Man of Many Splendours - Hardcover

Title: Man of Many Splendours - Hardcover
Author: Mostafa al-Badawi
ISBN: 9780952085393
Publisher: IV Publishing (UK)

A vivid and detailed portrait of Habib Ahmad Mashhur al-Haddad, the great 20th century Ba-Alawi scholar and saint whose influence in many parts of East Africa was so profound that he was considered the Renewer (Mujaddid) of Islam.

An equally great and famous Saint of the 13th century CE, Shaykh Abu al-Abbas al-Mursi, the direct successor at the head of the Shadhili Sufi Order of Shaykh Abu al-Hasan al-Shadhili, said, “Know that whomever God chooses to make a summoner to Him He must make known to His servants, for only then will he be able to call them to Him. He will then clothe him in boch majesty and splendour.”

Mashhur means famous and Habib Ahmad did indeed become exceptionally famous. His presence was imposing, yet at the same time, because of his engaging and affectionate manners, quite soothing. His knowledge was awesome. He was truly a man of many splendours.

To compile this account, Dr. Mostafa al-Badawi drew on the numerous verbal and written accounts he lad been collecting over the years from those who had known Habib Ahmad closely, his own personal experience, Habib Ahmad’s writings, letters and poems, and the many recordings of his discourses.

Dr. Badawi is one of the leading contemporary translators of Islamic books from Arabic to English and has authored several books in Arabic. In addition, he has translated from the original Arabic into English several of Imam Abdallah ibn Alawi al-Haddad's works, including The Book of Assistance, The Lives of Man, Gifts for the Seeker, Wisdom and Knowledge, Good Manners, and Mutual Reminding. He also translated into English Habib Ahmad al-Haddad's Key to the Garden as well as Shaykh Abd al-Khaliq ash-Shabrawi's Degrees of the Soul.