Overview

Risalatul Mu’awanah (the Book of Assistance) by Imam Al Haddad is a collection of counsels of a person’s (inward) journey to Allah.  Revolving around the Qur’an and Sunnah, it deals with topics such as “Niyyah” (Intentions), “Dhikr” (Remembrance) and “Tafakkur” (Contemplation), making it an essential manual for all Muslims to have in our present and troubled times.

About the author:

Imam Abdullah bin Alawi Al-Haddad (d. 1132 AH / 1720 CE)

The lineage of Imam Al Haddad trace back to our beloved prophet (may blessings and peace be upon him, and his family) through Imam al-Husayn, and is considered by many to be the renewer of the 12th Islamic century. He authored a number of books which continue to benefit people generation after generation. His works are clear and concise and thus suitable for our times. Several have been translated into English and other languages. Imam Al-Haddad recognised the signs of his times and of the times to come, and observed how people were drawing away from religion, exhibiting a reluctance to study and a diminishing inclination to seek spiritual growth. He, therefore, endeavoured to produce concise, clear, and uncontroversial texts. His concern for brevity is manifest throughout his books, many of which are abbreviated adaptations of Imam al-Ghazali’s monumental Revival of the Religious Sciences (Ihya ‘Ulum al-Din). Ghazali had himself been the renewer of the sixth century.

Course Structure – How students will be taught:

The book will be divided into four parts and only the first part would be taught in this course.  Lessons will be structured to last between 45-60 minutes over a period of about 15-20 sessions.  The class is open to both brothers and sisters. The book will be interpreted and explained directly from its original Arabic so that a fuller, and a more complete, understanding of the text can be achieved.  Active discussions will be encouraged to help absorb and contextualise the contents, making it easier for its practical application. Prospective students will be expected to make their own (brief) notes on key points of the lesson as emphasis, at this stage, is placed more upon the correct understanding of this science (in a “semi-traditional” setting), rather than on note-taking. There will be no examination on this course.

Topics covered

Chapter 1: On “Yaqeen” (Certainty) and “Imaan” (Faith) – Its meanings, implications and how it’s strengthened.

Chapter 2: On “Niyyah” (Intention) & “Ikhlaas” (Sincerity).

Chapter 3: On “Muraaqabah” (Vigilance) – the station of “Ihsan” (Spiritual Excellence).

Chapter 4: On rectifying the “inner” (self/heart) and the “outer” (action/form).

Chapter 5+: On “the organisation of time” with specific acts of devotion:

• On the “outer form” of Salah (prayer) and its “inward reality”.
• On the etiquettes of reciting the Qur’an.
• On “beneficial knowledge”.
• On “Dhikr” (Remembrance).
• On “Tafakkur” (Contemplation).