Emphasis on Faith and Brotherhood During Habib Ömer bin Hafiz’s Visit to IIKV

The Yemeni scholar Habib Omar bin Hafiz visited our foundation.

Habib Omar bin Hafiz, one of the most influential and beloved scholars of the Islamic world, visited the Istanbul Foundation for Science and Culture. Ranked first in 2024 on the annual list of the “500 Most Influential Muslims” and still among the top three, Habib Omar is one of the foremost figures of the community of Sayyids, descendants of Hz. Hüseyin, and is also the current sheikh of the Bâ Alevî Tarikatı, a Sufi order in the Ahl al-Sunnah tradition. Thousands of students trained at Darü’l-Mustafa, the madrasa Habib Omar founded in 1993 in the Yemeni city of Tarim, where he has devoted his life to teaching Islamic sciences and conveying the truths of faith, now lead Muslim communities across the world, from Indonesia to America and from South Africa to England.

Habib Omar’s visit to our foundation began after the noon prayer with a tour of the small exhibition of handwritten Risale-i Nur manuscripts housed at our foundation. Said Yüce, chair of our foundation’s Board of Trustees, briefed Habib Omar on the 13th Bediuzzaman Symposium, held on 4–6 October 2026. Expressing his pleasure, Habib Omar recalled the hadith that the reform of the Ummah comes about through the reform of its rulers and scholars. Following a brief discussion on the continuation of the spiritual caliphate of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) through the Ahl al-Bayt, Yüce quoted Bediuzzaman’s words on the Risale-i Nur path being the path of the Ahl al-Bayt, and passages from the Risale-i Nur on the importance of love for the Ahl al-Bayt were read. Listening with interest to these treatises, Habib Omar recited the hadith, “I am the city of knowledge, and Ali is its gate,” and said, “Bediuzzaman entered the city of knowledge through its gate,” expressing his appreciation by adding, “These are words reserved for the elect among the people of truth.”

Afterwards, Yüce briefly introduced the activities of the Istanbul Foundation for Science and Culture and spoke about Bediuzzaman Hazretleri’s principle of “positive action” and his service aimed at allowing faith to take root directly in hearts rather than seeking political power. After Habib Omar described this as “the way of the prophets,” Yüce underscored that the Istanbul Foundation for Science and Culture, which follows the same path, aims through its work to offer a remedy for unbelief and failure to recognise Allah—the greatest danger facing humanity. Having listened attentively to our foundation’s activities, Habib Omar also gave a lesson from Bediuzzaman Hazretleri’s work entitled “Uhuvvet Risalesi.” At the end of the meeting, Santiago Abdullah Salah, a Muslim convert of Colombian origin who works at IIKV, and American Associate Professor Dr. Mona Hassan, who was in Istanbul for research, shared their thoughts on Habib Omar’s visit. Dr. Hassan briefly spoke about works in Istanbul’s libraries that document the historical ties between Yemen and Istanbul. Following this wonderful gathering, which was marked by feelings of brotherhood and love, Habib Omar, to whom we presented the Arabic translation of the Risale-i Nur Collection, and the staff of our foundation proceeded together to Topkapı Palace, where they visited the sacred relics with prayers and blessings upon the Prophet.