Wisdom of the Hadhrah

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

Dr. Jibril Fu’ad Haddad wrote, on his website, “Living Islam”, regarding the hadhrah.  What is the wisdom of performing the hadhrah with bodily movements?  This is the same wisdom as the words of the Prophet (s.a.w.) to the Abyssinians who displayed themselves through certain choreographed movements in the Prophetic Mosque in Madina during ‘Iyd: “Jump, O Banu Arfada!” while Sayyidatina ‘Aishah bint Abi Bakr (r.a.) was watching with his permission.  Imam Muhammad ibn Muslim ibn Shihab az-Zuhri (r.a.) narrated it in his Swahih, Kitab asw-Swalat al-‘Idayn from Sayyidatina ‘Aishah (r.a.) herself. 

Shaykh Muhammad al-Hasan ibn ‘Alawi al-Maliki (q.s.) said, in his book on the celebration of the Mawlid, titled Hawl al-Ihtifal bi Dzikri al-Mawlid an-Nabawi ash-Sharif, “There is no doubt that such singing, dancing, reciting of poetry, and banging the drum was for joy at being with the Prophet (s.a.w.) nor did he condemn or frown upon such displays in any way whatsoever.  These are common displays of happiness and lawful merriment.  Similarly, to stand up at the mention of the birth of the Prophet (s.a.w.) is an ordinary act that shows love and gladness symbolising the joy of Creation.” 

In “Key to the Garden”, Habib Ahmad Mashhur ibn Thaha al-Haddad (q.s.), commented on the verse: 

سُوۡرَةُ الزُّمَر

... تَقۡشَعِرُّ مِنۡهُ جُلُودُ ٱلَّذِينَ يَخۡشَوۡنَ رَبَّہُمۡ ثُمَّ تَلِينُ جُلُودُهُمۡ وَقُلُوبُهُمۡ إِلَىٰ ذِكۡرِ ... (٢٣) 

… the skins of those who fear their Lord tremble thereat; then their skins and their hearts do soften to the celebration of Allah’s Praises ... (Surah az-Zumar:23) 

He said, “The ‘softening of the heart’ consists in the sensitivity and timidity that occur as a result of nearness and tajalli.  Sufficient is it to have Allah (s.w.t.) as one’s intimate companion!  As for the ‘softening of the skin’ this is the ecstasy and swaying from side to side which result from intimacy and manifestation, or from fear and awe.  No blame is attached to someone who has reached this rank if he sways and chants, for in the painful throes of love and passion he finds something which arouses the highest yearning.” 

He continued, “The exhortation provided by fear and awe brings forth tears and forces one to tremble and be humble. These are the states of the righteous believers when they hear the Speech and dzikr of Allah (s.w.t.).  ‘Their skins tremble’, and then soften with their hearts and incline to dzikr of Him, as they are Covered in serenity and dignity, so that they are neither frivolous, pretentious, noisy, or ostentatious.  Allah (s.w.t.) has not Described them as people whose sense of reason has departed, who faint, dance, or jump about.”