
The name ‘Alawi refers to the grandson of Sayyid Ahmad al-Muhajir Rahmatullahi ‘alaih , who was the first descendant of Hazrat Husain (عليه السلام) , Prophet Sayyidina wa Mawlana Muhammad al-Mustafa Sallallahu ‘alaihi wa Sallam grandson, to be born in Hadramaut and the first to bear such a name.

Although such personalities may not have political ambitions, having huge followings means that they always attract the suspicions of the caliphate.


Most descendants of Prophet Sayyidina wa Mawlana Muhammad al-Mustafa Sallallahu ‘alaihi wa Sallam known as sayyids enjoyed much followings due to their steep knowledge in Islam and its teachings, both esoteric and exoteric. In the early 4th Century Hijri at 318 H, Sayyid Ahmad al-Muhaajir bin Isa ar-Rumi bin Muhammad al-Naqib bin Ali al-Uraidhi ibn Ja’far al-Sadiq migrated from Basrah, Iraq first to Mecca and Medina, and then to Hadhramout, to avoid the chaos then prevalent in the Abbassid Caliphate, where descendants of Prophet Sayyidina wa Mawlana Muhammad al-Mustafa Sallallahu ‘alaihi wa Sallam were continuously being suspected of arson and revolt against the caliph. The name Ba’Alawi itself is a Hadhrami contraction of the terms Bani ‘Alawi or the Clan of ‘Alawi. The chain of ijazah of spiritual Sufi transmission from al-Faqih Muqaddam Sayyid Rahmatullahi ‘alaih traces back to the Prophet Sayyidina wa Mawlana Muhammad al-Mustafa Sallallahu ‘alaihi wa Sallam via Hazrat Ali (عليه السلام) and from him, his son Hazrat Husain (عليه السلام). The members of this Sufi way are mainly sayyids whose ancestors hail from the valley of Hadramaut, in the southern part of Yemen, although it is not limited to them. Hazrat Abu Madyan Rahmatullahi ‘alaih was a student of Hazrat Abdul Qadir Jilani Rahmatullahi ‘alaih, as well as one of the shaikhs in the Shadhiliya tariqa. He received his ijazah from Hazrat Abu Madyan Rahmatullahi ‘alaih in Morocco via two of his students. It was founded by Hazrat al-Faqih Muqaddam As-Sayyid Muhammad bin Ali Ba’Alawi al-Husaini Rahmatullahi ‘alaih, who died in the year 653 AH (1232 CE). The order is closely tied to the Ba’Alawi sadah family. The Ba’Alawi tariqa (Arabic: طريقة آل باعلوي), also known as the Tariqa Alawiyya is a Sufi order centered in Hadhramawt, Yemen, but now spread across the Indian Ocean rim along with the Hadhrami diaspora. Alhamdulillahi Wassalatu Wassalamu ‘ala Rasulillah
