Gatherings of Barakah: Celebrating the Awliya and Singapore’s Spiritual Heritage

Reflection on the Upcoming Haul and Majlis of Awliya in Singapore

Honouring the Awliya: Celebrating Singapore’s Living Spiritual Heritage

By Khalid Ajmain

Singapore — a modern nation of glass towers and glowing lights — still carries within it the subtle fragrance of remembrance. Amid the rhythm of city life, the echoes of dhikr continue to fill our mosques and homes, especially in these blessed weeks when majlis haul and mawlid gatherings return once more.

These sacred gatherings commemorate the lives of the ulama and awliya — the scholars and saints who illuminated the path to Allah through knowledge, humility, and love. For many decades, the haul of Habib Muhammad bin Salim al-‘Attas and other great awliya has been a light for Singapore, uniting hearts across generations.

🌙 The Continuity of Barakah in a Modern World

It is a sign of divine mercy that, despite our fast-paced and modern environment, these majlis remain alive. They remind us that while cities evolve, spiritual traditions endure. Our ancestors sowed seeds of love for the Prophet ﷺ and his awliya; through these gatherings, we water those seeds and keep their fragrance alive for the generations to come.

The haul is not merely an annual remembrance. It is a moment of return — to remember, reflect, and realign. In learning about the noble lives of the awliya, we rediscover our spiritual lineage and reconnect with the moral beauty that shaped our society.

🕌 The Roots of Spiritual Heritage in Singapore

The presence of these gatherings is deeply rooted in the history of Islam in the Malay Archipelago. The arrival of Hadhrami sayyids and scholars centuries ago brought not only religious knowledge but also refined adab, compassion, and spiritual depth.

Mosques such as Masjid Sultan, Masjid Khalid, Masjid Ba’alwie, and Masjid Abdul Razak became more than places of prayer — they became sanctuaries of learning, healing, and love. Through the guidance of the awliya, Islam grew in Singapore as a faith of beauty, tolerance, and mercy.

They taught us to live harmoniously within a multi-racial and multi-faith society, embodying the Qur’anic spirit of rahmah (mercy). Their da’wah was not through debate, but through gentleness — kindness to neighbours, honesty in trade, and sincerity in worship. Truly, they lived the Prophetic command: “Be a mercy to the worlds.”

💫 The Inner Call of the Majlis

To love the Prophet ﷺ and the awliya is also to know ourselves — to purify the heart from material distractions and turn inward toward Allah.

These gatherings teach us how to slow down. To take a step away from the rush of work, to sit humbly in circles of dhikr, and to breathe in the spiritual fragrance of remembrance.

Each moment spent in such majlis is a seed of barakah planted in the heart — nurturing taqwa, clarity, and divine connection.

In attending these majlis, we are reminded that spirituality is not about isolation but transformation — to become light for our families, compassion for our neighbours, and peace for our society.

🌸 A Season of Spiritual Blessings

This October, Singapore is adorned with light upon light — from Majlis Khatam al-Qur’an and Mawlidur Rasul celebrations to the haul of great luminaries such as:

• Habib Abdul Rahman & Habib Hamid Alkaff

• Habib Muhammad bin Salim al-‘Attas

• Habib Nuh bin Muhammad al-Habshi

• Sayyidatina Khadijah al-Kubra

• Shaykh Umar bin Abdullah al-Khatib

• Mawlana Abdul Aleem Siddique

and many others who continue to inspire generations.

Across the island, mosques and zawiyahs open their doors to seekers of light — each gathering a reminder that the spiritual heritage of this land still breathes.

🌿 Preserving the Light for Future Generations

To honour the awliya is to honour our past, but also to safeguard our future. These gatherings are not only for remembrance — they are renewal. They keep our hearts connected to the prophetic light, ensuring that our children will grow up knowing that Islam in Singapore is not just a faith of rituals, but of love, service, and inner beauty.

May Allah bless all those who organize, attend, and support these sacred gatherings.

May He allow us to inherit their sincerity, to walk in their footsteps, and to spread mercy wherever we go. And may the light of the Prophet ﷺ continue to illuminate Singapore, heart by heart, home by home.

For more details on the series of the events this week (poster Below)