بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
His
Divine Station
It is indeed onerous for anyone to make an
introduction of an Enigma like Shaykh Ibrahim Niass [radiya Allahu an’hu].
No matter how much anyone ventures to give a description of him, justice can
never be done to adequately represent him. In the actual sense of the matter,
none knows him or his reality except Almighty God, his Lord. We
however bestow Almighty Allah to grant us, by the honour of the Noble Messenger
the grace to be able to highlight a few of the innumerable facets of his life
while physically present in this world. For this reason we say as he himself advises
or recommends: that he makes light for us this matter. We shall commence as
he himself used to begin by bringing to the fore his unsurpassable determinism:
Ya
Himmata Shaykh ihdir lana bi
adha-l-mahdar
Wal
tatafih lana bi nazhratin tahti lana bi safar
Come O Himma
[Determination] 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
Be that as it may,
the first and most proper description of him is to say that he is Abdullah – a
Servant of Allah.
He said in a poem:
A Ya Barru Ya Kaafii bijahi Nabiyyina
Litarzuq Ubaydan ma yaruumu Wa turshidah
O Most Kind God! O
Most Sufficient God, I appeal by the honour of our Prophet
That You provide
sustenance to this Servant [Niass] what he wants and guide him
In order to have a
complete picture of this great Shaykh, we shall navigate our way into his
life-history through the written statements of those who trained, lived or
served under him. We shall equally rely on his written statements or poems as
this will bring us closer to understanding his reality. Concerning his
relationship with the Noble Prophet of Islam, he said in one of his poems as
follows:
Ra’aetu Rosulallahi nossa bi
annani
Safiirun lahu fil kaainati wa mukhlassu
I saw the Apostle of Allah telling me;
That
I am an Ambassador to him in the entire Universe, and the Rescuer.
Alayhi
salatullahi thumma salaamu-hu
Wal ahli
wal-as’haabi-s-samawwa takhassasu
May
blessing of Allah and his Peace be upon him
And
his household and the distinguished companions who excelled.
He also said in his
poem sayru-l- qalb:
Falao sowwaruunih fil ahqeeqati lam yarao siwa shakhzin mahbubin
bihi natamattahu
If
my picture is to be taken in the real sense they will see naught
But
the physique of my beloved [i.e Muhammad]: by him do we attain enjoyment
We will in
particular, consider what is distinguished Khadim and Secretary, Sayyid Aliou
Cisse said about his master, Shaykh Ibrahim. However, let us look at a poem
written by Shaykh Ibrahim [radiya Allahu an’hu] in his honour first to enable
us appreciate shaykh Ibrahim’s assessment of Sayyid Aliu Cisse, the perfect Baabu-l-Hadrah:
Aiyyu khadimih Khazinu Sirrih kaatibih
Bi tazyi’ini mad’hi-hi qad aala kulla faaiq
Aliou is my Servant,
Keeper of my Secret, my Scribe
By the adornment of
his mark of respect he has ascended above all top-notchers in gnosis
He is thus held in
very high esteem by the Master and this was due to the dexterity, total
dedication, commitment, love, faithfulness and sincerity with which he handled
his Master’s affairs and secrets, acting as a dependable handhold for the Gawth
and showing the highest degree of discretion in his capacity as his secretary
and personal assistant.
He thus gave an
insight into the Personality of Shaykh Ibrahim [radiya Allahu an’hu] based on
his own conceptualization of the shining qualities which he discerned in him
while being close to him in faithful, selfless service for decades. In the
preamble to one of the Books of the Gawth, Sayyid Cisse describing Shaykh Ibrahim
[radiya Allahu an’hu] said:
He is the Shaykh with
his entire ranks, the Tongues of his hours, the Light of his age, the Texture
of his uniqueness, the location of
Allah’s Sight among His Creation, the
Opened Door for everyone who desire entry into the Hadrat Qudsiy [Holy
Presence] of Allah, the Singular One of his time in knowledge and Deen
(religion), the Shaykh accomplished in the training of his Mureeds, the Flag of
the rightly guided, the Seal of the Muhaqiqeen (those grounded in the truth) in
the 14th century after hijrah. The Beauty of the Night and the Days,
the Proof of the Gnostic universally, the Light of the Ummah of Muhammad, the
Helper of the Tariqah of Shaykh Ahmad
Tijani, of the Ibrahim the Hanafiyah, the Source of its glorious gleam, the Commencement
of the sun of knowledge and gnosis, and the Assembly of the Sea of forbearance
and gnosis, the Shield that obstructs evils, the Cave that is raised up, the
Round Crown of the Noble Sidiqqin {the Truthfuls}, the Centre of the joining of
important aspects among the Aqtabs[Qutbs], the Raised Flag, the Banner of the
Nobles among men, their Gatherer of what have become scattered in knowledge
among the people in its entirety from the first of these Ummah till its last,
my brother, of best character and good conduct, the one in whom Allah is
well-pleased, the Cloak of the Qudsiyah of the Muhammad’s Path, the Extreme one
in knowledge who is impartial and generous, the Gnostic of the Merciful
Nourisher to the ranks that falls short of descriptions by writers and speakers
in favours and by graces; from the Noble God, the One who Bestows to all, the
One beyond being seen or described, in states, or conditions or status or
place. One who has climbed the heights of glory and purity and wholesomeness by
the inheritance of the Muhammadiyyah Path, and the Spiritual training of the
Ahmaddiyyah path, the Seal (of the Awliyahs), the One crowned with the crown of
Diamonds that is good and pure, the Possessor of latent indications, a great
Bestower of benefits. He is a
well-understood expression, our Shaykh and means of Approach to Allah, the Singular one of the Lord of Cherisher,
the Great Gnostic.
Shaykh Ibrahim – His Reality
He
is the Beloved of Allah and someone who is lost in the love of the Apostle and
who says about himself:
Fama
liya illa Ahmadun wa sihabuhu
Wa
dhalika kanzun la yazaalu wayanqarid
I have nothing except
Ahmad and his companions
And that is a Divine
Treasure that is inexhaustible and incapable of extinction.
He
also confirm his being under the total protection of the Great Prophet, a
privilege which makes him immune to any form of evil which may be engineered by
anybody, anywhere, anytime, anyplace. He said elsewhere:
Tasatartu an dharih bi Ta Ha Muhammadin
Wama kaana lil mukhtaari
manfakka amina
I
protect my sojourn in life with Ta Ha Muhammad
Anything
associated with Al-Mukhtaar will remain secure
Fama arafal-ayyami rab’in wama darat
Samatia mudh sakantu Ahmada qatina.
Hence
life’s predicaments neither know my house nor recognize me
Since
I dwell in Ahmad as my abode
He
is a compete Qutb, a Fard [a Pole-Holder], an Arif [Gnostic] in Allah, one who
is annihilated in His Essence, may He be Glorified and Exalted.
Al
Asma’u wal awsaawf wal kaonu jumlatan
Aqeeqatu
Aenu Dhaat wallahu Qaadirun
Supreme
Names, Attributes and the entire Universe atogether
Are
in reality the Eye of the Essence, for Allah is the All- Powerful.
Ana-n-Nafsu
Wal Ahfaqu mahma rahaetuha
Taraani
Wa inniya kullu min indi Rabbihi
And
that the Self, the horizons whenever you see any
You
have seen me for I am all, from our Sustainer
In
addition, one of the most-loving disciple, a Man of Allah by name Alh. Sheikh
Tijani Usman [Kano, Nigeria] had this to say about the Gawth:
Wafi dhikr
Ibraheema ma laa la’u Sharwa Falaa’un wa saa’dun wa-n-najaatu mina-l-aswaa
In the remembrance of Ibrahim is encompassed what has no
parallel by way of mention or comparison:
Success, good fortune and security from all kinds of
evils
Waliyyu
jamihi-l-awliyaa’i bi sirri-hi Tawalah maqaamatu lahu fayda-l-arwah
He is the Waliyy [Saint] for the entire awliyaahs by his
Mystery
He excelled all maqams [spiritual stations] and his is
the faydah [spiritual flood of blessings] that is all-ecompassing
Wa tadhkuru Ibraheema dhikru li ahmadin
Wa Ta Ha wa Rabbih innahu masnadu-l-aqwaa
To make a mention of Ibrahim is to remember Ahmad [Tijani
of Fez] And Ta Ha [Rasulullah] and my Lord [Allah Ta’ala]; for he is the
strongest spiritual transmitter.
His Mission to
the world
We
cannot explain his mission to the Ummah of Islam more than he himself indicated
in his poem when He said:
Wusuulu
jamihil masikina bihabliha
Tahaqaqahu
man lam yukadhib birabiha
The
arrival of the Mystics unto God is possible only through my channel
Whoever
does not take God for liar will affirm this truth
Fajaobi
fayafi fil-maharifi lam turam
Faqad
qasural Aqtab an darki shawiyah
My
spiritual bag was full of gnosis never conceived
Indeed
the Aqtabs [Pivot
leaders]
are incapable of overtaking my station
Bi
fadhi Ilahi-n-nasi jalla jalaaluhu
Wa
hubbi Rasululahi Ta Ha Nabiyyiha
I
achieved this by the Goodwill of God of Mankind the Majestic
And
by the love I have for the Apostle of Allah Ta Ha His Prophet
He further says in
relation to his responsibility on humanity and their need to know God:
Wal Ummatu qasdih fihim an asuuqahum
Ila hadrati-l-Barri-r-Raheem
ilaaina
My ambition on the Muslim community is to lead them
To the Holy Presence of the Most Kind, the
Most Merciful, Our Lord
HIS
BIRTH-RADIYA ALLAHU AN’HU
The
Singular of his time and the Shaykh of all the Shaykhs of his time, the Qutb of
the Aqtabs, our leader Shaykh was born after Asri on Thursday on the 16th of Rajab 1320 A.H corresponding to
17th October 1900. He was born in a quiet
village of Tayba Ñiasene which is located between the Senegalese city of Kaolack and the border of Gambia.
The
month of RAJAB
is considered a great month due to the events of barakah associated
with it which has important religious implications in all ramifications; as
follows:
·
The month of Rajab is one of the four sacred
months of Islam in which killing is forbidden.
·
I It is the month of the night-journey of the prophet
from the sacred mosque to the distant mosque in Jerusalem and then his
ascension to the seven heavens and beyond. This is popularly known as the israi
wal miiraj which history recorded occurred in the 27th day
of the month of Rajab.
·
It is the month wherein Allah made obligatory
the performance of Salat upon the Best community evolved for mankind
·
In this month Allah accepted the dua and the
cravings of The Holy Prophet about the divine enactment with respect to the
facing of Qiblah in prayer universally.
·
It is also in this month that the Roman army
suffered defeat in the hands of the Muslims under the leadership of Khalid bin
Walid
·
It is in the month of Rajab that the Muslims
seized back the Holy Mosque of Jerusalem from the hands of hi-jackers led by Salahudeen Ayyubin
·
It is in this glorious month that some great
leaders of the world of Islam were also born, the likes of Shaykh bin Ali
Abu-l-Abbas Shaykh Tariq ar-Rufaiyah and
the great Exegesist Jalaludeen As Shuyuuti and Mahmud bin Umar.
The
most important event that could occur therefore occur in the month pf Rajab is
the birth of the Gawth in a sacred month that is standing apart from the other
three sacred months. Dhul-Qadah, Dhul Hajj and Muharram are consecutive or
following one another but Rajab is fard or unique. The coming into the world of
Shaykh Ibrahim represents, according to Shariff
Sukaerij bin Sharif Abdul Majeed at-Tijani [rta] the tanazzulaat [or
descent] of the Five Hadrahs on the Fifth Day [Hadaaratu-l-Khams bi yawm-il-Khams. This translates to perfection
of Allah’s Mercy on humanity generally, on the world of Islam particularly and
o the Ahlullah who recognize his
position and rank most especially. His position is unique and unlike any other,
may Allah benefit us all by his flood of blessings, Amin.
His father
The Qutb of the Age was born of Alhadj Abdullah b. al-Sayyid Muhammad
Ñiasse
(1840-1922) who was the major Mukaddam 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. Hence Shaykh Ibrahim was born
into a family of gnostics the like of an unparalleled one in the person of
Fadhilatu Shaykh Alhadj Abdullah Niasse [rta].
His Mother
His mother name was Mame [Yaye] Aishah Astou
Dhianka, a woman of repute very much likened in character and zeal to Sayyidah
Aishah the wife of the Noble Messenger. Mame Astou Dhianka was a humble,
obedient, intelligent, pious, devoted, elegant, accommodating, strong,
determined and loving woman of a distinguished family background given in
marriage as a virgin by her dear father to Alhadj Abdullah, his spiritual contemporary. Shaykh
Ibrahim said, concerning her divinely-guided ideals and the kind of nurturing
he received from this dear mother, in one of his poems:
Madhab Aishata Umu-l-Muumineen
Wa Madhabih bi idhni khassan bil
Ameen
School of Thought of Aishah, Mother of the Faithfuls
{From whence comes} my School of Thought, with a special Divine
Permission from the Trustworthy [Prophet].
What was noticeable in his birth was the fact of
many miracles and strange incidents which individually occurred to his parents
both in wakefulness and in dreams prior to his birth. The wonderful manner of
his physical and mental development right from the time of his birth was
equally a matter worthy of mention. It should be noted that Alhadj Abdullah already had many grown-up children who
themselves have become renowned for knowledge and Islamic activism before the
birth of Shaykh Ibrahim.
His Birth-Place
By
virtue of his birth in the quiet town of Tayba,
his barakah as a destined Great Sun of the Age which made an appearance in
that part of the Universe automatically transformed and elevated the status of
Tayba as a distinguished one in the comity of important religious locations.
Indeed the reality of Tayba became a matter which had everlasting implications
in the spiritual realm for the entire people of God. His birth therein is a
dignity for the town which no other dignity can be compared with. This dignity
increases with the rising and setting of the sun day-in, day-out as it assumes
a place of convergence and growing spiritual tourism for those sincerely
seeking a union with the Master of Creation and His Apostle. It became a centre
of re-juvenation of the mind and spirit for the trekkers on the Way to God’s
Holy Presence. In this respect,
shaekhaan la Turbah
said:
Bi Tayba Niassene Takhuzu fakhran
Bi saakini saalimin
ao bilaadi
Chiini
By this [fact of his
birth] Tayba Niassene achieved a pride of place
As a Abode of Peace
or like the land of China[a pace of knowledge]
Education.
He received direct instructional knowledge from his
father, a great Islamic leader in the west-African sub region. His father
taught him how to read the Qur’an as well as the Arabic language, the dialect of the Qur’an.
Under his tutelage he learned
other branches of the Islamic knowledge such as the Tajweed, Tafsiri-l-Qur’an, Hadith, Seerah [Islamic history], Mantiqh,
Balagah, Fiqh [Islamic jurisprudence], Arud [poetry and
prose] etc.
His
Growing Years
It
was around this period that an old man who was one of the youngest disciples of
Sayyid Ahmad Tijani during his time by name of
Shariff Singuitti, a native of Mauritania realized that the one promised
by Imam Ahmad Tijani had already been born somewhere in the Senegambia region.
He felt it an obligation to go in search of this new Sun shining from that
horizon. Despite his age he went out from Mauritania on a long search moving
from place to place. After a fruitless search he decided to return home. He was
then inspired to enter a masjid [mosque] and pray for Allah’s guidance. He
therefore retreated into a masjid for three nights in prayers and seclusion. On
the third night his request was granted. He was shown a brilliant light moving
on the horizons and informed that he should follow the direction of the light
and stop in whichever house the light entered. He did so and the light led him
to the abode of Alhadj Abdullah Niasse. He has known Alhadj Abdullah Niasse as
his contemporary in earlier times and recognized him as a great Qutb. It was
therefore not too surprising that the object of his search led him into his
abode. This happened in the night.
In
the early morning he went inside and disclosed the object of his visit. He
wanted the great Alhadj Abdullah Niasse to grant him the honour of sighting all
his male children at close-range view. This is because there is one of them who
is different from the rest and whom Allah had granted him the grace to know in
the Unseen realm as the Promised harbinger of the Faydah of Barakah, a thing
which had been long expected under the Imamship of Sayyid Ahmad Tijani Abul
Abass, may Allah be satisfied with him.
Thus,
the host invited his children one by one for inspection. When it as the turn of
the lad Ibrahim, he immediately saw the traced light shining on his face. He
was very happy and he told the father in a confidential manner that the
harbinger of the faydah whom our Sayyid Ahmad Tijani Sharif informed in advance
was this lad Ibrahim, he told the father to take very good care of him and not
disclose his identity or status to anyone until after he, Sharif Singuitti is
dead. He exchanged other useful secrets between them and bid the host goodbye.
This,
coupled with other surprisingly great mysteries which he had personally
observed as a father in his young son Ibrahim, made him develop a keen interest
in his entire upbringing.
The interest of the father Alhadj Abdullah was further heightened in his young son Ibrahim by virtue of his
attachment to high ideas. As a teacher, he saw many hidden potentials in
Ibrahim.
What was striking to him about his education was
the wonderful and unusual manner of his assimilative capability, outstanding
brilliance and extra-ordinary consumption of the varied forms of religious
knowledge and instructions. The more amazing thing was his display of
unmatchable wisdom which put him ahead of his seniors much less his
contemporaries who a felt traumatized.
By the age of seven years he had the entire Quran
in his heart as a Hafiz trained under his father’s tutelage. He did not
approach anybody for seeking any other form of knowledge. He was thus able to harness all kinds
of knowledge at that early age and he showed very high determination and zeal
for higher and more advanced knowledge in Islamic spiritualism. He was also
very respectful and obedient to his parents and elders. This decorum in manner
became more pronounced as he advanced in age. He was able to earn a lot of
respect from those around him.
His credentials as a youth
As earlier reiterated, his extraordinary
brilliance traumatized his brethrens and many
other contemporaries. However this was in the same way the journey of his
father Alhadj Abdullah the great affected many
Shaykhs at the beginning of the century when he set out for Morocco, Fez the
centre of the Tijaniyyah Sufi Path. 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 he 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 [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’. Shaykh Ibrahim [radiya Allahu an’hu] once said
concerning his scholarly credentials: ‘what I have by way of ijazahs and muqadam
authorizations would indeed fill a book’.
After
he has learnt Shari’ah and other branches of knowledge he submerged all of this
into the service and eulogy of the Holy Prophet Muhammad [pbuh].
His
dogmatic attachment to the Prophet’s way of life
Of
this Shaykh himself said in a poem thus:
Thaqafati Ibrahima Wal ilmi kulluhu
Madihu Imamil
Hashimiyu Wa Fadlihi
Ibrahim’s entire
civilization and knowledge is
Eulogizing the Imam,
the Hashmite and his Bounties
Hence the
main content of his teaching was nothing more than the Qur’an and Sunnah of the
prophet and its revitalization. Throughout his life, the example of the Prophet
was his means and end. Hence he used to say:
Isa
sarah khaeri-n-Naas sirtu wara’a hu
Wain
khalla
yawman fal
masiiru ba’idun
If the Best of
Mankind, the Prophet is moving, I am doggedly following his trail, step by step
And if he stops from
there, I shall never move
Elsewhere
in his poem, he said:
If I am asked: what
is your madhab and who is your beloved? I will say that it is the Prophet and none other.’
Authorship of His first Book of poem
By 1921 he as able to
accomplish a wide area of learning and instructions. He as so versatile that he
achieved the authorship of his first book, a book of compendium of meaning
called the Soul of Ethics: Ruhul Adab. It is a book of admonition and instructions detailing in
summary the right approach to being an adherent and faithful of the Tijani path
and the kind of relationship to maintain with the teachers, leaders and
colleagues in the path as to attain spiritual achievements and eternal
happiness here and in the hereafter.
During his youth, he moved with his father from
places to places in disseminating the message and beaming the divine lights of
the Tariqah. Shaykh’s versatility became so much noticeable that he began to be
singled out among his elder brothers as a strange and unusual gifted person to
whom attention should be paid lest he outshines them in wisdom and charisma. In
this period of his youth, he accompanied his father to the city of Kaolack,
where they established the zāwiya (religious center) of Lewna Ñiasene.
His father’s death when he was
22years
In
the year 1922, his great father, Alhaji Abdullah passed away at the ripe age of 82 years
at which time the young Ibrahim Was 22years old. After his father's death in
Lewna Ñiasene in 1922, Shaykh Ibrāhīm's older brother, Muhammad al-Khalīfa,
became his father's successor or Khalīfa, while the 22-year-old Shaykh Ibrāhīm spent most
of his time farming the family's fields and teaching a growing number of
disciples in the nearby village of Kóosi Mbittéyen. Although Shaykh Ibrāhīm never claimed to be his
father's successor, due to his charisma and precocious knowledge, he gained a
large number of disciples.
Predictions
about Shaykh’s exalted post by a great Shariff of Tijani
In
1922 many years after his first visit, Sharif Shingit heard of the death of
Alhaji Abdullah and made a return visit to commiserate with the household. The
late Shaykh’s eldest son, Muhammad al-Khalifah received him. He expressed his
condolence to the entire family and at night time request to be given an accommodation
that is built with raffia palms since modern bedding did not go well with his
health. There being no room which fits that description except that of the
young Ibrahim, he was asked to go with him to his room.
The
moment the duo were alone together, Sharif Shingit confessed the object of his
visit as being a golden opportunity to see him and hand over to him the various
amanah or trust articles between
them. He engaged in long talks and assured him that he is a beloved, chosen man
of Allah who has been blessed with the much-expected faydah. He informed him that the faydah should be kept secret until he hears of his own death. He
told him of many people who will make enmity of him and those who will resist
the faydah. He will be faced with
pots, persecutions, hypocrisy, hatred and enmity. He assured him that in all
cases, Allah will make him to triumph. He then handed lover the kanishah of
Tijaniyyah and other treasures of the Tariqah in his custody to him. By fajr
time, these important night-long talks had been sealed. Shafif Shingit took his leave, went home and
called all his own children together. He informed him of his seeing the
Sahibu-l-faydah in the personality of Shaykh Ibrahim. He admonished them to
quickly answer his call the first moment they hear his proclamation of the
faydah so that they can be among the first group of followers and lovers.
Shaykh’s
Pre-occupations after his father’s death
From 1922 to 1927, Shaykh continued his scholarship efforts writing
poems, literature and contributing his ideas to proper religious development
through talks, seminars, dhikr programmes within his locality as well as devoting long hours in worship. His open and accommodating nature
easily made people love and desire friendship or companionship with him. Shaykh Ibrahim’s dynamism and charisma thus
attracted a large number of fans and lovers to him despite the fact that he never for once claim to be his father’s
successor.
Shaykh’s Ingenuity Regarding Tafsir Qur’an
The people requested that he conduct tafsir of the Glorious Quran for
them in Kóosi Mbittéyen which he declined by way of respect to his elder brother the Khalifa. When the
pressure became much he asked that the people should go and obtain permission
for that assignment from their elder brother, Shaykh Muhammad Khalifah When the request
came, he promptly refused to give them his consent, saying that Was not his
assigned duties. This did not please the congregation and they continued to
pester Ibrahim who persistently requested for permissions until he declared
that he will seek permission from the person greater than all men, the one who
never speak out of self-whim, the apostle of Allah himself. After obtaining the divine permission, he
began tafsir-il-Qur’an.
Out of curiosity, Muhammad khalifah sent one of his junior bothers who was a senior and a most-trusted
one to attend Ibrahim’s majlis. When Shaykh Ibrahim [radiya Allahu an’hu] saw him within their
midst, he gave him a most deserving reception and placed him in a prestigious sitting
area. He went on with his lecture and the elder brother was stupefied. He had
never heard such eloquence and in-depth analysis from anybody, not even from
their late father. At the end of the session, he went back to Muhammad
al-Khalifa and recounted what he saw. This did not please al-Khalifa. He
thought in his mind: “Ibrahim had surely cast his spell on my bother”. He
therefore decided to send another elderly companion who was one of the most
knowledgeable member of his team so that he can hear his own hopefully, more
balanced and unbiased assessment of Ibrahim’s tafsir. This man again went to Kóosi Mbittéyen and decided to remain for three consecutive nights with Ibrahim in
order to listen to him for a longer period and for a better assessment. When
Shaykh saw him, he accorded him the same high level of respect and hospitality.
By the end of his stay he was more than convinced that the flood of knowledge
and wisdom flowing out of Ibrahim’s mouth could not have been otherwise than
from Allah’s special Grace not given to anybody known to him. He went back to
Mohammed al-Khalifa spell-bound to report as the eerier person did; that he had never heard any
tafsir of such quality in his entire lifetime. Khalifah became somewhat
uncomfortable.
Appointment
of Shaykh as Chief Mufassiri Qur’an
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. That year, Shaykh inherited the title of CHIEF MUFASSIR AL QURAN,
continuing thus his father’s tradition as an acclaimed exegesis of the Holy
Qur’an. Pure product of his father without rellzcourse 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.
Shaykh said in a poem:
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 was how he favourably responded to the initiative of some disciples
who wanted to gain from his learning as earlier reiterated such that in a small
space of time, he gained a large number of ardent scholars. So it is no wonder
that Shaykh Ibrahim [Radiya 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.
The
Pillars of the yet-unborn Faydah
They include the likes of the famous Ma Abdou
Niang, Hadj Muhammad Zeinab Niasse, Mufassir Hadjy Boubakar the 1st
Imam of the 1st Zawiyyah Of Niassene, Mufassir Mahmoud Niass, Ousman
Niasse, the grammarian Ahmadu Thiam and Mufassir Malick Sow, Mufassir Shaykh
Satou Niang, El Hadj Mor Rokhy Ngaji-The Lion of Shaykh Ibrahim [radiya Allahu
an’hu] and his great former Elhadj Ada And Khandoul, The Family Ndour, Baye
Mahmoud Diop, Ousman Kebe, Elhadj Doudou Cirs, Alhadj Ndiougou Mbaye, The Family
Baro, Shaykh Umar Faye.
Beside those ones, there are also those having
relationship with Shaykh Ibrahim [radiya Allahu an’hu] in Nigeria - Usman Dan
Fodio, Abdullahi Bayero – Emir of Kano, Nigeria. In addition, there was Hadji
Muhammad Lamin, Hadji Umar Tuuti and their sister Aishah Sokhna ‘ 1st
Woman Arifah’, Umar Lo Nger, Hadj Umar Kane – 1st Muqaddam In Dakar, Baye
Mahmoud Diop, Mbowene Niline Ndiaguem, Mufassir Baye Malle Thiam, Paymars,
Nguidji, Bambugar and Batamor Baye Abdoul Bitey, Mufassir Lamin Diop, Nguidiba
to name just a few.
The tribe of Ndukuman in their turn, also played a
most reflective role in the Faydah. To this compilation should be included the
people of Singuitti-Mauritania, Nahwi, Alawi Family, the descendants of Muhammad
Al-Afeez, that of Mawlud Fall, of Sheikh-l-Qairi the Great, The Great People
From Qadiri Of Jeyjuba, so also the Al- Pular like Thierno Yaya Ly who played a
remarkable role in the beginning of the Faydah; Hadj Abdoulahi Sakho and his disciple
the Professor Hadj Abdoulahi Dia, Al-Hassan Dem, and the families of Bogue. Finally
we have the dynamic sons of Shaykh Ibrahim themselves. In the 1st
row we have Hadj Abdoulahi, Hadj Ahmad Dam, Hadj Sheikh Ahmad Tijani, Hadj Papa
Hady and Zahra Niasse, Rokhy Niasse, Maryam Niasse and many others.
The
Penutimate years to Faydah
The
years 1927 to 1929 marked periods of clashes and tensions between his own
disciples and those of his older brother most of which were stemmed from and
fueled by the companions of his elder brothers out of jealousy, enmity and the
growing consternation about his fame, lest he should outshine them.
Mauud
Nabiyy 0f 1930nand proclamation of the Faydah.
On
an annual basis the Moulud Nabiyy is an event which brings people from far and
wide and the night long vigil encompassed various dhikr sessions, prayer
sessions, eulogy of the prophet and talks from great scholars about the lessons
and life of the Holy Prophet. Among the
duties which was assigned to Shaykh Ibrahim [radiya Allahu an’hu] being one of
the youngest member of the family was the recitation of madhu Nabiyy popularly
known as al-burda and izziyah. Every year, Ibrahim used to recite these and all
the people used to enjoy the beauty and strength of his voice and these gave
him many silent admirers among the congregation particularly the youths. This
annual Moulud used to take place in Kóosi Mbittéyen a town founded by
the late Alhaji Abdullah.
In
the year 1930 during the 12th Rabiu Awwal Moulud corresponding to
year 13xx hijrah, the usual moulud programme was organized and when it was the
turn of young Ibrahim to do the madhu, he took up his position by the rostrum.
He began with the mention of the beautiful character and dispositions of the
prophet and admonished the people to pattern their lives after his example. He
then read the eulogy of al-burdah and the rest of the poems in praise of the
Noble Prophet. Thereafter, he changed position by coming to the centre of the
congregation and raising his voice loud and clear he said: “O
ye Men! Whoever desires an arrival to the Imam Shaykh Ahmad Tijani or unto his
great grand-father the Holy prophet, let him come to me now because today I am
the Khalifah of Tijani, a grant from Ahmad Adnan”
He
said further:
Waman
yuhiibunni waman yaraanih
Fi
jannatil khuld bila buhtaani
Idh
annanih khalifatu Tijani
Mauhibbatan
min Ahmad al-Adnaan
Whoever
loves me and whoever sees me,
Is
in Janat-el-khuld [eternal Paradise] without any doubt.
For
I am the Khalifah of the Shaykh Tijani;
A
Grant from Ahmad Adnan
He
also said:
Verily my Scripts are
good-fortunes to the entire creation; and hence ill -fortune becomes impossible
for whoever sees me or my Scripts [my Muqaddams]
The
proclamation sounded resonantly loud among the congregation and all were quiet
as if mesmerized, with only the voice of
Shaykh Ibrahim [radiya Allahu an’hu] ringing in the sti night air. He
repeated his call and everybody were amazed, surprised and unable to utter a
word. Suddenly, his elder brother Muhammad Khalifah stood up and faced Ibrahim
saying: “what has come over you O Ibrahim? He replied: “Every goodness”. He
asked again: Do you realize the import of your words? He replied: “Yes”. He
asked further: “Where did you get all that you are saying”? He replied: “From Allah
Ta’aala He
said: “I think you have been struck with a spell from the Jinn”. He said: “No,
not at all!” He then sang again:
I
neither say my words willfully nor am
I seized by any form of intoxication that can overwhelm the intellect”.
Shaykh
Muhammad Khalifah at this point faced the people saying: Pease whoever knows
any ailment for treating attacks from Jinn should please bring it for me to
apply on him. People were bewildered, some speeches, some confused and yet some
strangely surprised. Some began chanting the ‘aelalah’[ah iaha ia Aah] some the ‘aeqalah’
[a haoa waa quwwata iab biahi aiyyi azeem] while some retreated to their houses
to recite surah Jinn or Ya sin or Kahf for the redemption of Ibrahim from the
evil effect of Jinns. Some came back with perfumes and incenses [bukhuur] to
dispel bad Jinn and others yet with various medications which they think might
be of benefit.
All
this while Shaykh never stopped
repeating his call to the faydah Tijaniyyah, the flood of barakah, encouraging
all men to come and learn how to attain arrival unto God, for he has been
singled out to carry out this task as a representative of the prophet.
In
this night, two important elders who were with his father and who knew all
about the birth , upbringing, attitudes, dexterity and the unusual quality
of Shaykh Ibrahim [radiya Allahu an’hu] witnessed
these happenings and knew and believed in their hearts that he was surely on
the right frame of mind and was speaking the truth. These were Sayyid Aliou
Cisse and Shaykh Abubakr Serigne Mbaye
Niasse. They kept their beliefs in their hearts waiting for the right time to
swear allegiance to him.
When the people dispersed,
the incident became the talk of the town. Word went round that the young Shaykh Ibrāhīm that was
a farmer in Koosi Mbitteyeen had announced that he had been given the secrets
of knowledge of God, something no one else possessed, and that anyone who wished
to know God should follow him. In one of his many statements he proclaimed:“None
becomes an Arif or claims to know GOD except through me” ( fala arifun illa bi
babiya waqifun) and more later: “ that
there is no other god except GOD, MUHAMMAD is his Messenger, his mystery has
poured out on us and there is no soul heading towards us which do not know GOD”.
What can be more thunderous? These expositions sounded like a bomb.
Many
people were found in groups discussing the new phenomenon of proclamations from
Ibrahim about God and this made some people to stay far away from him
particularly the elders. Meanwhile Shaykh Ibrahim [radiya Allahu an’hu] continued
his declarations engaging the few followers in walks around town and chanting
the dhikr with intermittent lectures. As soon as the young ones heard his voice
and talks they embraced him and followed him. Many elders will close their
doors on their young children anytime they sensed Ibrahim approaching with his
crowd of followers. Then the children will start making complaints asking to be
released to join their new leader, Ibrahim. This continued and his followers
increased until they started having regular sitting sessions for the daily wazifah
and lectures with particular emphasis on the tafsir-il-Qur’an. He used to chant:
Alaftu
yamiinan ananih la yuhibunih
Siwa
asiadu wal aqsu fi aali bugdiyya
I
swear by Allah that no one will love me
Save
the most fortunate ones; opposite of such will dislike me
Faqad alimal aqwamu anni khadimuhu
Fawaslu Habeebulliahi yulqah bi waslihah
Indeed
many people know that I am his servant
And
that spiritual contact with Allah’s Beloved could only be achieved through my
channel.
Li anna
khutuutih lil anaami sa’adatun
Lam
yashqa yaoman man ra’ani wa khatiyah
Verily
my handwriting are great fortunes to the creations
He
shall never be hapless whoever sees me and my handwriting
Wama
qultu qaolih shaatiyan mutabaji’an
Wama
masani-s-sukru yugayyibu aqlihah
I
did not say this to arrogate mysef
And
I am not intoxicated but I am conscious of my word
Wama
qultuhu duuna idhnin wa innanih
La
aktumu siiran la ubahihu ligaeriyah
I
did not utter this word without taking permission [from God]
I
do conceal mysteries which is illicit to others
The
declarations of the faydah by Shaykh brought about stiff persecutions and
oppositions from different groups. The group of his elder brother Sayyid
Muhammad Khalifah was among the staunchest. They waylaid their processions,
disrupted their lecture-gatherings, strewn thorns on their walk-paths, threw
stones at him and his groups, reported him to the National Police in Dakar with
recommendations for punishment etc. All these persecutions did not make
any negative impact on them, rather he gained more followers.
It
however got to a point in Ramadhan of 1930A.D that life became somewhat
unbearable for them due to the physical and emotional harm being meted out to
his companions. He got divine permission to seek an abode outside Lewna Ñiasene, the town established by his father.
This is in order to guarantee them the needed peace of mind away from
conflicts, discontents and other obstacles from the persecutors of the faydah.
Hence,
after the prayer of ʿĪd al-Fiṭr (the
end of the month of Ramadān of the same year) when a fight broke out between
his disciples and those of Muhammad al-Khalīfa, he immediately decided to move
with his disciples to a new place.
This
incident was recorded in one of his poems titled:
zhoariman wasla-l-gawaanih
in which he expressed some of the difficulties from the opposing camps from
various directions.
Part
of the poem read thus:
Mozaquu
jildih jihaaran
Akhrajuuni
min makanii
Duuna
dhanbin gaera anni
Hubbu
Ta Ha fi jananii
He had to vacate his
parents place to a place that is called Madinah Kaolack. About this new place Shaykh Hafiz a-Mishri had this to say:
Madinatu
ahlul–fadli la gaaba hiya
Wala
gaaba ahla-l-fadli fi ardiki fadlu
Anihan
laki fadli-l-azeem hi ahlihi
Wala
garwa fi fadli yuraa asluhul fadlu
Waal
zaala fi kif’atun wal ilmi wa tuqqa
Wala
zaala marfuan biki far’hu wal aslu
That
evening, he set out with a small group of his closest disciples to find a new
place to live, and the next day they began to establish a new zāwiya in Madina
Baye, a village that was
later incorporated into the growing city of Kaolack.
About
this village Kaolack, now fully urbanized, Shaykh has this to say: l
Ajjibun la tarah siwa bi kaolac
In
addition, Shaykh Ibrahim [radiya Allahu an’hu] made another reference to his
Madinah when he said:
Bi
hubbi Rosulallahi ta’alao Madinatih
Ala-l-mudni
Wa-l amsoori Wa-l khaeru yuhdathu
It
is by the love that I have for the Apostle of Allah that makes my City dignified
Above
other cities and towns as Allah’s Grace abounds ceaselessly therein
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