By
SHAYKH IBRAHIM NIASS
AND
HIS CONTRIBUTION
TO
ISLAMIC KNOWLEDGE
Shaykh Ibrahim bin Abdullah Niass
At-Tijani
The Owner of the Faydah of Grace
[May Allah be
satisfied with him
Printed,
published & distributed by:
Queen
of Sheba Peace Foundation
Lagos, Nigeria.
ALL
RIGHTS RESERVED
No
part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means,
electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording or by any
information storage and retrieval system, without the permission of the
publisher.
First [Temporary] Edition: 12 Rabiul Awwal 1436A.H [2
January 2015]
Final
[Permanent] Edition 12 Rabiul Awwal 1437 A.H. [23 December, 2015]
SHAYKH IBRAHIM NIASS AND
HIS CONTRIBUTION TO
ISLAMIC KNOWLEDGE
Prepared under the auspices
of
THE GRAND KHALIFAH OF
MADINAH BAYE
HIS EXCELLENCY
KHALIFAH SHAYKH AHMAD TIJANI IBRAHIM NIASS
Chairman, Queen of Sheba Peace Foundation
Queen
of Sheba Peace Foundation
Head
Office: Plot 2 Engineer O. J Sikuade Street, Marshy Valley Estate, Ajah, Lekki,
Lagos
96,
Oduduwa Street, Surulere, Lagos
Bookstore:
2, Jonah Lane off Idita Street
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E-mail : queenofsheba_foundation@yahoo.com
queenofsheba.foundation@gmail.com
Phone : +2348023155119, +2348068357614
CONTENT
1.1
Introduction
1.2
Knowing
the Personality: Shaykh Ibrahim Niass
1.3
The
Holy Qur’an And The Hadith; The Foundation Of Islamic Knowledge
1.4
The
Standpoint Of Islam On Seeking Knowledge And Education
1.5
Shaykh
Ibrahim And How He Began His Contribution To Islamic Knowledge Through Personal Initiatives
1.6
Shaykh
Ibrahim Niass And How He Focused On The Preservation Of The Qur’an, Hadith And
The Arabic Language
1.7
Shaykh
Ibrahim And How He Focused On Education
And The Dissemination Of The Message Of The Qur’an And Hadith
1.8
Shaykh
Ibrahim Niass And His Focus On The Interpretation Of The Holy Qur’an And
Expositions Of The Hadeeth.
1.9
Shaykh
Ibrahim Niass And His Focus On The Youths Of Islam
1.10
Shaykh
Ibrahim And How He Began His Crusades Of Dissemination Of Islamic Knowledge
1.11
Shaykh
Ibrahim And His Scholastic Contribution To Islamic Knowledge
1.12
Shaykh
Ibrahim And His Practical Example Of The Peaceful And Cordial Nature Of The Deen
Al Islam
1.13
Shaykh
Ibrahim And His Universal Acceptability As A Leader For The Future Cohesion Of
Islam
1.14
Shaykh
Ibrahim Niass And His Legacy Of Islamic Knowledge Quite Distinct From those Of
His Predecessors
1.15
Shaykh
Ibrahim Knowledge And His Bringing Of The Special Unique Knowledge Of Allah
Which Emancipates The Soul
1.16
Shaykh
Ibrahim Niass: An Enigma A True Muslim Must Not Do Without
1.17
Conclusion
FOREWORD
Alhamdulillah, to Allah belongs all the
praise in the Heavens and the Earth. He is the First, the last, the Outwardly
Manifest and the Inwardly Hidden and He has power over all things.
This pamphlet titled: “Shaykh Ibrahim Niass [radhi
Allahu an’hu] and His contributions to Islamic Knowledge” was a paper presentation to the
Tijaniyyah Muslim students in the Tertiary Institutions. This was to
commemorate their annual Maulud conference which edition was held on 27th
December, 2014 corresponding to the 6th of Rabiu-l- Awwal 1436A.H.
at the National Mosque, Abuja Nigeria. A temporary edition was distributed to
all lovers but majority requested for a permanent edition which should come in
the form of a book.
Hence, the information content in this
edition have been improvedupon and can now be permanently included in the
library by all lovers and adherents. It is hoped that the document is put into
best use in imparting the knowledge especially to all our young ones in the
secondary and tertiary institutions.
May Allah reward all those brothers who assisted
in contributing in one way or the other towards enrichment of the topic at
hand. My thanks goes to my late brother Sayyid Abdullateef Owolabi Niass. May
Allah increase his light and shower him with his mercy. I also thank Sayyid
Muhyideen Igbeti Niass, Sayyid Sukaerij Abdul-Majeed, Sayyid Nurudeen Hassif,
Sayyid Ibrahim Faye and also pray for Allahs mercy on the soul of our Imam of
the Faydah, the late Imam Hassan Cisse, whose intellectual written expositions
came in handy in complementing my humble efforts. Jazahumulahu khayran.
May Allah accept the effort as noble and
worthy within His sight. May it be pleasing to Him and His Apostle. May it be a
source of our increasing in the love of our Holy Prophet of Mercy, Sayyidina
Muhammad {PBUH}, the Seal of Saints, our Shaykh Ahmad Tijani of Fez{RTA}, and
of our Universal Guide, our Leader, Shaykh Ibrahim Abdullah Niass, at-Tijani of
Kaolack, may Allah be satisfied with him, amin.
Subhana Rabbika
Rabi-l-izzati amma yasifuun,
Wa salaamun
ala-l-Mursaleen
Wal hamdu lillahi
Rabbil Aalameen.
May Allah bless you
all, amin.
Sayyidah
Bilqees B. Grillo – {Ataala-lahu baqaha-ha}
Khadimatul
Hadrah Khalifah Shaykh Ahmad Tijani Ibrahim Niass [RADHI ALLAHU AN’HU]
1.1 INTRODUCTION
In the Name of
Allah the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful. May Allah’s peace and salutations
be upon our Leader Muhammad, the Opener, the Seal, and upon his household
according to the measure of his worth and his prestige, which are indeed great.
Praise be unto Allah who has favoured us with the chosen prophet (Mukhtar) from
every other choices and made sufficient for us, his selection (as our prophet)
against other selections. And He said: “You are the Best of Nations
evolved for mankind”
(Al-Imran 3:110) and also said: “This
is how We made you a Middle Nation so that you may be witness over mankind”.
My sincere greetings to all present at this gathering. I cannot but
notice the presence of my Shaykhs and seniors in knowledge and in this our
Tariqah of Bounty. I greet you all as well as my colleagues and my subordinates
with the best of greetings saying As-salaam alaykum wa Rahmatullah wa
Barakatuhu.
It gives me immense pleasure to be present within you in this gathering
today the 27th of December, 2014 here in Abuja to discuss about our
common alma-mata, our beloved Shaykh al Islam, our Murshid, our Mumidd, our
Strong-Rope which knows no breaking, Maolana Shaykh Ibrahim Niass [radhi
Allahu an’hu]. We are here to rub minds in honour of the remembrance of the
birth of our prophet of Mercy Sayyidina Muhammad [saw] and to use this
opportunity to put our searchlight on Shaykh’s contributions to Islamic
Knowledge. I am positive that should we all spend the next one year at this
forum, we can never exhaust our deliberations on this very important topic.
Secondly I also seize this moment to seek your indulgence that you all excuse
my inadequacies on any aspect of my presentations; only Allah is perfect. I
pray He grants us all the benefits of this sitting session in furthering our
lives towards prosperity and happiness of the two Homes, amin.
Ya Himmata Shaykh ihdir lana bi adha-l-mahdar
Wal tatafih bi nazhratin tahti lana bi safar
Come
O Himma of Shaykh!
Be
here present with us in this forum
And
show us compassion with a special consideration
Such
as will usher in for us overwhelming triumph
1.2
KNOWING THE PERSONALITY: SHAYKH IBRAHIM NIASS?
His Birth and upbringing-Radhi Allahu An’hu
Shaykh Ibrahim was sent to the world by
Almighty Allah to be the Revivalist of His Deen for the 20th Century
and beyond as He has promised and which the Holy Prophet had authenticated;
that Islam will always be catered for by Allah even after his going back to his
Lord. According to one report in the hadith, when the prophet Muhammad [saw]
died, the earth wept and said: “My God and Master! I am left here with no
prophet to walk on my surface until the Day of Resurrection”. Allah then
informed the earth: “I shall set upon
your surface members [of the Muhammadiyyah community whose hearts are attached
to the heart of the Prophet and I shall not deprive you of them until the Day
of Resurrection”.
The Holy Prophet told us in his hadith: “The
religious scholars of my community are like the prophets of the children of
Israel”. And “Allah will dispatch a reviver…. [mujaddid] […that is,
Allah will send to this community at the advent of every century one who will
renovate its religion for it – On the authority of Abu Hurayrah, in the Sunan
of Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi}. This made the emergence of the Awliyahs, the Elects
of Allah to occur right from the time of the closure of the line of Prophethood
of which the Holy Prophet was the Seal of the Prophets. Allah began sending the
awliya – saintly people, to continue to spread the illuminating light of Islam.
The
renowned Qutb of the Aqtabs, our leader Shaykh Ibrahim bin Abdullah was born
after the Asr prayer on Thursday, the 15th
of Rajab 1318 A.H corresponding to 17th October 1900. He was
born in a quiet
village of Tayba Ñiasene which is located between the Senegal and Gambia. He was born of Alhadji Abdullah Niass
(1840-1922) who was the major Muqaddam and representative of the Tijānī Sufi
Order in the Saalum region at the beginning of the twentieth century. It was
this great man who was known as a renowned Mujahid in the West African
Sub-region who founded Tayba Niassene. He was a
unique figure of his Time [fard], the Proof [hujjah] for the people of his
time, the Holy sweet well [Zamzami] of litanies and secrets, the confluence of
remembrance and lights. He was a most erudite scholar, the most perceptive and
understanding role Model [qudwah], the Khalifah of Shaykh Ahmad Tijani [radhi
Allahu an’hu] and the bearer of the Tariqah’s banner in the entire West African
Region and environs. Hence Shaykh Ibrahim was born into a family of gnostics
the like of an unparalleled one in the person of Fadhilatu Shaykh Alhadji
Abdullah b. al-Sayyid Niasse [radhi Allahu an’hu].
About
his enviable position among the rank and file of the dinstinguished men of
Allah, Shaykh Ibrahim complimented him thus in Kashf ul-ilbas:
Alafa-z-Zamaan layaatinna bi mithlihi
Kadhabta bi maynika ya Zamaan fakaffir
Time promised to produce the like of him
Your promise was a lie, o time, so make amends
His mother`s name
was Sayyidah Aisha Ma Astou Dhianka,
a woman of repute very much likened in character and zeal to Sayyidah Aishah
the wife of the Noble Messenger. Ma Astou Dhianka was a humble, obedient,
intelligent, pious, devoted, elegant, accommodating, strong, determined and
loving woman of a distinguished family background.
Prior to his
birth, the mother and father separately had various experiences and challenges
while Shaykh was in his mother’s womb. They received inspirations both in
dreams and in wakefulness concerning the kind of wonderful being Allah is
sending forth to the world through them. It was on record that during his
pregnancy, a soul evolved from souls and she heard a voice came to her while on
her resting posture: “O my mother! Go to my father and let him write some
verses of the Qur’an appertaining to protection; use it to rub your entire body
after drinking a portion therefrom. The woman said: ‘which of the verses of
protection? The soul said: “Yas’aluunaka
ani-s-sa’ati ayyana mursaha; fiima anta min dhikraha, ila-rabbika-lmuntaha’a.In
addition, the suarah Duha, the Mua’wizatayni and lastly;”falama taghasha-ha
hamalat hamlan afiifan, thumma–s-sabeela yassarah”. All these do without
numbers and use regularly [Source: Late
Aminu Raji - radhi Allahu an’hu, Khadim to Papa Ahmad Dam]. After this
incident she rushed in fear to her husband and narrated her experience to the
great Alhadj Abdullah Niass. Shaykh Abdullah asked her:”Were you asleep or
awake? She replied: ‘The two states were the same’. How did you perceive him in
your state of wakefulness? She said: ‘I saw him as a man in a very white cloth
and very black hair with no traces of any kind of journeying. He stood up in
front of me and I was very fearful”. Her husband assured: ‘My dear wife, fear
no evil as you are among the people of security”. Immediately, the husband
wrote the glorious verses of the Qur’an and gave his wife to rub her body and
drink as inspired of them. This and other similar experiences guided the
parents on the need to exercise great care over the yet-unborn child during the
conception stage until the day he made a debut into this world.
When Shaykh Ibrahim was eventually born,
Allah ensured for him a unique attention towards his weaning, and a correct
spiritual and moral upbringing under the care of his parents. He received
moral, spiritual and full religious instructions from his father, the great
Alhadj Abdullah right from his infancy through his juvenile years, may Allah be
satisfied with both of them.
In view of the great role Allah has decreed
him to come and play in the world, his entire upbringing was full of purity; he
was exposed to the best in terms of moral conduct, and Allah made open his
heart to be able to receive instructions, and dilated his breast to be able to
comprehend matters of religious import. Hence at a very young age, he had
cultivated Islamic moral precepts under his mother our Sayyidah Aisha Ma Astou.
He was obedient to his parents, respectful to the elders in the home of his
birth in which he has many. It is on record that he was the fifty-fourth child
of his great father who already have sons that had become pillars in the
propagation of Islam throughout the West African region.
Immediately after the age of infancy, he was
enrolled to his father’s school where he received direct religious instructions
from him.
As a result of the above, he was able to
learn the whole of the Qur’an by heart before he attained the age of seven
years. He achieved this under the professional expertise and tutelage of his
father.
He also learnt the Arabic language and its
branches such as Grammar, Literature, Preposition, Noun, Syntax, Poetry and
Prose. This is because these are essential in the proper understanding of the
message of the Holy Qur’an. He was also able to achieve this at very early age
prior to his becoming fifteen years of age.
Not only these, he began to learn the other
Islamic sciences such as Fiqh [jurisprudence], Tafseer [the science of the
interpretation of the Qur’an], hadith [the sayings and practices of the Holy
Prophet], Seerah [Islamic history], Arud [Poetry and Prose]
His Moral character
Shaykh Ibrahim is a man of excellent moral
disposition akin to that of the prophet. Right from his young age when still
under the care of his parents, he was reported to be a very obedient,
courteous, respectful, dutiful, diligent, industrious youth. He was always
ready to be of assistance to his younger ones and his superiors in age.
When he became a young man, he got married
and became the love of his wives and children, he displayed affection, love,
empathy, and created time despite his busy schedules to attend to their needs,
lend them a listening ear, teach them faith and wisdom, spent valuable time to
impart knowledge on them and encouraged other members of his wives family to
take up residence with them. He gave equal treatment to all in terms of the
food they eat, the clothing they wear, the household chores they attend to.
Every member of the household had a great sense of belonging in Shaykh Ibrahim
large family system.
His Youth
As a youth Shaykh Ibrahim displayed extraordinary brilliance which traumatized
his brethren and many other contemporaries.
Also on the religious side, being born into a
home where the religious practices of the Tariqah Tijaniyyah was in full
application, he quickly grasped the requirements of the Tariqah brought by
Shaykh Ahmad Tijani and applied the rudiments of worship in his curriculum at a
very early age.
The
religious discipline of time management and proper use of time enshrined in the
religious devotions of lazimi, wazifah and
the weekly dhikr sessions further built him up as a youth of very high
determination who has no time for worldly pursuits but is resolute in the
pursuit of scholastic excellence in all fields of studies and worship. It was with respect to the vast
training he received from his father that he made a reference thus: ‘He
trained me by means of this Ahmad litany, and took charge of my tarbiyyah and
learning. Alhamdu lillah I received from him rare benefits, blessed secrets,
remembrances [and spiritual] practices. He was an accredited instructor [Muqaddam]
in the tariqah with absolute authorizations from its leading folks. All of the
Shaykhs granted him unlimited sanction. Eleven chains of spiritual transmission
[silsala] are linked to him, both unlimited and limited. These are well-known
and have been charted systematically by one of his brethren as a precious gift
to all generations.’
In a very short while, he had assimilated the
teachings as encompassed in the books of the Sufis prior to the time of Shaykh
Tijani such as the Nuzhatul majaalis, Al-fawz wa-n-Najat, Ta’alim, Ashimaawih,
Ad-dharihu, As-Sabuurah, Izziyah, Al-Burdah, The Ibriz of Shaykh Dabbag,
al-fathu-r-Rabbani, the Maqamatu Hariri, the Rimah, the Qalaidu Jawahir and
tens of books available in his father’s library.
In addition, he also embarked upon the
studying of the books authored or authorized by Shaykh Ahmad Tijani such as
Jawahirul Ma’ani, kaashiful Hijab, etc. All of these he had achieved in his age
of youth and under eighteen years of age.
Concerning his educational background and achievements, he met many
eminent seniors in the Path who recognized his unique gifts and status and
certified the truth of his inestimable credentials often awarding him honours
and diplomas after a short association with them as a young man to the elders
in the path. Shaykh Ibrahim [radiya
Allahu an’hu] said: ‘I learned Qur’an and Hadith first from my Shaykh my
father and him, from his father. I received an ijazah [diploma for the majlis-l-ilm] first from my father in both Qur’an and Hadith,
then from Abdur Raman bin Alhadj al-Alawi [Mauritania] and
another Ijazah from Shaykh Ahmad Sukaerij Al-Ayyash [Morrocco] who himself had
earned some six hundred ijazahs from six hundred different Shaykhs whose names are mentioned in his book
where he writes: “The first one to whom I give
authorization in all
these chains of transmission was the Khalifah Alhadj Ibrahim Niasse’.
During
the time before his father died, he instructed Shaykh Muhammad Mahmoud
ash-Shinghity of Mouritania {RTA} to appoint his son Ibrahim as a muqaddam.
Shaykh ash-Shinghity invited Ibrahim and told him: “You have no need for an ijazah from a creature because you have your
appointment from the Creator”.
In
terms of the silsilah or the chain which linked him in the Tariqah Tijaniyyah,
despite the fact that there are many, the most significant of them all are as
shown below:
·
From the
Holy Prophet Muhammad {SAW} to
·
Shaykh
Ahmad Tijani of Fez to
·
Sidi Ali
At-Tamasini
·
Sidi Ahmad
Sukaerij al-Ayyash
·
Shaykh
Ibrahim Niasse
By the time he attained the age of nineteen,
he authored his first book which was full of meanings called the Ruh-ul-Adab.[Soul of Ethics] This is a
book wherein he set out the shining guidelines on moral and religious precepts
for whoever wants to achieve moral and spiritual excellence as a devotee of
Almighty Allah. The book was made by way of poetry consisting of 100 stanzas. This
is his first academic contribution to Islamic Knowledge. The book is
still of immense value to mankind, Muslims and non-Muslims alike until this our
present day.
Shaykh Ibrahim by the authorship of his first
book established a template upon which he wanted all his followers to act as
well as an ideal to live by. He was passing a message to the world that the
religion of Islam wants every Muslim to pen down and document knowledge which
will serve as a lamp by which generations yet unborn can benefit from. This is
in conformance to Allah’s injunctions in the first-ever revelation to the Noble
Prophet to “read!” If our Prophet has
been commanded to read, Shaykh Ibrahim has shown the spiritual leadership and
direction and thus laid a solid foundation through his example that whoever is
capable among the Muslim community should “write”. This will ensure that none
of the knowledge of the earlier-ones and the latter-ones become extinct or gets
wasted as death takes each of the Ulama away from his community. The essence of
this is in order that we, the Muslims become, as has been described by Allah
[SWT], the best community ever evolved for mankind to act as role models.
Such efforts will later ensure for our
progeny the needed spiritual guidance and direction to follow which are in line
with the footprints of their parents. This will then be a guarantee for their
future happiness both in this world and in the next. They become forniddable
vanguards to defend the heritage of their parents who have expended efforts and
time to uphold the way of life of the Messenger and his followers and the
awliya.
He also highlighted in that first book
authored, the quintessential virtues which any man of great resolutions with
focus for a worthy future should endeavor to imbibe or the sterling standards
of excellence which a man should aspire
for if he wants to be successful in this and the next life. In the book he
touched on the subjects of self-discipline, consistency in worship and action,
moral rectitude, piety, devotion, integrity, honesty, industry,
open-handedness, respect to constituted authorities and a host of other moral
precepts which can help build a truly remarkable human being.
In furtherance of his quest for knowledge and
the need to also ensure that others attain knowledge, he began the task of
gathering others together as a teacher and taught his age mates and the younger
ones how to read the Qur’an by heart and also understand the Arabic language as
the only way by which the message of the Qur’an can be comprehended.
It was no wonder then that after the passing
away of his father when he was twenty-two, he had already acquired immense
respect from the students of his father and others who were his seniors in age.
Many had been drawn to his charismatic nature and his vast thinking prowess
especially with regard to interpretation and expositions of the meanings of the
Holy Qur’an.
Not long after his father, he began his own
daily tafseer classes for whoever wanted to partake, much to the surprise and
consternation of his elders especially his father’s successor and elderly brother,
Sayyid Muhammad khalifah. In a short while, his tafsir sessions earned him
companionship of over half the population of his father’s students as well as a
teeming population of youths who became his students and followed him
everywhere.
Sooner than later, many elderly students of
the Khalifah who were merely inquisitive to assess the quality of his tafseer
sessions and who were either sent by the khalifah himself or just out of their
own volition or curiousity, immediately found themselves drawn to him. The
unique manner of his elucidation of the meanings of the Qur’an, the resolution
of the technical aspects of interpretations backed by authenticable arguments
and subsisting phenomenal evidences which abounds in the universe served as his
winning points.
In no time his daily tafseer sessions
beginning from after Zuhr until Isha’ time became the talk of the town
and a ‘must attend’ activity for the neighborhood. Hence, by 1927, five years after the death of his
father, his fame had spread far and wide and he had become renowned on account
of his tafsir which had brought closer to him many elders in the Tariqah
Tijaniyyah who were much older than him in
age. This was how he gained a large number of ardent scholars. So it is no
wonder that Shaykh Ibrahim [Radhi Allahu An’hu] counted among his congregation
of audience most of his classmates as well as his seniors who were great men in
their respective community with numerous congregation of adherents. These
people are worthy of mention because they later became the major pillars of the
unborn faydah in the hands of its harbinger Shaykh Ibrahim. What was amazing to
them all was that no matter how complicated or difficult their enquiry or
burning questions were, there was always a clear-cut, logical, satisfactory and
convincing answer to them despite their advancement in knowledge, wisdom and
experience of life.
That year, Shaykh inherited the title of CHIEF MUFASSIR
AL QUR’AN, continuing thus his father’s tradition as an acclaimed
exegesis of the Holy Qur’an. Pure product of his father without recourse to any
other school or person, he excelled in his work and seduced other scholars who
were renowned for their extraordinary flair and eloquence in the field of tafsir. Thus anyone who attended his tafsir sessions often found to their
amazement that the greatest miracle with which Allah [SWT] had endowed Shaykh
Ibrahim was the Holy Qur’an. This was the centre-point of his entire missionary
life both at home and abroad. In his vast fountain of comprehension and gifted
analysis of matters relating to all aspects of life touched by the noble verses
in the Holy Qur’an, the listeners found satiation and the bridging of
knowledge-gap in all matters both spiritual and mundane.
It was no wonder then that in one of his
prayer-poetry lines, Shaykh Ibrahim said:
Fal taj’alan hifza
kitaabaka-l-kareem
Karaamatih ila
liqaaiqa-l–azeem.
O God! Make memorization of Your Noble Book
My unique Miracle towards my great meeting with
Thee
This teaching activities and the dissemination
of the Islamic knowledge and sciences prepared him for his future ordained role
of the harbinger of the faydah of the Ahmadiyyah path unknown to him. In
addition, the ordained mission with which Allah was to task him could have been
the reasons for the bountiful ocean of knowledge and comprehension with which
he was amply endowed. Years later, after assuming the status ordained him, he
revealed in one of his many poems thus:
Qad tamma
fathi inda mahdih waqad hanat
Jamihi-r-rijaaalu-l-ghayb
tajta qadahii
My
spiritual openings have been perfected even at my cradle
The
entire men of the Unseen were already under my decree;
Fama
qatahu fi sharqi wal garbi fadfadan
Ila
Makkatin illa shamu shadha-i
There
is none that traverses from the East and the West in sojourn
Up
till Makkah except that he has sniffed my perfume [of spiritual presence]
Walimla wa
aynee-l-yawma aynu Muhammad
Saraa sirruhu
fi haekalih wa rawaa-hi
Why
not so? Surely my eyes today is the eye of Prophet Muhammad [SAW]
His
secret traverses my body and spirit
Wa
ahlu-z-zamanih kulluhum faaza raaqiyan
Siwa
man qalaa nahjih asirru hawa-hi
And
the entire people of my generation succeeds in their spiritual ascensions
Except
he that refuses my tutelage, sunk in his own self-ego
The above poems succinctly capture the
essence of Shaykh Ibrahim Niass who was uniquely created to spearhead an
Islamic, knowledge-based revolution to awaken the minds of the Ummah to the
real knowledge that there is none worthy of being worshipped except Allah, and
also to pattern their entire lives on that premise. This is surely the Straight
Path unto Allah’s Mercy and Pleasure.
His Return to his Lord
This occurred on 27th
July, 1975 [15th Rajab 1395 A.H], at the unique count of KANZ years, the unique of his time. He bade the world goodbye. He
started his crusade to guide the Servants to God, propagated and strove for the
victory of Islam under his cause faydah by implanting in the hearts of millions
his simplified spiritual recipe to knowing God and building up millions who
became trainers on the Road to guide yet many others to the One True God.
Wa
innaka ya Barhaama hisnih wa qudwatih
Khalifatu
Rabbih fi–s-samaai wa ardihi
Verily
O you Ibrahim is my armour and refuge
The
Vicegerent of my Lord in His heaven and earth
1.3
THE HOLY QUR’AN AND THE HADITH; THE FOUNDATIONS OF ISLAMIC KNOWLEDGE
The
Jinn and Mankind are created to spend some fixed term in this world and the
path or road [fitrah] by which they are brought into existence is called Islam.
Islam means total submission to the will and commandment of Allah. It
literarily means peace. It enjoins peaceful co-existence of all races of
mankind. It is a universal religion which demands that worship is due to God
alone, in total obedience and with utmost sincerity. Islam’s Divine ordinance
which provides guidance to man in all aspect of life’s endeavours is the Holy
Qur’an which is a Book of Light, of Knowledge, of guidance and of spiritual and
material well-being. The requirements in terms of duty of man in relation to
God as spelt out in the Divine Book is further expatiated by Hadith or the
tradition of the Holy Prophet of Islam, Muhammad on whom be peace and blessing
of Allah.
These two are the foundation of the Islamic
knowledge and sciences and represent the two great sources on which the entire
life of mankind on earth is built. Allah informs: “Verily this Qur’an doeth guide
to that which is most right and giveth the glad tidings to the believers who
work deeds of righteousness, that they shall have a magnificent reward”.
(Al-Israil 17:9).
The Holy Qur’an is a revelation of Almighty
Allah which was sent down with His knowledge in order to guide the Jinn and
Mankind from error into guidance. He says in Surah Nisa : “But Allah bears witness that
what He has sent down unto thee He has sent it with His own knowledge, and the
angels bear witness and Allah is sufficient as a witness”[An-Nisa:4:
166 ] Also: “And we have not left
anything out of The Book” [A-An’am 6 :38 ].
The hadith together with the sunnah are the practical sayings and
practices of the Noble Prophet. He is the one who followed all the Commandments
as laid down in the Qur’an and gave additional practical guidance on how the
commands are to be followed. He preached the Message and practiced it. Then his
sayings became documented. It thus serves as the secondary source of knowledge
after the Glorious Qur’an.
Hence these two books encompasses all the
various body of knowledge that any human being aspires to attain be it
spiritual or mundane. Whoever acquires the knowledge of these two books has
qualified to be referred to as an Ulama or scholar. Hence it becomes the
primary and most important duty of a Muslim parent or guardian to ensure that
the children or wards put under his care are given these basic religious
education. This is the foundation for their lives’ well-being and prosperity as
well as the guarantee for their success in the Hereafter.
Concerning
the importance of the Glorious Qur’an, our Shaykh Ibrahim in his 25th
letter in the Jawahir Rasa’il cited an hadith of the holy prophet and I quote: “It was related from Ali-bin Abu Talib may
Allah honour his face who said: “I heard from the Apostle of Allah (pbuh) who
said: “Nay verily trial is about to approach and I said what will be the way
out of it O Apostle of Allah? He said: A Book which contains in it the exit of
what was before you and the news of what was to be after you, and a judge of
what is among you, it is the decisive Book and not a valueless one, whoever
abandons it out of strong headedness (subduing it), Allah will break such a
person down to pieces and whoever seeks guidance by something other than it
(the Qur’an), Allah will cause such a person to go astray. It is Allah’s Strong
Rope, it is the wise Reminder, it is the Straight Path which ego does not cause
to deviate and upon which the tongue cannot cause any blemish and which the
Ulama (those guided in knowledge) can never attain satiation of hunger from
(seeking more), and which cannot be damaged from excessive criticisms, and
whose miraculous nature can never be exhausted. It is thus that the Jinn could
not turn away from the Qur’an that is wonderful: “It guides to the right way, and we believe in it” (Al-Jinn 73:2).
Whoever makes talks by it is truthful, whoever works with it is directed to the
Right Path, and whoever calls other to it are guided to the Straight Road [25th
letter of admonition in the Jawahir-r-Rasa’il
Therefore the Holy Qur’an and the Hadith are
the codes of conduct governing the affairs of life of all mankind who allows
them to guide him/her by being a Muslim. The Noble Prophet enjoined all the
faithfuls to hold fast unto the two codes when addressing the multitude during
his farewell pilgrimage address. He assured them of Allah’s Guidance and
prosperity as these will protect them from being led astray. About Islam,
Almighty Allah warns again in the Qur’an: “And if anyone desires a religion whoever
other than Islam, never will it be accepted of him and in the hereafter, he
will be in the ranks of the losers” (Al-Imran 3:85).
SEARCHLIGHTS ON THE HADITH\SUNNAH OF THE PROPHET
A searchlight on the Prophet’s mission confirmed
that he brought Islam as a gift to all the universe. This fact was also
confirmed even from those who were not Muslims. He was sent as a mercy to
mankind, brought Islam and practiced it to demonstrate it as a total way of
life to all human race.The Holy Qur’an and his way of life therefore became an
invaluable compass for the entire world to emulate. The record of his practical
examples called sunnah were
documented along with his sayings called hadiths. Both the hadith and the sunnah are the resultant implementation
guides to the Commands issued or set out by Allah Almighty in the Qur’an. These
shinning emulative examples came to the world when the world was in search of
solutions to myriads of challenges and when the pure monotheistic message of
Prophet Isa - Jesus – on whom be peace, had suffered great distortions from the
hands of those who thought that they could amend divine messages simply because
of their own lack of comprehension of most of the provisions contained therein.
When Muhammad – peace be upon him came, the divine messages with which he was
sent became as it were, shinning lamps along with his examples which gave the
world the right directions to follow. The Muslims and even people who were
non-Muslims confirmed the reality of what was witnessed by way of the truth
with which the mission and message of the Prophet came. They also expressed
their honest observations and views about him and the religion which he brought
as well as the Divine Book with which he was armed for the delivery of the
message to mankind at all times.
For instance, Mr. Stuart Morton Boland writes
about the Arab’s contribution to world’s civilization: “The world owes a great debt to Islamic Art, Culture and Science… When
the occidental world was buried deep under ignorance, superstition, cruelty and
terror during the dark ages, the torch of learning was kept blazing by the
great, if now almost forgotten, Islamic Scientists and teachers. Had it not
been for the Muslim sages, scholars and savants, the world would have lost two
thousand irreplaceable years of experience, wisdom and accumulated skills.
Moreover it would have been retarded at least a full millennium… philosophy,
poetry, history, biography, scientific treatise, romances, fantasies and other
literary forms were perfected by the Arabian writers whose skills are still a
wonder to be told. The super-abundant riches of Arab literature remain forever
as high goals for all other peoples to strive to reach…” (The Islamic
Review, Jan 1951, Pg. 8 –9).
Sir George Bernard Shaw, the late famous English
play-wright and author says: “I
have always held the religion of Muhammad (SAW) in high estimation because of
its wonderful vitality. It is the only religion which appears to possess that
assimilating capability to the changing phases of existence we can make itself
appeal to every age …” (culled from the Charm of
Islam)
The Learned Editors of the Encyclopedia Britannica
remark: ART QUR’AN: “Of all the religious
personalities, Muhammad was the most successful”
One of the greatest French Poets, Lamartine remarked
about the prophet (SAW): “If
greatness of purpose, smallness of means and astounding results are the three
criteria of human genius, who could dare compare any great men in modern
history to Muhammad. The most famous men created arms, laws and empires only.
They founded, if anything at all, no more than material powers, which often
crumbled away before their eyes. This man moved not only armies, legislations,
empires, peoples, and dynasties, but millions of men in one third of the then
inhabited world; and more than that, he moved the altars, the gods, the
religions, the ideas, the beliefs and souls…”
Mr. Duncan Greeley says:
“The prophet, in spite of the beauty of Arabia that
flowed at his dictation on to his comrades’ tablets, had himself no ear for
poetry…He had never read the other scriptures, and rather took pride in being
unable to read or write. This fact is certainly an additional evidence of his
inspiration. Nor is there anything in the Qur’an which suggests to the modern
critic a compilation or an attempt at syncretism…”
(The Gospel of Islam pp.79) Hogarth: “His
daily behavior has instituted a canon which millions observe at this day with
anxious of mimicry. No one regarded by any section of the human race as perfect
man, has been imitated so minutely” (The Arabs, A short History, and p: 29)
Washington Irving writes:
“His military triumphs awakened no pride or vainglory, as
they would have done, had they been effected for selfish purposes. In the time
of greatest power, he maintained the same simplicity of manners and appearance
as in the days of his adversity…” (Mahomet & His
success, p: 199)
Professor Huston Smith: “His sense of honor, duty and fidelity won him as he grew
older the high and enviable titles of The true, The upright, The trustworthy
one” (Life of Muhammad- The Religions of men,
p.203)
Professor Phillip. K.Hitti: (Professor Emeritus of
Semitic Literature, Princeton University):
“His tribe called him Al-Amin (The faithful) apparently
an honorific title. The form which his name takes in the Qur’an is Muhammad,
and once Ahmed. The name, which means highly praised”
(The Arabs, A short History, and P: 23)
Professor. Phillip K. Hitti: Says about the Qur’an:
“The Book (Qur’an), is not only the heart of a religion,
The guide to kingdom of Heaven, but a compendium of science and a political
document, embodying a code of laws for a kingdom on earth”
(The Arabs: A short History P:33).
The learned professor says further:
“Theology, Jurisprudence,
science being considered by Muslims as different aspects of one and the same
thing, the Qur’an becomes the scientific manual, the textbook for acquiring a
liberal education…” (Ibid…P: 34; 35)
Professor Huston Smith (Professor of philosophy at the
Massachusetts Institute of technology) with & about Islam in his “The
Religion of man” thus: “As
it was, the work of Jesus was left unfinished. It was revealed for another
Teacher to systematize the laws of morality. The Koran, in addition to being a
manual of spiritual exercise is an immense body of moral and legal ordinance”
“It is one of the glories of Islam, says an
English writer, that its temples are not made with hands, and that its
ceremonies can be performed
anywhere upon God’s earth or under His heaven”
(Hunter, our Indian Musalmans P.179)
This is the
reality and the position of the hadith and Sunnah.
This is the reality of the prestige and worth of the one Allah specially chose
to bring His greatest divine message Al-Qur’an, our Prophet Muhammad {pbuh}.
This is the reality of the pride of place of the religion of Islam, a religion
that is the only existing, incorruptible, naturally-compatible ordinance to the
vast nature of man. It is the most important guide to mankind after the
Glorious Qur’an. Many examples thus abound in the prophetic way of life for all
nations, society, groups, communities and individuals to emulate. In
particular, a Muslim needs to hold the Holy Book and the Hadith as compass to
guide him through life’s challenges.
In the same
manner, the two Divine Documents are the instruments of scholarship. This is
because a Muslim cannot truly become a scholar until he has taken the matter of
knowledge seriously. Every time the Qur’an encourages the search for knowledge,
the hadith corroborates as can be demonstrated in some of his sayings here
mentioned. In a hadith, the Prophet was reported to have said to Abu Dhuhaifa: “Ask the scholars, mix up with the wiser men and accompany the elders”.
The reason for this is that the scholar is a proof and guarantee to the general
public. He stands as an authority in the matter of enjoining good and
reprimanding evil. In the same vein, attention is also drawn to the wiser man
because he is the one who has succeeded in converting the knowledge he has into
what can be of benefit to others through impartation. Also, the wiser man that
the Prophet enjoined in his sayings to be accompanied is closer to Almighty God
from all inner sins and whims. Hence as an elder, he must have proven his
position of reliance and respectability through the negation of evil and
rejection of any inner self temptations that may compromise his status. It is
this kind of elder that the Master Muhammad [SAW] enjoins a Muslim to accompany
or be in his company.
In another Hadith of the Prophet we are also
enriched about the importance Science and knowledge. “To
listen to the instruction of science and learning for one hour is more
meritorious that attending the funerals of a thousand martyrs, -more
meritorious than standing up in prayer for a thousand nights”. “He who honours
the learned honours me”. “To listen the words of the learned and to instill
into the hearts the lessons of science is better than religious
He
went on in another hadith: “Everything is pledged to its own time, he
declared and ye human was free to work for its own salvation”. It was
he who taught that “the saving of one life is tantamount to the saving of humanity”.
“One
hour’s meditation and the work of the Creator (in a devout spirit) is better
than seventy years of prayer”
In
addition, it was the hadith wherein are documented the detailed way of life and
dealings of the Holy Prophet with all kinds of people, both Muslims and
Non-Muslims alike. It was the practical experience of the way he led as a
political leader, a religious leader, a family man, an individual and so on
that became a model for the future generations to emulate. For instance, when
he got to Madinah where he met people of diverse faith, his administration was
such that every group were accommodated and human rights of every segment were
protected. Let us review some of his shinning examples:
“To the Christians of Najran and the neighbouring territories, the
security of God and the pledge of His Prophet are extended for their lives,
their religions and their property to the present as well the absent and others
besides: there shall be no interface with the practice of their faith on their
observances: nor any change in their rights or priviledges: no bishop shall be
removed from his bishopric, or any monk from his monastery; nor any priest from
his priesthood, and they shall continue to enjoy everything great and small as
heretofore; no image or cross shall be destroyed; they shall not oppress or be
oppressed…” To Ali he said: “When two parties come before you for justice, do
not decide before hearing both” (Kitab-ul-kharaj
of Imam Abu Yusuf P.65). Sir Thomas Arnold in his book: Preaching of Islam about Muslim toleration-in the first century of
Arab rule: “The various Christian churches enjoyed a toleration and a freedom of
religious life, such as had been unknown for generation under the Byzantine
government” Each human being is his own priest, in the Islam of
Muhammad no one man is higher than the other. It is not ‘a mere creed’ it is a
life to be lived in the present – “a religion of right-doing, right-thinking
and right-speaking founded on divine love, universal charity and equality of
man in the sight of the Creator”.
G. Lind say Johnson writes in the ‘Two worlds’,
Manchester, 9th August, 1940 “The Ignorance displayed by most Christians regarding the
Muslim religion is appalling. They overlook the fact that a religion which is
accepted and followed by one–sixth of the human race must have a great deal in
it and be built on very strong foundations, for it is absurd to suppose that it
should form the conduct of such a multitude of people they have no solid
foundation on which it rests. Muhammad
alone, the nations at that time, believed in one God to the exclusion of the
others. He insisted on righteousness as the source of conduct, of filial duty,
and on frequent prayers to the ever living God, and of respect to all other
peoples and of justice and mercy to all. He believed in total abstinence from
intoxicants, and in moderation in all things, and held in great respect
learning of every kind. Most of the absurdities we the Christians would have us
believe to exist in the Qur’an were never uttered by Muhammad himself, nor are
they to be found in a current translation of the work…”
It
was also in the Sunnah that we
learned about the way the Prophet dealt with children and women and inculcated
high moral principles in them. He demonstrated love, mercy and affection to his
children but above all guided them to Allah. He brought them up in the most
conducive manner and was very firm in letting them realize that they cannot
rely on their parents’ efforts especially on the spiritual realm to become a worthy
or enviable personality in the Deen Islam. Rather, they can only achieve
success according to the level of their sincere inputs or efforts. He said to
Fatimah his daughter: “O Fatima bint Muhammad! Ask me anything
from my wealth, but I cannot save you from Allah’s punishment”. He also
told his followers: “Instruct your children to pray when they are seven years of age, and
hit them if they do not pray when they are ten”. He also said: “None
of you truly believes until he wants for his brother what he wants for himself”.
“Treat women kindly, for woman was created from a rib. The part of it that is
most crooked the top. If you try to straighten it you will break it, and if you
leave it alone, it will remain crooked. So treat woman kindly”
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Dalā’ilu l Khayrāt - Collection of prayers upon the Prophet “in Plain Arabic and Warsh script” (by Shaikh Sulaiman Jazūlī) - Arabic
Kanzul Masūn - Collections of Prayers/Supplications (by Shaikh Ibrahim Niasse) - Arabic
Dawāwīn as-Sitt (Six Anthologies) on Prophetic Eulogy (by Shaikh Ibrahim Niasse) - Arabic
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2.Vessel of Spiritual Flood, Translation of Goran Faydah by Shaykh Balarabe Haroon Jega (Translated by Dr. Awwal Baba Taofiq)
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6. Handbook for every Tijaniyyat (by Shaikh As-Sufi)
8. Risalat at-Tawbah (Epistle of Repentance) of Shaykh Ibrahim Niyass al-Kawlakhi" - (Translation & Commentary by Dr. Razaq Solagberu)
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14.Special Prayers from Kanzul Masun- (Translated by Sayyid AbdulQadri Okeneye)
15.Facts about Sufism by Ismaheel Abdulrauf
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1. PRISTINE SUFISM
