al-Latifiyyah (Gentleness and Kindness) - Sidi Muhammad ibn al-Habib ash-Shadhili ق
Al-Latifiyyah (Gentleness and Kindness) is from the Noble Wirid of the Shaykh and Gnostic of Allah , Sayyidi Muhammad ibn al-Habib al-Amghari al-Idrisi al-Hasani ash-Shadhili ق.
Sidi Muhammad ibn al-Habib, may Allah be pleased with him, was born circa 1871 CE in Fez. He received a traditional education in fiqh and the sciences of Islam, Iman and Ihsan. He was Maliki in fiqh, Ash’ari in ‘aqida and Darqawi-Shadhili in tariqa. Describing himself, he said:
“Allah, may He be exalted said: ‘As for the blessing of your Lord – declare it.’ So let Muhammad ibn al-Habib, al-Amghari al-Hasani by lineage, dwelling in Fez, the poor slave of his Master, yet enriched by Him with other-than-Him, declare, in speaking of Allah’s blessing, that idhn (authorisation) has come to him from Allah and the Messenger of Allah and all the awliya’ of Allah, and that Allah has singled him out with sciences and secrets which only the unique man of Muhammad possesses.”
He passed on, may Allah have mercy on him, in 1391/1972 while on the way to Hajj, and is buried in his zawiya in Meknes.
اللَّطِفِيَّة
al-Latifiiyah (Gentleness and Kindness)
سيدي محمد ابن الحبيب الشاذلي
Sidi Muhammad ibn al-Habib ash-Shadhili
أَلَا يَا لَطِيفُ يَا لَطِيفُ لَكَ اللُّطْفُ
فَأَنْتَ اللَّطِيفُ مِنْكَ يَشْمَلُنَا اللُّطْفُ
1. O Laṭīf! O Laṭīf! Is not Kindness Yours!
For You are al-Laṭīf! Your Kindness envelops us!
لَطِيفُ لَطِيفُ إِنَّنِي مُتَوَسِّلٌ
بِلُطْفِكَ فَالْطُفْ بِي وَقَدْ نَزَلَ اللُّطْفُ
2. (O) Laṭīf, Laṭīf, truly I am one beseeching You by Your Kindness
to grant me Your Kindness, and Your Kindness descends!
بِلُطْفِكَ عُذْنَا يَا لَطِيفُ وَهَا نَحْنُ
دَخَلْنَا فِي وَسْطِ اللُّطْفِ وَانْسَدَلَ اللُّطْفُ
3. In Your Kindness, we have taken refuge, O Laṭīf, and here we are entering
the centre of Your Kindness, and Your Kindness comes down!
نَجَوْنَا بِلُطْفِ اللهِ ذِي اللُّطْفِ إِنَّهُ
لَطيفُ لَطِيفُ لُطْفُهُ دَائِم ُاللُّطْفُ
4. We have been freed by the Kindness of Allah, the Possessor of Kindness,
truly He is Laṭīf, Laṭīf, and His Kindness is always Kindness!
أَلَا يَا حَفِيظُ يَا حَفِيظُ لَكَ الْحِفْظُ
فَأَنْتَ الْحَفِيظُ مِنْكَ يَشْمَلُنَا الْحِفْظُ
5. O Ḥafīz, O Ḥafīz! Is not Protection Yours?
For You are al-Ḥafīz and Your Protection envelops us!
حَفِيظُ حَفِيظُ إِنَّنَا نَتَوَسِّلُ
بِحِفِظِكَ فَاحْفَظْنَا وَقَدْ نَزَلَ الْحِفْظُ
6. (O) Ḥafīz, Ḥafīz, truly we are beseeching You by Your Protection
to grant us Your Protection, and Your Protection descends!
بِحِفْظِكَ عُذْنَا يَا حَفِيظُ وَهَا نَحْنُ
دَخَلْنَا فِي وَسْطِ الْحِفْظِ وَانْسَدَلَ الْحِفْظُ
7. In Your Protection, we have taken refuge, O Ḥafīz, and here we are entering
the centre of Your Protection, and Your Protection comes down!
نَجَوْنَا بِحِفْظِ اللهِ ذِي الْحِفْظِ إِنَّهُ
حَفِيظُ حَفِيظُ حِفْظُهُ دَائِمًا حَفِيظُ
8. We have been freed by Allah’s Protection, the Possessor of Protection,
truly He is Ḥafīz, Ḥafīz, and His Protection is always Protection!
بِجَاهِ إِمَامِ الْمُرْسَلِينَ مُحَمَّدٍ
فَلَوْلَاهَ عَيْنُ الْحِفْظِ مَا نَزَلَ الْحِفْظُ
9. By the honor of the Leader of the Messengers, Muhammad,
Were he not the spring of Protection, Protection would not descend!
عَلَيْهِ صَلَاةُ اللهِ مَا قَالَ مُنْشِدٌ
أَلَا يَا حَفِيظُ يَا حَفِيظُ لَكَ الْحِفْظُ
10. Upon him be blessings as long as those who chant his blessings say:
O Ḥafīz, O Ḥafīz, is not Infinite Protection Yours?
