conditions of the ahmediya mohammediya tijaniya path

7/27/2019 Conditions of the Ahmediya Mohammediya Tijaniya Path

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Conditions of the Ahmediya Mohammediya Tijaniya Path

The great opening of Sidna Shaykh Abil Abbas Sidi Ahmed Tijani (may Allah

be pleased with him) given to him by Allah , thanks to the intervention of hisgrandfather the Holy Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him), started at

Tlemcen, and was crowned, at Chellala, and at Abi Samghroune in the Eastern

Sahara. That is where the Holy Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him)

allowed Sidna Shaykh Tijani to inculcate in his Mohammedian Wird to those

who require it, without any pre-conditions, apart from submission to the

precepts and concepts of Islam, the approval to recite the WIRD , and the

WADIFA could be given to any to any believer of both sexes, provided to be

pubescent, and to agree upon the terms. It was in 1196/1781.

One of the most important steps taken by Sidna Shaykh Tijani was that he did

not consider Sufism limited to a certain group of people. The Shaykh usually

repeated, Impeller of rapture (saiq as-sa'ada) drives communities to this

Presence, the divine clout ( sarif al-ilahi) , meanwhile, strays others from(arriving into) it. Sidna Shaykh left his door open to all seekers, instructing in

the way of love all those in longing for the Mohammedian Presence (peace and

blessing be upon him). As for the conditions of his Order, Sidna Shaykh, simply

speaking, based it on three pillars,

(1) Praying in the mosque with the congregation whenever possible, meeting all

the prerequisites for lawfully offering prayer,

(2) Praying upon the Holy Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) and

(3) Not to visit living saints or the tombs of dead ones.

The Allama Sidi Ibrahim Niass al-Kulkhi (d. 1390/1975) illuminates in his Ruh

al-adab (Spirit of Good Morals),
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The first and most important of the conditions is that one must commit himself

to its wird until death. Allah says in the Quran: {And serve the Lord until there

come unto you the Hour that is Certain}[15:99]. The Prophet (peace and

blessing be upon him) says in a Hadith: "And indeed, a little that is continuous

is better than a lot that is intermittent." In another hadith the Prophet (peace and

blessing be upon him) said: "The best of worship is the constant one even if it is

little."

The second of the conditions is that one must not combine this order with

another. There are about 313 orders in Islam, each of which is linked through

the Companions of the Battle of Badr. While any of these orders will guide one

to the Prophet's (peace and blessing be upon him) path, the principles of all of

them are combined in the Tijaniya order, in the same way that all principles of

the past religions (of the Book) are combined in Islam. Allah is One. The final

and overall Prophethood is one, and the guiding Shaykh of the last order must

certainly be one.

The third of the conditions is that a person who has taken the (Tijani) order

should not pay homage (seek spiritual guidance) to any other saint that is not a

Tijani for the purpose of any spiritual gain. He must however, respect all the

saints of Allah. The reason for this is that Tijaniya, being the fountain-head of

all the orders, is their summation and therefore nothing is in any other order that

is not found within the Tijaniya. Why then will one go out to beg for what hehas in excess in his house?

The fourth of the conditions is that one must at all times establish the five daily

prayers in congregation, except for excusable reasons. It has been related from

the Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) that prayers offered in

congregation are twenty seven times better than those said singularly. In another

narration, twenty five times better. Ibn Abbas (may Allah be satisfied with him)


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also narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) that: "There

are no prayers for the neighbours of the mosque, except they offer the prayers in

the mosque." When the Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) was asked

who is considered neighbours of the mosque, he replied "forty neighbours away

from the mosque."

The fifth and the final condition is that a disciple must respect his parents to the

utmost possible. Allah always brings together the command to worship with

dutifulness to parents. Allah says in the Quran: "Don't worship other than Allah,

and with parents be nice" [2:83]; "And worship Allah without joining Him with

anything. And with parents be nice [4:36]; "Serve Allah, and join not any

partners with Him; and do good- to parents, kinsfolk, orphans, those in need,

neighbours who are near, neighbours who are strangers, the companion by your

side, the wayfarer (you meet), and what your right hands possess: For Allah

love not the arrogant, the vainglorious [31:14]; And We have enjoined on

man (to be good) to his parents: in travail upon travail did his mother (during

pregnancy) bear him, and in years twain/toil was his weaning: (hear the

command), "Show gratitude to Me and to the parents.

In the 32nd chapter of Kitab Rimah al-Hizb al-Rahim ala Nuhur al-Hizb ar-

Rajim (The spears of the league of the Merciful thrown at the necks of the

league of the accursed), the venerated Khalifa Sidi al-Haj Omar ibn Said al-Futi

Tall (d. 1279/1864) lists in an elegant fashion 23 direct and indirect

preconditions of the Order. He said, "You should know that the preconditions of

this Spiritual Path of ours are twenty-three in number. If someone fulfills them

all without a single exception, he is included among the people of the Spiritual

Path who are successful, beloved, drawn near, most highly exalted. If someone

does not fulfill them all, but he does fulfill twenty-one of the preconditions that

I am about to list in order, as you will see, he is included among the beloved

beneficiaries, even if he is not equal to the former. If someone does not fulfill


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access to Allah. This condition is stipulated only in our Spiritual Path, not

any other. If someone wishes to enter our Spiritual Path, he is therefore

bound to fulfill this stipulation. He then has nothing to fear from his

companion, nor from anyone whomsoever, among the saints, the living

and the dead, in this world and the Hereafter. He is safe, so no harm will

afflict him, not in this world, not in the Hereafter, not from his Shaykh,

and not from Allah and His Messenger (Peace and blessing be upon him),

on the strength of a true promise that cannot be broken."

4. Constant observance of the five daily prayers in congregation and

compliance with the rules of the Sacred Law. As we are told in the Jawahir al-Ma'ani : "The preconditions (of the litany) include observance

of the ritual prayers at their prescribed times, in the congregation if

possible."

5. Constant dedication to love for the Shaykh, without interruption until

death. () As we are told in the Kitab al-Ibriz : "The servant does not

attain to true knowledge of Allah until he truly knows the Prophet. Hedoes not truly know the Prophet until he truly knows his Shaykh. He does

not truly know his Shaykh until people die in his sight, so he does not

notice them and does not pay attention to them, but performs the funeral

prayer over them and removes the craving for them from his heart."

6. There must be no sense of security from the cunning of Allah ( adam al-

aman min makr-I Allah ). Allah has said: Do they feel secure fromAllah's cunning? No one feels secure from Allah's cunning except folk

who are going astray (7:99). Our master Shaykh Tijani said, "As we read

in Jawahir al-Ma'ani r, he was asked (may Allah be well pleased) about

the real meaning of makr (cunning), so he said: "It signifies the process

by which Allah reveals benefit to the servant and makes it available to

him in abundance, then moves him gradually to the final stage of

perdition because of that benefit." Allah says: Do they think that because
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We have granted them abundance of wealth and sons, We hasten to them

with good things? No, they are not aware (23:55-6). The servant must

always be fearful of his Lord. He must never feel self confident, and his

heart must not rest from the fear of Allah's chastisement, And those who

are fearful of their Lord's chastisement before which none can feel

secure (70:27-28)". Faith (al-iman) has two wings, like the bird. The

first wing is fear, which is the agony experienced by the heart because of

the severity of the threat. As reported in the tradition (hadith) the Prophet

said (blessing and peace upon him): The believer views his sins as if he is

sitting under a mountain, afraid that it will fall upon him, while thehypocrite (munafiq) views his sins like a fly buzzing over his nose. The

second wing his hope in Allah, the hope He will forgive him and not

punish him, but without the expectation of security. If hope exists by

itself alone, without fear, it is a sense of security, and the sense of

security from the cunning of Allah is the very essence of disbelief in

Allah. If fear exists by itself alone, it amounts to despairing of Allah anddespairing of Allah is the very essence of disbelief in Allah. ()

7. He must not be guilty of any insult, hatred, or enmity directed toward the

Shaykh.

8. Constant practice of the litany (wird) until death.

9. Firm conviction ( al-itiqad ). Sidna Shaykh said, ""If someone receives

from me the well known litany, which is essential to the Spiritual Path, or he receives it from someone I have authorized to teach it, he will enter the

Garden of Paradise -he and his children, his wives, and his descendants-

without reckoning and without punishment, provided that they are not

guilty of any insult, hatred, or enmity, and that he persists in loving the

Shaykh until death."

10.Innocence from criticism ( salama min al-intiqad ). As we read in

Jawahir al-Ma'ani , our master and Shaykh Tijani wrote the following,
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remembrance of the Haylala in the wake of the afternoon prayer on

Friday, together with the congregation. If someone has brethren in the

town, they are obliged to gather together and perform their remembrances

in congregation."

13.The prayer of Jawharat al-Kamal (Jewel of Perfection) must not be

recited without ritual cleansing with water. As we read in Jawahir al-

Ma'ani : "You must not recite Jawharat al-Kamal unless you have

performed the ritual cleansing with water, not with dry earth

(tayammum), because the Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) and

the Four Caliphs (Sidna Abu Bakr, Sidna Omar, Sidna Uthman and SidnaAli) are present at the time of its recital."

14.The abandonment of disharmony between him and all his fellow

creatures, especially between him and his brethren in the Order. In the

first treatise ( risala ) of Jawahir al-Ma'ani , Sidna Shaykh has said: "You

must beware of neglecting the litany, even one time in your life, as well

as the provisions of the litany, which are in compliance with thecongregation prayers and the rules of the sacred law. You must also

beware of donning the cloak of security from Allah's cunning in the

matter of sins, for they are source of perdition. You must abandon

disharmony with all of your fellow creatures, especially between you and

the spiritual brethren. You must pay visits for the sake of Allah, make

friends for the sake of Allah, and serve food for Allah's sake, to the extentof your ability without undue hardship and trouble. You must be patient

with Allah's command, whatever trials and tribulations may befall. This

world is the abode of temptations, and its afflictions are like the waves of

the ocean."

15.There must be no negligence in the performance of the litany, such as

postponing it after its proper time, without a valid excuse, and so on.

Sidna Shaykh has said: "If someone receives this litany, but then neglects
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it completely or treats it as unimportant, a penalty will be inflicted upon

him and perdition will befall him." This is a communication from the

Chieftain of Existence (peace and blessing be upon him) to Sidna Shaykh

(may Allah be well pleased with him). Sidna Shaykh also said, "If

someone abandons one of the litanies of the Shaykhs, for the sake of

entering this Mohammedian Spiritual Path of ours, which Allah has

honored above all the Spiritual Paths, Allah will keep him safe in this

world and the Hereafter. He will therefore have no reason to be afraid of

any affliction, not from Allah, nor from His Messenger, nor from his

Shaykh, nor from anyone whomsoever among the living and the dead. Asfor someone who enters our company, but then retreats from it,(in a bad

way), he will be stricken by the afflictions of this world and the Hereafter

and he will never return."

16.The litany must not be given without a valid authorization. As we read in

Jawahir al-Ma'ani , Sidna Shaykh said: "The masters of illumination

have mentioned several things that result in dire consequences for someone who commits any one of them. If he does not repent before he

dies, he will come to a bad end. (The only refuge is with Allah the

Exalted) They include the false pretense of sainthood and laying claim to

masterhood, which is committed by giving the litany without

authorization".

17.Respect for everyone connected to the Shaykh, especially thedistinguished members of the elite among the people of the Spiritual

Path. Sidna Shaykh said: "We have a degree in the sight of Allah, which

reaches such a height in the presence of Allah that I am forbidden to

divulge its definition to you. If I were to express it, the masters of truth

and spiritual knowledge would be unanimous in declaring me guilty of

unbelief".

18.Cleanliness of the body and clothing, if possible.
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19.Cleanliness of the location (where the litany is performed).

20.Sitting and facing the Qibla (direction to Makkah), except on a journey,

even if very close or in a congregation.

21.Refraining from speech, except in an emergency. As we read in Jawahir

al-Ma'ani , "The preconditions of the litany are: (1) Observance of the

ritual prayers at their prescribed times, in the congregation if possible. (2)

Cleanliness of the body, clothing, and location. (3) Facing the Qibla. (4)

Refraining from speech, except in emergency."

22.The visualization of the spiritual guide. As we read in Jawahir al-Ma'ani ,

"Its special precondition for someone who is capable of it, is thevisualization of the spiritual guide, as if he is sitting in his presence from

the beginning of the remembrance to its end, while seeking his support.

It is more significant than this, more refined, more perfect and more

beneficial, for him to visualize the form of the Chosen One (al-Mustafa;

peace and blessing be upon him), as if he is sitting in his presence in a

state of awe and reverence, and to seek his support in accordance with hisspiritual state and his station." () May Allah bless you and us, with His

enabling grace and may He grant us a taste of this pure beverage! As you

should also know, the Mohammedian Reality is a manifestation in every

world. Its manifestation in the world of physical bodies is not like its

manifestation in the world of the spirits, because the world of the physical

bodies does not contain what the world of the spirits contains. Itsmanifestation in the world of the spirits is not like its manifestation in the

world of the essence, because the world of the essence is subtler and more

extensive than the world of the spirits. Its manifestation in the earth is not

like its manifestation in the sky. Its manifestation in the sky is not like its

manifestation on the right side of the Heavenly Throne. Its manifestation

on the right side of the Heavenly Throne is not like its manifestation in

the presence of Allah, since there is no "where" and no "how" to define
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it. In every higher station, its manifestation is more complete and more

perfect than in the station below. Each manifestation is more complete

and more perfect than in the station below. Each manifestation has a

majesty and an awesome dignity corresponding to the place, until its

finally arrives at a place in which it cannot be seen by any of the

Prophets, the angels, and the saints. That is the meaning of his saying

(peace and blessing upon him): "I have with Allah a time in which no

angel drawn near nor Prophet can keep up with me." You must therefore

raise your aspiration, O my brother, in order to see him in the loftiest

quintessential manifestations, wherever he is, and you must understandthe signal. ()

23. The visualization of the meanings of dhikr. As we read in Jawahir al-

Ma'ani , "He should also visualize the meanings of the words of the dhikr,

if he is capable of understanding them. If not, he should listen to what he

is remembering with his tongue, in order to keep his mind from drifting

away from his purpose."

Certain caliphs of the order add another and final condition which remains in

turn obligatory for any Muslim. This means to believe that the Shaykh Tijani,

whoever he is, is merely a conscience director and a servant of God.

These conditions constitute the core jurisprudence ( fiqh at-tariqa ) of this

Ahmediya-Mohammediya-Ibrahimiya-Hanifiya-Tijaniya Sufi order. All in all,

Tijanis are ordered not to visit living saints or the tombs of dead ones. Tijanis

could rely on Sidna Shaykh's own guarantee of salvation granted to him by his

grandfather (peace and blessing be upon him). Sidna Shaykh said: Be of good

cheer! Anyone who is devoted to our love, until he dies in that state, will

certainly be resurrected among those who are safe, provided that he does not
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wear the garb of security from Allah's cunning (makr Allah)." Sufi brothers are

safe from their masters if they leave other orders they are members of, as the

Tijaniya in itself summed up all the other orders. Tijanis are ordered not to cut

themselves from the world, and are advised to wear garments of people of the

blame ( tariq al-malamatiya ) designated by the Companion Sidna Abu Bakr

Siddiq (may Allah be satisfied with him). The Malamatis live under one code:

"Avoid impressing human beings at all times and avoid seeing their pleasure in

any type of characteristic or behaviour. If you do not, you will soon be blamed

for what God agency has caused you to possess." Shaykh al-Azhar Abul Fayd

Sidi Mohammed al-Hafidh al-Misri Tijani (d. 1398/1983) concludes, The highly venerable masters in this Sufi path have stated that the Tijaniya has

the highest standing amongst all, and every Sufi path of education is included in

it. It is well-known to those who know the ways of the people of Allah that

some of them educate by seclusion ( khalwa ), others educate without, some

others educate through performance of dhikr in secret ( sirran ), and yet others

educate through loud performance ( jahran ), and some people attain throughrecitation of prayers upon the Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him).

Likewise, promotion ( tarqiya ) could be by an eye-glance (nadra), or a state

('hal), or a Name (Ism), or ecstatic attraction (himma), etc. Thus, every dhikr or

particularity that is known in other Sufi paths does perfectly exist in this (Tijani)

path. In it gather all the good traits of other paths; and it does stand alone with

what is specially endowed to its adherents. Allah said, "That is the bounty of Allah; which He gives unto whom He will. Allah is of infinite bounty" [62:4].

conditions of the ahmediya mohammediya tijaniya path

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