Imam al-Haddad

Abdullah ibn Alawi ibn Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Haddad (1044-1132 AH / 1634-1720 CE) was a Ba'Alawi scholar, Sufi master, and one of the greatest spiritual figures of Hadhramaut, Yemen. Born in Tarim, Hadhramaut, into the distinguished Alawide sayyid lineage (descendants of the Prophet ﷺ through Imam al-Husayn), he lost his eyesight as a child due to illness but compensated with an extraordinary inner development.

Al-Haddad studied under the leading scholars and Sufi masters of Tarim and became a recognized master of the Shadhili-Alawi Sufi path — the distinctive spiritual tradition of Hadhramaut that emphasizes love of the Prophet ﷺ, continuous remembrance (dhikr), and adherence to the Sharia. He became one of the most important figures in the history of this tradition.

His works are among the most widely read in Islamic spirituality. His Nasaih ad-Diniyyah wal-Wasaya al-Imaniyyah (Religious Counsels and Admonitions of Faith) is a collection of spiritual counsels. His al-Hikam (Spiritual Aphorisms) are profound meditations on the spiritual life. His Wird al-Latif (The Gentle Litany) is one of the most widely recited wird (litanies of remembrance) in the Muslim world to this day.

Al-Haddad's teaching spread from Tarim across the Indian Ocean world — to East Africa, India, and Southeast Asia — through the extensive Hadrami diaspora network. He is known as the Qutb (spiritual pole) of his era in the Ba'Alawi tradition. He passed away in Tarim in 1132 AH and is buried there. His spiritual writings and his wird continue to be recited by millions across the Muslim world.