In reality, he was upon the path of extreme humility, relying only on the mercy and favour of Allah. He would only make such remarks when overcome with spiritual enrapture. One such example was when he was asked by his student: “Is it possible for one to reach the rank of Shaykh Abd ul-Qadir Jilani?” Habib Umar replied, “I am like him, and like him, and like him,” repeating it twenty times. On occasion, Habib Umar al-Attas himself would unintentionally reveal his rank, when overcome by spiritual states. He is the greatest in concealing secrets, subduing the ego, in humility, preferring obscurity and turning away from the people, but no one knows him because most of his perfections are hidden, and no one will be drawn towards him except for those of understanding and spiritual insight.” He described him further saying, “This Sayyid is a testament to uprightness and the true rank of slavehood (ubudiyya). He replied, “I, Shaykh Ali Ba Ras and Shaykh Muhammad Ba Mashmus are from his works!” He also said, “When I visited Habib Umar bin Abd ar-Rahman al-Attas, I saw that he embodied everything of his predecessors all the way to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Imam Abdallah bin Alawi al-Haddad, who was from among his students, was asked “Are there any authored works or poetry attributed to Habib Umar?”. Habib Umar al-Attas replied, “If they had looked at me in the way that you look at me, I would have taken them to Allah in an instant.” He would also say, “No one will come to us, except for those whom we will.” He said, “Were you to see what is in this Sayyid’s possession, you would lower your banners before him, bow your heads and both your spirits and bodies would yearn for him.” His most devoted student, Shaykh Ali Ba Ras expressed his concern to his teacher that not many people had truly benefitted from him. One of them was his Shaykh, Husain bin Abu Bakr bin Salim, who would proclaim his greatness when he was disregarded by the people due to his simple dress and blindness. Only the saints, blessed with spiritual unveiling, would recognise and pronounce his grandeur. Few were able to comprehend the magnitude of his rank during his lifetime. Habib was a man of great spiritual stature, although his commitment to remaining hidden and aversion to fame veiled his reality from the people. This miracle continued through the generations and Habib Umar is also said to have behaved in this miraculous way in the womb. It is said that while he was in his mother’s womb, she would hear him sneeze and praise Allah thereafter. The family name al-Attas, meaning ‘to sneeze’ comes from a miracle associated with Habib Umar’s grandfather, Aqil bin Salim.

He was raised by his father Abd ar-Rahman, who was also a saintly man. Habib Umar al-Attas was born in 1583 CE/992 AH in the village al-Lisk. The Maqam of Habib Umar al-Attas, the author of Ratib al-Attas About Ratib al-Attas

Ratib al attas latin pdf