SHAYKH IBRAHIM NIASSE (B. 1900, TAYBA NIASSENE, SENEGAL; D. 1975, LONDON):

The “Bringer of the Tijani Flood” (Sahib al-Fayda al-Tijaniyya), Shaykh Ibrahim became widely recognized as one of the preeminent Muslim scholars and the leading authority of the Tijaniyya Sufi order of his age. He traveled widely, becoming known as “Shaykh al-Islam” for his comprehensive mastery of the Islamic sciences. His success in spreading Islam and the Tijaniyya on the African continent was unprecedented.

Sayyidi Aliou Cisse wrote this in the kâshif: 

Upbringing of the Shaykh

He was born after the afternoon prayer on Thursday, in the middle of Rajab in the year 1320 (A.H), in Tayba, a village built by his father RA. The fact that this Imam, the Bosom-Friend (al-Khalîl) of majestic prestige, was born in Tayba- which means “delightful goodness”- is sufficient proof for the appropriateness of the town’s name.

      He grew up in the care of his father, modeling his decency, righteousness, devoutness, valor, chastity, propriety and piety. He studied the Qur’an under his father and memorized it perfectly I the warsh-style of recitation as taught by Imam Nâfi. It is reported that he was eager to be of service as an adolescent, and signs of nobility had already become apparent in him in his youth.

      After memorizing the Qur’an, he devoted himself earnestly to the study of the formal Islamic sciences in boh their literal and implied meanings. He succeeded in acquiring knowledge and understanding, reaching the desired goals and purpose. Indeed, he learned the sciences exhaustively and mastered all their disciplines, distinguishing himself in a very short period of time. So, Allah appointed him as a mercy for His servants and as a benefit for both the ancestors and the contemporaries.

       In all of this, is education was personally undertaken by his father, a man of famous reputation and firmly established qualifications. Praise be to Allah, he received from him the precious gems of beneficial learning, the gifts of the secrets (asrâr), the remembrances (adhkâr) and the sacred law (sharî’a).

        Then Allah granted him complete spiritual illumination (fath), presenting him with sciences bestowed by divine grace. So, he excelled in them as well. He did not study these sciences under any human being: he was taught only by the One who is All-Knowing, by means of divine inspiration (ilhâm). he remained unceasingly devoted to the acquisition and provision of beneficial knowledge, until many seekers of sacred learning were attracted to him. Students derived benefit from his school (madrasa), and righteous erudite scholars received training at his hand, as evidenced and confirmed y the people of discernment and perception. His blessing thus spread to all the brethren, and his degree was exalted above all peers.

Affiliation with the Tijaniyya Sufi path

He received the Tijaniyya Order from the unique figure of his epoch, the proof of the people of his era, the copious well of Tijani Litanies (awrâd) and secrets, and the assembly point of its lights and remembrances (adhkâr): his Shaykh and father, the erudite scholar, the wise exemplar, the undoubted deputy (khalifa) of Shaykh al-Tijani and the bearer of his flag in the western lands, al-Hâjj ‘Abd-Allah b. Sayyid Muhammad. He was indeed the Shaykh, the Imam, one of the eminent saints, who combined in his person the sacred law (sharî’a) and divine Reality (haqîqa) and so became the guide of the Sufi way. May the Most Generous Lord never cease exalting him to the most praiseworthy station (al-maqâm al-Ahmad).

       After receiving the Tarîqa, a great yearning entered the young Shaykh’s perfect, lofty, serene and well-pleasing soul. His lofty spiritual aspiration (himma) was awakened anew and with such force that it would have demolished the unshakable mountains had it been directed towards them. It led him to harvest the fruits of divine sciences (al-‘ulûm al-haqqaniyya), heavenly experiences (al-adhwâq al-malakûtiyya) and angelic secrets (al-asrâr al-jabarûtiyya), to a point that no one before or after him could aspire. How splendid are these verses of the eloquent orator, erudite scholar and excellent poet, in which he eulogizes this Shaykh:

The famous pole (qutb) of the Tijâniyya, its crown and Imam

And his predecessors were (also) its crowns.

Owner of the highest rank, unreachable

By the gnostics, whatever the exalted nature of their gnosis.

By him, the sacred law has had its reputation enhanced

By him the divine Reality has had its stature elevated.

But for him, both of them would have been barren shells

Their pillars in ruins.

         So, he then embarked on the task of benefitting the people with the sciences of divine bestowal and experiential knowledge of the Lord. He devoted himself to this task morning and evening, day and night.

Knowledge and Character

As for his grasp of the Qur’an and the Sunna, his good manners, education, guidance, linguistic fluency, eloquence and proficiency, he feasted on these sciences and monopolized them. Trying to match his mastery of them would belike seating an uninvited guest at the table where he dines. The learned and cultured men of his time, near and far, testified to his learning. When he spoke, the eloquent Arabs would fall on their knees in front of him, raising their heads and lending him their ears. He commanded all the sciences, both transmitted and rationally deduced. He would decipher their meanings as he saw fit, extracting the pearls from their treasure-troves on the spur of the moment. As for his knowledge of the divine realities (al-haqâ’iq al-rabbâniyya), the sacred gnostic sciences (al-ma’ârif al-qudsiyya) and the spiritual states pertaining to the Essential Being (al-ahwâl al-dhâtiyya): he was their standard-bearer, the key to their doors, their beacon (mishkât), their lamp (misbâh) and their lantern (zujâjat).
     He was copiously endowed with excellent merits and virtues. Neither the pen nor the tongue can describe the extent of such glorious qualities or the abundance of his benefit for his Lord’s creatures. From his bounty, good conduct, and generosity, he tenderly provided for those in need, like a mother nursing her child; continuously struggling to please the Kind and Beneficent Lord. Those whom he nurtured attained (spiritual) maturity always in love of his nurturing. So his reputation soared and his mention spread to the farthest horizons.

      The triumphant banner of virtue was firmly planted at his feet, without dispute or dissention. In every single moment, he never ceased bestowing moral excellence, blessings and the overflowing surplus of his bounty. His grace, noble generosity and beneficence were showered everywhere. His excellent qualities are beyond enumeration and no record could contain a complete list of his merits even if all the world’s pens were used until they napped on their scrolls.