On Saturday 14th January, Shaykh Hammad Mustafa al-Madani al-Qadri addressed hundreds of attendees of the second installment of webinar series titled 'The Modern Times and Historic Ways'. The topic of this two-part seminar was “Sufism in the 21st Century”. The discourse was streamed live on various social media platforms viewed and tuned in by thousands.

The seminar was formally started by recitation of the Holy Qur’an by brother Awais-ul-Rahman Saqib from MYL Norway and then succeeded by brother Saif Shahbaz who welcomed the participants.

The session comprised of the following:
(1) Defining Sufiism and its applicability in the modern age.
(2) Debunking certain allegations and viewpoints that are aimed at the followers of Sufiism. By challenging this we can get clarity on tasawwuf.
(3) An academic critique of orientalist scholars on the origin of the science of tasawwuf.
(4) A discourse on Imām ʿAbd al-Raḥmān al-Sulamī’s Jawāmiʿ Adāb al-Ṣūfiyya (A Collection of Sufi Rules of Conduct).

Whilst addressing the issue of Sufiism’s applicability in this day and age, Shaykh Hammad Mustafa said that despite studying, working, and climbing the social ladder in education and professional life, one can become a traveller on the path of tasawwuf with the right approach, right state of mind and right condition of the Heart.

He further emphasised the message of the Qur’anic injunction of [24:27] in which Allah the Almighty says that if we keep remembering Him in our hearts, we will remain unaffected by distractions of trade and business. There are certain people in this world who live their lives way better than us, who engage with their families and friends and work, yet they are not distracted, and their hearts remain in the remembrance of Allah. We must therefore assess the way we are living our lives.

Shaykh Hammad proceeded to highlight that taṣawwuf is about remaining in this world by facing the challenges and struggles of our lives. Our Hearts must remain steadfast in trust in Allah and not waiver from the remembrance of Allah ﷻ, regardless of joy or difficulties. These people, mentioned in the verse above, live much like us. They sit with us, but we may never recognise them. Even in the trials and tribulations of their lives, their heart never loses its attachment from Allah ﷻ. This is the core of practicing tasawwuf; the equation we must adhere to and practice in our lives.