Shaykh Ahmad al-Tijani

Sidi Abu Abbas Ahmad al-Tijani was born in the Southwest Algerian oasis town of Ain Madi n the twelfth of Safar in the year 1150 (1737 C.E). Growing up, the young Shaykh Tijani continued in the scholarly tradition of his family and city, memorizing the Qur’an by the age seven before turning to the study of jurisprudence (fiqh and usul al-fiqh), Prophetic traditions (Hadith), explanation of the Qur’an (tafsir), Qur’anic recitation (tajwid), grammar (nahw) and literature (adab), among other branches of the traditional Islamic sciences. According to the Jawahir, the Shaykh mastered all of these fields at a very young age, in part due to the force of his resolve but also because of the quality of his teachers.

   For someone to whom the visionary experience of Prophet Muhammad was later to become such an important reality, presumably his early dream-visions of the Prophet during this time were enough to alert him that “Divine Providence wanted him to have as master the only universal master and most sublime of creatures, the Prophet Muhammad”. Shaykh Ahmad Tijani finally got to meet the Prophet in person in while awake not asleep and got the permission to preach and spread the Muhammadan way (tariqa) bearing his name as “Tijaniyya”. He passed in Fes, Morocco in 1230 (1815) at the age of eighty. He left behind him a firmly established order, the Tariqa Muhammadiyya emphasis of which inspired many of his later followers to renew and spread Islam in diverse communities far from the mother zawiya in Fes, where the Shaykh’s tomb can still be found.

Sheikh ‘Omar Foutiyou Tall, may Allah be pleased with him

I – Introduction

Of all the names of famous people from Sub-Saharan Africa, he is the one who left the most vivid impression to such an extent that some have retained and isolated only a part of his noble personality. However, whatever the plot to which one attaches one can quickly measure the size and the extent of its commitment. Some have described him as a thirsty warrior and founder of an empire, others as a learned scholar and teacher, while some have portrayed him as a mystic and a saint of many wonders.

What is undeniable is that his brilliant outward acts were, however, only a pale reflection in front of his interiority, for he was certainly a fighter against the inclinations of the soiled soul, conqueror of his inner purity and thirsty for God. Moreover, if his bookish science had reached the highest levels, it was nothing compared to his infused and luminous Knowledge. Likewise, if his miracles were numerous, none was more prodigious than his rectitude towards the exemplary nature of the Prophet (peace be upon him) until he reached his holy company. How could it have been otherwise knowing what he received from the irrigation lights of the Seal of Mohammadian Holiness,

In reality, his one and only concern was to meet the demands of bondage, which is what and what he acted upon until the end of his life.

II – His birth and childhood

He was probably born, according to one version, around AH 1212 / AD 1797. JC in Halwar near Podor (near the Mauritanian border) in Fouta Toro (Senegal). In that same year, Seïdina Ahmed Tidjani (may Allah sanctify his precious secret) was about 62 years old and was still in Boussemghoune where he had already had His Grand Opening. Hajj ‘Omar’s father was called Sheikh Sa’idou ibn Ousmane Tall (may Allah be pleased with him) and his genealogy dates back to a companion of the Prophet (peace be upon him) named’ Oqba ibn ‘Amir (may Allah be pleased with him). His father was a scholar of the noble class known for his piety, he used to recite the entire Qoran every day while busy working his field. Hajj ‘Omar (may Allah be pleased with him) was his fourth son.

As for her mother, whose name was Sokhna Adama Aïssé (may Allah be pleased with her), the term Sokhna being a nickname meaning “the purified”, she was exceptional in all her qualities and she was a woman of great virtue in the eyes. clairvoyant. Her noble son was to say later: “I left many men like my father in the Fouta, but I didn’t leave a woman like my mother. “

Among the noble virtues reported about her, one day her husband Sheikh Sa’id Tall who went to his second wife’s apartments to spend the night there, asked him to bring him a prayer rug. This virtuous lady complied with his request, but finding the door closed on her arrival she did not dare to disturb him. However, she also did not want to turn around without having complied with her husband’s wishes and therefore stayed all night in front of his door in heavy rain. The next day at dawn, when her husband went out for morning prayer, he was surprised to find her waiting there, wet as she was, and asked her what had happened. She explained to him her scruple not to disobey him which left him stunned and he invoked the good for her. In his invocations on his behalf, he said: ” We ask Allah – Glorified and Exalted – to grant you a generous, virtuous, pious child, surpassing his contemporaries in knowledge, worship, fear of Allah in secret and in public and who will be famous everywhere .  Then he added: ”  And surely Allah knows that this will happen.  And he repeated it three times. It is said that she had ten children and with each of these pregnancies she continued to go to the mosque and fast, she felt nothing of what women feel during those times. For Sheikh ‘Omar it was even more particular, because when she gave birth to him on the night of Wednesday 23 Chawwal before dawn, she had none of the impurities that follow childbirth, which allowed her to perform the Soubh prayer that followed that same day.

Signs also accompanied the blessing of his birth (may Allah be pleased with him) including a small stream called Jalalloul that his parents owned and which was brackish. As soon as he was born, this water became soft and that until today. Likewise, during the month of Ramadan which followed his birth, he refused to take his mother’s breast during the days of fasting, just as was the case for Sheikh Abdelqader Djilani (may Allah be pleased with him). There was also a Knowledge holder of the unveiling among the scholars of Chinguitti who saw during its unveiling a sparkling light coming from the lands of Sudan. He kept hesitating to go to the place from which he saw this light springing out until Shaykh ‘Umar was born in Halwar and then he knew that the holder of this light was born. Immediately he took the direction where the light was coming from, guided by it until he reached Halwar and saw the infant. He praised Allah then hugged Shaykh ‘Umar against his chest and kissed him then said: ” The cause that I have come to this place is this infant whose lights sprang forth before his blessed appearance. Then he took over the leadership of his country and he never returned until his death, may Allah have mercy on him. Once also Cheikh ‘Omar had to go very early in the fields in order to watch them against the plundering of the birds, but he fell asleep and the birds invaded their fields. His big brother Alfahim Ahmed then appeared and woke him up, he was about to correct him, but the young child fled. His older brother followed in his footsteps until he came to a deep river called Doufou south of Halwar, he saw his younger brother (may Allah be pleased with him) walking across it. His older brother was amazed at this wonder and ordered him to return. They returned to the fields together and it was then that Alfahim Ahmed noticed that the birds had left the fields unscathed from any damage.

Sheikh ‘Omar’s mother was also endowed with a vision of clairvoyance and she had glimpsed in her son, El Hajj’ Omar (may Allah be pleased with him), particular signs that are not found in any other child. . She took special care in instilling the precepts of Islam in her children, combining pedagogy and gentleness. Thus, it is within an environment attached to the Qoran and the Sunnah that el Hajj ‘Omar (may Allah be pleased with him) grows, he memorized the totality of the Divine Message at the age of twelve while At the same time Seïdina Ahmed Tidjani (may Allah sanctify his precious secret), then 74 years old, was in the city of science, Fez, and disseminated his particular knowledge as a Hidden Pole. Subsequently, Sheikh ‘Omar (may Allah be pleased with him) was initiated into various sciences such as Tawheed, Muslim law according to the Malikite rite with the Khalil and others, exegesis (Tafsir), hadith with the two SAHIH, grammar (Nahou), metric with ‘Aroud etc. He met many scholars and astonished them with his capacity for understanding and memorization.

III. Its affiliation to the Tariqa

During his travels in search of science which he completed early on, he met the one who was going to initiate him to the first and only spiritual path to which he attached himself until his death, this noble Tariqa Ahmediya Mohammediya Ibrahimiyya Hanifiya Tidjaniya . It was in the person of the great Sidi Abdelkarim ibn Ahmed Naqil (may Allah be pleased with him), a Fulani native of the vicinity of Timbo. He was himself initiated by the great Knower Sheikh Maouloud Fall (may Allah be pleased with him) who was one of the ten Muqadem appointed by the learned Imam and companion of Seïdina Ahmed Tidjani (may Allah sanctify his precious secret), Sidi Mohamed el Hafidh Chinguitti (may Allah be pleased with him). Thus, the first chains of affiliations linked him to Seïdina Ahmed Tidjani (may Allah sanctify his precious secret) through the intermediary of at least three people. Sidi Abdelkarim (may Allah be pleased with him) initially authorized it only for essential prayers for a year plus a month, then he received other secrets from him. He felt great love for his young disciple and he took care of his initiation. They decided to complete their pilgrimage to Mecca together when Sheikh ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was approximately thirty years old.

Here is what he himself related in his famous ”  Rimah “:” The desire to make the pilgrimage to the Holy House of Allah was granted to me in my heart and that of Sidi Abdelkarim, as well as the visit of the best creature our Prophet Muhammad (may the prayer and peace of Allah be upon him), the visit of his brethren among the noble prophets (peace be upon them), as well as the visit of his noble companions the eternal chosen ones, be upon him the best prayers and the purest greetings from Allah the Very high. We left our country in the direction of the Maghreb in search of provisions, but it was affected by the disease. He had to return to our land where he waited for me for the time that Allah decreed for him and after that he traveled to the lands of Macina with the intention of waiting for me there. Thereafter Allah brought me back safe and sound and I began to look for his traces in order to join him, but Allah did not decree our reunion. On the other hand, a person joined me in Macina land with a message from him and he said to me: “Sheikh Abdelkarim told me:” Tell Sheikh ‘Umar ibn Sa’id that I greet him and tell him that not a day has passed since we were separated without my love for him increasing in my heart . »» His Sheikh was dead.

Thus he continued without him the pursuit of his objective, he was accompanied during his trip by his half-brother ‘Aliyou and his wife’ Aïcha. He strongly wanted to take the road through Fez in order to visit his master the Hidden Pole (may Allah sanctify his precious secret), and to meet his companions, as well as his children (may Allah be pleased with them), but such was not the Divine decree. There are differences on the date of his departure, it is located around 1826 and his trip from Halwar to Mecca lasted nine months. On this date Seïdina Ahmed Tidjani (may Allah sanctify his precious secret) had been deceased for about eleven years and he had sent one of his particular companions, holder of the Great Opening to the holy places to reside there and transmit the noble way to those to whom Allah predestined her.

IV – His meeting with Sidi Mohammed El Ghali

Here again, let our noble character tell it as he did in his “  Rimah  ”: “When I reached a certain region, I heard about the presence of Sidi Mohammed El Ghali (may Allah be pleased with him) staying at the Noble Mecca and I was overjoyed for it. I implored Allah the Most High to allow me to meet him and certainly Allah granted my request by His pure Favor. This is how he gathered me to him in the majestic Mecca after the ‘Asar (the afternoon prayer) in front of Ibrahim Station. We got to know each other, he was enormously delighted by my meeting and he honored me because of what he detected about me as veracity. He gave me the Djawahirou-l-Ma’anithat I have today, so that I can consult it. I stayed with him until the works of the pilgrimage were closed. After completing this devotion, I went with him to Medina the Luminous, may the best prayers and the purest greetings be on this noble inhabitant and we returned there on the first day of the month of Muharam. I stayed with him this year in Medina the Luminous (may the best prayers and the purest greetings be on this noble inhabitant) placing my person and my goods at his disposal, attaching myself entirely to him and I thus remained at his service for about three years. I renewed my affiliation with him and he transmitted the essential prayers to me.

Then, in the ninth month of the 1 ^st year which is the month of Allah Ramadan, I told him while we were in the Prophet’s Mosque (peace be upon him), after the Maghreb in the location of the noble Raouda, between the chair of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his noble Mihrab: “Testify for me that I have seen you. “Our Sheikh replied:” I certify for you that you have seen me. Then he reminded me that he had said to Seïdina (may Allah sanctify his precious secret), our Sheikh and our link with our Lord, the Hidden Pole and the Sealed Intermediary, the Supreme Help, the Lord Knowing , Sharif Hassanite, Sidi Ahmed Tidjani, may Allah water us from his ocean by the largest receptacles: “Testify for me that I saw you. “And our Sheikh (may Allah sanctify his precious secret) said to him:” I attest for you that you have seen me. “

However, our Sheikh met at his beginnings, during his wanderings, the Knowing in Allah, the Sharif Hassanite Moulay Taïeb, the brother of the Knowing in Allah Sidi Chérif Hassani Moulay Touhami originally from Wazzan and who was a Pole. When Seïdina (may Allah sanctify his precious secret) met him, he said to her: “I have heard that you have been honored with an immense gift. “Moulay Taïeb (may Allah be pleased with him) asked him:” And who is he? “Seïdina Ahmed Tidjani (may Allah sanctify his precious secret) replied:” It is that whoever sees you, he will enter Heaven. He confirmed: “Yes indeed, except that this gift does not come back to me”; then Seïdina (may Allah sanctify his precious secret) asked him: “Whose is he?” “He answered him:” It is that of Sheikh Tha’labi,^th or 8 ^th or 12 ^th person, he will enter Heaven and I have seen the one who has seen the one who has seen him. »Seïdina (may Allah sanctify his precious secret) then said to him:« Testify for me that I have seen you. “And Moulay Taïeb (may Allah be pleased with him) said to him:” I certify that you have seen me. “”

Sheikh Omar (may Allah be pleased with him) said in his book: “The poor in his Lord is the Rich, the Great and Able, author of the book said, I am the 6 ^th through favor of Allah Most High. “This gift and wonder of seeing was confirmed to him on another occasion, he said:” One day during an event I saw our Sheikh Tidjani (may Allah sanctify his precious secret) and he had in his hands a toga of light, and he said to me: “Whoever sees this toga will enter Heaven” then he put it on me. “

Below is the extract from the diploma that Sidi Mohammed El Ghali gave him in the first place (may Allah be pleased with him) and which is mentioned in the ”  Rimah  “:

 “In the Name of Allah the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

Praise be to Allah Alone, and peace be upon him after whom there is no other prophet.

He said, the poor servant in Allah who has hope in His Mercy and in His Generosity, Mohammed Ghali Abou Talib Tidjani El Hassani, may Allah act towards him by His Approval in the two mansions: I have certainly taken ‘Omar ibn Sa ‘id ibn’ Othman from the land of Fouta, from the region of Toro and from the tribe of Kadoury, as my beloved in the two mansions and the one who is thus loved by Allah and His Prophet (may prayer and the peace of Allah be upon him) in the two mansions, and I authorized it in the recognized essential prayers of our Tariqa Tidjaniya Mohammediya Ibrahimiya Hanifiya…

And I have authorized it in the Salat Fatihi lima oughliqa with the intention of its apparent and hidden degree, and I have authorized it in the recitation of the Fatiha with such and such intention and all that it collects, and I authorized it in the transmission of recognized essential prayers, for any Muslim who demands it from him, whether man or woman, young or old, in a state of obedience or disobedience, whether free or slave, and I authorized it so that he could appoint Mouqadem of those who demanded it, up to sixteen people and that each of them can appoint up to four people with the known conditions, and the one who would violate our conditions then he lost his affiliation. And I order each of the Mouqadem to look at his brothers with the gaze of attention and respect,

During these three years, the greatest favor and the most eminent teaching which he received from this exceptional master who was Sidi Mohamed El Ghali (may Allah be pleased with him) is to know more deeply and to love even more our perfect master, the Hidden Pole, Seïdina Ahmed Tidjani (may Allah sanctify his precious secret). It was this treasure that enabled him to reach the shores of servitude and the honor of the great performance. Among the words that Sidi Mohamed El Ghali (may Allah be pleased with him) revealed to him and commented on the statements made by Seïdina Ahmed Tidjani (may Allah sanctify his precious secret), it is that he said: “My station with Allah in the Hereafter is such that none of the Auliya can reach it, and no one can approach it whether its value is large or small, and among the set of Aouliya,Rimah )

Sheikh Omar Foutiyou (may Allah be pleased with him) had to exclaim in front of this prestigious Caliph of Seïdina (may Allah sanctify his precious secret): “Sidi I never cease to be amazed at what I learn of the merits of this Sheikh and the merits of his way. “( Rimah )

This special love that took place in his heart spread very quickly in him and was reflected with ever more intensity until his death. Thus by the language of servitude and gratitude he said: “The merit bestowed upon those who follow rests entirely on the merit held by the one who is followed. “( Rimah )

He also related on this subject: “Often he observed me (Sidi Mohammed el Ghali) while I was seated near him then he said:” I attest by Allah that you love Sheikh. “” It is for this reason that he loved me with immense love to the point that he frequently stayed with the Prophet (peace be upon him) during his visit and prolonged his sitting. the time of the duration allowing the reading of five parts (Hizb of the Qoran) then he said to me: “By Allah, apart from whom there is no other divinity than Him, know that I do not prolong this seat near of the Prophet (peace be upon him) than in invocations on your behalf. »From then on, his graces and his closeness to Seïdina Ahmed Tidjani (may Allah sanctify his precious secret) will not cease to appear.

He reported: “I never ceased to stay in the company of Sidi Mohammed El Ghali in Medina the Luminous, (the best prayers and the purest greetings upon him) until Allah brought in our Sheikh by his pure favor, our master and our link with our Lord, Seïdina Ahmed Tidjani (may Allah sanctify his precious secret). “He said in effect to Sidi Mohamed El Ghali (may Allah be pleased with him):” I have already granted Sheikh ‘Omar ibn Sa’id all he needs from this Tariqa among the Adhkar and the secrets he it is your responsibility only to transmit them to him. Also, he complied with the order of the Sheikh and after having prayed the ‘Icha (evening prayer) in the Prophetic Mosque, he took me by the hand and positioned me in front of the Prophet (on him the best prayers and the most pure greetings) towards his noble tomb. He gave me what the Sheikh (may Allah sanctify his precious secret) asked him to transmit to me in the hands of this generous Prophet (the best prayers and the purest greetings be upon him) so that he may be a witness for him that he has indeed transmitted and perfected what his child ordered, who is none other than our Sheikh Tidjani (may Allah sanctify his precious secret). May he be granted, from us, the best things that a Sheikh can receive from his disciple, and that is why I can say that I took it from Sheikh Tidjani himself (may Allah sanctify his precious secret). ” and that is why I can say that I took it from Sheikh Tidjani himself (may Allah sanctify his precious secret). ” and that is why I can say that I took it from Sheikh Tidjani himself (may Allah sanctify his precious secret). “

From that moment he appointed him Khalif of Seïdina Ahmed Tidjani (may Allah sanctify his precious secret) for Western Sudan and this title granted at such a time, quite unlike ours, and emanating from such a prestigious character, considered as one of the four pillars of the Tariqa in Morocco, is not at all trivial. Sidi Mohamed El Ghali (may Allah be pleased with him) while he was with Sheikh ‘Omar (may Allah be pleased with him) in the noble prophetic mosque at the time of the Douha then said to him: “We have appointed people like Mouqadem to transmit the noble Ouird but as for you we designate you as Khalif among the Khoulafa of the Sheikh and not as simple Mouqadem. This term of Caliph designates all the people having reached the spiritual faculty allowing them to make access their disciples where Seïdina Ahmed Tidjani (may Allah sanctify his precious secret) made access his companions. They are the servants of the station of Seïdina (may Allah sanctify his precious secret) and they have a particular and high spiritual rank.

Indeed, according to the saying of the Pole Sidi Hajj ‘Ali Tamacini (may Allah be pleased with him), this title can be granted in truth only to the holder of the Great Opening and it is not any holder of this Opening who was however appointed to this function. Here is demonstrated the sentence which says: “It is not all those who run after a gazelle who can catch it, but the one who would have caught it must surely have run after it. “Consequently, it is necessary to measure the extent of such a responsibility entrusted to this worthy master and faithful disciple of the Hidden Pole, Sidi Hajj ‘Omar Foutiyou (may Allah be pleased with him) who transcribed in his”  Rimah  “:” When the moment of weaning came and that ended what was decreed by the Benevolent Scientist, he appointed me caliph from among the khoulafa of the Sheikh… ”

V- After appointment and return

After leaving his noble master, El Hajj ‘Omar (may Allah be pleased with him) went to Egypt where he was staying with Sidi Mohamed Maghrebi. He met the scholars of the eminent Islamic University of Al Azhar in Cairo, who asked him questions and were amazed at the extent of his sciences. During her naval voyage this kind of event would occur which would mark her life and which confirms her closeness and her special link with Seïdina Ahmed Tidjani (may Allah sanctify his precious secret) and the Prophet (may Allah’s prayer and peace) be upon him). He reported in the ”  Rimah “:” We were in a boat connecting Jeddah to Egypt, and the wind began to blow violently, the boat almost capsized and all those on board were certain of the misfortune that was going to strike them. My daughter Hajja Fatima Madaniya dozed then, then she woke up hastily and she said to me: “Receive the good announcement, I just saw Sheikh Tidjani and Sheikh Mohamed El Ghali at the moment and they said to me:” Announce this to Shaykh ‘Omar and tell him that we have only come on this boat to let him know that we are with him, so he has nothing to fear and no harm will touch them. From then on, the wind calmed down and disappeared. “

This long journey until his return to his native land lasted about twenty-one years, years during which he not only received his spiritual training, where he also made his pilgrimage several times, he traveled to Egypt but also to Jerusalem and Cham . He met many personalities and confronted his knowledge with eminent scholars who bowed to his scholarship despite a certain condescension towards him in certain places. In fact twice, in Jerusalem and in Mecca, he had to face the contempt of some of them for his skin color, which in their eyes and according to their erroneous conceptions, depreciated the value of his knowledge. (Often some authors want to situate these incidents in Cairo with the scholars of Al Azhar while this was not validated by the testimony of his descendants such as Sheikh Mountaga Tall – may Allah have mercy on him). But Hajj ‘Omar Foutiyou (may Allah be pleased with him) opposed to this vile attitude only more nobility and detachment. His answer was only intended to bring them back to the teaching of pure Islam which frees itself from all these racial considerations. He began by reminding them of certain verses of the Book of Allah, he said to them:

– “Does not Allah say:”  O men! We created you from a male and a female, and We made you nations and tribes, that you might know each other. The noblest among you, with Allah, is the most pious.  »(Sura 49 The apartments, verse 13)

– The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “  Allah has abrogated from you the pride of the pagan era and the honor of the ancestors. There are now two categories of men: a pious believer and an unhappy pervert. You are the sons of Adam and Adam is of earth. (Narrated by Abu Daoud and Tirmidhi according to Abu Huraira – may Allah be pleased with him.)

– He also said: “  O people! You have one God and you come from one father! There is no difference between an Arab and a non-Arab or between a white and a black except by piety.  »(Reported by Ahmed according to Abu Nadhra – may Allah be pleased with him)

– So don’t you see that Allah – Glorified and Exalted be He – has chosen the color black for some things which are most honorable with Him such as His Noble Sacred House, the Black Stone, and he has chosen that black ink be used to write the majestic Qoran… ”And for over an hour he quoted the references from the Book of Allah, the prophetic Hadiths and the sayings of the companions (may Allah be pleased with them) on this subject. The latter could only bow to the accuracy of his argument, the strength of his determination and the wisdom of his attitude. He officiated the prayer as well in the Quds as in Mecca.

After this long peregrination in the Middle East, he took the way back to his native lands walking as a true servant of the Most Merciful as Allah says: “The servants of the Most Merciful are those who walk humbly on earth.” ( Sura 25 Discernment, verse 63). Wherever he went, he will inevitably leave an indelible mark, some will be overwhelmed by the veneration and the company of this noble character will root in them the seeds of holiness. Others, attached to earthly power, will fear the effects of his aura and the mysterious influence of his words, they will even try to eliminate the one they considered a threat.

Shaykh ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) did not care about earthly ties and his only objective in traveling through the land of Allah was only to bring good advice, to guide the servants towards authenticity. of the Divine message, the proclamation of His Oneness and noble prophetic behavior. All these lands he roamed were either the site of an Islam undermined by fratricidal wars between ethnic groups or by powers which practiced a hybrid Islam half-Muslim, half-animist; or it was the place where paganism prevailed and traces of Islam were then entirely absent. In addition, all these societies were governed by caste law where the status of each one depended only on the social category to which he belonged by birth. This unequal phenomenon was so prevalent in the education received that the just and noble principles taught by Islam did not resonate with Muslim peoples and that marriages were only founded and validated within this restricted framework. . However, with Shaykh ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) anything that did not originate and did not find legitimacy within the Book of Allah and the prophetic Sunnah had to be corrected. This form of social use resembled in many ways those discriminations he faced in Jerusalem and Mecca, granting a race, color, tribe, privilege or handicap from birth. with Shaykh ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) anything which did not originate and did not find legitimacy within the Book of Allah and the prophetic Sunnah had to be corrected. This form of social use resembled in many ways those discriminations he faced in Jerusalem and Mecca, granting a race, color, tribe, privilege or handicap from birth. with Shaykh ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) anything which did not originate and did not find legitimacy within the Book of Allah and the prophetic Sunnah had to be corrected. This form of social use resembled in many ways those discriminations he faced in Jerusalem and Mecca, granting a race, color, tribe, privilege or handicap from birth.

Thus, it is on the basis of piety that he will educate his disciples and found his instruction, and it is this only basis that he made known and by which he was certainly recognized. The magnitude of such a mission was beyond a person’s religious capacities and personal skills alone, although in Shaykh ‘Umar (Allah be pleased with him) this was to an exceptional extent. Although this could not be enough to fill the dimension of such a charge, it became possible through the sponsorship of a higher spiritual force and this is precisely what differentiated Sidi Hajj ‘Omar (may Allah be pleased with him) from any reformer. He was under the tutelage of the Hidden Pole (may Allah sanctify his precious secret) and that of the noble Prophet (peace be upon him), this is what characterizes his life, his meetings,

It is impossible for us to retrace all the places, all the meetings of Sheikh ‘Omar (may Allah be pleased with him) as his life is so rich in events, but here is a slight overview of his career.

Returning from the Middle East Hajj ‘Omar (may Allah be pleased with him) related the following events: “When we returned from the holy places and reached the lands of Bornu, there arose between me and his Sultan a great disagreed and he treacherously plotted my assassination. He sent some of his young servants at night to my rooms to assassinate me. They sneaked up to the house where I and my family were staying and which had a fence. When they raised their heads towards the sky, they saw a fence and when they lowered their heads towards the ground they saw no fence, they did so for four nights. When the matter discouraged them, they said, “We find no possibility to accomplish what you have ordered us in the middle of the night. He said to them: “So do it in the middle of the day and bring it back to my yard.” Now this time, they found men among the people of the mystery world around us who had drawn their swords. When they saw this scene, they retreated to the Sultan and told him what they had seen again on several occasions.

At the same time one of his family members went to his bed at night to sleep when suddenly Seïdina (may Allah sanctify his precious secret) appeared to him in the waking state and not in a dream, and said to him: do you have therefore against Sheikh ‘Omar? Will you not therefore leave in peace a servant of Allah in the land of Allah? And he repeated this sentence 3 times. Then he disappeared and our character then wanted to lie down again, but suddenly Sheikh (may Allah sanctify his precious secret) reappeared to him once again in the waking state. He said to him again: “What do you have against Sheikh ‘Umar? Will you not therefore leave in peace a servant of Allah in the land of Allah? “And he repeated it three times then he added:” Tell them: “Do not let their goods and their children marvel you. Allah only wants to chastise them in the present life, and see them painfully surrender the soul in a state of disbelief. ” (Sura repentance 9, verse 55), “Tell them: ‘And if they had wanted to go, they would have made preparations for him. But their departure was repugnant to Allah; He made them lazy. And they were told, “Stay with those who are left.” “(Sura repentance 9, verse 46)” Tell them: ‘Wait! Our writings will appear on you everywhere. After that Shaykh (may Allah sanctify his precious secret) disappeared. Then I prepared to travel and the constrained and forced Sultan gave me immense gifts. In fact, for four years they were stricken with drought and did not even have a drop of water that fell from the sky until the point where they came to eat corpses, tree leaves, donkeys, horses and men, then they repented and the rain fell. “

Then Sidi Hajj ‘Omar (may Allah be pleased with him) settled in the Muslim Empire of Sokoto in northern Nigeria where he ended a long war between the peoples of Bornu and the Hausa. This noble negotiator charmed the two opposing parties with 198 lines of an ode called “Tadhkirat el Ghafilin […]” which he composed entirely while walking. He also said on this subject: “I did not write any of these seated verses, but I composed it as a whole while walking.” I did not consult any book to write it and by Allah I never cease to be astonished by this work which exists only by the grace of the Generous. It was also during this period that he lost his brother and traveling companion, Sidi ‘Ali ibn Sa’id (may Allah be pleased with him).

He met the Sultan of the Muslim Empire of Sokoto, the learned stake Mohamed Bello who invited him to stay with him. The latter asked him for the book “Djawahirou-l-Khams” and the authorization for the prayer of Hizbou-l-Bahr or Cheikh ‘Omar (may Allah be pleased with him) told him that he did not have this book on him, nor the authorization to grant Hizbou-l-Bahr to others, having been authorized only for himself by Sidi Mohamed El Ghali (may Allah be pleased with him). So he sent a message to his brother Al fahim Ahmed so that he would go and ask permission for it from those who hold it and also to bring him the book in question. Indeed, Sheikh ‘Omar (may Allah be pleased with him) had to remain in the presence of the Sultan, because the latter could not do without his company and his education.

Therefore, his brother Alfahim Ahmed went to Sidi Mohamed El Hafidh El ‘Alawi Chinguitti (may Allah be pleased with him) and he asked for this authorization. The latter said to him: “Know that Sidi Ahmed Tidjani (may Allah sanctify his precious secret) authorized me to name ten Mouqadem, but to this day I have named nine and you will be the tenth. Then he went to his brother Sheikh ‘Omar (may Allah be pleased with him) in Hausa country having accomplished his duty. Thus, it was Alfa Ahmed who authorized Sultan Mohamed Bello for Hizbou-l-Bahr and who also gave him the aforementioned book. It should be noted that Sidi ‘Arbi ibn Sa-ih (may Allah be pleased with him ) says in the Boughiya that in truth Shaykh ‘Omar (may Allah be pleased with him) had full authorization, but out of decorum towards his master Sidi Mohamed El Ghali (may Allah be pleased with him) he did not want to go beyond what was mentioned in his first authorization, because in the last place it had indeed authorized him in its entirety.

Sheikh ‘Omar (may Allah be pleased with him) remained for seven years at the court of Sultan Mohamed Bello to whom he transmitted the Tariqa Tidjaniya and provided him with instruction, advice and education. He witnessed several times the spiritual particularity of the Sheikh and his attachment to Seïdina Ahmed Tidjani (may Allah sanctify his precious secret) and to the Prophet (peace be upon him), and him – even clung vigorously to him. He also granted him the hand of his daughter Hafsa.

It is reported in the ”  Rimah  “: “The righteous Imam and the deserving Wali Mohamed Bello son of the knowledgeable in Allah ‘Othman ibn Fouadiou informed me that he wanted to consult Allah the Most High and see what he will happen to my situation and he heard a person say during an event: “The Prophet (peace be upon him) said to you:” Know that the situation of ‘Omar Ibn Sa’id is in my hands and I manage it for him as I please and I am not inattentive ”or as he said.

Another vision of the Sultan that he had on the night of Saturday 14 Rabi ‘El Awwal 1251 is also reported: “I saw that the Hidden Pole and Barzakh sealed, Sheikh Tidjani (may Allah sanctify his precious secret) came in our region and people rushed to him. When I reached him, I saw near him the winner Sidi ‘Omar ibn Sa’id who served as his guide and he said to him: “The people of this country do not profit from a science without he doesn’t teach it. ”And“ the guide ”is the symbol of Khilafa. Then Mohamed Bello said to Sheikh (may Allah sanctify his precious secret): “Know that I am one of those who love you and that I love you for Allah, not for a particular cause or for a coveted objective, but it is is what Allah has placed in me, praise be to Allah. Rimah  ”, there are the following accounts:“ We stayed in a land where disease did not leave us for a moment until the righteous imam, the working scholar, the prince of believers, Mohamed Bello ibn ‘Othman ibn Fouadi, fell ill in his turn. Now a brother saw in a dream that a man came to him on his horse and he asked him: “Where is’ Omar ibn Sa’id?” “The brother in question said to him:” And what do you want from him? He replied: “His Sheikh Ahmed Tidjani sent me to him and he said to me:” Tell him: What is he doing on this unhealthy land !? “”

The other account is as follows: “The daughter of the Emir of the believers Mohamed Bello saw Sheikh (may Allah sanctify his precious secret) in the month of Ramadan and he sent her a camel and ordered her to join him with this camel. -the. She informed me of this, and she died in the month of Dhoul Qa’da of the same year. When she was in agony, she said: “Here is Sidi Cheikh Tidjani who came to let me go with him!” She died that night. When she died, Mohamed Makki’s mother saw her that same night, she came to her house and she sat on my couch, where it is their custom for women to put two diapers in. a room, a diaper for the husband and another for the wife. When she sat down on my bed she said: “Where is Cheikh?” »Speaking of me, and Mohamed Makki’s mother said to him: “He is gone” She said to him: “Tell him then: May Allah reward you for me for good, and tell him that I thank him, for I have certainly been reunited. with Cheikh Sidi Ahmed Tidjani. May Allah have mercy on us and on her and on all those who are close and loved. “

After the death of Sultan Mohamed Bello, he took to the road again with his brother Ahmed ibn Sa’id, his family and a growing number of disciples. Far from the fervor and enthusiasm of his late friend Mohamed Bello, Sheikh ‘Omar (may Allah be pleased with him) encountered a certain hostility in Macina as well as in the Bambara kingdom of Ségou. Indeed, the jealousy of his growing fame pushed his rivals to want to make him disappear, but with each attempt they realized that he was untouchable because of the Divine preservation that the special attention of his master the Hidden Pole gave him. Sidi Ahmed Tidjani (may Allah sanctify his precious secret).

During his journey he came to the lands of an idolatrous king who had received the recommendation to get rid of him. The latter therefore had him imprisoned for forty days without providing him with either water or food. Nevertheless, the king’s sister was conquered by the aura of the mysterious character and she managed to convince her brother to free him. Although he believed that his prisoner must have died, considering the conditions of his detention, they opened his prison and found him surrounded by food of all kinds. The King repented in his hands and honored him by offering him gold and gifts. This is what he told in the Rimah : “When we arrived on the lands of Ségou, some evil people committed to deteriorate the relationship between me and his Sultan, all those who were in our company were assailed with fears and the inhabitants of this region were convinced of our bankruptcy. . It so happened that one of the brothers saw a handsome man who said to him: “Sheikh sent me to his disciple ‘Umar and he said to me:’ Tell him that I am with him that ‘ he therefore has no fear of any evils whatsoever, certainly his Tariqa is the way of preservation in its purest form, nothing will reach you. »» So under the cover of this preservation Sheikh ‘Omar (may Allah be pleased with him) continued to roam the earth, preaching to the authenticity of Islam and to the exceptionality of this noble path Ahmediya Mohammediya Ibrahimiya Hanifiya.

The ranks of his followers kept growing and scholars came from all over to meet the man whose reputation for science and holiness spread as fast as the wind. After having stayed and preached two consecutive years in Kankan, he continued his journey and settled in Fouta-Djalon more precisely in Djekunko where in addition to preaching, he took care of the education of the multitude of people who came to to water the well of his knowledge. It is also in this place that he will reside four years and where he will close his famous book ”  Rimah “. Then he will continue his journey to Fouta-Toro, he will stay in certain villages and wherever he passed people flocked to join him and draw from his dazzling blessing. Finally, he set up his base in the city of Dinguiraye, an animist land under the tutelage of King Yimba, where he had his first Zaouiya built, a place of worship and education. 

Several years passed during this journey where thousands of people affiliated through him, peasants, notables, Emirs, scholars; and of multiple origins, Peuls, Toucouleurs, Hausas, Bambaras, Arabs … and all were ready to commit body and soul to fight so that the word of Allah is the highest and that the whole pagan lands be made clean by the truth of Islam. This was not long in coming, for the animist empires were already planning to put an end to the craze aroused by Sheikh ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), a craze which touched even members close to their authority and which, therefore, shaken their grip and domination.

VI- The outbreak of the holy war

The holy war was triggered by the cause of the animist sovereign Yimba Sakho who, by provocation and knowing himself more powerful in arms and men, dispatched his griot and trusted man Djéli Moussa to claim in addition to the annual tribute that was paid by Hajj ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), the arms, the horse and his eldest daughter (may Allah be pleased with him). Although he could not find fault with the payment of the tribute, on the other hand it was impossible for him to offer the hand of a Muslim to a pagan king and to disarm his men to leave them at the mercy of any enemy. However, the culmination of this situation which definitively started hostilities was that his trusted man, impressed by the holy man, asked to convert to Islam and to live with this noble community. When the news reached the king he found there not only the sought-after pretext, but above all he could not tolerate that his own man of confidence abandons him in view of another god and of another religion than that which he embodied. Also, he sent a large army to permanently destroy Sidi Hajj ‘Omar (may Allah be pleased with him) and his disciples. The numerical difference of the armies was so great between the two adversaries that the animist sovereign was sure to overcome him and already saw himself as the future winner of this battle. he sent a great army in order to permanently destroy Sidi Hajj ‘Omar (may Allah be pleased with him) and his disciples. The numerical difference of the armies was so great between the two adversaries that the animist sovereign was sure to overcome him and already saw himself as the future winner of this battle. he sent a great army in order to permanently destroy Sidi Hajj ‘Omar (may Allah be pleased with him) and his disciples. The numerical difference of the armies was so great between the two adversaries that the animist sovereign was sure to overcome him and already saw himself as the future winner of this battle.

Now it was not only a man and his disciples that he was going to fight, but he was a servant of Allah sponsored by prophetic preservation so that the Divine will might be fulfilled. Sheikh ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) at that time had not yet received Divine authorization to perform Jihad, he had received special authorization from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). him) and Seïdina Ahmed Tidjani (may Allah sanctify his precious secret) to call and direct people to Allah. So he ordered his men not to attack before the opposing army begins hostilities and sheds the blood of Muslims first, thus conforming to the word of Allah: “Permission is given to those who are attacked (to defend themselves) – because they are really wronged; and Allah is certainly able to help them ”(Sura 22 The pilgrimage, verse 39) and they obeyed his orders. Nevertheless, it is indeed Sheikh ‘Omar (may Allah be pleased with him) and his men who won the battle, his opponents being stricken with drowsiness. This is how the pagan king had to flee.

It was after this battle that he received three times Divine authorization to launch the holy fight and it was the outbreak of a Jihad that would spread over several regions and countries, from Senegambia, via Niger, Guinea and reaching Mali, from the city of Tamba to the Bambara Empire of Macina and to the gates of Timbuktu. In all, from the start of the Jihad until the death of Sheikh ‘Omar (may Allah be pleased with him), eighty-two battles were fought between the army of believers and their opponents. The goal not being the fight in itself, this being only the last resort, but it was to call for the oneness of Allah and to follow the noble prescriptions of Islam, alone source of salvation in this world and in the hereafter. As well, before starting any fight they called them to Islam and he left them three days of reflection, except in cases where they were attacked in which case they had no other way out than to defend themselves. Allah said, “Say,” I have only been commanded to worship Allah and not to associate anything with Him. It is to Him that I call [people], And it is to Him that my return will be ”. (Sura 13 The thunder, verse 36).

The objective of this purifying wave represented by the Muslim army of Sheikh ‘Omar (may Allah be pleased with him) was the animist lands, but during the various battles they had to be confronted with the unthinkable support that certain Muslim kingdoms gave. to the animist reign. Some of these Muslim empires of the time gave primacy to temporal power and preferred to ally with the animists to slow down the surging mission of Sheikh ‘Omar (may Allah be pleased with him) which they saw as a threat to their own authority. . Such was the case with Ahmed king of the Emirate of Macina whose capital is Hamdallaye and who lent a helping hand to ‘Ali Da Monzon king of the Bambara kingdom of Ségou. These two kings have always been allied to consolidate their domination over the regions and put an end to the influence of Sheikh ‘Omar (may Allah be pleased with him). So it is quite natural that when ‘Ali Da Monzon was defeated he sought protection from the Muslim king of the Empire of Macina. He used the pretext, to justify his attitude, that ‘Ali Da Monzon had converted to Islam and that it was his duty to protect it. Of course this was not the truth and one could not deceive the clairvoyant gaze of Sheikh ‘Omar (may Allah be pleased with him). The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Beware of the clairvoyant gaze of the believer, for he sees by the Light of Allah and he speaks by the consent of Allah” (Narrated by Ibn Jarir according to Thaouban (may Allah be pleased with them)). that ‘Ali Da Monzon had converted to Islam and that it was his duty to protect it. Of course this was not the truth and one could not deceive the clairvoyant gaze of Sheikh ‘Omar (may Allah be pleased with him). The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Beware of the clairvoyant gaze of the believer, for he sees by the Light of Allah and he speaks by the consent of Allah” (Narrated by Ibn Jarir according to Thaouban (may Allah be pleased with them)). that ‘Ali Da Monzon had converted to Islam and that it was his duty to protect it. Of course this was not the truth and one could not deceive the clairvoyant gaze of Sheikh ‘Omar (may Allah be pleased with him). The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Beware of the clairvoyant gaze of the believer, for he sees by the Light of Allah and he speaks by the consent of Allah” (Narrated by Ibn Jarir according to Thaouban (may Allah be pleased with them)).

It has been reported that ‘Ali Da Monzon said to the Sultan upon his arrival after his defeat: “Is your god one and the same God or do you have your god and Sheikh’ Omar to his god?” “The Sultan replied:” Our god is one and the same God. He then said to him: “I have fought many armies and none have succeeded in defeating me except Sheikh ‘Omar. Listen oh Ahmadou, if you had your god and Sheikh ‘Omar his god then that would mean that his God is stronger than yours, and if you have one and the same God it is because He prefers him to you. Before starting any fight, Sheikh ‘Omar (may Allah be pleased with him) and Sultan Ahmadou exchanged letters trying to prove the authentic status of their respective positions in relation to Islam. The Sultan was quickly defeated by the extraordinary scholarship of the Sheikh (may Allah be pleased with him) who was imbued with the Book of Allah and the prophetic Sunnah. The Sultan thus taken by surprise by his verbal failure, engaged in the fight impressive forces, but in spite of their surplus they were defeated by the army of the believers. The Sultan fled and according to some sources he died on the road. As for Sheikh ‘Omar (may Allah be pleased with him) he took control of Hamdallahi the capital of the Peul Empire of Macina and when he entered the palace he discovered the golden idol of the animist king and the people were witnesses. The Sultan fled and according to some sources he died on the road. As for Sheikh ‘Omar (may Allah be pleased with him) he took control of Hamdallahi the capital of the Peul Empire of Macina and when he entered the palace he discovered the golden idol of the animist king and the people were witnesses. The Sultan fled and according to some sources he died on the road. As for Sheikh ‘Omar (may Allah be pleased with him) he took control of Hamdallahi the capital of the Peul Empire of Macina and when he entered the palace he discovered the golden idol of the animist king and the people were witnesses.

VII. The death of Sheikh ‘Omar 

Following this great victory, there were still several Peul dignitaries of Macina who refused to lose their privilege and organized an uprising. They contacted all the opponents of Sheikh ‘Omar (may Allah be pleased with him) coming from Ségou, Macina and asked for the help of the Moor ruler of Timbuktu Sidi Ahmed el Bekkaï, grand caliph of Tariqa Qadriya and descendant of the famous Sheikh Moukhtar El Kounty (may Allah be pleased with him). The latter, at the beginning of the occupation of the city of Hamdallahi, maintained a friendly relationship with Sidi Hajj ‘Omar (may Allah be pleased with him). But curiously when he was contacted by the coalition which had been formed against Sheikh ‘Omar (may Allah be pleased with him) he responded favorably by committing to fight him alongside them. Was it also for him the fear of the hero’s growing fame, Was it out of competition for the influence of the Tariqa Tidjaniya or in opposition to the growing weight of the Toucouleurs in the region? However, Sheikh ‘Omar (may Allah be pleased with him) was not fighting for a tribal objective or for the accession to temporal power. He united in his ranks thousands of people of different origins, different social classes and all were gathered around the Book of Allah. Piety was their school, simplicity their honor, and Muslim brotherhood bound them together. Sheikh ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) and his people were besieged by this coalition for nine months and the situation kept deteriorating. He knew through this sign that his end was near,

He reported in his ”  Rimah »:« There was a man among the saints of Medina the Luminous and he questioned the Prophet about everything he wanted and the Prophet (best prayers and the purest greetings be upon him) answered his expectations. I asked him to question the Prophet (on him the best prayers and the purest greetings) on my situation and on what allows me to take refuge with him. He later informed me that the Prophet (best prayers and greetings be upon him) told him about me that one of my bitter opponents against me, in a certain country, died after me and that I owe it to him to forgive him because of the intensity of his punishment, so I forgave my adversary. Then he informed me that the Prophet (best prayers and best regards on him) said to him: “Tell ‘Omar: one thing will deteriorate and when that deterioration is complete, I will meet him. “”

He also reported: “The young winner and the virtuous Saint, my spiritual and consanguineous brother ‘Ali ibn Sa’id saw the Prophet (on him the best prayers and the purest greetings), and Seïdina Ahmed Tidjani (may Allah sanctify his precious secret) was with him as well as Sidi Mohamed El Ghali (may Allah be pleased with him). Seïdina Ahmed Tidjani (may Allah sanctify his precious secret) spoke to the Prophet (the best prayers and the purest greetings on him). My brother ‘Ali said: “When I wanted to question the Prophet (on him the best prayers and the purest greetings) on one thing I was prevented by Sidi Mohamed El Ghali (may Allah be pleased with him), I then said to Seïdina Ahmed Tidjani (may Allah sanctify his precious secret): “What is my situation O my master? He said to me: “You will not die unless you are a wali. »To this Sidi Mohamed El Ghali said to the Prophet (best prayers and the purest greetings be upon him):« What is the situation of my brother ‘Omar, O Messenger of Allah? He replied: “Your brother ‘Omar started in my hand and in her he will close. “

The circumstances of this fence are as follows: Sidi Hajj ‘Omar (may Allah be pleased with him) went with his family to the Dogon country pursued by the enemy coalition, they took refuge in a cave on the cliff of Bandiagara (Mali) . They set the entrance on fire and detonated a powder keg and so Allah granted him the death of the martyr, but his body was never found. This may be the same miracle bestowed upon the companion of the Prophet (peace be upon him) Amir ibn Fuhayra (may Allah be pleased with him ) whose body was lifted up in heavens by the angels, and Allah is the most learned. It was in the year 1282h – 1865 AD. J.-C at the age of seventy, may Allah be pleased with him.

VIII. His children, his writings, his companions, his wonders

Their children

Sheikh ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) had fifty children, girls and boys, including:

– Fatima Madaniya; the eldest of all her children, she was born in Medina the Luminous to her mother ‘Aïcha during the month of Ramadan. When he was born even before his first breastfeed, Sheikh ‘Umar took him to the Prophet (peace be upon him) in Raouda. She was the only woman to be designated as Mouqadem by her noble father and she was famous for her holiness. She accomplished a thousand Djaouharatou-l-Kamel every night throughout her life without failing a single time or doubting the number achieved, except when she was informed of the death of her noble father. It was the only time that she doubted a lack or an addition because of the state of torpor. Whenever a person presented himself to him, he found him praying or doing Dhikr.

– Ahmedou Cheïkhou who was his caliph after his death.

– Mohammed Nour

– Mohammed Al ‘Aqib

– Mohammed Al Hedi; he died alongside his father in the cave.

– Mohammed el Mahi; he died alongside his father in the cave.

– Mohammed Mountaga

– Mohammed Taha

– Mohammed Makki; he died alongside his father in the cave.

-Sa’id

– Mohammed Qoreïch who died in infancy.

His companions

His companions were numerous, among them are:

– Alfa Oumar Thierno Baïla Wane

– Alfa Ahmadou Tall

– Thierno Seïdou Nour

– Mohamed Cheikh Aminou

– Alfahim Mahmoud Kankawi

– Abdoullahi ben Mohammed Tichiti (Mauritania)

– Ahmed ben Mohamed el ‘Alawi (Mauritania)

His É crits

His writings numbered about eighteen, among these there are:

– Souyouf Sa’id: he said about this writing “When I started to write my work“ Souyouf Sa’id ”until I got to halfway I saw myself as in a deep well which I did not had no hope of delivering me, I then saw Sheikh (may Allah sanctify his precious secret) who held out his hand to me and I held out mine which he grabbed, and he then hoisted me out of the. “

– Maqasid Sunniya

– Safinat Sa’ada

– Hediyatou Moudhnibina, he wrote it in Egypt following the request of certain scholars.

– And of course the essential “Rimah”: This remarkable book is a concentrate of subtle sciences and decisive arguments drawn from the apparent and the depth of the Book of Allah and the prophetic Sunnah, in honor of the Tariqa and its noble depositary, the Hidden Pole Sidi Ahmed Tidjani (may Allah sanctify his precious secret). The richness of this work is such that it is the only work that was published alongside the reference book of Tariqa Tidjaniya: Djawahirou-l-Ma’ani .

His wonders

Among his wonders, Sheikh ‘Omar Foutiyou (may Allah be pleased with him) was granted five particular characteristics which preceded five immense stations:

The five characteristics:

– He received his education in the two holy places

– His educator was a noble descendant of the Prophet (peace be upon him) in the person of Sidi Mohamed El Ghali (may Allah be pleased with him)

– It is Seïdina Ahmed Tidjani himself (may Allah sanctify his precious secret) who ordered Sidi Mohamed El Ghali to transmit everything to Sheikh ‘Omar

– It was the Prophet (peace be upon him) who served as a witness in front of his noble place for the transmission of the authorization

– Sidi Mohamed El Ghali often remained to be evoked in favor of his pupil before the Prophet (peace of Allah be upon him) the time it took to read five Hizbs.

The five huge stations:

– He met the Prophet (peace be upon him) while awake

– He heard it by the word of the heart

– He obtained the deposit of the Great Supreme Name

– He obtained the special authorization to perform Jihad by the Prophet (peace be upon him) and Seïdina Ahmed Tidjani (may Allah sanctify his precious secret)

– He obtained special permission for the call to Allah and education. Thus, it happened to him to transmit to several thousand people at one time as well as to the Djinns.

IX- Pious visions

To close this sample on the life of the Knower and Wali Sheikh ‘Omar Foutiyou (may Allah be pleased with him), here is a passage from the ”  Rimah  ” where, recounting the blessings of Allah towards him, he evokes various pious visions concerning him. , these passages are an extract.

Indeed, all this is part of the good visions that Allah has established in His Book and that the Prophet (peace be upon him) established in his Sunnah.

For example taken from the Book there is His word – Exalted be He: “Verily, the beloved of Allah will be free from all fear, and they will not be afflicted, {62} Those who believe and who fear {63} There is for them a good announcement in life here below as well as in the hereafter (Sura 10 Younus, verse 64).

It is said in ”  Loubab Ta-wil  “: “There are different interpretations regarding these good announcements (bouchra), it is reported according to ‘Oubada ibn Samit (may Allah be pleased with him) who said:” I asked the Prophet (peace be upon him) about the saying of the Most High: “There is for them a good announcement in life here as well as in life. beyond ”He replied,“ This is the pious vision that the believer sees or is seen for him. (Tirmidhi).

It is said in ”  Siraj Mounir  “: “As for the good announcement, it is explained as being among them the pious vision and innumerable exegetes interpret it thus. “

As for the tradition, it is reported by Bukhari and Muslim according to Abu Hureyra (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “When the end of time draws near the vision of the believer will never be denied and the vision of the believer represents 1/46 ^th of the prophecy. “

It is reported by Muslim according to Abu Hureyra (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “There will be only good announcements left after me from the prophecy. He was asked, “And what are good announcements?” He replied, “The pious vision. “

It is narrated by Nassa-i according to Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: “The Prophet (peace be upon him) raised the curtain as the people lined up in a row. behind Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), then he said: “O you people! All that will remain of the good prophetic announcement is the pious vision that the Muslim will see or that will be seen for him ”.

It is reported of a person among the inhabitants of Egypt who said: “I asked Abu Darda (may Allah be pleased with him) about this verse:“ There is a good announcement for them… ”He replied, “No one has asked me about this since I asked the Prophet (peace be upon him) except you, and since it was revealed he has is about the pious vision that the Muslim sees or is seen for him. “Tirmidhi said that it is a hadith Good (Hassan) and in Siraj El Mounir it is said:” The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “The Prophecy is gone. gone and there remained the good announcements ”and he said,“ The godly vision is from Allah and the dreams are from Chaytan.

Extracts from some visions

– “A brother told me that he saw in a dream a person on a bed, in a house which had two doors, and this person said to him:” O so and so, do you recognize me? “I said to him:” No “He then said:” I am Mohammed the excellence of creation (peace of Allah be upon him) “then he added:” I send you to your Sheikh ‘ Omar to tell him that I send him my greetings, that he urges the servants of Allah to the religion of Allah – Exalted – that he clarifies all that he wants, because he has the guarantee. May he not grieve for the people of Fouta, for they are disloyal people. And he repeated it three times. “

– “” I saw him (peace be upon him) during an event and he said to me: “May Allah make you among the best of his people”, c ‘that is to say the people of his community, and I humbled myself in front of him before the joy and the contentment with which he had filled my heart with his words and I replied: “I accept and I agree oh Messenger of Allah. “”

– “One of the brothers told me that he saw the Prophet (peace be upon him) who said:” Be firm in your situation and obey your Sheikh ‘Omar, for you are in truth and accuracy. “”

– “A brother sent me a writing of which the following is the statement:” Know, O our Sheikh, that I saw you in a dream in white clothes and I heard someone say: “Certainly there is the Prophet (peace be upon him) approaching. I straightened up to observe where I had seen you and you both met and you were surrounded by fog to the point where I couldn’t see you anymore. I heard him (peace be upon him) talk to you and here is what I remembered: “I love you with pure love and those around you” but by against for the word “as well as those of your entourage” I do not know if it is exactly as what he said it or what approaches it, contrary to his word “I love you from a pure love ”.

– One of the true brothers saw the Prophet (peace be upon him) and this brother thought to himself that he was going to ask the Prophet something (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) but the latter said to him even before he questioned him: “Ask Sheikh ‘Omar ibn Sa’id whatever you want to ask me”

– I brought in a true retreating brother (khalwa) and he sent me what had happened to him during those days. He wrote the following: “I saw the Prophet (peace be upon him) who said to me:” Hajj ‘Omar is my emir as long as he does not keep company with sovereigns and that he does not seek access to the goods of this world, if he frequents them and seeks them then he will have betrayed me, so I warn him. “

– Fatima Madaniya saw the Prophet (peace be upon him) while he was at my house and I was with him, when he wanted to leave I said to him: “You go leave when you have not seen the people of my house! “He said (peace be upon him):” Certainly I am in a great hurry but Allah, may he be Exalted, does not want us to do what upsets your heart “I said to myself. delighted, then he ordered me and I would go get them all except two of them. “

– Fatima Madaniya saw that it was the day of the Last Judgment that had come and she was in this situation, then she saw the Prophet (peace of Allah be upon him) who came to me ( that is to say Sheikh ‘Omar) and who seized me by the hand while taking me with him. She exclaimed: “O Messenger of Allah! Are you leaving, leaving me !? “He replied (peace be upon him):” I will not leave you, but I have undertaken not to make anyone else prevail but him at this time. “

– One of the trusted brothers informed me that one evening he turned to Allah, he recited 7 Djaouharatou-l-Kamel, and 100 Salat Fatihi then he offered the reward to the Prophet (whom the prayer and the peace of Allah be upon him) then he recited the same thing and offered it to Seïdina Sheikh (may Allah sanctify his precious secret). Then, he implored Allah – Exalted – to show him where they were both then he fell asleep in a state of purity. He then saw a person who said to him: “The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was present with you and with Sheikh Tidjani, did you not hear what they were saying? told you? I replied, “No, I didn’t hear. He said: “They said to you:” We are with Sheikh ‘Omar wherever he is we will never leave him. “”

– One of the trusted brothers saw Seïdina Cheikh (may Allah sanctify his precious secret) and he asked him for some Adhkar. He said to him (may Allah sanctify his precious secret): “From whom did you take the prayers of the Tariqa? He said: “From Sheik ‘Omar Foutiyou. “He then pointed to a place, the brother looking up saw me and I said to him:” Yes! “

– “I was touched by great anxiety and sadness in what was happening to me and then I saw what he who sleeps sees, and this, the night of Thursday 3 of the month of Allah Ramadan in such year of the Prophetic Hegira (the best prayers and the purest greetings be upon him). I saw a person who told me: “I saw the hidden Pole Sheikh Ahmed Tidjani (may Allah sanctify his precious secret) who told you that he came to see you in your vision so that the situation would disappear. where you find yourself as an anguish, in priority by making disappear the bad spell that has been cast on you and that each business that you start, do it by conforming to the Sunnah. “”

All the information collected is taken from the book “Rimah” as well as from the writings of the learned Sheikh Mohamed El Hafidh El Misri (may Allah be pleased with him).

This text was also produced thanks to the information given by the Tall family in the person of Thierno Madani and the writings of his late father, Thierno Mountaqa Ahmadou Tall (may Allah be pleased with him). We thank them very much for this precious help and participation.

Research and Translation by the Zaouiya Tidjaniya El Koubra of Europe

EL HADJI ABDOULAYE NIASSPELRAINAGE IN ISLAM HOLY PLACES(Part 5)Continuation of 《EL HADJI ABDOULAYE NIASS IN GAMBIA (1887-1899)》 (Chapter 1 FROM DJOLOF TO SALOUM)In this context of soothing climate, EL HADJI ABDOULAYE NIASS carried out PELERINAGE TO MECK between 1889 and 1891 with the sole aim of accomplishing the 5th pillar of Islam as recommended by religion to all those who have the physical and material means. During this long absence, he entrusted his family and talibés to one of his friends and muqaddam, SERIGN AMADOU BOUCAR NIANG.On his way home he passed CAIRO. By pure chance, he attended a Forum of Ulémas of the prestigious AL AZHAR University and managed to convince these scientists with his knowledge in fields as diverse as theology, law, grammar, the history of the Prophet ṣly̱ ạllh ʿlyh wslm ṣly̱ ạllh ʿlyh wslm ṣly̱ ạllh ʿlyh wslm ṣly̱ ạllh ʿlyh wslm ṣly̱ ạllh ʿlyh wslm ṣly̱ ạllh ʿlyh wslm ṣly̱ ạllh ʿlyh wslm…………………… At the end of this banquet of AL AZHAR’s leaders, all recognize his impressive scholarship and awarded him an honorary diploma.Then it was the FEZ (MOROCCO) stage to water at the source of TARIQA TIDIANE and collect on the tomb of CHEIKH AHMED TIDJANI SHERIF (RTA).Returning from Mecca, EL HADJI ABDOULAYE NIASS continued to remain in GAMBIA. He took advantage of this trip to expand the circle of his followers whose most famous ones were OMAR GUEYE, IMAM DE BANJUL, MASS DIACK, who performed cadi, OMAR FAYE……Extract from the book ′′ Sheikh al Islam El Hadji Ibrahima NIASS Imam from the Faydatou Tidiania ′′Written by Mbaye Thiam from Kaolack.

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.

Sayyid Ali Cisse (b. 1906, Diossong, Senegal; d. 1982, Medina-Baye Kaolack, Senegal).

HISTORY OF SEYYID ALI AND CISSE FAMILY
Sayyidi Ali Cisse (d. 1981), who had been the friend and spiritual successor (khalifa) of Sheikh Ibrahim, and Fatima Zahra Niasse, the first child of Shaykh Ibrahim.
The Cisse lineage is thought to be one of the oldest Muslim scholarly families in West Africa, tracing their descent from the first converts to Islam in the ancient kingdom of Ghana in the eleventh century. Oral traditions in the Saloum region of Senegal say that the Kaya Magha (‘King of Gold’) at the ancient Ghanaian capital of Kumbi Saleh, who had converted to Islam by the time of the Almoravid expansion (1076), bore the name Cisse. This is not unlikely, since the original founder of the city was a certain Dyabe Sisse (or Cisse), the son of Dinga, from whom the oldest Mandinka lineages — Cisse, Kante, Sylla — trace descent. With the conversion of Kaya Magha Cisse to Islam, the Cisse family has since come to be closely associated with Islamic scholarship in the vast areas of West Africa influenced by Soninke and Mandinka clerical traditions. Muslim scholars bearing the name Cisse came to settle in the Saloum region of Senegal perhaps as early as the thirteenth or fourteenth century. By the early nineteenth century, the Cisse of the Saloum had become thoroughly Wolofized. Andal Mbouri Cisse gained some fame as a religious scholar in the region, hosting recruits for the Jihad of Ma (Muhammad) Ba Diakhou (d. 1869) in the Saloum region. His son Biram (Ibrahim) Cisse continued the Jihad with Ma Ba’s son, Saer Maty, before falling out with the latter and eventually being exiled by the French colonial authorities to Gabon. Here he met the well-known founder of the Muridiyya Sufi order, and symbol of Senegalese anti-colonial resistance, Amadou Bamba (d. 1927). Biram’s grandson, Alassane (al-Hasan; d. 1922), was known as “Tafsir Hasan” for his expertise in Qur’anic exegesis. He became a disciple of al-Hajj Abd Allah Niasse (1845-1922),who had moved from the northern kingdom of Jolof to participate in the Jihad of Ma Ba Diakhou. Al-Hajj ‘Abd Allah, who was the father of Shaykh Ibrahim, would establish a famous network of Islamic scholarship in the SineSaloum region. Alassane helped found the town of Diossong, where his son Sayyid Ali was born in 1906.
Sayyid Ali came to reside in the house of al-Hajj Abd Allah following the death of his father, and soon became the close friend of Shaykh Ibrahim Niasse. When the latter established the town of MedinaBaye.

He wrote several books besides the tarjama (biography) of the Shaykh in the beginning of the Kashif. He married Shaykh Ibrahim’s eldest daughter, Fatima Zahra Niasse; and their sons have since emerged as some of the primary spokesmen for the following of Shaykh Ibrahim.

Shaykh Hassan Cisse (b. 1945, Medina-Baye Kaolack; d. 2008, Medina-Baye Kaolack, Senegal).

The Imam designated by Shaykh Ibrahim to succeed Sayyid Ali, Shaykh Hassan became the preeminent representative of the “Tijani Flood” by the end of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st century. He spread Islam and the Tijaniyya in America, South Africa and numerous other lands. He founded the African American Islamic Institute (AAII), to promote cultural exchange and fulfill educational and health-care needs. He studied in Senegal, Mauritania and Egypt and was awarded an honorary doctorate from al-Azahar University in Cairo.

Imam Hassan Cisse (1945-2008) was an accomplished Islamic scholar, emerging from a long and vibrant legacy of Islamic learning in West Africa. The grandson and spiritual heir of Shaykh Ibrahim Niasse, he was designated by Shaykh Ibrahim as Imam of the Jama’at Nasr al-Ilm (“Community of Helping Knowledge”), the followers of Shaykh Ibrahim who are historically the largest single Muslim movement in twentieth-century West Africa.

Imam Hassan was a consummate scholar and spiritual guide. He received a complete training in the traditional Islamic sciences: the Qur’an and its exegesis (tafsir), Prophetic traditions (hadith) and history (seerah), jurisprudence and its sources (fiqh and usul), literature (adab), poetry, grammar and Sufism (tasawwuf ). After memorizing the Qur’an at a young age in Mauritania, he was educated mostly in Senegal under the personal supervision of Shaykh Ibrahim Niasse, who had gathered in Kaolack, Senegal, some of the most renowned scholars from Senegal, Mauritania, Nigeria, and beyond. These included Shaykh Hassan’s own father, Sidi Ali Cisse, and his mother, Sayyida Fatima Zahra Niasse. The Cisse lineage, originally Mande speakers, is one of the most ancient scholarly groups in West Africa, tracing its conversion to Islam back 1000 years to Kumbe Saleh, one of the great cities of West Africa’s proud history. In many places in West Africa, “Cisse” used to be simply synonymous with “scholar.”

Shaykh Hassan’s own scholarly reputation earned him the respect of Muslim ‘ulama around the world. For example, Shaykh Yasin al-Fadani (d. 1990), the Indonesian musnid of the Hijaz, sent him a personal diploma (ijaza) transmitting some 700 diplomas Shaykh Yasin had collected from prominent scholars throughout the Islamic world. Similarly, the great Hadith scholar of Medina, Shaykh Ahmad Muhammad Abd al-Jawwad, presented him with an ijaza after being instructed to do so in a visionary encounter with the Prophet Muhammad. Shaykh Hassan Cisse himself possessed more than 600 ijazas from Muslim scholar all around the world, the most cherished of which remains that from his grandfather, Shaykh Ibrahim Niasse. Although Shaykh Hassan was only thirty at the time of his grandfather’s passing, Shaykh Ibrahim was said to show him special favor from the time of his birth in 1945. In Shaykh Ibrahim’s last will and testament, he recommended his own children to his closest disciple and lifelong companion, Sidi Ali Cisse, and said that they should “be with him as they are with me now.” The will mentions Shaykh Hassan by name as the community’s Imam after his father. Shaykh Hassan was the last to see Shaykh Ibrahim alive.

Besides the “traditional” sciences, Shaykh Hassan also attained high merit in later academic education, completing a B.A. in Islamic Studies and Arabic Literature from Ain Shams University (Cairo, Egypt) and an M.A. in English from the University of London. Near completion of his PhD in Islamic Studies at Northwestern University (Chicago, IL), his father passed, and Shaykh Hassan was obliged to return to Senegal to assume the imamate in Kaolack. Shaykh Hassan is fluent in Arabic, English, French, Hausa and his native Wolof language.

Shaykh Hassan Cisse continued the work of his grandfather, introducing Islam to thousands and unifying diverse cultures under the banner of Islam. The Shaykh positively affected the lives of many in societies rife with ethnic and religious tensions, such as Nigeria, Mauritania, South Africa and the United States. Shaykh Hassan first came to America in 1976, and since worked tirelessly to promote good-will and positive exchange between Americans and the international Muslim community, emphasizing the essential spirituality and etiquette (Sufism) of Islam to promote individual betterment and real brotherhood. These efforts bore fruit through the founding of the African American Islamic Institute (www.aaii.info), a UN recognized non-governmental organization (NGO) which promotes education, health care, women’s rights, and international exchange and dialogue between America and West Africa. Shaykh Hassan’s social efforts were recognized by several international organizations, such as the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Population Fund (UNPFA), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and Rotary International. He frequently participated in the United Nations annual conference for the world-wide NGO community. He participated in annual United Nations conferences for NGOs and was a frequently invited guest speaker at UNICEF and other UN-sponsored events. His role as an eminent Islamic scholar committed to the real needs of humanity also occasioned his election as President of the recently formed Network of African Islamic Organizations for Population and Development. For an example of his address of international humanitarian concerns from the perspective of an Islamic scholar, see his speech delivered at a 2007 meeting of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) in Kuala Lampur, Malaysia: The Role of Religious Leaders in Polio Eradication.  It is also available here in its original Arabic version. 

His credentials as an Islamic scholar made him a frequently invited teacher in places such as Nigeria, Mauritania, Morocco, Ghana, Niger, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, South Africa, France, Germany, England, the United States and beyond. The famous Azhar University in Egypt honored the Shaykh with an award of “highest distinction” for his activities as a world-renowned Muslim scholar. We thank Allah for his presence among us. As has been said of Shaykh Hassan by a disciple:

Through him the Sunnah has been revived

Through him the flood of Divine grace has remained among us

And people have set out for God group upon group

In him we have grasped a handhold that never breaks.

Shaykh Hassan passed from this world on August 14, 2008. His furneral in Medina-Baye, Kaolack, was attended by over two million people and his departure was mourned by many more around the world. He has been succeeded by his brother and companion, Imam Shaykh Tijani Cisse.

Quote of a murid:

Hajia Aysha Jefferies Cisse, a true murid of Imam Hassan Cisse wrote on FB on 5/8/21 “The Imam arrived in America to unlock the memory of the Stolen Legacy.” and she put up a picture of a girl reciting the Qur’an at the residence of the Imam in Kaolack with Hajia Aysha and others (americans and non americans) sitting and watching the Qur’an reciter. She went:

On The Rooftop of Imam Cheikh Hassan Aliou Cissè (rahimullah), in Medina-Kaolack Senegal West Africa, honored guest were presented with knowledge, great food and the Beauty of cultural literacy. The Imam arrived in America to unlock the memory of the Stolen Legacy. Zena Dixon embodies the Light that was suppressed for a time as she recited The Book (the Holy Quran) she was never intended to know.. Man plans but ALLAH is the PLANNER and Best of Knowers.

Shaykh Baba Lamine b. Shaykh Ibrahima Niasse

” From his real name of Amine Ibrahima Niasse, Baba Lamine was born on May 1940, 10 years after the call of Baye, El-hadj Ibrahima niass, at the Fayda Tijaniya. But let’s try to perform a small set of numbers on the number 10. What does the 10 years that separates the call from the Fayda and the birth of Sheikh Baba? To say that this son of Baye niass is bound to be, the maestro, number 10 of the team. The 10 already shows us in him the uniqueness of God “Allahou,”.

However, at the age of 5, he took him into the Quran school where he mastered the Quran at the age of 12 Having obtained several degrees in different horizons, Sheikh Baba is a Polyglot general who never ceases to carry strong hands on the worthy mission of his revered Father El Hadj Ibrahim niass (Imam of Faydou). During every celebration of the birth of the prophet Mohamed (PSL), we see him high and beautiful, sitting on the ” throne “, going with us until the good morning in ” Sirra Rassoul “.

It must be said that this multi-dimensional and very experienced man in life (he has had to do many countries in the sub-region and Arabia) perfectly masters the Quran and contributes greatly to the education of Islamic principles and the spirituality. In fact, he has a great influence in the fight against certain understanding in religion and in this, he had to bring corrections in designs that do not stand up from some of the ulama of Islam as did the Baye of Islam. .. of Amine Ibrahima Niasse gives a great respect to those who know him, in other words, he is in all the reflections of Sheikh Al Islam, El-hadj Ibrahima niass. (Edition of a post on FB 5/10/2020).

Shaykh Tijani Cisse (b. 1955, Medina-Baye Kaolack)

The second son of Sayyid Ali Cisse and Fatima Zahra Niasse, Shaykh al-c (also spelled Cheikh Tidiane) succeeded his elder brother brother as the Imam of the Grand Mosque in Medina-Baye and President of the AAII in 2008. As a student at al-Azhar University, he specialized in hadith studies. He has since edited and printed many books of Shaykh Ibrahim and other Tijani scholars. Shaykh al-Tijani was the last student taught by Shaykh Ibrahim, the last to receive unlimited authorization (ijaza mutlaqa) in the Islamic sciences from his father Sayyid Ali, and the closest companion of Shaykh Hassan.

Shaykh Mahi Cisse

Shaykh Muhammad Mahy Cisse is a Muslim, a teacher, and a consummate spiritual guide whose teaching and lifestyle transparently reflects the Qur’an and life of Prophet Muhammad (S). At age 12, he completed memorization of the Quran under the supervision of Mauritanian scholar Abdullah Ould Rabani. After extensively studying all the disciplines taught in the Majaalis-al-Ilm under his father, he traveled to Egypt to continue his education. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Islamic Studies and Arabic Literature from Al-Azhar University. He is the son of Shaykh Sidi Ali Cisse, the first caliph of Shaykh al-Islam, Al-Hajj Ibrahim Abdullah Niass, who is celebrated and well-known throughout the world by the scholarly elite. He is currently the Director of Studies at the African American Islamic Institute, an international, non-governmental organization recognized by the UN, founded by his elder brother, the late Imam Shaykh Hassan Aliyyu Cisse. He was appointed, in 2019, spokesperson of the Tijaniyya Tariqa worldwide by the actual Khalif of Shaykh al-Islam Ibrahim Niass and uncle, Shaykh Tijani Niasse.

(From Imam Fakhrudeen Owaisi): When our Mother Fatimatu Zahra (Yafatu) Niasse was pregnant with Shaykh Mahy Cisse, she saw the Prophet (SAW) in a dream, ordering her to name the child “Muhammad al-Mahy”. She hid the dream from everyone. When the baby was born and was taken to her father Shaykh Ibrahim (RA) for giving the name, he automatically named the child, “Muhammad al-Mahy.” Mahy is a name of the Prophet (SAW), and it means, “The Eraser.” The Prophet (SAW) was named Mahy because he came to erase Kufr and Shirk from the hearts of people and from this earth.It is interesting to note that Shaykh Ibrahim (RA) wrote:هدمت الذي قد أسسوه وإننيبسر المقفى لا يهد بنائيIndeed, I have destroyed all that they have built (to fight me)And through the Secret of the Final Prophet, My Building cant be destroyedرموني و ما نولوا مرادا وإننيأمزق بالماحي جموع عدائيThey attacked me but they did not achieve their goalIndeed, through the MAHY, I have destroyed the armies of my enemiesAl-HumduliLlah! Through Shaykh “Mahy”, much confusion has also been erased and effaced, lately. Those who were belittling Baye (RA) have been humiliated and exposed.~ Imam Fakhrudeen Owaisi

Maulana Shaykh Uba Sufiyanu Kano

This is one of our prominent shuyukhs of our century, he lived a life of blessings (barakat) and scholarship. He was the most knowledgeable student of Shaykh Ibrahim Niass in Nigeria in our time, he passed away 2018, exactly 10 years after his friend and companion Imam Hassan Cisse.

He wrote numerous books and visited the Prophet SAW more than 50 times during his prosperous life, may Allah continue blessing him and may Allah benefit us from his knowledge and teachings. Ameen.

Shaykh Tahiru Bauchi

Sheikh Tahiru Usman Bauchi was born in Gombe located in the northern region of Nigeria. His parents were from Bauchi while his maternal linage had its roots from Gombe. Sheikh Tahiru was born in during Hijra 1346, equivalent to June 28, 1927 in the Gregorian calendar. From a very young age, Sheikh Tahiru studied the Holy Qur’an extensively under the tutelage and supervision of his father Alhaji Usman.
His father taught him the Holy Qur’an to the point that he could flawlessly recite the entire Qur’an from memory. According to Sheikh Tahiru, it was from his father (who himself was reputed for reciting the Holy Qur’an off head) that I received the Tijaniyyah Tariqah. His father was Muqaddam (or Imam), who was granted authorization (ijazah) in the Tijaniyyah Tariqah.
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ISLAMIC KNOWLEDGE
After his complete study of the Holy Qur’an, upon his father’s suggestion, Sheikh Dahiru traveled (at various places) into the world to visit other Qur’anic to enhance and improve his memorization of the Holy Book. Out of this experience emerged a man from proficient, gifted, skillful, and talented enough that even my teachers rate me as an expert of Al-Qur’anil Kareen.
Sheikh Dahiru was given the highest ever title of those individuals who are versed in the field known as Gangaran. To this date, Sheikh Dahiru is renowned for his memorization of the Holy Qur’an and with the remarkable prose with which he recites the Holy Qur’an from memory. His Islamic knowledge and intellectual prowess rose steadily to the point that wherever he goes people of adjacent and neighboring communities flocked to me to seek clarification on numerous aspects of Islamic knowledge, including the Ulama (Muslim scholars) were not learned enough to offer credible explanation on the numerous of issues raised at that time.
In addition to gaining strong knowledge of reading and understand Holy Qur’anic texts in the classical tradition, Sheikh Dahiru’s father instructed him to diversify his Islamic studies approach. He left Gombe to Bauchi to meet with other well known Ulama of the time. While in Bauchi, he had the privilege of meeting and studying under some of great Islamic scholars who specialized in judicious studies on several aspects of Islamic knowledge and sciences, including Tassawuf (Islamic Sufism). It was in Bauchi that he aligned with the famous propagator of Tijaniyyah, scholar, Imam, and greatteacher Sheikh Ibrahim Niass Kaulaha (Allah well pleased with him).
According to Sheikh Dahiru, apart from his father Alhaji Usman, Sheikh Ibrahim Niass had the greatest influence in him in terms of
intellectual disposition on all aspects of Islamic knowledge. Sheikh Dahiru has studies all written Islamic text written by Sheikh l Ibrahim and other great Tijanni Tariqa scholars, including Jawahiril Ma’ani (considered by many as the main book of Tijaniyyah Tariqah).
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FAMILY AND CHILDREN Sheikh Dahiru married for the first time in 1948.
Sheikh Dahiru is blessed with children both males and females who, by the grace of Allah, are well versed in Qur’anic education, and who themselves could recite that magnificent scripture by memory. It is a well known fact that all sixty-one (61) of Sheikh Dahiru’s
children and grand children have completed Qur’an and could flawlessly recite it from memory. Indeed, Sheikh Dahiru’s contribution to Islamic knowledge in Nigeria and across the West African region is beyond comparison to any Ulama of his time and space, and the Sheikh views this as a great blessing showered on him from young age by his father, his great teachers, and by the Grace of Almighty Allah.

Shaykh Mahi Haidara of Mali

The one who did khalwa of Salat al Fatihi for almost 40 years. Sharif Muhammad Mahi Haidara.
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Shayk Muhammad Mahi was born in 1921 in Segou ( central Mali) in a famous sherifian family. His grandfather Shayk Sidi Ibrahim Sherif known as Niaro Karamoko ( the shaykh of Niaro [his native village nearby Segou]) is considered at least in Segou as the greatest saint after Shaykh Umar Futi in Mali.
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Shaykh Mahi’s grandfather the Wali of Nioro (city in Mali) adopted the sanusiya tariqa till his arrest by the French in the 1940’s and deportation to Ivory Coast. While in prison he received the daylight vision of Shayk Ahmad Tijani in broad day light who told him to take the Tariqa Tijaniya. He was later released and sentback to Segou and to Niaro under tight French surveillance where he
spent the rest of his life. Niaro Karamoko used to say that whenever
he saw the prophet (SA) he was with Shayk Ahmad Tijani( R.A) and that
he never saw the later without Shaykh Umar behind him bearing his prayer mat. His grandson Shaykh Muhammad Mahi would grow to be his inheritor and leader of his grandfathers students
It is one of his famous saying namely that a Godly man can be in a
market full of people but not be distracted due to his direct witnessing of Allah (SW) that inspired Shayk Muhammad Mahi to find out how this is possible. As Shayk Mahi would say later on that none of the books he read nor the devotions he made could achieve his ambition.
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Then he decided to leave hundreds of Koran students he was in charge
of to search for the truth. At the age of 30 he left Mali for Madinah. He wept so much at the blessed tomb of the prophet (SA) that when he left the mosque someone called him and told him that the knowledge he wants he can found only in Kano ( Nigeria). Shayk Mahi headed to Kano and met with Osman Kanoi, a khalifa of Shayk Ibrahim Niass. That’s where he got the tarbiyya and came back to Mali.
Six months later he went to Medina Baye- Kaolack, Senegal. When Shayk Ibrahim Niasse saw him coming, he told his Khalifa Sidi Ali Cissé that:
” this is a man you have never seen a like of and you will never see such .If he has not come to me I would have gone for him! Today I can affirm without any doubt that my mission as the bearer of the Fayda will be a success.”
In another occasion, people complained to Shayk Ibrahim Niass that his guest
( Shayk Muhammad Mahi) never attends the wazifa, on which he replied: “this myguest has the same noor I have, but the difference is I can bear mine while he cannot!” Shayk Mahi spent two years in kaolack and was appointed by Shayk Ibrahim Niass as his khalife in Mali. He is the only khalif appointed by Shayk Niass himself in Mali.
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Him and his students bought a new land and built a house for him where he settled and never came out for 36 years except on few rare occasions!
Shayk Mahi is known in kaolack as the man of khalwa ( spiritual
retreat) for he spent 36 years in Khalwa (doing salat al fatihi) Some people spent 20 years in his house and have not seen him! Shayk Mahi himself didn’t know
where his home was when once he went to the capital city and on the way back his car was broke down. Someone accepted to drop at least one of the passengers. When arrived at Segou he was dropped few hundred yards from hishouse. This was a strange experience for he hasnt been familiar with the area of his house in so long he didnt know where to find his home. So he kindly asked a beggar to show him the house of “Shayk Mahi”!
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In few years time people ran to him in such a way that has never been
seen in Mali. His own house constantly guested more than 500 men and women students for more than 30 years and up to now this is
continuining. Shayk Mahi brought more than 200 000 people into the
tariqa and knowledge of Allah. For example three of his khalifas had more than 200 Muqqadems each and Shayk Mahi had more than 50 Khalifas in Mali,
Burkina fasso, Ivory Coast, Sierra leone, Guinea Konakry
Shayk Muhammad Mahi is known to have said that he can’t sleep if he thinks that there are still some people who don’t have marifa.
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Thanks to him hundred of thousands of muslims have got true gnosis. Shayk Mahi is the first muslim in Mali to celebrate publicly Mawlid with all night long preaches. Now Mawlid is more celebrated in Mali than eids. In fact Mawlid is the only occasion during which Shayk Mahi would publicly preach from his spiritual retreat room using a
microphone and never come out. He received twice the visit of Shayk Ibrahim Niass in Segou and was married to one of his blessed daughter, Sayida Zainab Niass and had many blessed offsprings through her.
Shayk Mahi passed away in 1992. His tomb is in the mosque he built in
his house. His son Mohamed Mounir Mahi Haidara has been appointed as
his khalif.

SHAYKH SHARIF IBRAHIM SALEH AL-HUSAYNI (MAIDUGURI)

{An Extraordinarily Prolific Author, Expert in Sufism and Hadith: A Leading Figure in the Niassene Tijaniyya}

Quotes from the Book:
Arabic Literature of Africa, Volume 2: The Writings of Central Sudanic Africa (1995)…Compiled by: Prof. John O. Hunwick

Portion of the Book quoted (Chapter 10);
Bornu, Wadai and Adamawa (pgs. 407-415)…By Dr. Hamidu Bobboyi and Prof. John O. Hunwick

Ibrahim ibn Muhammad al-Salih ibn Yunus ibn Muhammad al-Awwal ibn Ibrahim ibn Yunus ibn Muhammad al-Makki ibn ‘Amr al-Nawwi al-Husayni, Known as Shaykh Sarif Salih.

Date of Birth: 15th Jumadal Awwal, 1358 (July, 1939).

Born in Adidibe near Dikwa, he comes from Arab stock and traces his ancestry back to the Prophet through the sixth imam Ja’far.

He first studied under his father Goni Muhammad Salih and his uncle Goni Muhammad al-Amin al-Sharif; then under Goni Jidda, Goni ‘Abd Allah Muhammad, the faqih Muhammad al-Dud and Goni Adam w. Mahrusa.

His principal teacher in Borno was Shaykh Ahmad Abu ‘l Fat’hi ibn ‘Ali al-Yarwawi, under whom he studied all the major Islamic sciences. He also studied in Borno with Shaykh ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Ali ibn Dawud, known as Abani, Chief Qadi of Dikwa, Muhammad Gibrima of Nguru and Shaykh Muhammad ibn Mustafa al-‘Alawi al-Shinqiti, with whom he spent four years.

He went to Kano and studied with Ahmad al-Tijani ‘Uthman and received the Jawahir al-ma’ani from Shaykh Abu Bakr ‘Atiq who was his principal Sufi teacher from whom he acquired many ijazas (licenses) for the Tijani tariqa.

Before leaving Maiduguri he had received the awrad (litany) of the Tijaniyya from Shaykh Muhammad al-Habib ibn Muhammad al-‘Id, a descendant of Shaykh Ahmad al-Tijani.

On a visit to the Hijaz he obtained ijazas in Qur’anic recitation from Shaykh Hasan ibn Ibrahim al-Sha’ir, shaykh al-qurra in Medina, and from Shaykh ‘Alawi ibn ‘Abbas al-Maliki, shaykh al-haram in Mecca, and other ijazas from Shaykh ‘Umar ibn ‘Ali al-Faruq al-Fullani and Shaykh Isma’il al-Ansari.

During a visit to Egypt he received ijazas from the head of the Tijani zawiya Shaykh Muhammad al-Hafiz and from Shaykh Mahmud Khalil al-Husri, who gave him permission to transmit all his works. He also visited Kaolack and received a full ijaza and renewal of all the Tijani awrad from Shaykh Ibrahim Niasse.

On his return to Borno he established himself as a teacher and founded the Progressive Islamic Institute. In 1977 he wrote a report on the state of Islamic education which led to the establishment of an Arabic Teachers Training College, and in 1982 to the foundation of the Borno College of Legal and Islamic Studies, the board of which he has chaired since 1984.

He was invited to give Ramadan tafsir sessions by the army Chief of Staff and deputy Head of State General Sheu Yar’adua, 1977-79 and under military heads of state, General Muhammad Buhari and General Ibrahim Babangida in the 1980s.

He is currently the chairman of the Fatwa Committee of the Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs of Nigeria. He has represented Nigeria at many Islamic conferences in North Africa and the Middle East, and is a leading figure in the Niassene Tijaniyya.

He is an extraordinarily prolific author with a large personal library in Maiduguri and another in Cairo. His works range over many fields, but his deepest knowledge is in Sufism and in Hadith. In the latter field he has ijazas from scholars in the Hijaz, in Syria, Egypt, the Yemen, India and Pakistan, and his major isnads go back through the great Morrocan scholar ‘Abd al-Hayy al-Kattani.

He is building a mosque complex next to his house in Maiduguri which will also contain a college and a library.

HIS LITERARY WORKS

In the list of his works below, those not otherwise attributed to a source are taken from the list of titles provided by the author.

1. Ahammiyyat istinbat al-hukm fi ‘l tashri’ al-islami

2. ‘Ala hamish majlis almazra’a;
On collaborating in righteousness and piety.

3. al-‘Arab fi Ifriqiya al-istiwa’iyya.

4. Anasib al-sa’ada fi ‘l-kalam ‘ala tafsir qawlihi ta’ala <Ya ayuhha ‘lladhina amanu ittaqu ‘llaha haqqa tuqatihi>;
Commentary on Qur’an 3: 102

5. Bughyat al-ra’id fi ‘ilm al-fara’id

6. Burj al-muraqaba

7. al-Bunuk: daruratuha – ‘a’idatuha
On the necessity of banking and how Muslims should handle the interest problem.

8. Diwan shi’r

9. Diya’ al-yasahur

10. Fajr al-tahqiq fi takhrij al-hadith alda’ira bayn ahl al-tariq;
On the origins of the hadith used in Sufi writings.

11. al-Fasil bayn al-haqq wa’l-batil;
Largely based on the Shurb al-zulal of Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman al-Barnawi.

12. Fatawi

13. Fath al-basira bi’l-kalam ‘ala hadith Ibn ‘Ashura.

14. Fatwa tata’allaq bi salat al-jum’a.

15. al-Futuhat al-Ahmadiyya.

16. al-Futuhat al-Muhammadiyya.

17. al-Harakat al-Islamiyya fi gharb Ifriqiya;
History of the mission of Shaykh Ibrahim Niasse.

18. Haqa’iq al-a’yan al-wujudiyya.

19. al-Hijab fi ‘l-Islam

…………..The list goes on to 95…to be typed later inshaa Allah!

Note:

This collection (biography and list of literary works) was collated in 1995 by Dr. Bobboyi and Prof. Hunwick.

Recent studies and collections will give more info….

Biography of the National Chief Imam Sheikh Dr Osmanu Nuhu Sharubutu

Sheikh Osmanu Nuhu Sharubutu was born at Accra cow-lane in April 1919 by reputable parents from a well cultured and knowledgeable House.

His mother, Hajja Ayishatu Abbass popularly known as Mma Tasidi, may her soul rest in peace and perfect bliss, also contributed immensely to the moral and psychological development of her son by ensuring that he had the proper home upbringing to go side with Islamic Education.

His mother was the sister of the Greater Accra Regional Imam who also rose to be called the National Imam (from late 1933 to 1960), Sheikh Imam Muhammed Abbas popularly known as Mallam Muhammad Mazawaje.

Young Osmanu started his education at home from his father during the day and with his mother at night.

. At any point in time since his childhood till date he has been hammering on the need for all Ghanaians, Muslims and Christians to live in peace, saying that any divisive tendencies could leave room for our enemies to penetrate and defeat us.

His journey to Kumasi

When his father saw his true devotion and love for books and knowledge, he decided to send Osman to a new learning environment. It was later decided that the Garden City and the Capital of Ashanti Region becomes his new learning destination. The prominent Islamic Scholar Sheikh Abdullah Dan Tano became his next teacher. That was where he went through a highly advanced course in Arabic Grammar, Arabic Literature and Texts, the study of Islamic Jurisprudence and Al-Hadiths (practices of the Holy Prophet). He remained there until he graduated with distinction from Kumasi.

The aftermath of his journey to Kumasi

After his advanced studies in Kumasi, Mallam Osmanu became a completely changed and reformed personality. This is due to the deep knowledge he acquired outside his original environment and his ability to imbibe the moral teachings from his teachers. After a careful contemplation, he later took a decision of devoting his time to teaching the Muslim youth who are keen in learning to become Islamic Scholars, thinkers, teachers and imams in future. Even as a teacher himself, he continued to have the desire and love for pursuit of knowledge to the extent that anytime he heard of an Islamic Scholar, he rushed to fall on his feet as a student to seek further knowledge thereby benefiting from that scholar. Among the illustrious scholars and Sheikhs who taught Mallam Osmanu are Sheikh Alhaji Mohammed popularly known as Baraw, may he rest in peace. Sheikh Baraw taught the interpretation of the Holy Quran, Classic Arabic Language, Literature and Texts. Another famous Sheikh who served as a tutor and instructor to Mallam Osmanu was Sheikh Abubakar Fulaaty Al Kanawy who hailed from Nigeria. It was this Sheikh who taught him Arabic Culture, Al-Hadith of the Holy Prophet, Arabic Texts and Fundamentals of Sufism.

Meeting Alhaji Sheikh Ibrahima Niass Qutbu Zaman

Mallam Osmanu continued with research on Sufism, by often devoting his leisure time in mosques to listen to the preachers of the Tijjaniyya movement and Sufism. When his maternal uncle Sheikh Imam Alhadji Mohammed Abbas Mazawaje, who was the Accra Chief Imam saw the devotion, interest and handwork in Osmanu he introduced the Tijjaniya Movement’s Special Meditation to him, which he readily embraced. He pursued the Tijjaniya Meditation till the arrival of the grand pioneer of the movement, the torch bearer and supreme commander of the Tijjaniya of the 20th century, Grand Sheikh Alhadji Ibrahim Nyass from Kaolack in Sénégal. Sheikh Ibrahim Niass taught Mallam Osmanu the deeper spiritual aspect of Sufism and rudiments of mysticism and eserotics which smoothly paved the way for Mallam Osmanu to become a truly leader in the Tijjaniya Movement in Ghana.

His appointment as National Chief Imam

Interestingly in 1974, after lengthy discussions among the traditional and tribal chiefs, academics, Islamic scholars, and religious personalities, a consensus was reached for Sheikh Osmanu to be appointed as the Deputy Regional Chief Imam of Ghana, deputising his cousin, Sheikh Imam Muhammed Mukhtar Abbas who succeeded his father. The appointment of Sheikh Osmanu as deputy Greater Accra Region Chief Imam was done in consideration of the unique qualities, Intellectual capacity, dedication to teaching and passion for Islam and exemplary lifestyle in him, but he turned down their offer which was forced on him by the Prominent Muslim Chiefs who persistently asked him to give it a serious thought stressing to him that it could be a divine call to serve God. Subsequently when it dawned on Sheikh Osmanu that it was a divine call for him to serve Islam and Muslim communities, he finally accepted the position as the acting Greater Accra Regional Chief Imam until 1993, when he was ceremoniously appointed as the National Chief Imam of Ghana to head the Ghanaian Muslim Communities.

His Islamic activities

Sheikh Osmanu was well known for his exemplary lifestyle and generosity to people who called on him with their personal problems. He has built many Arabic Schools, Islamic Centers and Mosques. Normally he spends huge sums money in Organising conferences, seminars and symposia on thorny Islamic issues prevailing in the Islamic societies and the country as a whole. From the amounts given on him Sheikh Osmanu deserves the award given him by the University of Ghana who bestowed on him an honorary Doctorate Degree. He deserves more of that from any Islamic University or Higher Institution of learning; also he really deserves the accolade of a great Muslim leader due to his immense contribution and love for maintaining peace and development in Ghana. He is also contributing to the revival of good values and reform in the Muslim youth, Islamic faith and the Moslem communities.

Sheikh Osmanu also taught Islamic scholars and Sheikhs.

Among his student are Muhammad Munir Dan Alpha who is now deputising him and even leading national islamic prayers on behalf of his teacher(Sheikh Osmanu Nuhu Sharubutu), Sheikh Ustaz Abdul Aziz, Sheikh Yahyal-Ameen, Mallam Adam Attah (late), Mallam Saeed, Alhaji Jibril Madaha, Mallam Ibrahima Nyass, Mallam Mustapha Yaa Jalala, Mallam Habibu Gora, Sheikh Musa Abdul Kadir (late) and Mallam Zurkanain, to mention just a few.

To sum up, Sheikh Osmanu ranks

high among the erudite and prominent Islamic Scholars Ghana has ever produced, among his contemporaries are sheikh Kamâludeen who was chosen directly by Sheikh Osmanu to serve as his Deputy National Chief Imam of Ghana and the late Sheikh Alhadji Haroun Rasheed.

Sheikh Dr. Osmanu Nuhu Sharubutu is the Grand Khalipha of Sheikh Ibrahim Niass from 1972 to date, a title that he personally considers and cherishes more-than the National Chief Imamship position. In recent times, to climax his passion for education, smooth and mutual interfaith relations and peaceful coexistence, peace building and unity, he founded two organisations that are making great marks and impacting positive changes in the lives of Ghanaians and the World in general.

The works and activities of the

1. Sheikh Dr. Osmanu Nuhu Sharubutu Education Trust Fund (SONSETFUND) www.sonsetfundgh.org and the

2. Islamic Peace and Security Council of Ghana (IPASEC) www.ipasecgh.org cannot be over emphasised or overlooked in the contemporary Ghana.

Achievements

The accomplishments of Sheikh Dr. Osmanu Nuhu Sharubutu at a glance;

1. The establishment of the Office of the National Chief Imam of Ghana in 1992

2. Engineered the realisation and manifestation of two (2) national holidays for Muslims in the official calendar of the Republic of Ghana

3. Establishment of seven Islamic schools; the Answaru-Deen Islamic School Complex, in the Greater Accra region

4. Self -trained, educated, sponsored and empowered over 50 well-disciplined and taught students in Islamic studies and they have become force to reckon in the Muslim community in Ghana who have excelled in the field of Islamic knowledge and jurisprudence

5. Personally promoted Islamic education and encouraged the establishment of a unique system of education in Ghana, the marriage of traditional Islamic institutions and secular education to promote the acquisition of both.

6. Personally promoted and encouraged mutual understanding, dialogue and peaceful coexistence between religions (Interfaith relations) and intra religious believe (sects).

7. Self-sponsored (financially) hundreds of students to attain circular education in Ghana and abroad.

8. The establishment of an educational Trust Fund to support brilliant but needy students; the Sheikh Dr. Osmanu Nuhu Sharubutu Education Trust Fund (SONSETFUND) www.sonsetfundgh.org

9. The establishment of an organisation that promotes peace, unity and sustainable peace in Ghana and abroad; the Islamic Peace and Security Council of Ghana (IPASEC) www.ipasecgh.org

10. The establishment of an orphanage to look after the education and welfare of homeless Muslim kids in Ghana; the Nuuru Usmaniya Foundation for Humanitarian Services and Development (NUSMA

11. The establishment of a first class educational complex in Kasoa, Central Region; Sheikh Osmanu Nuhu Sharubutu Educational Complex

12. Engineered the attraction of the financier organis­­­ation (Hunan Development International Foundation-HUDAI from Turkey) on the ongoing construction of the National Mosque at Kawo Kudi, Kanda, Accra.

13. Personally officiated over 5000 marriages in Ghana alone

14. Led funeral prayers on over 4000 Muslims in Ghana

15. Personally officiated over the naming ceremonies of over 10,000 Muslim children.

16. He was decorated with honors by the premier nation’s university, the University of Ghana, Legon in 2006 with doctorate degree for his works in humanities, teaching, impacting knowledge and peaceful activities.

17. Several other local and foreign universities awarded him with doctorate degrees.

Imminent Foreign Personalities

1. Sheikh Alhaji Ahmed Tijjani Ibrahim Niass, Grand Khalipha of Sheikh Alhaji Ibrahim Niass in Madina Kaolakh, Senegal

2. Sheikh Usman Thahiru Bauchi, Prominent Islamic Cleric in Nigeria

3. Sheikh Imam Tijjani Cise, Imam of the Grand Mosque of Sheikh Alhaji Ibrahim Niass in Madina Kaolakh, Senegal

4. Sheikh Alhaji Mudassiru Adeleke Shitu Bulala, the Chairman of Al-Kanz magazine in Nigeria and CEO of multinational group of companies in Ajay, Lagos

5. Sheikh Hisham Kabani Haqqani, President of the Islamic Supreme Council of America and World Wide Deputy Leader of the Naqshabandiya Sufi order

6. Minister Louis Farakan, Leader of the Nations of Islam in America

7. Minister of the Religion, Dr. Khalid Yasin from the United States of America

8. Sheikh Imam Hassan Cise, Imam of the Grand Mosque of Sheikh Alhaji Ibrahim Niass in Madina Kaolakh, Senegal

Ironically, all the above dignitaries revisited the National Chief Imam several times on their own personal accord on account of his leadership and hospitality.

Official trips

1. Republic of Turkey

2. Islamic Republic of Iran

3. The United Kingdom

4. United States of America

5. Royal Kingdom of Canada

6. Royal Kingdom of Morocco

7. Royal Kingdom of Denmark

8. Royal Kingdom of Finland

9. Royal Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

10. Federal Republic of Nigeria

11. Republic of Senegal

12. Republic of Togo

13. Republic of Benin

Associations

His Eminence Sheikh Dr. Osmanu Nuhu Sharubutu, as of today, is a member or patron of the following organisations in Ghana and abroad;

1. NATIONAL PEACE COUNCIL (NPC), member

2. TIJJANIYA MULSIMS MOVEMENT OF GHANA (TMG), Spiritual Leader

3. GHANA CONFERENCE ON RELIGIONS AND PEACE (GCRP), member

4. RELIGIOUS BODIES NETWORK ON CLIMATE CHANGE (RELBONET), member

5. GHANA NATIONAL MEDICAL AWARDS TEAM (1Z GROUP), patron

6. ALFAIDAH INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION (ALIF), patron

7. AFRICAN SUPPORT NETWORK (ASN) GHANA, patron

8. HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS FORUM IN GHANA, to mention just a few.

Awards

His Eminence received the following awards among many others that will be mentioned in his comprehensive autobiography insha Allah;

Honorary Professorial Degree Award by Poltava University, Ukraine 2019.

Muslims Achievers Award by the Ghana Muslims Achievers Awards, 2018.

Ghana Muslim Students’Association Patron Award, (GMSA) 2018.

Martin Luther King Jnr Award for Peace and Justice by the United States Embassy in Accra. 2016.

Muslims Excellence Award by the Yankasa Association Inc, New York USA, 2015.

Northern Achievers Award by the Northern Youth for Development, 2015.

Man of the year Award by the Abnaul faida, Lagos, Nigeria, 2014.

Muslims Personality Award by the Ghana Muslims Award, 2013.

Ghana Most Influential Award, 2nd most influential personality of the year, 2012 by the ETV Ghana. 2013.

Yankasa Man of the Year Award by the Yankasa Association Inc. New York USA, 2013.

Tijjaniya Muslims Movement Highest Man of Personality Award by the Tijjaniya Muslims Movement of Ghana, 2011.

Member of the Star of Volta Award by the Republic of Ghana, 2007.

Member of the Star of Volta Award by the Republic of Ghana, 2006.

Landmarks

1. Brokering of peace between Muslims and indigenes of Hohoe, Volta region in 2012 following a conflict that resulted in the loss of lives and properties.

2. Brokering of peace between Muslims and indigenes of Tafo, Ashanti Region and the Muslim youth of the region in 2016 following a conflict that resulted in the loss of lives and properties.

3. Gracing of programmes of non-Islamic faiths such as his attendance and honoring of invitations of the Catholic Church during their centenary anniversary in Accra.

4. Brokering of peace between Kusasis and Mamprusis in the Upper East Region following a protracted conflict that resulted in the loss of lives and properties.

His Eminence played key and vital role.

5. Brokering of peace between Muslim youth and the Imams of Nkawkaw, Eastern Region over leadership crisis that resulted in the closure of mosque and the imposition of a curfew by the state security agencies to protect lives and properties.

6. Permission to Pastor Mensa Otabil, the General Overseen of the International Central Gospel Church to finance the painting of the National Mosque in 2011.

Compiled by: Alhaji Khuzaima Mohammed Osmanu

Personal Assistant to the National Chief Imam, Executive Secretary of IPASEC and SONSETFUND Grandson of Sheikh Osmanu Nuhu Sharubutu with the assistance of Ustaz Issah Gibriel Abbas.

www.ipasecgh.org www.sonsetfundgh.org www.tijjaniyamuslimsgh.org

Copied from the website: Graphic Online

Shaykh Abubacar Hashimi Kiota

Shaykh Abubacar Hashimi was born in 1914 in Kiota, a village located 125 km east of Niamey, and about 20 km north of Birnin Gaoure (Dosso region). This personality carried out a good part of his religious training near his father and certain famous ulamas of his native region and neighboring Nigeria (especially shaykh Abdulqadir and Shaykh Na iya of the locality of Zaria, where he stayed nearly 3 years). Once definitively installed in Kiota after his spiritual initiation (tarbiya) in the zawiyya of his master and stepfather, Shaykh Ibrahim Niasse, he was the main propagator of the Tijaniyya Ibrahimiyya Tariqa in western Niger. The majority of his disciples, who, according to his supporters, number in the thousands, live in the western part of the territory. Kiota has become an important religious city, a pole of dissemination of the tijaniyya Ibrahimiyya visited each year, by many Muslims affiliated or not to the Tijaniyya, coming from the interior of the country as well as certain countries of West Africa (Benin, Ivory Coast, Togo, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Mali, Nigeria …). They come especially at the time of the Maulid, or feast of the anniversary of the birth of Prophet Muhammad, to celebrate this anniversary in communion and fervor around Shaykh Aboubacar Hassoumi. The zawiya of Kiota owes its fame both to the exceptional charisma of its leader, and to the conviction, well established among many faithful, that he is indeed the spiritual heir of Ghawth Ibrahim Niasse. Armed with this conviction, many followers of the Tijaniyya, in West Africa at least, recognize him as spiritual guide of their way and visit him accordingly. Thus, the feast of Achoura, the annual meeting for the opening of the mosque (jajididina masallaci) and the maulid, are all occasions that the followers seize to visit (ziara) their spiritual guide. According to relatives of the Shaykh:

The visitors are very numerous, and one cannot venture to give figures on this aspect. At most, we can give estimates. Generally speaking, visits are made throughout the year and people generally come in groups, both from localities in the interior of the country and from other African countries (Chad, Sudan and almost all of the West African countries)

The most noticed arrivals are those of the followers of the region of Birnin Kebi (Nigeria) who generally come once a year, on a Saturday, with a group of at least 200 to 300 vehicles including the 100’ seats coaches, and, at the time of Maulud, Ghaneens and Ivorians who also come in large numbers (5 to 8 trucks crowded with visitors). Those visits can be simple courtesy visits, just as they can be motivated by a desire to join Tijaniyya or to follow a spiritual initiation (tarbiyya).

Shaykh passed away on April, 18th 2004. May Allah be pleased with him. Ameen.

Sayyid Abdullah Would Muhammadou Would al-Rabbani

Sayyid Abdullah Would Muhammadou Would al-Rabbani (h.a.) was a majestic knower of Allah and a reciter and teacher of the Noble Qur’an. He was born around 1926 in the area of Agl in the Mauritanian province of Rkiz. He memorized the Noble Qur’an at the hands of his father, Muhammad Al- Rabbani (r.a.), and studied the linguistic and religious sciences before dedicating himself to teaching the Noble Qur’an with his father and his brother Muhammad Mahmud (r.a.) in Medina Baye in the 1930s under the order of Sheikh Ibrahim Niasse.

Due to this, nearly all of the Children of Sheikh Ibrahim Niasse and Saydi Ali Cisse and the other distinguished families of Medina Baye have memorised the Quran under him.

His father Muhamamad Al-Rabbani was brought in during the first years of the Faydah to teach the children of Sheikh Ibrahim Quran and lead Tarawih Prayers in Ramadan, and after his death in the 1950s Sheikh Ibrahim ordered Abdullah and his brother Mahmud to take over that responsibility, with one brother overseeing the school for 6 months (Rabi Al-Awwal – Ramadan) and the other brother for 6 months (Ramadan to Rabi Al-Awwal). Shaykh Ibrahim has written letters to Abdallah Rabbani and his brother which are preserved in Jawahir Rasail testifying that they are including amongst “the people of Quran who are the people of Allah and his elect (amongst the creation)”

He joined the Tijani Ibrahimi Flood at an early age, and received the Tariqa and it’s Tarbiya and his Ijazat Taqdim from Shaykh Ibrahim Niasse and is distinguished by his prominent role in preserving the heritage of the Flood.
He used to accompany Sayyid Muhammad al-Mishri (r.a.) and was one of the deans of his experiential school of Marifah; and after the deaths of al-Mishri (r.a.) and Sheikh Ibrahim Niasse (r.a.) in 1975, he and his brothers joined Shaykh Would Khayri and became his murids (despite sidi Abdullah Rabbani being over 30 years his senior) and migrated with him to Boubacar, Mauritania (h.a.). He has served Shaykh Would Khayri (h.a.) as he did al-Mishri (r.a.), as a companion and advisor and lived in between Boubacar, Mauritania and Medina Baye, Senegal where he owns houses and runs quranic schools.

He passed away on Wednesday the 6th of May, corresponding to the 12th of Ramadan

This is a great loss for the Ummah at large and the community of Shaykh Ibrahim Niasse in particular.

(Based on the Biography of Abdallah Rabbani in the collection of Muhammad Abdallah ould Jayjubi with additions from Mustafa Briggs)