In the history of Islam, there are numerous Sufi types. The universality of Sufi tradition balks at any attempt to reduce it to a signal, controllable pattern. Over the last centuries of the time, however, there has emerged a unique type of Sufi Sheik who embodies in his person all the ranks of saints, all the secrets of saints, all the meanings of saints; for he is himself their seal whose feet are above their necks, for he is himself the cosmos that supplies them over the whole span of the history of the world. As the Holy Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) knew that he was a prophet when Adam was between water and clay, this Sufi knew he was a saint when Adam was between water and clay. This Sufi is characterized by spiritual sobriety that excludes all splendor and singularity. While his mind is fixed on the Mohammadian Essence, he affirms the obsolete validity of the shari’a and the four madhabs of Islam. It is this Sufism that gathers all the good traits of other Sufi paths. It is this Sufism that does stand alone with what is specially endowed to its adherents. That is the kind of Sufism that characterizes the founder of the Tijaniya, who exercised a tremendous influence on the world around him and, through his order, on the history of Islam.
He is the Hidden Pole (al-Qutb al-Maktum), the Seal of Mohammadian Sainthood, (Khatim al-Awliya al-Mohammadian), the Sealed Isthmus (al-Barzakh al-Makhtum; i.e. the one who is the intermediary between the Prophets and the saints, so that not one of the saints, whether his importance is great or small, can receive an overflow from the presence of a Prophet except through his mediation, since that saint is not conscious of what is involved), the Archetype of Salvation, the Hope of Every Seeker, the Bridegroom of the Universe, the Possessor of Solicitude and Power, the Vice-regent of God on Earth, the One Who Has Arisen, the Disposer of Affairs, the Exemplar of All Times, the Supreme Paradigm, the Symbol of the Light, the Autonomous Succour, the Mirror of God, the Mohammadian Seal, the Lord Imam, the Glory of Knower’s, the Chieftain of the Sages, the Imam of the Champions of Truth, the Supporter of the Poles and the Helpers, the Doctor of Rapture, the Renewal of the Sufi Path after its Occultation, the Initiator of the Reality Sciences after its Light’s Decline, the Unique in His Time in Esoteric and Rhetoric Sciences, the Unique Being with Two Sublime Spiritual and Bodily Lineages: the Two Upper Angelic and Royal Sainthood, the Patron Saint of Fez, the Phoenix of Maghreb, the Descendent of the Noble Sharifian Saints, the Hassanid Sharif, Sidna Sheik, Mawlana Abul Abbas Ahmed ibn Mohammad ibn al-Mokhtar Tijani al-Maghribi, may Allah sanctify his soul and benefit us from his sciences and secrets.
The greater part of the life and teaching of Sidna Sheik is drawn from two primary hagiographical works: Kitab Jawahir al-ma’ani wa-bulugh al-amani fi fayd Sidi Abil al-Abbas at-Tijani (Gems of Indications and Attainment of Aspirations in the Overflowing of Sidi Abil Abbas Tijani) by Sidi Ali Harazem Berrada (d. 1212/1797), and Kitab al-Jami’a li-ma f-taraqa mina-l ‘ulumn (The Absolute in What Has Separated from the Sciences) by Sidi Mohammad ibn al-Mishri Sibai Hassani Idrissi (d. 1224/1809). Later hagiographies tend to be works of compilation drawn from these two primary sources: Kitab Rima’h al-Hizb al Rahim ala Nuhur Hizb ar-Rajim (The Spears of the League of the Merciful thrown at the Necks of the League of the Accursed) by Sidi Omar ibn Said al-Futi (d. 1279/1864), Kitab Bughyat al-mustafid li-shar’h minyat al-murid (Aspiration of the Beneficiary in Commenting the ‘Demise of the Disciple’) of Sidi Mohammad ibn al-Arbi Sayeh (d. 1309/1894), last but not least, Kitab Kashf al-Hijab ‘amman talaaqa bi-Sheik Tijani mina-l As’hab (Rising the Veil of the Companions who encountered with Sheik Tijani) by Sidi Ahmed ibn al-‘Iyyashi Skirej al-Fasi (d. 1366/1940). Although most of what we know about Sidna Sheik comes from these books much of his life and career rely either on direct testimony from the Sheik himself to Ali Harazem and Ibn al-Mishri or authentic oral tradition.
Sidna Sheik was born in 1150/1735 in the blessed town of Ain Madhi in the Eastern Sahara; a Moroccan territory today under Algerian control. Ain Madhi (literally, ‘Spring of the Past’) is located in Western-central Algeria about 30 miles from the city of Laghuat (al-Aghwat). Three generations before the birth of Sidna Sheik, his grandfather Sidi Mohammad ibn Salim; a righteous saint from the Atlantic town of Asfi, Morocco moved to Ain Madhi and settled among the clan of Tijana. He got married from them and thus gained the nickname of ‘Tijani’, a surname that permanently passed on to his descendents. Sidna Sheik grew up there. His parents gave him the best of parental care and upbringing. His father, Sidi Mohammad ibn al-Mokhtar, has been a God-fearing scholar and saint. He has had communication with the world of spirits (al-ru’haniya). These spirits apparently even consulted him for the fulfilment of their wishes. The story has it that he usually noted their requests with the excuse of not wanting to interfere with divine issues. Sidna Sheik mother was Lalla Aicha al-Sanusi. She had many children, most of whom died. The surviving children were Sidna Sheik himself, his brother Sidi Mohammad and elder sister called Lalla Ruqayya.
Sidna Sheik became an orphan at the age of 15 when he applied himself to his studies. Having learned the Quran by heart at the early age of seven under the tutelage of Sheik Abu Abdellah Sidi Mohammad ibn ‘Hammu Tijani, a proponent of the Nafi’ mode of recitation, he studied the fundamentals of Maliki jurisprudence with local righteous scholars such as Sheik Sidi Aissa Bouakkaz Tijani and Sheik Sidi Ibn Bouafiya Tijani. Sidna Sheik set himself the task of seeking knowledge in the religious sciences and to become an icon in the discipline. He was noted for undertaking whatever he intended to do without backing out, perusing it to its logical conclusion. He then took to teaching and even give legal opinions (fatawa) at a very tender age. He was also noted for strong adherence to the Sunnah (tradition) of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) and for following its ethical code of conduct very strictly. He was also said to have restrained himself from indulging in what the people of his time were accustomed to and deemed permissible. He is reputed to have responded to questions very cautiously.
Though he lost both his parents at the age of 21 (1171/1756), and on the same way, as a result of a plague that hit the locality, this did not distract him from his quest for knowledge. It rather served as a turning point in his life towards treading the Sufi path. In the same year, during the reign of the Sultan Mawlana Mohammad ibn Abdellah (d. 1204/1789), an intellectual who wrote several books on Quranic commentary and tradition ruling Morocco from 1757 to 1789, Sidna Sheik entered al-Qarawiyyine University of Fez and studied in particular the books on the Tradition of the Prophet (al-‘Hadith Nabawi Sharif) such al-Bukhari and Muslim. Meanwhile Sidna Sheik busied himself with meeting Sufi teachers. He started searching throughout the sharifian kingdom in order to meet with and learned from almost all the available aqatab (poles) or masters of his day. This took him to Fez, Wazzan and Taza. He first met the head of Shadhilite Wazzaniya order Sheik Sidi Tayyeb ibn Mohammad b. al-Qutb Moulay Abdellah al-Wazzani al-Idrissi al-Hassani (d. 1181/1766). He initiated Sidna Sheik into his order and gave him the authorization to initiate others, although Sidna never did exercise this privilege, for tow reasons: firstly, he was engrossed in his own spiritual self-development, and secondly, he was not sure of his exact position in the spiritual hierarchy at the time.
قال سيدنا الختم المحمدي المعلوم رضي الله تعالى عنه: “أخبرني سيد الوجود صلى الله عليه وسلم بأني أنا القطب المكتوم والبرزخ المختوم مشافَهةً يقَظةً لا مناما.” “إن جميع الأولياء يدخلون زمرتنا ويأخذون أورادنا ويتمسكوا بطريقتنا مـــن أول الوجود إلي يوم القيامة حتى الإمام المهدي إذا قام آخر الزمان يدخل زمرتنا بعد مماتنا وانتقالنا إلى دار البقاء.” “طائفة من أصحابنا لو اجتمعت أقطاب الأمة ما وزنوا شعرة من بحر أحدهم والآن قد ظهر واحدا منهم.” “لو أطلع أكابر الأقطاب على ما أعده الله لأصحابنا في الجنة لبكوا عليه طول أعمارهم وقالوا ما أعطيتنا شي يا ربنا.” “أنا سيد الأولياء كما كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم سيد الأنبياء”.”لا يشرب ولي ولا يسقى إلا من بحرنا من نشأة العالم إلى النفخ في الصور.” “إن نسبة الأقطاب معي كنسبة العامة مع الأقطاب.” “إن لنا مرتبة تناهت في العلو عند الله تعالى إلى حد يحرم ذكره وليس هو ما أفشيته لكم ولو صرحت به لأجمع أهل الحق والعرفان على كفري فضلا عمن عداهم وليست هي التي ذكرت لكم بل هي من ورائها.” “طابعنا يغلب على كل طابع ولا يغلب عليه طابع.”وقال رضي الله تعالى عنه وأرضاه مشيرا بأصبعيه السبابة والوسطى: “روحه صلى الله عليه وسلم وروحي هكذا روحه صلى الله عليه وسلم تمد الرسل والأنبياء عليهم السلام وروحي تمد الأقطاب والعارفين والأولياء من الأزل إلى الأبد.””كل الطرائق تدخل عليها طريقتنا فتبطلها وطابعنا يركب على كل طابع ولا يحمل طابعنا غيره””من ترك وردًا من أوراد المشايخ لأجل الدخول في طريقتنا هذه المحمدية التي شرفها الله تعالى على جميع الطرق أمنه الله في الدنيا والآخرة فلا يخاف من شيء يصيبه لا من الله ولا من رسوله ولا من شيخه أيا كان من الأحياء أو من الأموات. وأما من دخل زمرتنا وتأخر عنها ودخل غيرها تحل به مصائب الدنيا وأخرى ولا يفلح أبدًا” “وليس لأحد من الرجال أن يدخل كافة أصحابه الجنة بلا حساب ولا عقاب ولو عملوا من الذنوب ما عملوا وبلغوا إلا أنا وحدي” “إن أصحابنا يوم القيامة ليسوا مع الناس في الموقف بل هم مكشفون في ظل العرش في موضع وحدهم و لا يقدم عليهم أحد في دخول الجنة إلا الصحابة رضي الله عنهم.” لما قيل له رضي الله عنه و أرضاه و عنا به بمَ نالوا ذلك قال: “من أجلي.” قلتُ (أي العلامة سكيرج) و سره يظهر في قوله صلى الله عليه و سلم له رضي الله عنه و أرضاه و عنا به: “و فقراؤك فقراءي و تلاميذك تلاميذي و أصحابك أصحابي.” فعُلِم أن بين أصحابه صلى الله عليه و سلم و بين أصحاب هذا الشيخ رضي الله تعالى عنه مناسبة تامة و لتلك المناسبة كانوا عند
Greatly simplified, Sidna Sheik developed his path on loose lines. Obligations, as one to be expected in an order designed to expand, were simple. He imposed no penances or retreats and the conditions was not complicated; (1) praying in the mosque with the congregation whenever possible, meeting all the prerequisites for lawfully offering prayer; (2) praying upon the Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him); and (3) not to visit living saints or the tombs of dead ones. The Sheik stressed the quite dhikr even in congregation, and forbade above all the visitations of living and dead saints at the command of his grandfather (peace and blessing be upon him), for they were all associated with Baraka-possession. Sidna Sheik affirmed that the Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) had told him not to cut himself off from the world, and so he advised his disciples to live in comfort wearing classy clothes and eating choice food. Sidna Sheik gave good tidings that his followers could rely on his own guarantee of salvation. This includes anyone who saw him on Mondays and Fridays and did not become his enemy,
“If someone receives from me the well-known wirdi, which is essential to the Tariqa, or he receives it from someone I have authorized to teach it, he will enter the Garden of Paradise (“Jannat ‘Illiyyine”; that of prophets and saints) -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 Sheik until death.” (…) “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 wear the garb of security from Allah’s cunning (makr ‘Allah);” “My companions will not be exposed to the horrors of the Place of Standing (at the Resurrection) and they will not experience its thunderbolts and its earthquakes. Instead they will be together with those who are safe and sound at the gate of the Garden, until they enter with the Chosen Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) in the vanguard of the first troop, along with his Companions. Their permanent abode will then be in his vicinity (peace and blessing be upon him) in the Highest Heights, as the neighbours of his Companions. Glory be to the One who graciously favours whomever He will with whatever he will, entirely of His own volition!”
Thus Sidna Sheik emerged as a sudden Sufi authority and established Sufi leader, dedicating his life for spiritual education, training, guidance, and promotion of the endeavourers to the divine proximity. He possessed high spiritual energy, determination, perseverance of Allah’s sacred rights, and firmness of resolution. He laboured in his beginnings on perfection of repentance with its conditions, and on adherence to Shari’a bounds. He minded his own business, and held fast to the Quran and Sunnah and the footsteps of the righteous ancestors. He totally turned himself to his Lord, so Allah sufficed him. He reinforced his foundations first by preoccupying himself with the study of the Quran and Sunnah, deep thorough comprehension of the fine and subtle sciences and abstruse issues, and strict observance of the principles the Shari’a: “If you hear someone quoting me, place the statement on the scale of the noble Shari’a. If it balances, take it; if it doesn’t, leave it, for within the noble Quran and Hadith, you will find the Tijaniyat. Outside the circle of Quran and Hadith, there is no such thing.”
For nearly fifty years Sidna Sheik was the main active propagator of the doctrine. From his Fez headquarters, he organised his born-global Tariqa, which spread in east’s and west’s in his blessed lifetime. During the same period, some of Sidna Sheik’s appointed Khaliphat and Mukadam -mostly doctors of the Shari’a law (ulama)- had established new Tijani centres in Morocco and abroad and developed ramifications of their own. Sidna Sheik remained in Fez until his pass on Thursday the 17 of Shawal 1230 (1815). After the Sheik performed the Subuhi prayer, he laid down on his right side while he asked for a glass of water then he returned to his bed. At that time his blessed soul went to his creator. The funeral ablutions were carried out in his home at Dar-Lamraya. An abundant number of eminent scholars, notables and princes, in addition to the Far residents and Tijani community took part in the funeral. The great scholar Sidi Abu Abdullah Mohammad ibn Ibrahim Dukkali led the funeral prayer at the Qarawiyyine mosque. People were rushing and trying hard to have that great honour of holding the blessed coffin of Sidna Sheik and it was a scene full of deep emotions where tears and sorrows constituted the landmark of this great event. Sidna Sheik was buried in his blessed Sawiyah. Sidna Sheik is followed today by over 300 million disciples active in the five corners of the globe.
قال سيدي محمد بن المشري رضي الله عنه: “ومع ما سمعت من كرامات هذا الشيخ الجليل القدر فإنه كان في غاية التواضع ومن لم يعرفه لم يميزه بين أصحابه ومن صفته ﺃنه كان زاهدا راغبا آخذا تاركا فطنا متغافلا عن أحوال الناس مشتغلا بنفسه ومشددا في إتباع السنة غير مسهل فيها لأحد وكان رضي الله عنه يحثنا على صلاة الصف إذا سافرنا ويقول: ‘من لم يصل معكم في الصف لا تتركوه يرافقكم’ ويقول ‘المحافظة على الصف يصرف الله بها أكثر المصائب”‘. ويقول العلامة العارف بالله سيدي أحمد سكيرج رضي الله عنه: و اعلم أن الشيخ التجاني رضي الله عنه لم يأمر أصحابه باعتقاد ما يخالف اعتقاد أهل الحق بل أمرهم بأن يزنوا كل ما يبلغهم عنه بميزان الشريعة و أمرهم بأن يأخذوا من ذلك ما وافق الشرع و أن يطرحوا كل ما خالفه.”
