the prohibition of
literally interpreting the Majestic Qur`an. He also left behind a collection of Friday sermons, exegesis
of Qur`anic verses, letters, and a diwan of poems.

Our Master the Imam, Allah’s mercy be upon him, journeyed through a life filled with toil and
difficulty. It was an onerous journey until he responded to his Lord’s call and joined the Highest
Companion on a Wednesday evening corresponding to 14th Rajab, 1416 AH. May Allah the Exalted
have mercy upon him, sanctify his noble secret, illuminate his lofty grave, and aid us from his
blessings, lights and secrets. Ameen, O Lord of the worlds!

(This blessed counsel and biography of our Master al-Habib Ahmad Mashhur al-Haddad was copied
from the book, ‘al-Imam ad-Da’iya al-Habib Ahmad Mashhur al-Haddad.’ The author, Habib’s son, al-
Habib Hamid, Allah’s mercy be upon him, said, “I have conveyed some of this counsel non-verbatim
without detracting from what was intended.”)

7
Key to the Garden
 ‫وأتوب إليه‬
ُ ‫العظيم‬
َ ‫هللا‬
َ ‫واستغفر‬
ُ * ً ‫س ِلِّ ْم ت َسليما‬ ِّ ‫ي ِ األ ُ ِّم‬
َ ‫ي ِ وعلى آ ِل ِه و‬ َ ‫اللُّه َّم‬
ِّ ِّ‫ص ِِّل على َسيِّدِنا ُم َح َّم ٍد ال َّن ِب‬
Allāhumma ṣalli 'alā Sayyidinā Muḥammad in-Nabiyy il-Ummiyy wa 'alā ālihi wa sallim taslīman wa
Astaghfirullāh al-'Aẓīm wa atūbu Ilayhi

O Allah! Bestow blessings and total peace on our Master Muhammad the Primordial Prophet, and on
his family, and I beg forgiveness of Allah, The Incomparably Great, and turn to Him repentant.

We grant ijaza (permission) to whoever wants to recite this formula of prayers upon the Prophet,
peace and blessings be upon him, 100 times daily.
Fatiha by al-Habib Ahmad Mashhur al-Haddad (may Allah be pleased with him)

َ‫االع َما ِل َوال ِع َيا ِل فِي ال َحا ِل َواإلستِق َبا ِل َواَ َّن هللا‬
َ َ ‫حوا ِل َو‬
َ َ‫ح اال‬
ِ ‫ص ََل‬ ِ ‫الفَاتِ َحة ِبالقَبُو ِل َو‬
َ ‫اإلق َبا ِل َو‬
‫س َعادَةِ َويَرفَع َعن‬ ِ ُ‫جح َوالن‬
َ ‫صح َوال‬ ِ ‫صفَ َحات اَي‬
ِ ُ‫َّامنَا و َم َجا ِلسنَا ِبال ِع ِلم َوال ِعبَادَةِ َويَختِ ُم َها ِبالن‬ َ ‫يُزَ ِين‬
ِ ‫الملك َوالملَ ُكو‬
‫ت‬ ِ ‫صن ِع ِه في‬ َ ‫ت َحتَى تُشَاهِد‬
ُ ‫ع َجائب‬ ِ ‫ظ ِة ال َجبَ ُرو‬ َ ‫قُلُو ِبنَا ِغش‬
َ ‫َاوةَ الغَفلَ ِة َعن ُم ََل َح‬
‫اطنِ َها‬ ِ ‫ظ َواهِر االُ ُم‬
ِ َ‫ور ِمن ب‬ َ ‫عقُو ِلنَا ِلن ََرى‬
ُ ‫ارنَا َو َم َواقِف‬
ِ ‫ص‬َ ‫ارح اَب‬
ِ ‫ط‬َ ‫ص ُرنَا ِب َم َواقع اَقدَ ِامنَا َو َم‬
ِ َ‫َويُب‬
‫الحدثَان َويَك ِفينَا‬ ُ ‫العرفَان َويُ َؤ ِمنَّا ِمن ن ََوائب‬
ِ ‫صروف‬ َ َ‫سنَا ُحلَّةَ الت‬
َ ‫قوى َو‬ ِ َ‫َوحقَّ َها ِمن ب‬
ُ ِ‫اط ِل َها َويُلب‬
‫ان بِ ََل ِمحنَة‬ َ ‫ان َويَختِ ُم لَنَا بِخَاتِ َم ِة ال‬
ِ ‫ش َهادَةِ َو ِاإلي َم‬ ِ ‫س‬ ِ ‫ان َويَجعَلُنَا ِمن َعبِي ِد‬
َ ‫اإلح‬ ِ ‫ش ََّر فِتَ ِن اَ ِخ ِر الزَ َم‬
َ ‫ص َّل هللاُ علَي ِه َواَ ِل ِه َو‬
‫سلم‬ َ ‫َو َال إِمتِ َحان َوإلى َح‬
َ ِ ‫ضرةِ النَبِي‬

al-Fātiḥa bil-qabūl wal-iqbāl wa ṣalaḥil-aḥwāl wal-a’māl wal-i’yāl fil-ḥāl wal-istiqbāl wa annaLlaha

yuzayyin ṣafaḥāt ayāminā wa majālisinā bil-’ilmi wal-’ibāda wa yakhtimuhā bin-nujḥi wan-nuṣ-ḥi
was-sa’āda wa yarfa’ ‘an qulūbinā ghishāwat al-ghafla ‘an mulāḥaẓatil-jabarūt ḥatā tushāhid ‘ajā`ib
ṣun’ihi fil mulki wal malakūt wa yubaṣṣirunā bi mawāqi’i aqdāmina wa matāriḥi abṣārinā wa
mawāqif ‘uqūlinā li narā ẓawāhir al-umūr min bātinihā wa ḥaqqahā min bātilihā wa yulbisunā ḥullat
at-taqwā wal-’irfān wa yuamminnā min nawā`ib ṣurūf al-ḥidthān wa yakfīnā sharra fitani ākhiriz-
zamān wa yaj’alunā min ‘abīdil-iḥsān wa yakhtimu lanā bi khātimatish-shahādati wal-īmān bilā
miḥnatin walā imtiḥān wa ilā ḥadratin-Nabi ṣall Allahu ‘alayhi wa ālihi wa sallam

al-Fatiha that Allah accepts us and turns to us; rectifies our states, actions and family, now and in the
future; that Allah adorns the records of our days and our gatherings with knowledge and worship,
and seals them with success, good advice and felicity; that He lifts from our hearts heedlessness that
veils observation of the Realm of Majestic Power (Jabarut), such that they witness the marvels of His
creation in the Realm of the Corporeal (Mulk) and the Angelic Realm (Malakut); that He illuminates
our paths, our sight and our minds, so that we perceive beyond the outward aspects of matters and
distinguish reality from falsehood; that He clothes us in the robes of reverential awe of Him and
gnosis; that He safeguards us from the vicissitudes of fate and shields us from the evil of the trials at
the End of Times; that He makes us His virtuous servants; that He seals our lives with faith, (such
that) our endings are with the shahada, free from severe trial or tests. And unto the Presence of the
Prophet ‫ﷺ‬