Salaams -
One question for Sidi Gibril Haddad: Is participating in hadra with non-mahrams (literally holding hands with opposite genders) permissible or apprehended in our path?
I will eagerly anticipate your response. But let me give you little background to my question. Back in April of 2008 Shaykh Hisham visited Southern California. An event was organized on April 19th at the Muslla Tauhid in Los Angeles with the Village Lutheran Church and Ahavat Torah Jewish congregation and Shaykh Hisham was the keynote speaker, after the talk Shaykh Hisham invited all of the attendees to enjoy the Sufi music (which is fine) and after that to join the hadra. The hadra consisted of male and females along with each other holding hands and all this happened in front of Shaykh Hisham….Not only I witnessed it but many of the other attendees (non-mureeds) who out of immense respect for Shaykh Hisham came to attend his talk. However, witnessing such a behavior totally turned all of us off. How long will this go on? will not anyone apprehend such public behavior? which to my limited knowledge this is totally contrary to the Sunnah of our beloved Messenger (SWS) and the Shairah in general. I know you have spend some time with the light of of our times, Shaykh Muhammad Al-Yaqoobi (May Allah Preserve and Sanctify his soul) would he approve of such acts during the pur practice of hadra?
Response from Gibril Fouad Haddad about his Shaykh!
Salam alaykum,
One time Mawlana Shaykh Nazim was being driven through the streets of East Beirut (Christian area) at night, it was Christmas time. The streets and buildings were decked with lights, Christmas trees, etc. Someone else in the car, looking at all these signs, said: “Al-Hamdulillah!” meaning thank Allah we’re Muslims and not kuffar like them. Right away Mawlana Shaykh Nazim turned and said to him: “La tatakabbar” i.e. don’t be proud; whereupon the speaker immediately said Tawba.
Truly the Hadra has an immense status and honor; but a human being who is being called to worship Allah Most High and being led out of the mire of bad habits through a pious gathering has more status and honor yet. If this is the way some Lutheran and Jewish men and women will understand it, then would that I had been one of them and taken shahada at that time, thanks to a Friend of Allah who met me all the way without a speck of pride in his heart. May Allah sanctify his secret and raise him higher.
Response from Rasul-ullah (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam)
Sayyidina Ma'qil ibn Yassar (RA) narrated that the prophet (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) said, "It is better for you to be stabbed in the head with an iron needle than to touch the hand of a woman who is to permissible to you." [At-Tabarani]
