THE ESSENCE OF MAULUD

  HAZIHI HUJJATUNA FIL IHTIFALI BIL

  Maulud-Nabiyi (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)

  NAHNU ATBA’UDDALIL HAISUMA MALA NAMIL

The legal and religious status of celebrating the birth of Holy Prophet (Peace & Blessings be upon him) in light( of the Holy Qur’an and Sunnah:

And indeed everyone rejoices except for Shaytan and his counterparts, because:

أن إبليس رن أربع رنات حين لعن وحين أهبط وحين ولد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وحين أنزلت الفاتحة

    Translation: Iblis cried loudly four times, first when Allah declared him as cursed, second when he was thrown out, Third When Prophet (salallaho alaihi wasalam) was born and fourth when Surah Fatiha was revealed [Ibn Kathir in Al Bidayah wal Nihayah, Volume No. 2, Page No. 166]

    Muslims rejoice on birth of Prophet (Peace & Blessings be upon him) because Allah has told us to rejoice on His "Bounties and Mercies" This following text shall be based on (a) Qur'an and it's sciences (b) Hadith literature (c) Sayings of eminent scholars and fuqaha (d) Counter refutation of claims made against Maulud.

(A) Understanding through Al-Qur'an wal Furqan and It's sciences.

        Proof No.1 Qur'an states: قُلْ بِفَضْلِ اللَّهِ وَبِرَحْمَتِهِ فَبِذَلِكَ فَلْيَفْرَحُوا هُوَ خَيْرٌ مِمَّا يَجْمَعُونَ

Say: "In the bounty of God. And in His Mercy, in that "LET THEM REJOICE”: that is better than the (wealth) they hoard (10:58)

Some might think in their wildest of imaginations that birth and arrival of Prophet (salallaho alaihi wasalam) is not a mercy, some even falsely limit the Mercies of Allah by saying that mercy mentioned here does not refer to Prophet Muhammad (salallaho alaihi wasalam) thus we should not rejoice, so in reply to such people the best answer is found in Tafsir of Qur'an through Qur'an itself.

Qur'an states at another place: وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ إِلَّا رَحْمَةً لِلْعَالَمِينَ

We have not sent you but as a “Mercy to the worlds” (21:107)

Hence without any shadow of doubt arrival of Prophet (Peace & Blessings be upon him) is a mercy not only upon us but all worlds and creations of Allah azza Wajjal, thus we should rejoice as ordered in Qur'an (10:58)

Imam Ibn al-Jawzi (rah) explains 10:58 in his Tafsir:

أن فضل الله: العلم، ورحمته: محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم، رواه الضحاك عن ابن عباس.

   Translation: ad-Dhahak narrated from Ibn Abbas (ra) that Bounty mentioned in this verse means Knowledge (i.e. of Qur'an and Tawhid) whereas Mercy means Muhammad (Salallaho alaihi wasalam) [Ibn Jawzi Z'ad al Maseer fi Ilm at Tafsir, (4/40)]

Imam Abu Hayyan al Andalusi (Rahimuhullah) also says:

الفضل العلم والرحمة محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم

Translation: Bounty refers to Knowledge whereas Mercy refers to Muhammad (salallaho alaihi wasalam) [Tafsir Al-Bahr al Muheet, (5/171)]

Imam Jalal uddin Suyuti (Rahimuhullah) says وأخرج أبو الشيخ عن ابن عباس رضي الله عنهما في الآية قال: فضل الله العلم، ورحمته محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم، قال الله تعالى

{ وما أرسلناك إلا رحمة للعالمين }

[الأنبياء: 107]

Abu Sheikh (rah) narrated from Ibn Abbas (RA) That Bounty of Allah means Knowledge, whereas Mercy means Muhammad (Salallaho alaihi wasalam) Allah Ta'ala said: We have sent thee not but as Mercy to Worlds (Al Anbiya: 107) [As-Suyuti in Dur al Manthur (4/330)]

Allama Aloosi (rah) explains that even Fadhl (i.e. bounty) refers to Prophet Muhammad (salallaho alaihi wassalam)

وأخرج الخطيب وابن عساكر عنه تفسير الفضل بالنبـي عليه الصلاة والسلام

Narrated by Al Khatib (rah) and Ibn Asakir (rah) that Bountry refers to An-Nabi (Alaih Salatu Wassalam) [Al-Alusi in Ruh al Ma’ani (11/141)]

       Proof No. 2 Qur'an states:ذَلِكَ فَضْلُ اللَّهِ يُؤْتِيهِ مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَاللَّهُ ذُو الْفَضْلِ الْعَظِيمِ

That is the bounty of Allah; which He giveth unto whom He will. Allah is of Infinite Bounty

(62:4) (وَاللَّهُ ذُو الْفَضْلِ الْعَظِيمِ )

 (Allah is of infinite bounty) by bestowing Islam and prophethood upon Muhammad (pbuh); and it is also said this means: by bestowing Islam upon the believers; and it is also said this means: by sending the Messenger and Scripture to His created beings. [Tanwir al Miqbas Min Tafsir Ibn Abbas]

    Proof No. 3 Qur'an states regarding Yahaya (a.s): وَسَلَامٌ عَلَيْهِ يَوْمَ وُلِدَ وَيَوْمَ يَمُوتُ وَيَوْمَ يُبْعَثُ حَيًّا

So Peace on him the day he was born, the day that he dies, and the day that he will be raised up to life (again)! (19:15). So the days when Anbiya are born are days of "Tranquility" in sight of Allah.

Proof No. 4 Qur'an states:

We sent Moses with Our signs (and the command). "Bring out thy people from the depths of darkness into light, and teach them to remember the “Days of Allah (اللَّهِ بِأَيَّامِ ). " Verily in this there are Signs for such as are firmly patient and constant, - grateful and appreciative. (14:5)

What are the Ayyam of Allah? Imam al-Bayhaqi narrates in his Shu'ab al Iman that Prophet (Peace be upon him) said: The Days of Allah are his "Blessings and Signs" [Tafsir Ruh ul Ma’ani under 14:5]

Shaykh Tijani Cisse (Cheikh Tidiane Cisse)

Imam Cheikh Tidiane b. Ali Cisse holds the Imamate of the Grand Mosque in Medina-Baye, Senegal. As Imam of the spiritual heart of the followers of Shaykh Ibrahim Niass(RA), Imam Cheikh Tidiane Cisse represents some one hundred million Muslims around the world. He succeeds to the position after a lifetime of personal instruction and companionship with some of the twentieth century’s most eminent scholars of the Tariqa Tijaniyya: Shaykh Ibrahim Niass (RA) (d.1975), Shaykh Sayyid ‘Ali Cisse (RA) (d.1982) and Shaykh Hassan b. Ali Cisse (d.2008).

Imam Cheikh Tidiane Cisse is a scholar, a consummate Gnostic, a spiritual trainer endowed with startling insight into the aspirant’s condition, a committed humanitarian and a Sufi ascetic whose heart never leaves the presence of the Real, but whose existence in the world follows the movement of time. He is the reviver of the Muhammadan Sunnah, the khalifa of Shaykh Ahmad Tijani al-Hasani, the bearer of the Tijani Flood in this generation and the paradigmatic servant of Allah (“Abd-Allah) of the time.

After memorizing Qur’an in Medina-Baye, Imam Cheikh Tidiane himself became a Qur’an teacher in Medina-Baye while continuing his Islamic studies. In his late teens, he devotedhimself full-time to personal instruction (majalis al-ilm), first under his father, Shaykh Seyyid ‘Ali (1971-1972), and then under his grandfather, Shaykh Ibrahim (1973). He was the last student to be personally instructed by Shaykh Ibrahim Niass (RA) in the classical texts, fosusing mainly on Arabic literature and poetry. He would later receive the highest of licenses from his father, Shaykh Seyyid ‘Ali Cisse (RA), who told him, “Whatever Shaykh Ibrahim gave me, I am giving you.”

After having completed his early education in Senegal, Imam Cheikh Tidiane Cisse traveled to Egypt where he lived with Shaykh Hassan Cisse (RA) during his elder brother’s last year of study in Cairo. Like his brother, Imam Cheikh Tidiane Cisse excelled in his formal studies there., which he attributes to the rigor of the informal instruction he received in Senegal. He graduated first in his class in the Azhar Preparatory School, receiving his diploma in Arabic Language in 1974. He received his Baccalaureate in 1977 in Arabic Language, graduating fourth in his class. By 1981, he had distinguished himself at the University of Azhar with a degree in faculty of Usual al-Din (theology), department of Hadith (Prophetic Traditions).

Upon completion of his studies in Egypt, Imam Cheikh Tidiane Cisse traveled extensively throughout Africa, the Middle East and America, attending conferences, participating in religious debates and calling people to Islam. He devoted himself to editing and publishing several important works, including Shaykh Ibrahim Niass’ (RA) Kashf al-Ilbas and a collection of Shaykh Ibrahim’s writings, which e named Sa’adat al-Anam. He also aided the publication of a Shaykh Ibrahim’s (RA) supplications, kanz al-Mansun. One Ashar scholar reportedly told Imam Cheikh Tidiane Cisse that his work identifying hadith citations in the 2001 publication of Kashif al-Ilbas would have been enough to complete a doctorate at Azhar University. In the introduction to Imam Cheikh Tidiane Cisse’s reprinting of the Kashif, Shaykh Hassan Cisse(RA) wrote, “I thank my dear brother, the master, the Shaykh, Cheikh Tidiane ‘Ali Cisse, who spent of his efforts for the success of this pious work and appreciated endeavor…..”

The high scholarship of Imam Cheikh Tidiane Cisse was recognized by the government of the Republic of Senegal in 2001, when it appointed him Senegal’s General Commissioner for the Hajj. In 2006, he was again recognized by Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade and appointed Special Missions Ambassador, a position he continues to hold. In this capacity, Imam Cheikh Tidiane Cisse is responsible for diverse missions to the United States, United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Ghana, Nigeria and other sub-Saharan African nations. Imam Cheikh Tidiane Cisse is fluent in Arabic, French, English, Hausa and Wolof. In 1993, Imam Cheikh Tidiane Cisse received the Republic of Senegal’s distinguished award, the Orde de Merite. The high esteem in which he is held by his country was revealed in 2008 by the personal visit of President Abdoulaye Wade to the Imam’s home in Medina-Baye.

Imam Cheikh Tidiane Cisse was the closest confidant and traveling companion of his brother, Shaykh Hassan Cisse.(RA) Many of the illustrious representatives at his inauguration as Imam recalled how whomever was speaking with Shaykh Hassan Cisse , even if a government official, would have to leave when Imam Cheikh Tidiane Cisse entered the room and had a matter to discuss. Many of the miraculous occurrences during Shaykh Hassan Cisse’s (RA) were shared by Imam Cheikh Tidiane Cisse. For example, when a great scholar in Medina (Saudi Arabia) gave Shaykh Hassan (RA) an ijaza to teach select hadith by command of the Prophet (SAW) in a visionary encounter, Imam Cheikh Tidiane Cisse received the same ijaza from him. The extent of his intimacy with Shaykh Hassan (RA) is confirmed by Shaykh Hassan’s calling his younger brother to his bedside to be the last person with him before he returned to Allah.

MAULID AN-NABI Celebrating The Birth Of Prophet Muhammad (SAW)

By Shaykh Hassan Cisse (RA)
I am here to welcome you tonight in this place under the shadow of the Prophet (SAW), once again. I am here to speak on the Maulid for the brothers and sisters who do not speak Wolof or Arabic.



It is very important to celebrate the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) because the Prophet (SAW) is a mercy to everybody, whether you know it or don’t know it and it is worthwhile to spend some of your time in every day, if you can, if not, in every year, to celebrate the Master of Mankind. This gathering, the result of which the Sufi people call Al-Jam ala Allah, is to meet for no other reason except for the Sake of Allah. We are here for that, for the Sake of Allah, not for dunya, the worldly things, and not even for Akhira, the Hereafter.



So, I am congratulating you, all of you, on this occasion and also, I am giving you good tidings from the Prophet (SAW). Once, he (SAW) was asked by one of his companions, “When is the Last Day, the Day of Judgement?” The man said, “Really, I did not do many good deeds for the Last Day, but I have the love of the Prophet (SAW). The Prophet (SAW) said, ”Everybody is going to be with whom he loves on the Day of Judgement.” Congratulations, and from that position to all of you, may you love the Prophet (SAW) and salute him.



In the Muslim world today, there are different opinions about the Maulid itself. Some of the Muslims say it is Bid’a, that it is not correct Islam, while others say it is advisable to celebrate the birthday of the Prophet (SAW). Yet, for those who said it is Bid’a there is no argument between us and them, because they have no proof that it is Bid’a. Even if it is Bid’a, it is a good Bid’a. Allah revealed to the Prophet (SAW) in the Holy Qur’an that He will narrate to him the stories of the previous Prophets to fortify his heart. If that is the case with the Prophet (SAW), then what will be the case with us if we hear the stories of the Prophet (SAW)? Second, the Prophet (SAW) himself celebrated his birthday after the age of forty and everybody knows that. His grandfather, Abdul Muttalib, celebrated his birthday and slaughtered animals for him, but why did he do it again after the age of forty? The Prophet (SAW) used to fast on Monday. When asked why he fasted on this day, he used to say, “That was the day on which I was born.” Based on the Hadith and the Qur’anic verse in which Allah said to the Prophet (SAW); I am narrating to you the stories of the previous Prophets to fortify your heart, I say it would be a very good idea for a Muslim to also listen to the stories of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) to fortify his heart and to fortify himself. For this reason, since the third century of the Hijra, the Muslims, may I say good Muslims, are celebrating the birthday of the Prophet (SAW) every year.



In the land of Senegal today, as you heard Shaykh Abdullah say the other day, Hajj Abdullah, the father of Shaikh Ibrahim (RA), was the first who celebrated the birthday of the Prophet (SAW) in Senegal. The way he used to celebrate it is different than the way Shaikh Ibrahim (RA) used to celebrate it, because they used to meet on the night of the birth of the Prophet (SAW) reciting Qur’an all night, but when Hajj Abdullah, the father of Shaikh Ibrahim (RA) paid visit to Fez and found them reciting the poems, the prayers, he adopted that style and here they used the poems of Imam Muhammad Buseri.



Imam Buseri is one of the most famous poets who wrote about the Prophet (SAW) because of his Burda and his Hamzia. During his early life, the man was not really an excellent Muslim. He was a gifted poet entertaining the government officials of his day. Then, one time, Allah tested him with a severe sickness. He went to see so many doctors and there seemed to be no cure for him. During his sickness, he wrote a poem, the Burda. Burda means “cover” in Arabic. When he wrote the poem, he saw the Prophet (SAW) covering him with covers. Then, he regained his health. In the morning, before he showed the poem to anyone, a good person came to visit him. When the door opened, the person said, “Show me the poem which I saw you reciting in front of the Prophet (SAW) last night.” That is why, throughout the Muslim world today, they have this belief, that wherever you read the Burda, the Prophet (SAW) will attend that place. That is why when it is recited, all of the people stand up. The second poem composed by Buseri is called Hamzia. Actually, thousands of people wrote poems about the Prophet (SAW), but the fame which Buseri gained out his praising the prophet (SAW) is unequalled, because his poem was excellent.



On the occasion of the first Maulid in Senegal, all of the poems recited were by Buseri. On the second Maulid, the poems were by Shaikh Ibrahim Niass’ (RA). In addition, there was a narration of the biography or stories from the life of the Prophet (SAW). There was also a recounting of Shaikh Ibrahim Niass (RA) move from Kaolack to Medina and why this move took place. This narration answered the question of what was the problem, as well as what his own people did to make him move from the area. In response, Shaikh Ibrahim (RA) has declared that essentially he did nothing but love the Prophet (SAW), for which he was driven from his house.



To celebrate the Prophet (SAW), you may gain out of it, as said before, the love of the Prophet (SAW); you will be happy in this life and happy in the Hereafter. The love of the Prophet (SAW) may push you to see him in a dream, or you may see him in reality, in a state of being awake, because up to today good Muslims are seeing the Prophet (SAW) in broad daylight, in a state of being awake, not asleep, because in the Hadith of Bukhari the Prophet (SAW) said, “Whoever has seen me in a dream has seen me in reality, because Shaitan can not take my form.”



There are some of you who remember the poem composed by Shaikh Ibrahim (RA) during the last moments of his life in a Paris hospital. “I saw the Prophet (SAW) in a state of being awake in Paris. Is this a place where one can see the Prophet (SAW)?” Still, there are some Muslims denting seeing the Prophet (SAW). This is not possible, according to them, because they consider him being jut like an ordinary person who, if he died and you bury him, that is the end of him. The Prophet (SAW) is not like that.



Another story will show us that the Prophet (SAW) still exists. One of the Meccan people was very rich at one time and he used to receive people from Malaysia, Asia, being the host for them and helping them with his own money. It just so happened that one year he had no money and the people arrived. He said to himself, “I must hide, because it is a shame for me to meet my people without treating them nice.” He finally decided to take them to Rowda, the Masjid of the Prophet (SAW) and leave them there. They were the guests of the Prophet (SAW). When he came to the Masjid and greeted the Prophet (SAW), he said, “These people used to come to me when I was able to handle their affairs. Today, they come when I am in a very bad financial condition.” He fell asleep in the Masjid before he left the group. “Go to this address and call this name. Tell him to give you what you need of money as far as your people are concerned.” When he found the building number, he called the man’s name in a loud voice from the street. The man answered, saying, “I answer your call. I am the messenger of the Messenger of Allah. Tell me how much you need. If I have it, I will give it to you, if I don’t have it, I will borrow it and give it to you.”



On another occasion, the Shaikh Ahmad al-Rifai, when he paid a visit to the Rowda, spoke to the Prophet (SAW) saying, “Away from you I used to send my soul to kiss your hand on my behalf and today I come in person. Bring your hand so I can kiss it.” The hand of the Prophet (SAW) came out.



The Prophet (SAW) is not an ordinary person. He is in the second position after Allah. We love him and we are not worshipping him. We believe in his Message. We believe that he is the Messenger of Allah, the Servant of Allah, and we will try our best to follow all of his teachings, step by step. All that he prohibited us from doing, we will try our best not to do it. That is our belief in the Prophet (SAW).



Now, the Prophet (SAW) came to this world when his own people and the majority of the world community believed in worshipping idols instead of worshipping Allah, the Creator. Allah sent him down to correct the mistakes of human Beings. The Prophet (SAW) is in the position to teach us how to follow the right path, but he can not create the righteousness in the heart of a mu’min, or believer. Only Allah can create the righteousness in your heart, and the Prophet’s (SAW) purpose is to show you the right path.



In the teachings of the Prophet (SAW), all good deeds are advisable. Islam, all of it, is nice. All bad deeds are prevented in Islam and it is an obligation upon every Muslim, wherever the Prophet (SAW) gives an order, you should follow; whenever he said you should stop, you should stop. Happiness in this life and in the Hereafter is in the following of the Prophet (SAW).



All of the celebrations you see these days, the poems, the recitations of Qur’an, all of it, is just to show the good character of the Prophet (SAW). When Sayida Ayisha (RA) was asked what is the character of the Prophet (SAW), she said, “His character is the Qur’an. Qur’an is the character of the Prophet (SAW)”. When you read the Holy Qur’an, his character is present, and outside the circle of Qur’an, you will never see his character. He is in that circle. If you want to be close to the Prophet (SAW), follow his teachings. What he said is good, try your best to do it. What he said is bad, try your best not to do it, because that is the key to happiness. It is the key to what you want in this life and in the Hereafter.



We can summarize all of that in one word; Taqwa. Taqwa is everything. Whenever it is mentioned, to what you are ordered by the Prophet (SAW) and to stop where he ordered you to stop, if you do it you will be a good Muslim and you will be a wali of Allah. You will be close to Allah. Your problems in this life will be solved and all of this I am not saying from myself. Every word of it is in Qur’an. If you fear Allah, Allah will teach you. If you want Paradise, fear Allah. If you want to be a wali, believe and fear Allah. If you want to be victorious over your enemies, also Taqwa. If you want wealth, Taqwa. If you want to be a good Muslim, do your best to follow the instructions and the rules and regulations of Islam and do your best to stop where it wants you to stop. You can not claim that you love the Prophet (SAW) and disobey all of his orders, that us hypocrisy.



The Prophet (SAW) descried what Iman is. Iman is what you have in your heart and your actions prove it. If the actions are different than what you claim you believe, then it is false. We should try our best to be Muslims. “I bear witness that there is no god but Allah; I bear witness that Muhammad is His Messenger.” It is good to say the words, but it is not enough. You have to follow a certain way, certain rules and characteristics.



The Prophet (SAW) said: “A Muslim is one from whom the other Muslims are safe.” They will not harm each other with their tongue or their hands. A Muslim to another Muslim is just like a wall; if any part of it is suffering, the entire wall is suffering.



To be a good Muslim, you must be very serious. You should follow the rules as if the Prophet (SAW) was there. A Muslim should not oppress another Muslim. He should not look down upon another Muslim. He should not leave any Muslim helpless. You should help your brother. In another Hadith, the Prophet (SAW) said, Allah is in the help of a servant as long as the servant is helping his brother.”



If you want Allah to be helpful to you, be nice to your brothers in the religion and help them. In Suratul Asr, a very short chapter in the Qur’an, Allah swears that all of mankind are losers, except these four kinds of people; those who believe, those who do righteous deeds, those who advise each other to follow the truth, and those who advise each other to be patient. If you want to be safe from being a loser, adopt these characteristics.



Was Salaamu Alaikum,

Kirat Shaykh Hassan Cisse

Conditions for the Validity of the Permission

. Validity of the Authorization of the Muggadam: He who gives Permission must have the aptitude to be a Muggadam, and must have an Authorization from the Sheikh or someone who has a valid Authorization from the Sheikh directly or through a correct & valid chain of Authority.

. Validity of the Permission: The Permission is valid if granted to a Muslim of valid belief, sane, percipient, and free from all other tariqas and Wirds, who accepted all the conditions, after they have been recited to him and he fully understood them.

On wanting to embrace the tariqa, it is preferable that a man or a woman requests permission of his/her parents to do so, if they are alive; and the wife requests permission of her husband.

Message From Imam Sheikh Al-Hassan Ali Cisse (RA)

In The Name of Allah, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful
All praise and thanks belongs to Allah, The Lord of all the worlds. The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful. The Master of the Day of Judgment. You Alone do we worship and from You Alone do we seek help. The One Who said, “Who is more excellent in speech than he who invites to Allah?” (41:33). May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon the Messenger of Allah, our master Muhammad (SAWS),who said, “Allah will cause to flourish whosoever hears my words and carries them out and makes others aware of them.” and he also said, “Convey from me even if it’s a single word.” and he also said, “Surely, Allah will strengthen this Deen by a corrupt man.”

May the peace and blessings of Allah also be upon his Family, Companions and those who follow them until the Day of Judgment. After this:

The ‘Ulama have divided “innovation” (Bid’a) into the same five (5) categories of all Shari’a rulings, namely: 1.)Obligatory (Wajib); 2.)Recommended (Mandub); 3.)Permissible (Ja’iz); 4.)Disliked (Makruh); and 5.)Prohibited (Haram). Whatsoever aids and assists a person in doing righteousness, leads to goodness, conveys the message of Prophet Muhammad (SAWS), and causes the Sacred Law to be established, falls under the category of “obligatory” (Wajib). That which leads to goodness (Wasilat ila Khayrat) is classified as “recommended” (Mandub). That which is not injurious or detrimental to the Deen is called “permissible” (Ja’iz). That which causes the death or cessation of the Sunnah is classified as “disliked” (Makruh). All that leads to misguidance and corruption is labeled “forbidden” (Haram).

All of these newly invented things which exist in our present time which may not be called “obligatory” (Wajib), can most assuredly be classified as “recommended” (Mandub). The ‘Ulama have considered the publication of the Holy Quran, Hadith collections, Islamic books, and setting up schools to spread knowledge as “obligatory” and “recommended”. These new technologies such as tape recordings, loudspeakers, microphones, radios and everything else which is a device or instrument to be used to assist in helping the Deen (fall under these two categories of Wajib and Mandub). Do you not see that the number of pilgrims to Mecca increases each year --all praise belongs to Allah!--and how will this great number of people be able to pray behind one Imam without the use of loudspeakers, which is an innovation in the Sacred Masjid? Anything which is a means to obedience (and goodness) must be deemed as obedience (and goodness)!

What about these big ships, cars, airplanes, telephones and other means of transportation and communication which are helping the Muslims in their Deen? All actions are judged according to intention! A Believer looks for the best way! The ‘Ulama have been entrusted to make things easy and to be bearers of glad tidings, as the Prophet(SAWS) said, “Make things easy for the people, and do not make it difficult for them, and make them cheerful with glad tidings and do not repulse them.” (Sahih Bukhari). The Ummah of Muhammad(SAWS) cannot all be in agreement with misguidance and error! May Allah guide us to that which He is pleased with and loves. By His Benevolence, may He heal our hearts from their sickness. Ameen. Salaam.

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 his grandfather 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),

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 he has 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) 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."

1. 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.