RENOWNED Muslim jurist and scholar Fadila al-Shaykh al-Sayyid `Ali bin `Abd al-Rahman al-Hashimi al-Hasani – senior advisor to the president of Dawlat al-Imara al-`Arabiyya al-Muhtahida (United Arab Emirates), accompanied by a small delegation visited the Minhaj-ul-Quran International centre in London, United Kingdom on Saturday 8th November 2008.

The respected scholar told guests and listeners at the centre: Allah purified the Prophet through the process known in Islamic mysticism or Sufism as tazkiyya – purification and elevated the Prophet to the maqam – station that every relic associated with the Prophet became sanctified. Shaykh al-Sayyid `Ali said: “For this very reason Allah – the Most High said in al-Quran al-karim about our beloved Prophet ‘Truly you O Prophet are of a magnificent character.’”

Al-Sayyid `Ali said the entire creation praises the Prophet. He said: “Our belief is the Prophet is alive” and the entire centres of Minhaj-ul-Quran al-`Alamiyya are calling mankind towards this unique process of Tazkiyya – purification. Shaykh al-Sayyid `Ali told listeners: “The future of this illustrious din – way of life is dependent on whatever we obtain from Awliya and their respect”. Speaking in the Arabic language al-Sayyid `Ali said: “Dhikr al-Rasul wal Awliya – is the only unique source that will benefit us in the future of this life and in the hereafter.”

Speaking of ahl al-tasawwuf – the people of Islamic mysticism al-Sayyid `Ali said: “The ignorant are not aware of the haqiqa or reality of tasawwuf – Sufism. All of the righteous Imam’s of fiqh – jurisprudence were drunk with tasawwuf – spirituality. Those with little or no understanding criticise the Madhahib ahl al-Tasawwuf wal Ma`arifa – the schools of the people of Spirituality and Gnosticism.”

The learned al-Sayyid `Ali al-Hashimi had dinner with the organisation’s London branch chairman Ishtiaq Ahmad, the centres congregational prayer leader Imam Shaykh Muhammad Sadiq Qurayshi, Dr Zahid Iqbal chief organiser of Al-Hidayah – educational retreat programme for the youth, Mufti al-Shaykh Mujahid al-Chawdary of East London, secretary general Abass Aziz, Muhammad Muzzamil – the organisation’s youth co-ordinator, media secretary Asif Shakoor, and the organisation’s director of Foreign Affairs Dawud Hussayn al-Mashahadi.

His Excellency Shaykh al-Sayyid `Ali bin `Abd al-Rahman al-Hashimi’s unexpected visit to the United Kingdom came following a complaint regarding his health. The renowned scholar heralds a standing among the most notable senior scholars in the Islamic world. Shaykh al-Sayyid `Ali is known to have endorsed the sentiments and confirmed the statement of late Mufti al-Diyar al-Misriyya grand Mufti of Egypt Shaykh Hasanayn Muhammad al-Makhluf’s forward to the widely acclaimed book al-Mafahim al-Yajim an-Tusahhah authored by the late Muhadith of Hijaz 'al-Shaykh al-Sayyid Muhammad bin `Alawi al-Maliki' son of the teacher of Shaykh al-Islam Dr Muhammd Tahir-ul-Qadri, the late 'Muhadith al A'zam al-Shaykh as-Sayyid 'Alawi bin Abbas' al-Maliki al-Makki'

Report written by: Asif Shakoor, Minhaj ul Quran, London, United Kingdom