On the Tariqah & its People...

It is worth mentioning that the people of the Tariqa, they, men and women, are the ones remembering Allah often. They sit for the remembrance in every place and in all states. Remembrance (dhikr) is the sacred means of emulating the Messenger of Allah (SAW): “Surely in the Messenger of Allah there is for you a beautiful example, for those who hope for Allah and the Last Day, and who remember Allah often” (33:21). The people of the Tariqa are the living example of this: they come together from diverse ethnicities, gathering for the love of Allah and His Messenger, extinguishing themselves in the pursuit and victory of the truth, with asceticism and humility in the emulation of the greatest means of access, Mawlana Shaykh Tijani, may Allah be pleased with him. Shaykh Ibrahim Niasse wrote in the Risalat al-Tawba: “Despite being absorbed and extinguished in Allah, the people of Tariqa have not abandoned the affairs of the creation nor their role as vicegerents on the earth. Rather they compete in every sphere of life and they are found in diverse professions and specialties, desiring to obtain what is lawful and to expose themselves to the zephyrs of the Lord, exalted is He. May Allah bless them, shield them from the schemes of their enemies and protect them with what He has protected His Wise Remembrance, and such is not difficult for Allah.” So these are the scholars and the shaykhs and the leaders of people; and they are also business men, executives, engineers, doctors, journalists and professors …

If it is understood that the purpose of the Tijani litanies is to smell the fragrance of the Haqiqa Muhammadiyya, such a fragrance leads one to act according to the Qur’an and the Sunnah, both of which provide the capacity for security and the foundation of faith. The Prophet has said: “I am leaving with you two things, to which if you hold fast, you will never be misguided: the Book of Allah and my Sunnah.” On this foundation this Tariqa has spread to all horizons, for it is a Tariqa of truth, and the truth prevails and is not prevailed upon. Shaykh Tijani, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “This seal (taaba’) of ours will gain ascendancy over every other type of (Sufi) mark (taaba’), and none will gain ascendancy over us.” This Tariqa thus has the capacity to spread without limit, since it is grounded in magnanimity and tolerance, nor is it contrary to the flawless natural disposition (al-fitra al-salim).

- Shaykh Hassan Cisse (RTA)

Infinite Ocean

In reality, our affiliation and link today are with Shaykh al-Tijani, the Seal of Saints, without intermediary since he is always present with us. Praise be to Allah, to Him belongs the favor. It is related that Abu al-Hasan al-Shadhili once was asked about his Shaykh. He said:

I used to be affiliated with Abd al-Salam b. al-Mashish, but today im swimming in ten oceans. Five of them are Adamic Beings: Muhammad (SAW), Abu Bakar (RTA), Umar (RTA), Uthman (RTA) and Ali (RTA). The other five consists of spiritual beings: (the angels) Gabriel, Michael, Izra'il, Israfil and the Spirit (al-Ruh).

"And we are in a single ocean, which has no shore, no limit, no termination, or end, which supplies its vastness. And this ocean derives from the Presence of the Absolute (hadra al-itlaq), which supplies its vastness and lordliness (rububiyya). And for this let those who strive aspire,

The last of it is musk. So for this let the competitors compete."
(Quran 83:26)


-The Removal Of Confusion by Shaykh al-Islam Ibrahim Niasse (RTA)

Fasting & Angels

"The fasting person is like the angels: they don't eat and they don't drink. Their sustenance is in worship. The fasting person is like them. If he is characterized with their characteristics then he is better than them." Shaikh Ibrahim Inyās, Khutba 'Āmah fī al-Tarbiyya wa al-Irshād, al-Juz al-Thālith min Khutab wa Rasā-il, pg. 166.

Hadaraat and Presences

An explanation of the Presences of Existence that flows from Allah to creation from the Rimah of Shaykh Umar Futi (RTA).

(1) The all encompassing Ahmadi Muhammadian circle (al-‘Hadrah al-Ahmadiyah al-Muhammadiyah). As previously explained, no one has any share in its content, because of its sublimity.

(2) The circle which comprises the sphere of the supportive Muhammadiyah Reality (al-‘Haqiqa al-Muhammadiyah). It has two openings: The first, an opening in its highest part, through which our masters the Prophets (blessing and peace be upon them all) receive the bountiful grace that is bestowed on them from the nature of the Chieftain of Existence (Peace and blessing be upon him). The second, an opening in its right side, through which the Seal of the Saints (Khatm al-Awliya) receives the support that is peculiar to him, without the mediation of anyone between him and the Chieftain of the Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him). No one has any comprehension of that bountiful grace.

(3) The circle which comprises the sphere of the Presences of our masters the Prophets (Hadrat al-Anbiya). It has an opening in its highest side, through which the Presence of the Seal receives the bountiful grace that flows from it.

(4) The circle which comprises the sphere of the Presence of the Seal (Hadrat al-Khatm). It has two openings: The first, an opening in the right side, through which bountiful grace is bestowed upon the Presence of the people of his Spiritual Path in particular. The second, an opening in the right side, through which bountiful grace is bestowed upon the Presence of the Shaykhs, which includes their Presences in general. As for the bounties that flow from the sphere of the Presence of the Seal to the sphere of the people of his Path in particular, however, they are more numerous, more excellent, more splendid, more copious, more voluminous and more tremendous than the bounties that flow from it to the sphere of the Presences of our masters the Shaykhs, the people of their Paths, including our masters the saints (may Allah be well pleased with them). Indeed, what flows from the sphere of the Presence of the Seal to the sphere of the Presences of the Shaykhs, in comparison with what flows from the sphere of the Presence of the Seal to the Presence of the people of his Spiritual Path in particular, is like a drop of water in comparison with the mighty ocean. This accounts for the superiority of the people of his Spiritual Path over others.

(5) The circle which comprises the sphere of the Presence of the people of his Path (Hadrat al-As'hab). It has an opening through which they receive the bountiful grace bestowed by the Seal upon them in particular, consisting of the support peculiar to him, which flows from the Muhammadian Reality, of which our masters the Prophets have no comprehension. This also explains their superiority over others. As Allah has said: “Favor is in Allah’s hand, to bestow on whomever He will” (57:29). (…)

(6) (Hadrat al-Mashayikh): The circle of the Presence of the Ghawths (Helpers of Time), Qutbs (Poles), and Shaykhs (Sufi Masters), which contains their Presences. It has an opening for the people of their Spiritual Paths.

(7) The circle which contains the sphere of the followers (Hadrat al-Atba’a) of their Spiritual Paths. The Presence of the people of each Spiritual Path receives support from their Shaykh, and the Shaykhs receive support from the Seal.

From Pre-existence till Eternity

“The spirit of the Prophet and my spirit are like this--pointing with his two fingers, the index finger and the middle finger. His spirit supports the Messengers and the Prophets and my spirit supports the poles, the sages, the saints, from pre-existence to eternity (mina al-azal ila abad).”

- al-Khatm Shaykh Ahmad Tijani (RTA)

"Katmiyyah" The Concealment

ON THE HIDDEN QUTB, SHAYKH AHMAD AL-TIJANI (RTA) & THE STATION OF KATMIYYAH (CONCEALMENT):

Sidina Shaykh Ahmad b. Muhammad al-Tijani (RTA) entered the spiritual station of Katmiyah at the age of 64, on Sunday the 18th of the month of Safar, 1214h/21July 1799.

The Concealed Pole (Qutb al-Maktum) is the intermediary between the prophets and the saints from pre-existence to eternity (min al-azal ila abad), 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.

On the 18th of Safar, one month and few days on achieving the Qutbaniyah, Sidna Shaykh perceived the Station of Concealment (Maqam al-Katmiyah), saying:

"The Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) told me in daylight, not in the state of sleep, that I was the Concealed Pole (al-Qutb al-Maktum) and the Sealed Isthmus (al-Barzakh al-Makhtum)."

The essential reality of this spiritual rank is concealed. The Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) told the Shaykh: "Al-Qutb al-Maktum is the one whom Allah has concealed from His angles and His prophets, except for me."

The great Companion of Sidina Shaykh al-Tijani, the erudite scholar and Arif, Sidi Muhammad ibn al-Mishri (d. 1224h/1809) writes in his 'Kitab al-Jami':

"The Hidden Pole has a position facing the Muhammadan Reality that will never be for anyone else from amongst all the greatest of the saints (may Allah be pleased with all of them). With that said, his reality in that position--that is specific to him--will not occur to anyone but Allah and the Master of Existence (peace and blessing be upon him), because he has a unique relationship with the Muhammadan Reality."

The Path

"Allah gave me the spiritual strength and vision to open the door of every Wali to see the contents of their treasure and secret. But when I tried with all my strength to open the vault of Sidina Shaykh Ahmad Tijani I was unable. And then that's when the Prophet (SAW) ordered me to take his path."

- Sayyid al-Faqih Ahmad Umar (RTA) of Ethiopia

The People of Tarbiyyah (Trained Spiritualists)

Those who carry the burden of Tarbiyyah (spiritual training) in the Tariqah Tijaniyyah are many. They have been there during the lifetime of Shaykh Ahmad Tijani as well as after his death, in all times and in every region."

"But they do not publicly expose themselves, and only those destined by God can meet a master who gives the training. They work in concealment because the masters chosen for the mission of Tarbiyyah do not divulge their secrets. Their true spiritual status is unknown, and they do not outwardly display any behavior that may suggest that Allah favors them."

- Shaykh Muhammad al-Arabi b. As-Sa'ih (RTA) in his 'al-Jawab ash-Shafi'

His Image

"The spirit (ruh) of every human being has been created initially endowed with a conscience and a perfect knowledge of God. An intense degradation then follows, by biological contact with the corporal substance; and the soul becomes ignorant, losing its original memory. This spiritual counterpart of the human, its intrinsic reality is symbolized in the words of Rasulullah: 'God created man in His image'"


- Shaykh Ahmad b. Muhammad al-Tijani (RTA) in 'Jawahir al-Ma'ani'