The Obligatory Litanies (al-Awrad al-Lazima): Quiddity of the Tijani Path
Pdfs:Al-Awrad al-Lazima with the Maqsad (Arabic) Translation-Transliteration | Al-Rimah on the Awrad |
The Concealed Pole, the Known Mohammedian Seal, the Seal of Special Mohammedian Sainthood, Shaykh Abil Abbas Sidi Ahmed Tijani (may Allah be pleased with him)
“I asked the following from the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessing be upon him: 'My aim is to attain your love and that of Allah, your eternal satisfaction with me and that of Allah, your solicitude (i’atina’) towards me and that of Allah.' He answered me in this meaning, peace and blessing be upon him: ‘All of these [things are given in full] in the litanies that I have given you!!'” (Shaykh Abil Abbas Tijani in 'Kitab Rawd al-Mu’hib al-Fani')
What is the Ahmedi Tijani Path?
In 1196/1781, the Concealed Pole, the Known Mohammedian Seal, Sidna Shaykh Abil Abbas Ahmed ibn Mohammed Tijani (1150/1735 -1230/1815) announced that his Grandfather, the Holy Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) authorised him in a daylight vision (yaqadatan; while he was awake) to establish his own order, the Tariqa Ahmediya Mohammediya Ibrahimiya Hanifiya Tijaniya, and not use any of the chains of authority of teacher-to-disciple that were the main stay of all the Sufi orders. The Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) had granted him permission to initiate mankind into the order during a period when he had fled from contact with people in order to devote himself to his personal development, and had therefore felt unable to consider himself a Shaykh until this permission was granted. He was commanded by the Holy Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) to renounce all the orders that he was affiliated to and told him that he was to take the path directly from him. The Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) had furthermore assigned to him the obligatory wird (litany) which he has to transmit in general and unstrictly to any seeker who asks for it and accepts to abide by its conditions; a 100 of Astaghfirou Allah" (I seek Allah’s forgiveness) and a 100 of prayers upon the Prophet with any version, preferably with the Salat al-Fatih prayer. By 1200/1785 the Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) completed to him the wird by adding a 100 of Haylala (“la-ilaha illa’Allah”; There is no God but Allah).
Sidi al-Haj Abdelwahhab ibn al-‘Ahmar al-Fasi (d. 1269/1852) is reported that he said:
"The Tijani Path rests on three pillars that represent both its kernel and secret:
1- Perpetual love for the family of the Messenger—Allah's Peace and Grace be upon Him;
2- Performing one's canonical prayer at the appointed time; and,
3) Relentless prayers upon the Messenger—Allah's Peace and Grace be upon Him."
The spokesman of the Tijani Path, the red sulfur, the pride of scholars, the crown of judgeship, the well-versed in every branch of learning, the Knower of Allah, Abil Abbas Sidi al-Haj Ahmed Skirej al-Fasi (d. 1363/1944 in Marrakech) said,
“Our Tijani Path is a spiritual remembrance on the basis of reality (dhikr ‘ala al-‘haqiqa). The Path of which its litanies (awrad) become mandatory until death the day a person takes the oath, together with its conditions that are: (1) Observance of the daily ritual prayers at their prescribed times; (2) Non-visitation of saints (awliya) lest the Companions of Sidi Ahmed Tijani (may Allah be pleased with him) and the Companions of the Messenger (peace and blessing be upon him); (3) And (s)he who takes the oath of the Path and embraces another Sufi path afterwards should be scared for himself.”
Allama Sidi Ahmed Skirej (may Allah be pleased with him) has also said,
“Our Path yields in submission to the Friends of God (Ahl Allah) —be they deceased or alive, so that belief in each one of them might be preserved. But let everyone renounce the visitation of the Friends for the goal of spiritual supply (ziyarat al-istimdad) and attachment (ziyarat at-ta’allauq), have a beautiful opinion on the whole community of Islam, stay away from their opponents, and separate himself from their enemies as much as possible; for company of loathers is verily a deadly poison. All the latter is behold after the constant observance of obligations (faraid) especially the daily ritual prayer as it is the basis on which our Path has been founded. Constant observance of the ritual prayer is a critical condition that the Tijani disciple must watch particularly in the congregation if possible. Observance of the ritual prayer is obligatory by law and it does not necessary require auxiliary elaboration. But, the disciple should be primarily reminded of the ritual's observance. The Tijani disciple is certainly (s)he who is the very foremost to observe the prayer, its corners and prescribed times in congregation and dissipation. Therefore, the Tijani adept is hypothetical the person who receives a special permission in the (Tijani) invocations from a person with genuine Taqdim (a title of Muqaddam that allows the bearer legal transmission of the Tariqa) and a lucid initiating authority comparatively to what I have received myself from the Shaykh, the Knower of Allah, the Master, the Lord, Sidi Ahmed al-Abdellawi, the pupil of the Qutb Sidi al-Haj Ali Tamasini, himself the student of Sidna Shaykh Abil Abbas Tijani (may Allah be pleased with him)."
The Knower of Allah, Sidi Ahmed al-Abdellawi (may Allah be pleased with him), said,
"The Path of our Shaykh, the Qutb, Tijani, is by definition the known blessed Wird which is from the making of the Chieftain of the Universe (peace and blessing be upon him) which is composed of (1) “Astaghfirou Allah" (I ask forgiveness from Allah) 100 times; (2) the prayer of Salat al-Fatih 100 times; (3) “La-ilaha illa’Allah” (There is no God but Allah) 100 times. This Wird is obligatory in this Mohammediya Path of ours and it is recited in the morning and in the evening. On the other hand, the blessed Daily Office (Wadhifa) composes of (1) “Astaghfirou Allah Al Adhim alladhi la ilaha ila houa al hayou al kayoum" (I ask forgiveness from Allah, the Mighty. No God exists but Him. He is the Living, the Self-Existing) 30 times; the prayer of Salat al-Fatih 50 times; “La ilaha ila Allah” 100 times; the prayer of “Jawharat al-Kamal” (Jewel of Perfection) 12 times. The Wadhifa is sufficient once a day in the morning or in the evening. Preferably twice a day, if possible. Congregation to celebrate the Wadhifa is obligatory if the person has brethren in the town. In addition, remembrance of the Haylala (i.e. La ilah illa Allah) in the wake of the Asr prayer on Friday (ba’ad ‘asr al-Jumu’a) is part of the obligations of the Path. Congregation is necessary if the person has brethren in the town. If not it is recited individually 1000/1200 times."
Moreover, Sidi Ahmed Skirej said in his book “Kashf al-Balwa al-Manshura ‘ala Majallat Taqwa” (Removing the Affliction Published on the Magazine of Piety),
“Our Ahmedi Tijani Path is founded on piety to God and felicity (ridwan) in light of what it was divinely communicated to its founder from Allah because of his sincere intention of doing what God say and being united in love with the Holy Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him). It is the Path that has hewn out its three pillars on observance of the Wird, the Wadhifa, and Remembrance of the Haylala on Friday. And before that come observance of the daily ritual prayers at their prescribed times, doing what is right, and, as much as it is possible, putting aside the deeds of darkness. As far as the Miracles (karamat) of the Shaykh (may Allah be pleased with him) and the Merits of his Path are concerned, they are found at the outside of the border of the Conditions of the Path, inasmuch as the Path is a spiritual remembrance in reality (dhikr ‘ala al-‘haqiqa), and what it is added to this is whether more grace (fadl) or a kind of meddle (fudul). As for grace, it is expressed merely to its people. As for meddle, it is to be seen in the strangers that overlap with (its affairs). (..) And know that Shaykh Tijani, may Allah be pleased with him, did not command nor mention to his companions to believe in what is contrary to the creed of the people of the truth. He did, however, passed on to them the instruction to look at whatever reaches them from him and weigh it in accordance with the Law (Shari’a); to take what is in accordance with what is written in the Law, and put aside what it is not.”
The Allama Skirej, may Allah be pleased with him, said in his book, “al-Jawahir al-Muntashara fi’l Jawab ‘ala al-Asila al-Ihda ‘Ashara” (The Scattered Gems in Reply to the Elevenfold Questions),
“And know that Our Mohammedi Tijani Path is a Path of Perfect Beauty (Tariqa-tu Jamal) and likewise are its remembrances (adhkar) with the manifest exception of the Prayer of the Sword Bearer (Hizb Sayfi) and the Prayer of the Sea (Hizb al-Bahr), for reading them, or reading one of them, regularly each day, robes the reader in a manifestation of majesty that a disciple in our Path cannot hold even though he is to read them free without intentions of acquiring a particular kind of return (khasiya). (..) In this sense, Our Path is not founded upon the bases of acquiring a particularity (ta’hsil al-khasiya) nor on walking (suluk) under the standards set up by the seekers of spiritual training (tarbiya) in the other Sufi paths, but, as it is known among its people, Our Path is a Path of Thankfulness (Tariqa-tu Shukr).” “It is a Path of divine openings, celestial states and gnostic perceptions gushed out from the Mohammedian Presence upon its Companions through the blessing (baraka) of Shaykh Sidi Ahmed Tijani (may Allah be pleased with him). Verily, verily, his authority (Shaykh Abil Abbas Tijani) was about to be sanctified by the Truth and approved even by non-(Tijani) companions and brothers.”
And he articulated in the book of "Al-Iman Sahih fi-Rad ‘ala Mu’allif al-Jawab Sarih" (The Correct Faith in Reply to the Author of the Forthright Answer),
“This Mohammediya Tijaniya Path is founded on the basis of the Religion of the Truth (ad-din al-‘haqqani): by means of offering the ritual prayers with perfect excellence; remembering Allah in slow measured rhythmic tones, praying upon the Messenger; peace and blessing be upon him, with great veneration; and sealing all of this with ‘La Ilaha ila Allah’ (There is no God but Allah). So were it for these remembrances—which the disciples do not recite before they obtain special permission from the Muqaddams who initiate them by lawful consent, as perceived by every Tijani disciple who is bound to do nothing else except the aforementioned on his journey and affiliation to this Path—then let disappointment suffices the detractor who seeks to sit on the chair of Satan on the bench of the Straight Path, aiming at turning people away from the remembrance of Allah and observance of the ritual prayer, encouraging them to hate the People of Allah (Ahl Allah) in the course of picturing with his falsehood what he pictures in the image of the truth, which he does not know its meaning.”
In his words in “Kitab Riyad Silwan bi-man Ijtama’tu bihi mina’l Ikhwan” (Gardens of Delight in the Brothers that I Have Met With)
"And I am bound to the oath of Shaykh Tijani, and Allah says: ‘And keep Allah’s Oath.’ (Quran)"
Thus, the quiddity and nature and essence of the Tijani Path are a complex of invocations, namely, the morning and evening recitation of the Mohammedian Wird that the Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) had himself assigned to Sidna Shaykh Tijani to initiate any seeker who asks for it and accepts to abide by its conditions. To these are added the daily Wadhifa and the remembrance of the Haylala (i.e. La ilah illa Allah) in the wake of the Asr prayer on Friday. These invocations are initiated by a sound Muqaddam who possesses a doctrinal transmission tracing the succession of shaykhs back to the Mohammedian Pole Shaykh Abil Abbas Tijani (may Allah be pleased with him).
The Most Important Matters that the Disciple must watch over on his Journey through the Path
The Allama Skirej, may Allah have mercy on him, articulated in the book of Kitab Bulugh al-Amani bi’l Ijaza li-Murid al-Wird Tijani” (Attainment of Aspirations in the Issuing of Permission to the Seeker of the Tijani Litany), in which he encouraged, comforted and urged the confidants and brothers to work upon the Book and the Sunna, approach truth with docility, persist and commit himself to the litanies, have a strong belief in its merits, great grandeur and abundant reward,
"He should have his foot laid hold in obeying commands and shunning what is forbidden, outwardly and inwardly, as much as possible, returning to Allah in repentance anytime he may have committed sin. And it is incumbent for the disciple to watch over before any supererogatory act (nafila), whatever it may be, the observance of the daily ritual prayer in its prescribed times, especially in congregation, with perfect excellence. He should also make up whatever may be remaining of his missed obligatory prayers (fawait), for, verily, there are manifold sane adults (mukallafin) who missed all five prayers since the age of puberty (bulugh) and do not even bother to make them up, and, indeed, this is a debt which one must pay off without allowing the least negligence. And it is unwise to offer supererogatory acts regularly, but remained wholly unmindful of so many missed prayers."
Conditions of the Wird
1. Commitment to serve the litany until death with a face turned exclusively into the Path so that he abstains from taking any other litany that is of any shaykh of all the shaykhs.
2. Departure from visiting any of the friends (awliya): be they living or deceased.
3. Persistence in loving the People of God (Ahl Allah) altogether; having respect to him that come from among them, and avoiding any ill-natured talk against one of them. (Kitab Bulugh al-Amani)
From the letters of the Faqih Sidi Mohammed Akansus is this great, standing license. And he had sent it to the Knower of Allah, the Owner of Great States, the Great Muqaddam, our Master al-Hajj Saʼid al-Dararki al-Maskini al-Susi:
"And your right upon us is that we mention to you the conditions of this Tariqa al-Mohammediya, the first of which, I'm sure you already uphold, so hold fast to it. The first of them is observing the five obligatory (prayers) at their appointed times in congregation. And (secondly) that if you take it (the wird) that you never leave it, since the one who leaves it after taking it, affliction befalls him in this world and the next. And refuge is sought in Allah, the Exalted (from that). And we have already seen that befalling some people. And no doctors existed who could cure them. And refuge is sought in Allah, the Exalted. The third is that this Wird is not joined together with another one. So, he who wants to enter into this Tariqa, it is indispensable that he abandon what other Awrad he had been practicing. And then he sound not take to practicing other than it (as a wird), ever. And it is the guarantor for every good for the one who enters it. And besides it, nothing is more beneficial. And it is more beneficial than other Awrad. Verily, the Shaykh, may Allah be well pleased with him, said “Verily, every Tariqa will be cut off. And none will remain except this Tariqa. And the fourth condition is that whoever takes this Tariqa should not visit any one of the Saints- dead or living- for the purpose of seeking spiritual aid and benefit; meaning for the purpose of seeking spiritual aid from them. That is to say, do not visit them with the aim that they benefit him or that they should lift from him some harm. For, verily, no one is capable of benefitting him or preventing something from harming him except his Shaykh. "
I. The Wird
1. "Astaghfirou Allah" (I seek Allah’s forgiveness), 100 times;
2. Salat al-Fatih or "Allahouma Sali 'ala Sayyidina Mohammedin wa Alihi wa Salam Taslima" 100 times;
3. "La Ilaha ila Allah" (There is no God but Allah), 100 times.
Timing of the Wird
The obligatory Wird is performed twice a day. The optional time of the morning Wird starts after the dawn prayer (Subh) and continues up to high forenoon. Forenoon extends up to midday. The necessary time extends from high forenoon until sunset; and the making-up for the morning Wird is beyond that. However, it is unconditionally permissible to advance the morning Wird during the night, with or without a reason. The time for advancing the Wird starts after the Isha Prayer and a lapse of time enough to recite five sub-parts of Qur'an (i.e. 1:30 hours or there about). If dawn breaks before the Wird is over complete it and redo it after Dawn Prayers (a must). It has been narrated in the Jawahir al-Ma'ani and the Idafa al-Ahmediya that Sidna Shaykh (may Allah be pleased with him) said that night acts of worship multiply five hundred manifolds over daytime deeds.
The optional time for the evening Wird starts after Asr prayer and extends up to the Isha prayer. The Necessary time is between Isha prayer and dawn break; the making-up for the evening Wird is beyond that. If a person performed his Wird after dawn but before he prayed the Fajr prayer; or after the appointed time of Asr prayer was due but before he prayed the Asr prayer, and whether this has happened intentionally or due to forgetfulness or ignorance, he must redo the Wird during its appointed time, and must make-up for it if the appointed time lapsed. This is because he advanced the Wird before its prescribed time. Al-Qutb Salih Sidi Mohammed ibn al-Arbi Sayeh (d. 1309/1894) says in “Kitab Bughyat al-Mustafid fi-Shar'h Minyat al-Murid (Aspiration of the Beneficiary in the Commentary of the Desire of The Seeker)
“This is what has been transmitted from the Shaykh. It is a consensus amongst his Companions; and what the author of al-Jaysha al-Kafil ("Sidi Mohammed Saghir Shinguiti"; may Allah bless him) wrote to the contrary was a distractedness from the a special order of our order, therefore it shouldn’t be considered, even though that might be the practice in some other Sufi orders.
It is NOT permissible to advance the evening Wird during daytime, with or without excuse, whether before the time of Asr prayer or after the time but before the performance of Asr prayer. This is an authentic and continuously recurrent practice of Sidna Shaykh (may Allah be pleased with him). However, it is permissible to advance the evening Wird at night under two conditions: (1) A valid excuse is expected to occur during the optional time of the Wird; (2) its advancing takes place after the advancing of the morning Wird, for order, as it is invalid, with the presence of the excuse, to advance the evening Wird except after advancing the morning Wird.
If a person misses his Wird, he must make up for it. The vow makes the Wird obligatory.
Remedy of Deficiency in the Wird (Jabr al-Wird)
If a person forgetfully exceeds the limit in some or all of the pillars of the Wird, he should, after finishing his Wird or Wadhifa, remedy that deficiency by reciting Istighfar (Astaghfirou Allah) 100 times and/or Jawharat al-Kamal prayer 3 times, with intent to remedy. If a person is in doubt as to whether he exceeds or falls short of the limit, he should build on certainty (the lower number) and complete the Wird, then remedy his doubt by reciting Istighfar 100 times after finishing his Wird or Wadhifa. If a person, forgetfully, reverses the order of the pillars – e.g. recites prayers upon the Prophet before the Istighfar – he shall cancel what he reverses (prayers upon the Holy Prophet in this case), redo the pillars in order, and then make Istighfar one hundred times and/or Jawharat al-Kamal prayer 3 times with intent to remedy that deficiency, after finishing his Wird or Wadhifa.If a person is in doubt, or forgetfulness occurs to him during the remedy, he should not repeat the remedy to avoid getting in circle. The remedy is for the individual who performs alone. In a group, the imam bears the deficiencies, similar to congregational prayers. Intentional increase, decrease, or reversal of the pillars invalidates the dhikr, and it is misconduct.
Dust Ablution and the Wird
If a person performs dust ablution for a prescribed prayer, he must also perform another dust ablution for the Wird, otherwise the Wird will invalidates. This is because the Wird became obligatory by the vow, and it is not permissible to do two obligatory acts of worship with one dust ablution. Accordingly, he must redo all the Wirds that he has done with dust ablutions of prescribed prayers.
Prayers during the Wird
If a prayer starts while a person is performing his Wird or Wadhifa, he stops, prays with the group, and then immediately after the prayer is over and before he utters any word resumes his Wird, building on what he has performed before the prayer, instead of starting it all over. This is analogous to starting of a prayer while one performs Tawaf (circumambulating the Ka'aba) as stated by Sidi Mohammed b. Abdelwahid Nadhifi (d. 1370/1951) in his Durrah al-Kharidah. Sidi Tayyeb al-Wadghiri Sufyani (d. 1259/1844), author of Al-Ifada al-Ahmediya li-Murid Sa’ada al-Abadiya” (The Ahmedi Notification for the Hunter of Eternal Rapture) said, "This is a continuously recurrent tradition from the Shaykh and unanimously agreed upon between his Companions, thus, it is neither rejectable nor questionable". Mertits of the Wird
Al-Khalifa Sidi Abul Hassan Ali Harazem Berrada al-Fasi (d. 1212/1797) said in Risalat al-Fadl wal Imtinan ila kaffat al-Ashab wal Ikhwan” (The Epistle of Bounty and Gratitude Forwarded to all the Companions and Confidants),
"Sidna Shaykh Tijani (may Allah be satisfied with him) said, 'All those who have taken our Wird will enter paradise without any deeds accountancy as well as their children, wives except the grandsons unless they are faithful and have not transgressed the companionship, all these followers will reach the 'Iliyyine status in heaven and are neighbours to the Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him).'" And I have heard him saying: “I have asked the Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) about those who already possessed a wird from the other shaykhs and are keen to have our Wird? What shall they do?” The Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) replied: “O Ahmed! Tell them that my Wird is a great one -meaning that the Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) has endorsed it to him-, this Wird dispensed all the other wirds, containing the secret of all the other wirds. For the one who holds on to it and quits all other wirds emanating from the other shaykhs there will be no harm to that, and he shall have no fear from his shaykhs either in this life or in the Hereafter, and he is safe. This wird suffices him otherwise he has to leave our Wird for this Wird is only accepted as a single one”. (..) And in another letter, Sidna Shaykh responded to some faqihs, “About what you have mentioned from your taking the Wird from this Shaykh and quitting another, there is no harm in such case, but most preferably our Wird is to remain according to what I have been told and since it is an inspiration and a classification emanating from the Last Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him)”.
And in the Rimah,
"Sidi Mohammed al-Ghali informed me that he asked Shaykh Tijani (may Allah be pleased with him) about the cause of the excellent merit contained within his litanies so he told him (may Allah be pleased with him): 'On my account" (li-ajli)'. This is obvious to everyone who knows that Allah Most High established him in the circle of excellence (Dairat al-fadliya), and that it is the circle of the people of his Path."
Pivots of the Wird
The Wird is based on three pivots,
The first is asking Allah for forgiveness (Istighfar). It is really unconscionable for a Muslim to stop his brother in Islam from asking Allah for forgiveness. Allah Almighty says in the Holy Quran, “Say: O My servants who have transgressed against their own souls, despair not of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Truly, He is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (39:53); “Know that Allah is severe in punishment and that Allah is Forgiving and Merciful” (5:98); “And seek Allah’s forgiveness. Certainly, Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.” (73:20); “Verily, Allah forgives not the setting up of partners with Him, but He forgives whom He pleases whatever is less than that. And whoever sets up partners with Allah has indeed strayed far away.” (4:116); “Will they not repent to Allah and ask His forgiveness? For Allah is the Forgiving, the Merciful". (5:74); “And who can forgive sins except Allah?” (3:135); “And those who, when they commit a lewd act or wrong themselves with evil, remember Allah and ask forgiveness for their sins and who forgives sins except Allah? And they do not persist in what (wrong) they were doing while they knew it. For such, the reward is forgiveness from their Lord and Gardens with rivers flowing through, wherein they shall abide forever. How excellent is the reward of the doers (of good)!” (3:135-136). Allah Almighty have also said in the Holy Quran, “Say: Shall I not inform you of things far better than those (things of this world)? For the pious, there are gardens with their Lord, wherein rivers flow. Therein (is their) eternal home and pure wives. And Allah will be pleased with them. And Allah is Seer of the slaves. Those who say, Our Lord! We have indeed believed, so forgive us our sins and save us from the punishment of the Fire. They are those who are patient, those who are true and obedient with sincere devotion in worship to Allah. Those who spend (in charity) and those who pray and beg for Allahs forgiveness in the last hours of the night.” (3:15-17) In a Hadithi Qudsi, Allah says, "O son of Adam, as long as you call upon Me and put your hope in Me, I have forgiven you for what you have done and I do not mind. O son of Adam, if your sins were to reach the clouds of the sky and then you would seek My forgiveness, I would forgive you. O son of Adam, if you were to come to Me with sins that are close to filling the earth and then you would meet Me without ascribing any partners with Me, I would certainly bring to you forgiveness close to filling it" (Al-Tirmidhi).
When asked about the major sins, the Holy Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) replied." To associate anyone with Allah, to disobey the parents, to kill unlawfully and to give false evidence." Safwan ibn Mobraz al-Mazan reports that he heard Allah's Messenger (peace and blessing be upon him) saying: "(On the Day of Resurrection) Allah will draw near to a believer and put His forgiveness over him and screen him (his sins) then Allah will say: Do you know such and such sin? Do you know such and such? He will say: Yes, my Lord! This conversation will continue) until Allah will make him confess his sins, and thinks that he is ruined. Then Allah will say: I concealed them (your sins in the world) and I do forgive you today. Then he will be given the record book containing his good deeds." (Related by al-Bukhari, Muslim and Ibn Majah) Narrated Abu Huraira, the Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) also said: "There were two fraternal persons among the sons of Israel. One of them was engrossed in committing sins while the other was devoted to worship. The devotee used to see his fellow committing sin and advise him. Desist from doing so. One day when he found his fellow committing sin. He said to him: Avoid it. His fellow said: Leave me alone. Have you been sent out as a vigilant on me. The devotee said: By Allah, He will neither forgive you nor admit you to Paradise. When they died, they were gathered before the Lord of the Worlds. Allah asked the devotee: Were you assured of knowing Me or were you having power over what was in My Hands? Then He said to the sinner: Go and enter Paradise by My Mercy; and ordered the angels about the devotee: Lead him to the Hell." (This Hadith is sound and related by Abu Dawid in his Sunan). Abu Huraira narrates that Allah's Messenger (peace and blessing be upon him) said: "A man never did good deeds. Rather, he used to lend (money) the people and advise his servants: Take from the solvent and leave the insolvent and forgive him. Perhaps Allah may forgive us. When he died, Allah asked him: Did you ever do anything good? He replied: No, but I had a servant and I used to lend people money. Whenever I sent him out to recover the loans, I advised him: Accept from the solvent and leave the one who is unable to repay (i.e. excuse him). May Allah forgives us. then Allah The Exalted remarked: I have forgiven you." (Related by An-Nasa'i.)
Offering prayers upon our beloved Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) is the second article of the Wird.
Anyone who exercises his thinking faculty very well knows that the Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) does not need our prayers, not even in the least. For Allah, Glorious is His Name, has completed His blessings and favours upon him and made him a Mercy to the universe. Allah says in the verse, [93:5], “And soon will thy Guardian-Lord give thee (that wherewith) thou shalt be well-pleased”, and in the verse [48:2] Allah says: “That Allah may forgive thee thy faults of the past and those to follow; fulfil His favour to thee; and guide thee on the Straight Path”, and in the verse [5:3], “Today have I perfected for you, your religion and completed my favour upon you and pleased to have Islam as your chosen religion.” Besides these, the Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) himself said: “I am the distributor while Allah is the One that Gives” Contemplating on the above verse, we find that not only has the Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) acquired all favours from Allah, but any other favour that is due to any other creation passes through him for distribution. What can then the creation ask, for he who distributes? If so.. Why then do we offer prayers on the Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him)? We do this only to multiply our expectations from Allah. It is just like a pauper who visits the king with a gift of a small piece of bread so as to attract the sympathy and love of the king, thereby multiplying his expectations. The king's gift in return is always far better than the pauper's worthless gift.
The Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) said: “Anyone who makes one salat (prayer) on me, Allah makes ten for him. When he makes ten for me, Allah makes a hundred for him. When he makes a hundred for me, Allah makes a thousand for him and if he makes a thousand for me, he shall be shoulder to shoulder with me at the gate of the paradise.” In another narration: “It will be written for him - safety from hypocrisy, safety from hell-fire, and safety from punishment.” Who knows the value of one salat of Allah, not to mention ten or a hundred or even one thousand! To attempt to value this is to value the work of Allah and its reward as compared to that of His servant. Indeed glory be to Allah Who differs from His creatures in every respect, essence, nature or work. Here therefore lies the secret and cornerstone of making salat (prayer) on the Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him). One salat of Allah is more than enough to turn the hell-fire into a frozen ice. Salat on the Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him)? What a beautiful profession, that Allah and His angels partake alongside the faithful servants male and female. Allah says in the verse, [33:56], Verily Allah and His angels send blessings on the Prophet: “O ye that believe! Send ye blessings on him, and salute him with all respect”. The second article of the Tijani Path is therefore a work in which Allah and His angels are participating, and for a poor servant of Allah this makes it a finished affair.
The third principle is to say La ilaha illa-llah (There is no God but Allah). Allah said: “Know, therefore, that there is no god but Allah” (Quran 47; 19), and He Almighty said “For when it was said unto them, there is no god but Allah, they were scornful.” (Quran 37:35). The Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) said that the Prophet Moses (peace and blessing be upon him) asked his Lord: "-Lord ! Teach me something to recall You and to invoke You. - Say: There is no god but Allah. - Lord ! All your servants say it. - Say: There is no god but Allah. - I want You to do me a favor - Moses ! If the seven skies and the seven earths were in a plate of a balance and the words « There is no god but Allah » were in the other plate, these words would overcome them." (Nissai, Ibn Hibban and al-Hakem) According to Anass ibn Malik, the Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) said: “The one who says "There is no God but Allah" and extends it, will be forgiven four thousand of his great sins.” (Daylami) According to Talha ibn Ubaydillah, the Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) said: “The best thing the prophets and I have ever said is "There is no God but Allah.” (Malik) Al-Qurtubi has reported that the Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) said: “The angel of death ('Izrail) came to a man. He looked throughout all his members and didn’t find any good deed. Then, he opened his heart and found nothing. After, he opened the mouth and found his tongue stuck to his palace saying "There is no God but Allah". He said then: “Paradise is compulsorily your home because of these words of sincerity i.e. “There is no God but Allah.” The Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) has said: “The best that has been said by myself and the previous Prophets before me, is 'La ilaha illa-llah'“. In a Hadith, Allah told the Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him): “La ilaha illa-llah is my fortress (protection), whoever enters my fortress is saved from my punishment.” It is therefore abhorrent and disgusting for any Muslim to advise a fellow Muslim to say La ilaha illa-llah.
Thus the Tariqa that advises Muslims to practice this is simply putting them on the path of the Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) and towards obedience of Allah. In the Hadith, the Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) said, “The best word I have ever said together with the previous Prophets is the word La ilaha illa-llah.” And, again, in the Baqara Chapter "Then do ye remember Me; I will remember you. Be grateful to Me, and reject not Faith" [2:152]. And in Sura Imran (3), v. 191, “Men who celebrate the praises of Allah, standing, sitting, lying down on their sides.” [3:191] Men who celebrate the praises of Allah, standing, sitting, and lying down on their sides, and contemplate the (wonders of) creation in the heavens and the earth, (With the thought): “Our Lord! not for naught Hast Thou created (all) this! Glory to Thee! Give us salvation from the penalty of the Fire. And, again, in the Jumu'a Chapter (Ch. 62), v. 10, “And celebrate the Praises of Allah often (and without stint): that ye may prosper.” [62:10] And when the Prayer is finished, then may ye disperse through the land, and seek of the Bounty of Allah: and celebrate the Praises of Allah often (and without stint): that ye may prosper. Surely, when Allah, with His unlimited wealth says often, this wording is not to be taken lightly. When Allah, the Possessor and Dispenser of all wealth, suggests that something be done often, we must remember that the perspective of the wealthy is not like the perspective of the poor. And Almighty Allah, He has everything. You cannot even say Allah is the richest because everything is under His control.
So these are the principles and some of the bases of support for the recitation of the Tijani Path. It is solely derived from Quran and Hadith.
II. The Wadhifa
1. "Astaghfirou Allah Al Adhim alladhi la ilaha ila houa al hayou al kayoum" (I ask forgiveness from Allah, the Mighty. No God exists but Him. He is the Living, the Self-Existing), 30 times;
2. Salat al-Fatih, 50 times;
3. “La ilaha ila Allah”, 100 times;
4. The Prayer of "Jawharat al Kamal", 12 times.
Shaykh Sidi Ali Harazem (may Allah be pleased with him) says in Risalat al-fadhl wal imtinan:
"It is carried out in the morning or in the evening and it suffices once a day and it is recited either in congregation or individually. But it does not dispense the daily wird or the Haylala of Fridays." Sidi al-Haj Omar ibn Said al-Futi stated in Kitab Rima'h: "Of the conditions of the Tijaniya order congregation for the performance for the wadhifa and the remembrance of the Haylala in the wake of the afternoon prayer on Friday. As we read in Jawahir al-Ma'ani: "The litanies that are essential to the Spiritual Path include the 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."
Sidna Shaykh Abi Abbas Tijani (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that seven recitations from "Jawharat al-Kamal fi Mad’hi Sayyid Rijal” (The Jewel of Excellence in the Praise of the Chieftain of Men) taught him by his grandfather (peace and blessing be upon him) result in the Prophet's physical presence.
It has reached us from the book of "Kashf al-Hijab ‘aman Talaqa ma’a Shaykh Tijani mina-‘ As’hab” (Removing the Curtain after the Raising of the Veil on the Companions who have met with Shaykh Tijani):
"Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.
To Sidi al-Haj Sulayman al-Muqaddam from the slave in need of Allah who writes to you Ahmed ibn Mohammed al-Tijani,
(...) Everyone who takes our Wird, they should not visit a Saint- living or dead. And whoever visits (them) has exited from our Wird. But, in our Tariqa, visitation is to our Master the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. And that is that Jawharat al-Kamal is recited twenty times, intending by it visiting him, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and gifts its reward to him, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. For verily, when seven recitations have been completed, he, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, sits with the rememberer with his Real Essence. And he does not stop sitting with him until he completes twenty. And verily he will be, by doing that, as one who stands in front of his grave visiting him, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. And whoever is reached by this benefit and reward in that visitation, it is not encompassed or equaled. And it is hidden. It is not permissible to mention it and it is not known except in the hereafter. And this visitation of him is not tied to any day or any time. Verily, it is independent whenever he wishes to do it. And it is better than visiting the Saints. And if your heart is open to receiving good news, then know that that it is a Wird overflowed from the Presence of Allah to our companions, bringing nearer to him the hidden eyes, if they would only be unveiled to his Dhikr. And it will not be known except in the Hereafter. And may Allah bless and send peace upon our Master Mohammed and his family and companions.
And from his letters (may Allah be pleased with him),
Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings, and to the Muqaddam Sidi al-Ḥaj Sulayman.
From the slave in need of Allah who writes to you Ahmed ibn Mohammed Tijani,
(...) Everyone who takes our Wird, they should not visit a Saint- living or dead. And whoever visits (them) has exited from our Wird. But, in our Ṭariqa, visitation is to our Master the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. And that is that Jawharat al-Kamal is recited twenty times, intending by it visiting him, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and gifts its reward to him, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. For verily, when seven recitations have been completed, he, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, sits with the invoker (Dhakir) with his Essence by Truth (bi-Dhatihi ‘haqiqa). And he does not stop sitting with him until he completes twenty. And verily he will be, by doing that, as one who stands in front of his grave visiting him, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. And whoever is reached by this benefit and reward in that visitation, it is not encompassed or equaled. And it is hidden. It is not permissible to mention it and it is not known except in the hereafter. And this visitation of him is not tied to any day or any time. Verily, it is independent whenever he wishes to do it. And it is better than visiting the Saints. And if your heart is open to receiving good news, then know that that it is a Wird overflowed from the Presence of Allah to our companions, bringing nearer to him the hidden eyes, if they would only be unveiled to his Dhikr. And it will not be known except in the Hereafter. And may Allah bless and send peace upon our Master Mohammed and his family and companions.
From the other particularities of Jawharat al-Kamal those that Sidi Ali Harazem Berrada informs in 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 Overflowings of Sidi Abil Abbas Tijani),
(1) The fact that most of them will be granted each day the favour of visiting the Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) in his noble garden (Rawda), and of visiting all the saints of Allah and the righteous, from the beginning of existence until his own time. Sidna Shaykh said "Allah's Messenger gave me an invocation of salat upon him called "Jawharat al-Kamal".' If someone recites it twelve times and says: 'This is a gift from me to you, O Messenger of Allah,' it is as if he has visited him in his noble garden, and as if he has visited the saints of Allah and the righteous, from the beginning of existence until his own time."
(2) The fact that the Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) and the Four Caliphs are present with the people of this Spiritual path every day. Sidna Shaykh Ahmed Tijani said "The Prophet told me that if someone recites "Jawharat al-Kamal" seven times or more, He and the Four Caliphs will be present with him as long as he remembers it". Allah has graciously recommended to our brethren that it should be recited twelve times in the daily wadhifa so that is sufficient for those who are lazy.
(3) The fact that the Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) loves its reader with a special love, different from that already bestowed on them and on all the loved ones in the first part. Sidna Shaykh Tijani said "The Prophet told me that, if someone makes a regular practice of reciting Jawharat al-Kamal more than seven times every day, The Prophet will love him with a special love, and he will not die until he becomes a saint.
The White Flat Sheet
A well-established Tijani ritual is laying down a white flat sheet during the recitation of "Jawharat al-Kamal" in honor of the Messenger's presence, peace and blessing be upon him. The Allama Sidi Ahmed Sukayraj said in Al-Kawkab al-Wahhaj li-Tawdii’h Dhurrat at-Taj wa 'Ujaalat al-Mu'htaj” (The Fiery Planet in the Commentary of the Inimitable Gemstone),
"It has been authentically related that the prophet peace upon him have laid down his noble dress for his sister (Shayma bint al-Harith) when she visited him with the envoy if the people of Hawazin. The composer of the Hamziya, Imam Sidi Mohammed al-Busairi, referred to this account in his verse:
For her the Chosen laid down his dress,
So great that dress contained of grace.
He also laid down his dress for Dihaya al-Kalbi when he came to submit to Islam Dahiya when cried because of this and lifted the noble dress kissed it and placed it on his head and eyes. We can clearly see from this action a sing of glorification to those the noble dress have been placed down for and since the Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) is an example for us to be followed. The disciple should also lay down a garment honouring the presence of the Prophet (peace be upon him) for if we were to lay down ourselves and foreheads on the ground honouring the prophet we would not be blamed."
Remedy of Deficiency in the Wadhifa
It is mandatory to make-up for the Wadhifa if missed even once in a lifetime. Sidi Mohammed ibn al-Arbi Sayeh said in Bughyat al-Mustafid , "No doubt, in the beginning, the Wadhifa was not as emphasized as the Wird, but it had been confirmed during the life of the Shaykh (may Allah be pleased with him). Consequently the author of Jawahir al-Maani amended his own copy and added a clear a statement that it is imperative to make-up for the Wadhifa, similar to the Wird. Therefore any a statement suggesting that the making-up for a missed Wazifa is not obligatory should be disregarded because it is contrary to the settled practice of the Shaykh and his Companions".
If a person forgetfully exceeds the limit in some or all of the pillars of the Wird, he should, after finishing his Wird or Wadhifa, remedy that deficiency by reciting Istighfar (Astaghfirou Allah) 100 times, with intent to remedy. If a person is in doubt as to whether he exceeds or falls short of the limit, he should build on certainty (the lower number) and complete the Wird, then remedy his doubt by reciting Istighfar 100 times, after finishing his Wird or Wadhifa. If a person, forgetfully, reverses the order of the pillars – e.g. recites prayers upon the Prophet before the Istighfar – he shall cancel what he reverses (prayers upon the Holy Prophet in this case), redo the pillars in order, and then make Istighfar one hundred times with intent to remedy that deficiency, after finishing his Wird or Wadhifa. If a person is in doubt, or forgetfulness occurs to him during the remedy, he should not repeat the remedy to avoid getting in circle. The remedy is for the individual who performs alone. In a group, the imam bears the deficiencies, similar to congregational prayers. Intentional increase, decrease, or reversal of the pillars invalidates the dhikr, and it is misconduct.
Late Arrival in Wadhifa
If a person arrives late in Wadhifa, he performs with the group what he attends, and then completes what he misses after the group finishes recitation: that is to say, he starts the Wazifa from the beginning until the point where he catches up with the group. All the actions of the late-arriver are making-up, because they are all words not actions.
Menstruation, Illness and the Wird
It is authentically narrated from the Shaykh (may Allah be pleased with him) that the menstruous woman, and the patient, are free to perform or not to perform the Wird. It is alright if they did it, otherwise there is nothing against them, and no making-up is required of them afterwards. The choice here is for the patient who cannot perform the Wird properlywith all its conditions and counts without great difficulty. And the choice of the menstruating woman is analogous to her reading of Quran.
III. Séance of Friday
The séance of Haylala is the Friday's remembrance to perform between 'Asr and Maghreb Prayers. Like the Wadhifa, the Friday's séance must be performed in congregation whenever it is possible, arranging the ranks properly, reciting aloud. It is performed only the Friday, and only between 'Asr and Maghreb Prayers. If not accomplished during this lapse of time, we can't make up for it. Sidna Shaykh Abil Abbas Tijani, may Allah be pleased with him, said that if it is not performed during this period (i.e. between the 'Asr and Maghreb Prayers of the Friday) without a valid excuse, the follower has to know that he has missed a huge blessing that he will not be able to make up.
The Haylala is composed of one single pillar: Recitation of 1000 or 1200 or 1600 times "La Ilaha illAllah", and just after the last "La Ilaha illAllah" we have to say "Muhammadun Rasulullah. 'Alayhi Salamullah"
Here is an example of a recitation of the Haylala, according to the deed of the Grand Zawiya of Fez,
- "A'udhu billahi mina chaytani rajim,"
- Surat al-Fatiha + "Amin", 1 time
- Salat al-Fatih, 1 time
- "Subhana rabbika rabbil 'izzati 'amma yasifuna wa salamun 'ala-l-mursalina wa-l-hamdu lillahi rabbi-l-'alameen,"
- "La Ilaha illAllah", one hour before the Maghreb until the call to prayer (recite 1000, 1200, or 1600 times if you are by yourself)
- " Muhammadun Rasulullah. 'Alayhi Salamullah"
- Salat al-Fatih, 1 time
- "Subhana rabbika rabbil 'izzati 'amma yasifuna wa salamun 'ala-l-mursalina wa-l-hamdu lillahi rabbi-l-'alameen,"
- Du'a.
For Practice of the Wird you Need Guidance!
http://www.dar-sirr.com/Tijanism/litanies.html
