IS CHILDHOOD:

In Ain Madhi, a small village located a few kilometers from Laghouat, in the Algerian desert, there was a humble traditional earthen dwelling. In this humble dwelling, lived a young wife who, in a corner of this house and with all the courage for which the women of this region are known, gave birth to a son that she named Ahmed. It is thus that in 1150 of the hegira (1737/38 ad) came into this world Seyyidina Ahmed Ibn Mohammed Ibn Mokhtar Tidjani (may ALLAH sanctify his precious secret).

This isolated place, far from the turmoil of the cities, had already been reputed for many years for its great scholars and their piety. The renowned Sheikh Abdallah i…
[9:27 AM, 9/24/2020] +234 802 541 3553: DAY 2 on the Biography of Sheikh Ahmed Tijani, may ALLAH be pleased with him

HIS QUEST

In 1171 of the hegira (1757/58 ad), at the age of 21, motivated by an unquenchable thirst, he left Ain Madhi for Fes, the famous city of knowledge and notably its renowned Mosque-University Qarawiyine.

This city was frequented by great masters and saints. Seyyidina Ahmed Tidjani (may ALLAH sanctify his precious secret) undertook to visit them in order to benefit from their spiritual teaching as well as their blessings (baraka). Indeed, He thought that frequenting Sufi Masters would be a means to perfect the demands of the Law, both exteriorly and interiorly. On this subject, he said (may ALLAH sanctify his precious secret): “Know that Sufism signifies conforming to the commandments, forsaking prohibitions, both exteriorly and interiorly, going as far as His Satisfaction and not stopping at your own.”

Day by day, the knowledge that he acquired from the Universty Masters increased. He attended all the circles of teaching in Quarawiyine and, in addition, he attended those held in other mosques and zawiya. He was particularly attracted to the knowledge of the Hadith. Later, he would say:
“Knowledge can be divided into four categories:

• Knowledge that hardens the heart: jurisprudence and rigidity towards it
• Knowledge that brings ostentation: this is knowledge of grammar and all things related
• Knowledge that brings renunciation of this world: this is the knowledge of history and all things related
• Knowledge that illuminates the heart: this is acquaintance with the Hadith (prophetic words) and all that derives from it.

Certain specialists also taught him the knowledge of the recitation of the Quran.

He had the ability to memorize everything he heard for the first time. In this way, he knew by heart many books of jurisprudence (Fiqh) entirely such as the Mukhtassar of Sheikh Khalil, the Tahdhib Al Baradha’I, and also the Sahih Boukhari, Muslim, and the Muwatta of the Imam Malik (may ALLAH be pleased with him) He also obtained all the diplomas (qualifications) giving him the right to teach all the Muslim knowledge of his time. However, his thirst was still not quenched. His endeavors, his fear of ALLAH, his modesty, his love for the truth and his aversion for the false demanded respect from all.

During these years, Sheikh (may ALLAH sanctify his precious secret) was affiliated to six different paths and met great awliya (saints) without, however, taking their paths.

Amongst the paths to which he was affiliated, was that of the famous well-known Pole and Hassani Sherif Mawlana Tayeb ibn Muhammad (may ALLAH be pleased with him) from Wazzan. He was, in fact, the first master that Seyyidina Ahmed Tidjani (may ALLAH sanctify his precious secret) encountered. When Seyyidina Ahmed Tidjani (may ALLAH sanctify his precious secret) made his acquaintance, he said: “I have heard that you have been blessed with a great gift.” Moulay Tayeb (may ALLAH be pleased with him) asked: “And what is it?” To which Seyyidina Ahmed Tidjani (may ALLAH sanctify his precious secret) replied: “He who sees you will enter Paradise.” Tayeb (may ALLAH be pleased with him) confirmed: “Yes indeed but I’m not the origin of this gift.” Seyyidina may ALLAH sanctify his precious secret asked him: “Who is the origin of it?” and he answered: “It is Sheikh Tha’labi. He who sees him and he who sees who has seen him, and he who sees he who has seen he who has seen him and this up to the 7th or the 8th or the 12th person, will enter Paradise. As for me, I saw he who has seen he who saw him.” So Seyyidina (may ALLAH sanctify his precious secret) said to him: “Testify for me that I saw you.” and Mulay Tayeb said: “I testify that you have seen me.” Later, Seyyidina (may ALLAH sanctify his precious secret) also received this gift personally, directly from the beloved Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) but it was even more complete.

Sidi Tayeb (may ALLAH be pleased with him) transmitted to him the tariqa Wazzaniya also called Taybiya Chadiliya which is a branch of Jazouliya. It has a large following in Morocco and Algeria and then spread to other areas towards Egypt. When Moulay Tayeb ibn Mulay Mohamed (may ALLAH be pleased with him) was raised to the position of Khilafa, the Tariqa Wazzania benefited from great notoriety to such an extent that it was renamed Tariqa Taybiya. He also gave to Seyyidina may ALLAH sanctify his precious secret the title of Muqaddam and so granted him the authorization for the litanies, but at that time he systematically refused this title because his elevated aspiration left him neither the time nor the desire to dedicate himself to it. He also encountered the knower Sheikh Ahmed Saqli (may ALLAH be pleased with him) who was one of the pillars of the Tariqa Khalwatiya, but Seyyidina Ahmed Tidjani (may ALLAH sanctify his precious secret) did not affiliate himself to his path. He said afterwards: “Later, I learnt that, in fact, he was a pole”.

In Fes, he also took the tariqa of Abdelqader Djilani (may ALLAH be pleased with them) through he who was giving the authorization for it there.

Then he took the Nassriya Tariqa from the Wali Muhammad ibn AbdAllah Tazani also known as “Rifi” (may ALLAH be pleased with him).

Also, in Fes, he took the path of the Pole of Sidi Ahmed El Habib ibn Muhammad (may ALLAH be pleased with him) also known as El Ghamary, from he who held the authorization. In addition, this great Pole, who had already passed on, came to Seyyidina Ahmed Tidjani (may ALLAH sanctify his precious secret) in a dream and gave him a Name to evoke.

In Taza, he also took the path of the Wali, the malamati Sidi Ahmed (may ALLAH be pleased with him) – dead in 1204 — who transmitted a Name to him saying: “You need retreat (khalwa), solitude and zikr and be patient until ALLAH grants you the (spiritual) opening because you are going to have an immense station.” Seyyidina (may ALLAH sanctify his precious secret) disagreed, so he (may ALLAH be pleased with him) said to him: « Stick to the practice of this zikr and be constant in it, without retreat nor solitude. Even this way, ALLAH will grant you the opening.”

Having assimilated, the teachings and the secrets of the great masters that he (may ALLAH sanctify his precious secret) met and attained the expected spiritual degrees, his thirst and desire for ALLAH (The Glorified, The Exalted) urged him ever further.

Certain great saints had announced that he would attain degrees that he was not expecting. This was the case during his meeting with the great Wali endowed by spiritual unveiling Sidi Muhammad ibn el Hassan el Wanjali (may ALLAH be pleased with him) – dead in 1185 — in Djebel Zabib. Even before Seyyidina Ahmed Tidjani (may ALLAH sanctify his precious secret) had said a word, he asserted that he would reach the same degree as Sidi Abu el Hassan Chadhili (may ALLAH be pleased with him), great Sheikh and Pole of his time, and then he revealed other secrets to him.

In Fes, one day, he met the Wali Sidi ‘Abdallah ibn Sidi ‘Arbi ibn Ahmed from Auled Ma’an el Andalussi (may ALLAH be pleased with him) – dead in 1188 — who was the Pole of the Tariqa Shadiliya. After talking with him and when they were about to take their leave, he exclaimed three times to Seyyidina (may ALLAH sanctify his precious secret): “ALLAH seizes by your hand!”

His departure from Fes was precipitated by a meeting with a Sheikh who was among the people endowed by the spiritual unveiling who encouraged him to return to his home town. He assured that his opening would only occur in that region of the desert. On the way, he halted at different zawiya and met numerous men of God. From Ain Madhi, he went to El Bayadh Sidi Sheikh where the famous Pole Abdelqader ibn Muhammad, descendant of Abu Bakr Siddiq (may ALLAH be pleased with him) and commonly known as Sidi Sheikh was buried. He stayed there for five years worshipping and teaching, occasionally going to Ain Madhi.

In 1181 of the hegira, when he was only 31 years old, he went to Tlemcen where he taught the exegeses and the hadith for several years, all the while dedicating himself to adoration and contemplation.

He was loved and respected by the scholars for the compliance of his acts together with his vast knowledge and wisdom.

To those who questioned him on the identity of the outstanding erudite who had transmitted such vast knowledge to him, he answered (may ALLAH sanctify his precious secret): « I did not receive this knowledge from one person alone but from all those that I have met.” His increasing notoriety and his brilliant prodigies drew a growing population towards him. Some came to benefit from his knowledge while others came to benefit from his blessings, considering him as a Sheikh. But he refused categorically any title or claim and blamed them for this, saying to them: “Note that we are equal regarding the mutual benefit. None has more merit than another and granting me the title of Sheikh is but a bad innovation.” Indeed, he feared the pretention of calling himself a Sheikh without beforehand having received the specific authorization.

Here in Tlemcen, Seyidina (may ALLAH sanctifiy his precious secret) saw the great Wali and Pole of his time, the Gawth Sidi Abu Madian (may ALLAH be pleased with him) in a dream in an assembly saying: “I will give whatever he requests to whoever gives me something.” He gave the impression of someone preparing to offer a banquet and who invited people to participate in the expenses. Seyyidina (may ALLAH sanctifiy his precious secret) said to him: “I will give you four mathaqil (currency unit) and guarantee me the Qutbaniya el ‘Oudhma”. He replied: “Yes, I give you my guarantee and you will not die before having received it.”

Seyyidina (may ALLAH sanctifiy his precious secret) went towards him to submit his payment but then he woke up. After sunrise, Seyyidina (may ALLAH sanctifiy his precious secret) went to the mausoleum of the Ghawth and on arrival said to him: “Master, here are forty Awqiya as I had promised you, I give them to you. However, I am going to give this money to the poor and the reward will be attributed to you.” He gave away the money to the destitute and one of them said: “I wanted to offer a wedding banquet but I had nothing. So yesterday, I implored the help of ALLAH through the intermediary of Sidi Abou Madian, and certainly this is his help, may ALLAH be satisfied with him.”

Another event would confirm this dream. Indeed, one day, Seyyidina (may ALLAH sanctifiy his precious secret) met a man well known for seeing spiritual entities in an awakened state, who told him what he wanted to know. Seyyidina (may ALLAH sanctifiy his precious secret) asked him: “I have hidden something in my heart, tell me what it is.”

The man questioned the Ruhani and they told him that Seyyidina (may ALLAH sanctifiy his precious secret) was referring to the Qutbaniyya. Then, he noticed the presence of somebody mysterious next to the spiritual entities. This stranger said to them disapprovingly: “Who permitted you to speak of this?” The Ruhani answered: “This request comes from him (Seyyidina)” The mysterious character retorted: “It is I who guaranteed this Qutbaniya to him in Tlemcen before his departure, and he will not die without having attained it. Do not intervene regarding this matter, neither you nor any other.” Actually, this stranger was Sidi Abou Madian el Ghawth (may ALLAH be pleased with him). The man who had the ability to speak to the spiritual entities had never seen Seyyidina before and did not know him.

In 1186 of the hegira, at the age of 36, after many endeavors, he felt the need to accomplish his pilgrimage and to visit the Master of Existence (peace and blessings be upon him). During his travel, he encountered other great figures such as Sidi Mohamad ibn ‘Abderahman el Azhari (may ALLAH be pleased with him) in the area of Zwawa, near Algiers, from whom he took the Khalwatiya-Rahmaniya path. This great Master who had a growing influence in all the Algerian regions, had himself taken it directly from the great Sheikh of the Khalwatiya, Sheikh Al Azhar, Sidi Sidi Mohamad ibn ‘Abderahman el Azhari (may ALLAH be pleased with him).

Then Seyyidina (may ALLAH sanctifiy his precious secret) continued his journey as far as Tunisia where he met certain Awliya including the Wali Abdsamad Rahaoui (may ALLAH be pleased with him), who was himself under the authority of the Pole of the region and Seyyidina requested to meet him. However, Sidi Abdsamad Rahaoui (may ALLAH be pleased with him) told him that the Pole met no one except four people. Sidi Rahaoui (may ALLAH be pleased with him) was counted among these four exceptions, but these meetings only took place during the nights of Mondays and Fridays. Seyyidina (may ALLAH sanctifiy his precious secret) gave him a gold coin (mahboub) to offer to the Pole on his behalf. In return, he received the good news that he was loved in the following terms: “He who is loved has sent a golden coin. (El Mahboub ba’atha-l-mahboub)”

In Tunisia, Seyyidina (may ALLAH sanctifiy his precious secret) saw the well beloved Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) who said to him: “Invoke to obtain the Knowledge, or whatever you desire and I will say “Amine” to your request.” So Seyyidina (may ALLAH sanctifiy his precious secret) invoked and the beloved Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said “Amine” (so be it). Then he recited the Sourate “Wa douha” and he reached the verse that states: “And your Lord will give you (all i.e. good)”, the well beloved Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) stared at Seyyidina (may ALLAH sanctifiy his precious secret) with his noble gaze and then completed the recitation of the Surate.

Seyyidina (may ALLAH be pleased with him) stayed for one year in Tunisia, between the towns of Tunis and Sousse. He taught diverse domains of Knowledge as well as the Hikam of Ibn ‘Ata ALLAH (may ALLAH be pleased with him). Ascertaining the extent of his knowledge, the Emir of Tunisia sent him a message requesting him to settle in Tunis to teach the noble knowledge and equally attend to religious matters. For this, he would provide a dwelling, a considerable salary and a professorship at the famous university of Zaiytuna.

When Seyyidina Ahmed Tidjani (may ALLAH sanctifiy his precious secret) received the letter of the Emir, he did not say a word. The next day, he fled and took the boat to Cairo, in Egypt. Due to a dream, he had the earnest intention of meeting the famous Wali, the majestic Master, the Muhadith and the perfect Knower, Sidi Mahmoud El Kurdiyu (may ALLAH be pleased with him) who originated from Irak. One of the particularities of this noble figure was to have met several times Al Khadir (may ALLAH be pleased with him) and obtained numerous benefit through his intermediary.

During his first encounter with Seyyidina (may ALLAH sanctifiy his precious secret), as if to confirm the fact, Sidi Mahmud (may ALLAH be pleased with him) said: “You are loved by ALLAH, both in this world and the next.” Seyyidina (may ALLAH sanctifiy his precious secret): “How do you know that?” to which he replied: “From ALLAH”. Then Seyyidina Ahmed Tidjani (may ALLAH sanctifiy his precious secret) said to him: “When I was in Tunisia, I saw you and I told you: “I am completely made of steel”. And you answered: “Yes! It is thus and I will change your steel into gold.” When Seyyidina (may ALLAH sanctifiy his precious secret) recounted this, Sidi Mahmud (may ALLAH be pleased with him) answered: “Yes, it is as you had seen.”

Several days later, Sidi Mahmud El Kourdiyu (may ALLAH be pleased with him) questionned Seyyidina Ahmed Tidjani (may ALLAH sanctifiy his precious secret) about his ambition. Seyyidina Ahmed Tidjani (may ALLAH sanctifiy his precious secret) replied: “It is my ambition to reach the degree of the supreme poles (El Qutbaniya el ‘Uzma).” The famous master (may ALLAH be pleased with him) gave his confirmation, saying: “O my friend, the Most High has far more in store for you.”

Sidi Mahmud (may ALLAH be pleased with him) received The Tariqa Khalwatiya directly from the great Sheikh Sidi Muhammad El Hafni (may ALLAH be pleased with him). He recounted to Seyydina (may ALLAH sanctifiy his precious secret) the circumstances of his meeting with this noble figure and also with Sheikh Mustapha el Bakri (may ALLAH be pleased with him). So he mentioned a conversation between himself and Sheikh Mustafa el Bakri (may ALLAH be pleased with him) who once asked him: “O Mahmud, I see no sign (trace) of opening in you, maybe you are evoking another wird with our litany?” Sidi Mahmud answered this question in the affirmative. Sidi Mustafa (may ALLAH be pleased with him) turned to Sidi Muhammad el Hafni (may ALLAH be pleased with him) saying: “Why are you giving him our authorization for our wird when he has a different litany?” Sidi Mahmud el Hafni replied: “O Master, seeing that he did not wish to forsake this litany, I thought that a mixture of black and white is better than completely black.” Sidi Mustafa (may ALLAH be pleased with him) spoke to Sidi Mahmud el Kurdiyu (may ALLAH be pleased with him) again, saying: “O Mahmud, spend the night on it, and tell me what you see.”

During the night, he saw the well beloved Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in a dream, accompanied by Sheikh Mustafa on his right and Sheikh Qassiri on his left. He had actually received his previous wird from Sheikh Qassiri. The well beloved Prophet (may ALLAH be pleased with him) said to him: “O Mahmud, abandon the path of Qassiri and take the path of Bakri for your opening is in his hands.” On waking, he informed Sidi Mustafa (may ALLAH be pleased with him) who replied: “O Mahmud, why are you embarrassing us in front of your Sheikh?” Sidi Mahmud complied with the order of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).

Taking leave of his Sheikh, who supplicated God on his behalf, Seyyidina Ahmed Tidjani (may ALLAH sanctifiy his precious secret) left Egypt and traveled by sea to the holy city of Mecca. He arrived there in the month of Shawwal in 1187 of the hegira and made contact with its men of God. There again, he had an encounter of capital importance with a leading figure, the famous Sheikh Sidi Ahmed ibn AbdAllah el Hindi (may ALLAH be pleased with him) who was forbidden visitors.

So he sent a letter to Seyyidina (may ALLAH sanctifiy his precious secret) through his servant in which he announced: “You are the heir to my knowledge, my secrets, my gifts and my lights.” When Sidi Ahmed ibn AbdAllah el Hindi (may ALLAH be pleased with him) wrote this letter, he said to his servant: “This is the one that I have been waiting, he is my heir.” The servant exclaimed: “I have been in your service for eighteen years and today a man has arrived from the Maghreb and you tell me that he is your heir.” Sidi AbdALLAH (may ALLAH be pleased with him) said to him: “I was waiting for no other than him and I have no part in this decision. ALLAH, in his Mercy, choses who He wants. If I had any part in this decision, I would have chosen my son long ago and long before you.

So he transmitted all his knowledge, secrets and lights to Seyyidina (may ALLAH sanctifiy his precious secret) and then entrusted him with the education of his only son. He wrote to him: “By the right that ALLAH has granted me over you, I ask you to take care of my son.” He then announced that his soul would be reclaimed on the twentieth of the month of Dhul Hijja, and this was indeed what occurred. After his burial, Seyyidina Ahmed Tidjani (may ALLAH sanctifiy his precious secret) called his son and confined himself with him. At that time, he transmitted the secret to him, in compliance with his vow regarding the instructions of the Sheikh. Among that which Sidi AbdALLAH (may ALLAH be pleased with him) transmitted to Seyyidina (may ALLAH sanctifiy his precious secret) was a great secret that he had to accomplish for seven days following which he would have had the opening. However, this was on the condition that he spoke to no one and that he isolated himself, but Seyyidina Ahmed Tidjani (may ALLAH sanctifiy his precious secret) refused to accomplish it because of these conditions.

When Seyyidina (may ALLAH sanctifiy his precious secret) prepared to leave for mount Arafat, he wrote to Sidi AbdALLAH el Hindi (may ALLAH be pleased with him) a letter asking him to see him in order to benefit from his blessed vision.

He answered (may ALLAH be satisfied with him): “I am not authorized to meet anyone, but you will certainly meet the Pole after me and this will suffice you.” He was referring to the great saint and supreme Pole (Qutb Jami’), the Ghawth Sidi Muhammad ibn AbdelKarim Samman (may ALLAH be pleased with him) –dead in 1775 ad/ 1189 of the hegira. He also announced, as others had done previously, that he would attain the degree of Sheikh Abu-l-Hassan Shadhili (may ALLAH be pleased with him).

Having accomplished the precepts of the Hajj, Seyyidina Ahmed Tidjani (may ALLAH sanctify his precious secret) went to Medina Munawara in order to pay a visit and contemplate at the tomb of his noble ancestor, our well beloved Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) with all the propriety and respect shown by the Knowers. Then, indeed, he met the famous Pole of marvelous prodigies Sidi Muhammad ibn AbdelKarim Samman (may ALLAH be pleased with him). His way is the quintessence of three eminent paths: the Khalwatiya, the Qadariya and the Shadhiliya. He revealed the secrets and the powers of the great men of God to Seyyidina (may ALLAH sanctifiy his precious secret), and he wanted him to enter a spiritual retreat for three days in order to complete his elevation. However, Seyyidina (may ALLAH sanctifiy his precious secret) had to decline his proposition for certain reasons. He gave him his permission for all the Names and revealed to him that he was in fact the Supreme Pole of this time (Qutb Jami’) and added: “Ask whatever you want” and Seyyidina (may ALLAH sanctifiy his precious secret) submitted his requests to which Sidi Muhammad ibn AbdelKarim Samman (may ALLAH be pleased with him) replied fully.

After Medina Munawara and the visit of the holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)’s tomb, Seyyidina (may ALLAH sanctifiy his precious secret) returned to Cairo to visit Sidi Mahmud (may ALLAH be pleased with him) who was happy to see him again. He asked him to visit every day.

During this further stay, Sidi Mahmud el Kurdiyu (may ALLAH be pleased with him) submitted several different problems exposing various topics and asked him to resolve them. The scholars of Egypt were astonished at his answers which unraveled all kind of complexity without any ambiguity in the different domains of knowledge. Sidi Mahmud el Kurdiyu (may ALLAH be pleased with him) awarded him with a (ijaza) diploma of authorization in the Hadith including the different Sahih in a chain linking him back to the Imam Bukhari as well as the Sunan and other works. Before his departure, he also transmitted the path of Khalwatiyya to him, issuing him a diploma authorizing him to initiate, educate and train his disciples to this path. However, as usual, Seyyidina (may ALLAH sanctifiy his precious secret) was reticent and refused the fact of initiating and educating disciples. Sidi Mahmud el Kurdiyu (may ALLAH be pleased with him) reassured him saying: “Be satisfied with transmitting the authorization and I will take responsibility for the rest.” And this, he accepted.

To be continued……

®Anatomy of Sufism

Happy Birthday Imam Tijani Aliou Cisse

Also in this month is another birthday celebration, of Imam Tijani Cisse RTA.

Ruhul Adab

Commentary of Imam Hassan Cisse:

43. Other forms of worship that remove sins

Other forms of worship that are effective in removing sins include reciting the Musaba’at Ashara (seven-fold prayer) morning and evening. This Musaba’at consists of ten different prayers and suras recited seven times each, in the morninsgs and evenings. Answering the call to prayer by repeating after the Mu’adhan (caller). The glorification prayer reported from the Prophet SAW and other forms of glorification also help with removing sins. It has been reported in the book al Jaami’a written by the companion of Shaykh Ahmad Tijânî that, the glorification prayer is enough to wipe all the sins from the age of puberty to death. In the Ihya of Imam Ghazzali, he wrote that this prayer is not restricted to a period or seasons, and that it is loved that no week should pass without it, or once a month.

      The Shaykh went further to list the other forms of worship and actions that should consume the time of the faithful believer. He also stressed the need to avoid looking for leadership, or (listening to) people’s jokes. One should neither follow one’s hearts desires, nor pay attention to other people’s faults. One should stay in one’s house like a carpet and only go out when it is very necessary. The Prophet SAW has said: “Blessed is the one whose faults have kept him busy from concentrating on the faults of others”.

       He concludes by advising that charity should be spent constantly, no matter how little, for the sake of Allah’s Countenance. Everyone has been blessed with something by Allah, whether it is power, knowledge, wealth, beauty, family and household etc. One should spend out of this as charity and as thanksgiving. It is related that a man was promised Paradise because of the water he gave to a thirsty dog out of kindness, while a woman was destined to hell because of her refusal to feed a cat or release it so that it could feed itself. The Shaykh also gives warning on the need to avoid reckless swearing, that is so common today. When a Muslim swears, he should join it with the will of Allah (i.e in sha Allah), because failure to fulfil an oath attracts the punishment of feeding a needy person for 10 days or freeing a slave or fasting for three days.

To be continued in sha Allah…

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