Translation:
Interviewer: People say that this is hypocrisy. That you pray for tawfiq (success) for the country’s leader.
Habib Ali: First of all, perhaps some are not clear on the meaning of the term ‘tawfeeq.’ They think it means to dominate and take control.
However tawfeeq means for Allah to guide him towards doing righteous acts in the land. That Allah helps him to carry out what pleases Allah.
Even for those who want another leader to take charge: do you really want to tear down the country just to prove your point?
This is not being a person of principle. In this case, you don’t really have the best interests of Islam or your country in your heart.
Or you don’t mind that Allah guides the leader towards reforming himself and the country, to walk the straight path and to heal the wounds in the country. Which of those do you prefer? This is where truth and falsehood become clear.
As for accusing me of Mudahana (appeasing rulers), it is my heart that chooses actions, and it is only Allah that sees insides the hearts.
Mudahana is when a person describes someone with a quality that he doesn’t have (overpraises him).
For example, a ruler that robs his own country, while we describe him as trustworthy, or a dishonest ruler that we describe as honest,
However, to make the dua “Oh Allah, guide the leader,” I will make this dua for Sisi.
I will make it for Abdullah bin Zayed, I will make it for Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz. For any one who leads Muslim lands.
That Allah gives them tawfiq to execute the responsibility given to them, so that Allah causes them to be a cause for their people’s joy.
Making dua for the leader for goodness, for justice, for the path of light, is essentially a dua for the people ruled by this man.
I forgive those who see this as a sort of ‘appeasement’ with corrupt leaders, who may have been thus been confused. I have now explained my position.
If the leader does something praiseworthy, then praise him, and speak well of his praiseworthy acts. Because this encourages his heart to do more good.
If he errs, if he does wrong, point out this wrong to him, but do not use this wrong as a cause to oppose him.
This is constructive criticism, a way to criticize so that you rectify the wrong.
As opposed to addressing this wrong in a way that causes enmity, and makes the leader feel that I am opposing him.
I don’t call him a criminal, a tyrant, or a failure. No, I tell him your action is wrong. Say it this way so you are helping him to correct the wrong.
Thirdly, sometimes events unfold in a way opposite to how we want them, and we may not understand it fully because we are not in leadership.
It may be that he is addressing something we are unaware of, because he is in a position of responsibility, and this is a fact that many may dislike, but it is a fact.
He is in a position of responsibility and sees the big picture. However, he should definitely act in a transparent manner with his people.
So either his wrong action is based on factors you are unaware of, or he is indeed wrong.
So tell him “I am not with you on this wrong but we are with you in rectifying this wrong, and we will help you.” This applies to any leader.
If the leader then continue to commit wrongs, then of course his people will not continue standing with him.
However, to those who voice complete opposition to the leader as some are now saying “Down with the next president!”
I ask them: Do you really want to build your country or tear it down?
Interesting note, Habib Ali also made dua for Morsi in 2012:
Jun 12, 2014 @ 21:25:16
“Even for those who want another leader to take charge, Do you really want to tear down the country just to prove this is not the right person?”
Al-Sisi has already torn the country down as he removed the elected leader.
“If he errs, if he does wrong, point his attention to this wrong, do not use this wrong as a cause to oppose him.”
(1) This statement makes it sound as if Al-Sisi made a simple mistake such as cutting food stamps … instead of murdering scores of people.
(2) He wasn’t the rightful leader when he made these “mistakes.”
Jun 13, 2014 @ 00:40:19
Make duaa for the martyrs that this tyrant killed, make duaa for the thousands languishing in prisons, then, make duaa for this man who swore to protect the democratically elected president, then used his power to back stab him.
Jun 13, 2014 @ 05:46:33
I don’t think Habib gets it. When he is making such a dua and using language that glorifies Sissy, he is, then, lending legitimacy to a leader of a military coup who “won” a farcical joke of an election!
Jun 14, 2014 @ 08:03:47
If Habib was honest, he would have prayed for Mursi. Habib is a deceiving liar trying to be a politician but failing miserably!
Aug 11, 2014 @ 05:14:06
That is simply not true. He made extensive dua for Morsi, too.
Aug 11, 2014 @ 05:46:13
This is simply untrue. Habib made a dua for Morsi too.
Jun 14, 2014 @ 08:42:24
Many scholars have made dua for the leaders. The effect of the dua can be profound. Look at Islamic history and the mongols. They were tyrants but when Allah guided them they became great Muslims so this change can happen to anyone. It happened to many sahabas included Hazrat Umar RA
Jun 14, 2014 @ 10:05:17
what does ‘standing for justice’ look like? everyone does it in their own way. Even Rasul Allah sal Allahu alayhi wasalam did it in his own way – and not in a way that people of today, quick to judge, would understand: when the Muslims were being tortured and persecuted, Rasul Allah sal Allahu alayhi wasalam did not make any public statements or even public dua for victory of the Muslims. This prompted Khabab ibn al Aratt, who was going through a lot of torture (his flesh was seared with burning hot stones so that he would smell the flesh and fat burning off his own body) to go to the Messenger peace be upon him when the Messenger was leaning against the Kaaba, and ask “Would you not pray for us, would you not ask Allah to give us victory?”
The Messenger peace be upon him sat up straight and his Blessed Face turned red – which would happen when he would be angry for the sake of God; he sal Allahu alayhi wasalam said: “A believer among those who were before used to be combed with iron combs that would separate the flesh and nerves from their bones, but they would never desert their religion. And they would bring one of them and place a saw on top of their heads and cut them into two halves and yet they would never give up their religion. In the Name of Allah, Allah will give His religion victory until a traveler will go from Sanaa all the way to Hadramout fearing no one but Allah.”
In essence, the Prophet peace be upon him was teaching us a profound lesson. would we have understood this at the time? or would we use our own beliefs about what we think a person of God ought to do/say in the face of injustice/oppression and how they should react to it – as we are doing now. Just think about this exchange between someone being oppressed, and the Prophet of God, peace be upon him. It needs a lot of contemplation.
Oct 11, 2014 @ 08:54:46
What a load of obfuscating crap!
Jul 12, 2014 @ 06:22:27
There was no such dua for Morsi. What Morsi got was a thinly veiled threat… Talking about the responsibility of being upright and staying away from the evil of his own self. No such reminder of the perils of leadership was present in Jifri’s obsequious ‘dua’ for the success of Sisi. Only gushing love for the great leader.
When it came to Morsi, he along with Salafi Burhami, Azhari Goma, were all guns blazing, constantly threatening and warning him to not dare step out of line. Sisi comes along, kills and imprisons left, right and centre, but all these ‘ulama’ become oh so understanding of the need to support the leader.
Utter hypocrisy. Anyone with half a brain can see through their slight of hand.
Aug 11, 2014 @ 05:26:53
This is simply untrue. Habib made a dua for Morsi too.
Aug 11, 2014 @ 05:23:42
This may be of interest:
https://www.facebook.com/habibalienglish/posts/606881036076484
Habib Al – Jifri English :
On recent comments made about Habib Ali’s prayer for Egypt’s new President.
Habib Ali wrote a dua for El-Sissi on the day of his inauguration. He also wrote one for Mohammad Morsi. A prayer cannot be equated to being an endorsement of the ruler or his policies. If this was the case then Habib Ali would be considered as having endorsed both Morsi and El-Sissi. Neither is true. The interpretation of the prayer by some segments of the community to mean support and endorsement returns back to their particular understanding of affairs in Egypt and not a fact.
Habib Ali’s role in politics, presently and in the past, has been to offer religious advice where and when necessary and required. His statements during Mohammad Morsi’s rule were directed at the ruling party’s usage of religion for political purposes. Similarly, when an Egyptian scholar publicly stated that it was an obligation (wajib) for a husband to divorce his wife if she is affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood Habib Ali publicly rebuked his statement and called it a ‘play with religion’. Habib Ali does not participate in the political process in any way, shape or form and does not comment on government policy. This has been the method of his teachers for centuries and continues until today.
A prayer for tawfiq is a prayer asking God to enable a ruler with the efficacy to do good and guide him towards doing that which pleases God. It is not asking God to give him power and dominance. Imams such as Qadi ‘Iyad, Abu Ja’far al-Tahawi, Ibn Hajar al-‘Asqalani and Fudhayl ibn ‘Iyad have expounded on this issue in their relative works. Furthermore, writing a prayer for a ruler does not negate the duty people have to bring a ruler’s mistakes to his attention. The manifestation of this duty differs according to the role each person has. An ordinary citizen, a scholar who has access to the ruler, a scholar who does not and a political figure from the opposition can not all respond in the same way when and if the goal is to rectify the mistake. Those with experience can appreciate the nuance. If the goal is to attack the personage of the ruler then there is no difference between them.
We wholly welcome constructive criticism, respectful disagreement and open discussion as long as it is based on fact and not baseless allegations or misinformed personal interpretation. We do not condone attacks on people’s integrity or prayers for their ruin. Religious representatives, teachers and students have a religious and moral obligation to check their sources before they cast an opinion upon a person’s character and deen. Their words have an impact on the umma and therefore they are a trust that should be closely guarded.
False allegations that Habib Ali turned a blind eye to events in Rabaa in August 2013 are a lie and we ask those who forged it and spread it to fear God. Habib Ali’s statement, issued on the same day it occurred, can be found at https://www.facebook.com/alhabibali/posts/612826942090623. He stated:
“To God we belong and to Him we shall return. The blood which has flowed today in Egypt pains the heart, be it the blood of our brothers and sisters protesting or our brothers in the police. I was told that two cousins died – one was a policeman and the other a sit-in protestor. They were from the same country, drank from the same lake, and ate from the same land. There are no winners in this calamity. ِBoth sides saw their actions as a necessity because they deemed their stance as correct. If the heart of any one of us is not hurt by the losses on both sides today then let them closely inspect the state of their hearts, the soundness of their humanity, the perfection of their faith and the wellness of their nature (fitra).” He closed his statement with the prayer, “Oh Allah, extinguish the fire of strife, that which is apparent from it and that which is hidden. Stem the shedding of blood and favour us with the purification of the souls which have been lost. Have mercy upon those who have passed to the abode of truth, let them be succeeded by righteous offspring and descend tranquility upon their spirits. By the comfort of Your gentleness wipe the tears of the mother whose pillow has become wet from her cries. Lord, do not let the blood that was shed invite more bloodshed, rather, let the pain felt by relatives of the lost ones be a means by which tribulation is lifted.”
May God have mercy upon the Prophet’s nation and aid the oppressed wherever they may be.
– Posted by Admin
Note: This statement was reviewed and approved by Habib Ali. He added: “This statement is enough of a clarification. Until when will we allow political wrangling and factionalism to divert us from our ultimate duty to carry on the call to God and His messenger, upon him be peace?”
Aug 11, 2014 @ 22:11:27
It has been reported by Al-Hakim from Jabir that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “The master of martyrs is Hamza bin Abdul-Muttalib and a man who stood to an oppressor ruler where he ordered him and forbade him so he (the ruler) killed him.”
Aug 12, 2014 @ 20:01:27
who are you to call shuyukh hypocrites.
Aug 17, 2014 @ 17:50:02
How about you pray for the 1000+ he killed on Raba? How about you condemn that?
Aug 18, 2014 @ 07:00:39
Basically we say that the Shaikh has been appeasing the tyrant ruler and is blatantly contradicting what Umar (ra) said. Does he claim to be more knowledgeable than Al Farooq?
” I will not calm down until I put one cheek of a tyrant on the ground, and the other under my feet. And for the poor and the weak I will put my cheek on the ground. ” – Umar Ibn Al Khattab
Aug 27, 2014 @ 22:10:08
Sorry but the issue isn’t simply this dua, which Migel explains in probably an accurate way. The Morsi dua was a form of a threat, the Sisi dua was almost a blessing, even after he clearly slaughtered Egyptian Muslims in the street, but just because Goma hates the MB and Jifri loves Goma, then Jifri takes a similar approach as Goma.
The real issue is as Muhammad Ghilan notes in his article, that Jifri spent one week with the Egyptian army for a week in May this year, which further lends Sisi and the Egyptian army legitimacy.
It’s very hard for many of us to hear but Habib Ali has really been questionable in Egypt, regardless of his inward intentions which we’ll never know, his outward actions are questionable. His credibility has taken a huge hit and it makes it hard to take anything from him any longer, since if he’s such a purified sheikh and ahlulbayt, surely he could distance himself from clear oppressive murderers such as Sisi.
Apr 06, 2015 @ 08:44:07
Please don’t insult the Shaykh his intentions are noble
Sep 16, 2016 @ 03:33:11
Any idea how to access the video? It seems to have been removed.