SUFI SUPPLICATIONS: THE TIJĀNĪ LITANY (TIJĀNĪ WIRD): A DELIVERANCE FOR THE SINNER

ON THE TIJĀNĪ LITANY BEING A DELIVERANCE FOR THE SINNER

By: Sīdī Muḥammad al-‘Arabī b. al- Sā’iḥ

Translated by: Talut Dawood (Mexico)

From: Bughya al-mustafīd li sharḥ minya al-murīd (The Benefit Attained through the Explanation of [the poem] ‘Desire of the Aspirant’)

وَبَعْدَ ذَا فَشَيْخُنَا التِّجَانِي أَوْرَادُهُ مُنْقِذَةٌ لِلْجَانِي

Thereafter, the litanies of our Shaykh,

Al-Tijani are deliverance for the sinner.

{Thereafter [wa ba’da dha]} The word “dha,” which means that, refers to the previous couplets containing praise of Allah and prayers upon the Prophet (may Allah bless him and give him peace). {Shaykh} We have already mentioned its literal and customary meanings. But, regarding the customary meaning, Shaykh Zarruq (may Allah be pleased with him) divided the Shaykhs into three categories:

The first is the teaching Shaykh [Shaykh al-Ta’lim]. And this position has three prerequisites: having studied the subject that he is teaching, being able to transmit the material completely and fairness in his acceptance or rejection of ideas.

The second is a Shaykh of spiritual training. The prerequisites of this position are three: knowledge of inner and outer conduct, effective insight and consummate experience.

The third is the Shaykh of spiritual elevation. The prerequisites of this Shaykh are three: effective insight, perfect light and lofty aspirations. Through insight, he measures. Through light, he supports. And through aspirations, he raises or lowers. Likewise, the Shaykh of spiritual training educates with knowledge, raises with insight and causes realization.

It is possible for all three to be combined in one person. But that is rare in this time in which aspirations have diminished and preparation has weakened.

Among the foundations of spiritual training through aspiration, which is the office of the Shaykh of spiritual elevation, is the Hadith of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him), “I served the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and give him peace) for ten years. And not once did he ask me, about anything that I had done, “Why have you done that?” Nor did he ask me, about anything I left, “Why did have you left that?””

The intelligent person will have no doubt that the three categories of Shaykhs have been gathered in our Shaykh (may Allah be pleased with him), just as can be proven by any study of his biography and examination of the reports about his states of guiding towards Allah (Exalted is He) and his spiritual training.

The pronoun, possessive pronoun “our” was used in front of the word “Shaykh” as an inclusion of all the people of his path along with the author, in hope that Allah will prove true his affiliation by reason of his being included in the pronoun along with them, resulting in his being showed mercy because of them.

{al-Tijani} It is pronounced with a kasra on the ta’. And the jim may be pronounced with or without shaddah, as the author (may Allah (Exalted is He) have mercy on him) had verified. We will later explain the reason for this attribution to our Master the Shaykh (may Allah be pleased with him). {al-Awrad [the litanies]} The word award is the plural of wird. Wird refers to that worship, apparent or hidden, that the slave takes it upon himself to perform. Thus, it is all that the slave does for the Real (Exalted is He) of conduct or service.

The reality of awrad, as mentioned in “al-Jaysh al-Kabir,” is:

They are pacts and covenants that Allah (Exalted is He) takes from His slave by means of the Shaykhs. So, if someone magnifies the Shaykhs, observes the pacts and fulfills the covenants, he will have the good of both abodes. But if he treats the [honor of] the Shaykhs lightly and neglects the pats and covenants, that will be a means for his swaying. And it will damage his boat. Allah (Exalted is He) said:

{O, you who believe! Fulfill your contracts} [al-Ma’idah, 1].

And He said:

{It is exceedingly hateful with Allah that you should say that which you do not do} [al-Saff, 3].

And He said:

{Men who have been faithful to the covenants which they took with Allah} [al-Ahzab, 23].

These three verses are the foundations of litanies from nigh the time of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and give him peace) until our time.

See “Al-Jaysh al-Kabir” and the entire section from which we took the words, “These three verses …” For in the Qur’an, there are other verses that indicate the same thing. And Allah (Exalted is He) knows best.

In the author’s words (may Allah (Exalted is He) have mercy on him), awrad refers to the litanies of the Shaykh (may Allah be pleased with him), which the Prophet (may Allah bless him and give him peace) ordered him to transmit to all people, just as will be explained in detail, if Allah so wills. But the Shaykh (may Allah be pleased with him) had many personal litanies, of invocations from the Sunnah, prayers and supplications. Some of them he performed morning and evening. Some of them he performed after every prayer. And he performed some of them at any and all times. All his litanies were arranged for him (may Allah be pleased with him) by the Prophet (may Allah bless him and give him peace), as was authentically narrated from him. He used to say, “I don’t do any invocation, except that he (may Allah bless him and give him peace) arranges it for me.

We only interpreted the litanies mentioned in the couplet as referring to the obligatory litanies because the wording indicates them. It is also because the focus of the poem is only those obligatory litanies and their related subjects.

{Are deliverance for the sinner} is informing us about the litanies. The word munqidh (translated as “deliverance”) is the active participle of the word anqadha. It is said anqadhahu [he delivered him] when he has saved him from the destruction of which he was on the verge. And the word al-jani means a person who has transgressed against himself who is engrossed in its evil results.

After having praised the Owner of Majesty and sent prayers and peace be upon the opener of the door to every mercy, the greatest means to every favor and grace, and the Seal of the Prophets and Messengers, he says, “The litanies [awrad] of Shaykh, the Greatest Shaykh, the Famous Hidden Qutb, our Patron, Abu al-‘Abbas al-Tijani (may Allah be pleased with him), meaning the invocations of his Path, which are mandatory for those whom Allah, in His sempiternal Divine care, has made worthy of it, are deliverance for the sinner, who has transgressed against himself, by his passionate desires. And they save him, by the permission of Allah, from the control of his desires and the yolk of his negligence.” That is because adherence to them, in accordance with their prescribed conditions, bring about, through the might of Allah (Exalted is He), repentance and rectification of one’s state, which in turn save one, by the grace of Allah (Exalted is He) from poisonous pastures and evil states.

By this, the author has alluded to the veritable promise that emerged from the Presence of the Master of Existence and the Source of Grace and Generosity (may Allah bless him and give him peace) to the Shaykh (may Allah be pleased with him), that the aforementioned litanies cause one to arrive with Allah (Exalted is He), without the spiritual exercises, struggle, difficulty and exertion, or anything else that was stipulated as spiritual training after the first generations. Rather, it is obtained by the mere transmission of the litanies by someone with authentic permission to do so, along with adhering to their prerequisites. We have already mentioned some things concerning this. And we will bring some additional information regarding it, if Allah (Exalted is He) so wills.

Without doubt, from this point of view, these litanies are a deliverance for the sinner from the prison of his desires and the veil of his negligence. And in that way, it would be a deliverance from the Fire, by the grace of the All-Compelling King, Who has perfect power. And Allah has power over all things.

It is as if the author (may Allah (Exalted is He) have mercy on him) intended, by the expression, “a deliverance,” a subtle allusion to the words of the author of “al-Hikam al-‘Ata’iyyah,” “If someone deems it extraordinary that Allah should deliver him from his desires and extract him from the world of his negligence, then he has deemed the Divine Power to be deficient, while Allah has power over all things.” Shaykh Abu Abdullah Ibn ‘Abbad (may Allah be pleased with him) commented:

Even if someone has been enslaved by his desires and subjugated by his negligence, he should not, due to entrenchment of that within him that he witnesses, deem it unlikely that Allah should save him from the shackles of his desire and cause him to exit the world of his negligence. That is because such an assumption attributes incapacity to the Divine Power. Yet Allah (Exalted is He) is attributed with power over all things. And that state is among “all things.” Further, the slave should know that the hearts of the servants and their forelocks are in the His (Blessed is He) grasp. So, let him not despair nor become disheartened. Rather, let him seek the door of his Lord with humility and neediness, and that which he deemed difficult will be facilitated for him, and that which he deemed unlikely manifest in him.

It is as if he (may Allah (Exalted is He) have mercy on him) intended, by this beautiful allusion and excellent hint, to alert us to the meaning of this aphorism, so that it may be serve as an evidence for what he mentioned. For, there are many ignorant people, who have not accomplished anything, who deem it unlikely that this litany, which is composed of such small numbers [of invocations], should be a deliverance from that disastrous affair. But that is due to his ignorance of the weight of the litanies [of the Shaykhs] and the special benefits that are included in their transmission from the elect among [Allah’s] servants, not to mention this noble litany that emerged from the Muhammadan Presence and whose jewels and rubies were arranged by the hand of the Mustafian Being. May the Great Lord send the best of prayers and the purest of salutations upon him.

Another goal of the author (may Allah (Exalted is He have mercy on him) is to mention the benefit of this litany, make clear its fruit and clarify its weight and special quality, so that, by that, the importance of writing this text, which explains its reality, should be known. In such a way, it will be recognized that it is among those pious acts whose benefit is not cut off after death. May Allah (Exalted is He) have mercy on him and reward him with much good.

Translated by: Talut Dawood (Mexico)

From: Bughya al-mustafīd li sharḥ minya al-murīd (The Benefit Attained through the Explanation of [the poem] ‘Desire of the Aspirant’)

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SUFI LITERATURE AND PRAYER BOOKS COLLECTION (AVAILABLE FOR ORDER)

A Practical Guide on the Wird (Litany) of the Tariqah Faydah Tijaniyyah (The Adherent's Handbook)....by Sayyidah Bilqees Bolajoko Grillo at-Tijani

Sayidat Rabiat Adawiyat (RA) - (by Sayyid Ahmad Bello As-Suufi Harazimi)

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8. 'Awaa-idu l barakat fi fawaaidul waraqaat min hadrat Mawlana al-Arif billah Shaykh Aliyyu Harazim

9. Jihazu Sarih of Sheu Gibrima

10. Hizbu suwar al maneehi....by Sheu Gibrima

11. Nataij safar....by Sheu Gibrima

12. Itbaau tazyeel....by Sheu Gibrima

13. Sidratul muntaha....by Sheu Gibrima

14. Tazyeel wa tahaqeeb....by Sheu Gibrima

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2. Sheikh Ahmad Tijani and his Spiritual Path (Tariqat) - (by Sayyid Ahmad Bello As-Suufi Harazimi)

3.Shaykh Ibrahim Niasse's Annual Mawlid Nabiyy Lectures at Senegal - Arabic text & English Translation.

4. Selected Prayer Poems (Qasaa'id) of Shaikh Ibrahim Niasse from Kanzul Masun - Arabic, Transliteration & English Translation.

5. Jawahir Rasail (A Collection of Priceless Expositions via Letters "Letters 1 to 10"): Diamond Sparkles - Arabic text, English Translation and Commentary by Shaykh Ibrahim Niasse

6. Tahniah (Congratulatory Ode) of Shaykh Ibrahim Niasse to the Prophet Muhammad (Part 1) – Selected, Transliterated & Translated by Alhaji Abdul-Quadri Okeneye

5. Handbook for Every Tijaniyyat - (Compiled by Sayyid Ahmad Bello As-Suufi Harazimi)

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1. Tafsir al-Jalalayn...warsh
2. Quran...written in warsh style with hausa leather pouch

3.Quran....very old (500years old) handwritten manuscript...written in warsh with hausa leather pouch

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4. Dalail al-khayrat (warsh) - Electronic print

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6. Fii Riyadh Tafsir of Sheikh Ibrahim Niasse (7volumes)

7. Majmuu’at at-ta‘areef bi Shaikh Ibrahim Niasse (7volumes)

1. Dala'ilu l khairat of Shaikh Sulaiman Jazuli (Arabic text, Translation, Transliteration by Imam Marooph Raji)

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3. Hizbul Bahri (Arabic text, Translation, Transliteration by Imam Marooph Raji)

4. Hizbu Suwar al Manee'hi – ‘Arabic (composed like Hizbu Sayfi)’ (by Shk. Muhammad Gibrima)

5. Sidratul Muntaha ad-daa'een– ‘Arabic’ (by Muhammad Gibrima)

6. Jihazu Sarih – ‘Arabic prayer book on Salatul fat’hi’ (by Shk. Muhammad Gibrima)

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11. Afdalu Salawaat ala Sayyidi Saadaat – ‘Arabic collection of Salat upon the Prophet’ (Shaikh Yusuf ibn Ismaa'eel an-Nabahani)

12. Kanzul Masun wa luuluu l Maknuun – ‘Arabic collection of prayers written by Shaikh Ibrahim Niasse. Compiled by Imam Hassan Cisse’.

13. Ahzab wa Awrad (Litanies) of Shaikh Ahmad Tijani

1. Vessel of Spiritual Flood, Translation of Goran Faydah by Shaykh Balarabe Haroon Jega - (Translated by Khalifah Awwal Baba Taofiq)

2. Rihlat Konakriyah (A trip to Conakry), Shaykh Ibrahim Niasse - (Translated by Khalifah Awwal Baba Taofiq)

3. Shariah and Haqeeqah: In the Light of the Qur'an and the Prophetic Traditions (Compiled by Khalifah Awwal Baba Taofiq)

4. The Icon of Mystics: Shaykh Ibrahim Niasse Al-Kawlakhy (Compiled by Khalifah Awwal Baba Taofiq)

5. Kano Conferences (Majlis Kano) and the khutba titled (Hadiqat al-Anwar fii ma ihtawa alayhi qawaaid al-Islam minal hikam wal asrar) - (Translated by Sayyidah Bilqis Grillo)

6. Katsina and Kaduna Conferences (Jadhbul ahbab ila hadrat Rabbil arbab) and Mecca Conference - (Translated by Sayyidah Bilqis Grillo)

7. A Brief Biography of the Shaykh al-Islam Ibrahim Niasse (Compiled by Sayyidah Bilqis Grillo)

8. Risalat at-Tawbah (Epistle of Repentance) of Shaykh Ibrahim Niyass al-Kawlakhi" – (Translation & Commentary by Dr. Razzaq Solagberu)

9. Islamic Law of Inheritance, by Sayyid Ali ibn Abubakar al-Muthanna ibn Abdullah Niasse (Translated by Dr. Sulaiman Shittu)

10. Muassasah Nasr al-'ilm Int. (AAII) Magazines No. 13, 14 & 15 (with Articles like Outline of Life of Sufi Heros & Heroines like Shaikh Ibrahim Niasse, Shaikh Abdus-Salam Oniwiridi Pakata, Shaikh Muhammad Bello Eleha, Shaikh Ahmad Rufa'i Nda Salati, and others...this magazines also features other interesting Articles).

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