In the Name of
Allah The Beneficent, The Merciful Praise Be to Allah, The Lord
of the Worlds And Blessings and Greetings to the Messenger of
Allah
From
the slave, in need of his Lord, the weak Al Hajj Al Abbas Al
Qadiri Al Boutchich to his spiritual children and brothers in
Allah. My children and brothers in Allah, you know that it is in
my nature to be usually silent but many of the questions put to
me show the need for more general advice in order to clarify
things I have told you of concerning the way of Allah, which by
the will of Allah I have been put in charge of for some years.
My children And Brothers in
Allah! Perhaps you have already known, from our discourses that
the Sufi Tariqa of our predecessors followed for the last
century and a half was the Tariqa Qadiriyya. This way is
considered as a (Baraka) blessing from the Arif Bi’llah, (The
knower of Allah), the teacher by the Idhn (permission) of the
Messenger of Allah (S), our great grandfather, Maulana Abdul
Qadir Al Jilani, may Allah bless him and let us benefit from his
Baraka.
Perhaps you are also aware that
the time I was chosen amongst the members of my family to carry
out the mission of continuing my grandfather’s Tariqa. I was
also heavily occupied by earning a living through farming. In my
youth this responsibility prevented me from satisfying my
longing for knowledge and I was therefore limited in knowing
only what is necessary to know about the obligations of Sharia
matters, reciting of Quran and the rules of what is halal and
haram. Amongst the many blessings bestowed on me by Allah, I
missed no opportunity in learning and memorising the virtuous
Quran, some Hadith (Prophetic tradition), some familiarity with
the Seerat (biography) of the Messenger of Allah (Prayers and
blessings of Allah be upon him) and his character, the states of
his companionship and the traditions of the venerable
forefathers.
Therefore I make no claims as to
being an Alim (Scholar), who makes fatwa (theological rulings),
nor a Muhadith (a transmitter of traditions), whose aim is to
advise people and explain the Book (the Quran), and the
traditions of the Messenger of Allah (S). Such is the mission of
the scholars who are specialised in studying textbooks, adhering
to them, examining details thereby knowing right from wrong.
My relationship with you is
rather a spiritual and moral teaching based on
Companionship in Allah
Love for the Shaykh
(Teacher)
Gathering for the Invocation
of Allah
The aim of this is to clean the
heart, purify the conscience, strengthen the inward and
enlighten it with the light of Iman (Faith/Belief). The eventual
result of these are sincerity and meaning in performing the
religious requirements and establishing a wholesome will thereby
effecting all the outward actions and behaviour. Because by
concentration on the inward the outward comes willingly. Amongst
the Hadith (Prophetic tradition) of the Prophet (S) is:
“Know that there
is a part of the body which if it is pure then the whole body is
pure and if it is rotten the whole body is rotten and that this
refers to the heart”.
To fulfil this unique and noble
aim the sincere seeker/slave should:
Give over this whole matter
to Allah
Strengthen their
determination
Make their Lord their sole
aim with no regard to what Allah has chosen or preserved for
them in the outward
Allah and his Angels are my
witness that on the day I came to my Shaykh and spiritual
father, Sidi Abu Madyan (May Allah Grant Him Peace), neither a
thought or a whisper of a thought occurred either in my mind or
heart that I would one day even deserve to inherit his secret
and his claim to guide after him. Instead, I came to him sincere
in seeking Allah and handed over my soul to him so that he could
guide me to know its reality and help to take the veils away
which stand between the slave and his Lord. How Incomprehensibly
difficult and complicated it is to take the veils away without
sound spiritual guidance wherein the sincere seeker and there
quest to Allah can be truly met.
Despite the fact that I had been
brought up on the lap of the Qadiriyya Tariqa through my
ancestry, my great grandfathers and particularly under the
tutelage of my father who was known for his righteousness, it
did not provide the aspiration or determination that comes from
following a living spiritual guide which is the sublime method
of Suluk (spiritual wayfaring).
An excellent role model who
provided guidance for me in this matter was my great, great,
great grandfather Sid Ali Boutchich who followed the same path.
Though he too had grown up within the tradition of Tassawuf, he
eventually submitted himself to a living spiritual teacher who
possessed a higher spiritual state. Allah gave him of His bounty
and success until he achieved permission to invoke the Greatest
Name (Al Ismul Adham) of Allah with all the resultant spiritual
states.
He inherited this teaching and
was considered one of the great spiritual leaders of his time,
yet, not long before his death he instructed his son neither to
continue in to calling to Allah by his Greatest Name (Al Ismul
Adham) nor to proceed further in the Spiritual Way or Path
(Suluk) but to return to the (Tabaruq) traditional Qadiri
Tariqa. This was because his son had not reached the spiritual
stage or capacity where he could be given permission to invoke
the Greatest Name. From this it is clear that one of the signs
of great spiritual attainment is to have been considered worthy
of and granted permission in invoking the Greatest Name without
limit (i.e. no prescriptive number).
My own advice to you is to
connect with him who is chosen to carry on this teaching in
order that the Nafs (the ego) will not hinder your journey to
Allah. Know that those who seek their Lord truthfully and with
Sincerity and seek Him everywhere and seek help in knowing Him,
will find Him through those upon Allah has Bestowed His Grace.
Yes, I kept company with Sidi
Abu Madyan, May Allah Bless him, with sincerity and
truthfulness. My companionship with him was pure and devoid of
any material gain. Indeed I loved him as I loved my father or
even more. I don’t remember a single incident where I disobeyed
him or ignored his instructions. Indeed, he deserved to be
obeyed and followed.
His good character embodied
humbleness, satisfaction with his lot and a denial of worldly
matters. His conduct was rooted completely in the Sunna (the
habits and the ways of the Prophet (S) in all things). He was
well known for his strict adherence in the Sharia. He would get
angry at the smallest contravening of the Sunna in his presence.
He was so strongly imbued in the essence of Allah that he would
simply not accept even the smallest neglect of the Deen by his
Murids nor the slightest detraction of the biography of the
Messenger of Allah (S).
My children and brothers in
Allah, this is only a small but complete account to illustrate
my connection with my Shaykh and spiritual father, Sidi Abu
Madyan, May Allah Bless Him. It portrays the deep effect that he
has left imprinted on my soul. Through this short account you
know something of his life, character and conduct. If you wish
to attain spiritual perfection there is no better way then to
apply the principals he embodied. By the light of his example
you will also manifest the spiritual love and build the special
relationship the like of which connected me to him.
I cannot deny the conversations
between him and myself involving the continuation of his
teaching after his death. O Allah! The means of guidance to
Allah by mere human beings by the mercy of Allah to other human
beings is one of Allah’s hidden mysteries which the human
intellect is incapable of understanding. Towards the end of his
life these weighty discussions took place where in he assigned
me the responsibility and charged me with carrying on the
Tariqa. I offered many excuses and pointed out those I thought
more worthy but he turned to me and said, “You will be in charge
of it willingly or unwillingly.” Then I would keep quiet out of
respect.
Eventually Sidi Abu Madyan died,
(May Allah bless Him and grant peace) in
1375 of Hijra, (the late 1940’s)
and nobody knew after his death who would succeed him, as my
nature is inclined towards silence and staying away from things.
I had no desire to fulfil this duty. Yet on the other hand I was
afraid to ignore the responsibility and neglect the trust. What
an enormous responsibility especially with my feeble bones, weak
body and old age. But what else could be done? Anyhow, I
remained in my state of silence concerning this for a period of
five years after Sidi Abu Madyan’s death, for I could still not
see myself capable or feel the confidence he had in me. On the
contrary I saw myself as the weakest and neediest of pupils. But
the matter rested in Allah’s will and the slave soon knows that
Allah’s will is above his will and that another power other then
his own guides him.
What caused me to come forward
is that in Hijra I was present in a gathering of Dhikr where I
noticed something happen in connection with spiritual teaching
which would not have happened if Sidi Abu Madyan had died or his
teachings were followed after his death. So I was charged with
responsibility by my feeling that I would be held responsible by
Allah if I ignored and did not correct those things which
occurred in front of me. Therefore I accepted the authorisation
of the giving of the Dhikr and Tariqa and finally announced what
had been discussed by Sidi Abu Madyan and myself. Thus the
affair was brought out into the open and people came to it from
everywhere.
Out of Allah’s mercy upon all of
us, I did not proceed using the traditional methods employed by
the Shaykh’s of the past. In previous times determination was
strong and hardship and isolated spiritual retreats were used as
a means of defeating the nafs and removing the veils. Allah knew
our weaknesses and the nature and multiplicity of occupations of
our time, so He inspired us out of His Kindness to gather the
whole matter into the Dhikr and perfection of worship.
The Khalwa (spiritual retreat)
of the believers is to go into their hearts. Hearts where Allah
is remembered much and The Deen is firmly established and the
limits of the Sharia are observed. This has been rendered
sufficient to cleanse their hearts and to defeat the oppression
of the nafs (ego).
Through this approach there is
no doubt that great spiritual abundance has burst out of the
cave of the Sunna. This explains how it has appealed to the
people of this area and attracted people of all different
backgrounds and natures. In fact, it is based on the instruction
of Sidi Abu Madyan, (May Allah Grant Him Peace) who happened to
observe me while engaged in spiritual exercises of hardship. He
then particularly forbade me this way of attaining by saying, “
We have entered through the door Jalal, (Hardship in Sufi terms
in this context) and become weary and you have entered through
the door Allah’s Fruitful Abundance Jamal, (In this context
ease/comfort in Sufi terms) so persist in this and do not go
beyond it”. So we have discarded methods of hardship and kept up
the practice of Dhikr and gatherings. The Way was eased,
Alhamdulillah (Praise be to Allah) and it only took a short
while before the hearts lit up, especially those of good
intentions and honoured aims.
The Dhikr of Allah and the
Gatherings wherein it occurs is not something new in Islam. It
is something that the Quran points to many circumstances and in
all states. It is either by heart, by tongue or by thinking (of
Allah) and not forgetting Him. Allah Almighty has said:
“Whoever turns
away from the remembrance of the Beneficent, We assign to him a
devil which becomes his companion.”
And HE also said:
“And do not obey
him whose heart we have made heedless of remembrance and
followed his desires so his case is abandoned.”
Also He Glory Be to Him Said:
“Verily in the
Creation of the Heaven and the Earth and the difference between
night and day are signs for people with understanding who
remember Allah standing, sitting and reclining and reflect on
the Creation of the Heaven and the Earth.”
He also said:
“There is the
best of examples for you in the Messenger of Allah for those who
want Allah, the Last Day and who remember Allah abundantly.”
The Almighty has also said:
“Surely Allah and
His Angels bless the Prophet (S) you who believe, bless him and
give him the best of greetings.”
Also the Messenger of Allah
(S) has directed us towards the Dhikr of Allah individually,
collectively, silently and out loud through the Hadith Qudsi:
“Allah says ‘ I
reflect my slave’s regard for me, if he remembers ME within
himself, I remember him within myself and if he remembers ME
within a group, I remember him within a better one’.”
The Messenger (S) has also said:
“O people! There
are groups of Allah’s Angels who strive to attend and stay in
the gatherings of Dhikr (remembrance of Allah), so try to sit
with them in the Garden of Paradise. Some of the companions
asked ‘What is the Garden of paradise?’ The Messenger of Allah
replied ‘Sittings of Dhikr (remembrance of Allah)’.”
And;
“Whenever there
are people remembering Allah, the Angels surround them, the
mercy covers them, peace descends upon them and Allah will
remember them with those who are with Him”
So the book of Allah and the
words of the Messenger (S) have recommended gatherings of
Dhikr’ullah instructing us to remember Him both privately and
collectively. Beyond that there is a great hidden Sirr
(spiritual secret) in sincere companionship with those involved
with and in the invocations of Allah as can be ascertained from
the Lofty states of the Awliyah (the intimate friends of Allah).
No true friend of Allah (Wali), nor the Ulema has achieved a
station by themselves, but only through companionship based on
absolute and truth and sincerity. Know that Allah does not look
at our outward aspects and actions but into our hearts.
“And if HE knows
that you have good in your heart, He will give you good.”
In this path it is not
sufficient to say good things or to make claim that you are
good, but to have goodness in your heart and act accordingly.
My sons, my brothers, act
according to this advice and their deeper meanings and know that
sincerity and truthfulness are obligatory attributes for all the
Messengers of Allah and that the call to Allah came only through
these people. Therefore our outward must agree with our inward:
your actions accord with your words. The source is the book of
Allah and the Sunnah (Prophetic example) of the Messenger (S).
These are the foundations and the spirit of the call to Allah.
He who sincerely responds to the call of Allah must respond by
actions before words. Those that call to Allah and claim to have
undergone Taribiyya (spiritual education), but do not base their
actions on the Book and the Sunnah and will never fully
penetrate the veiled hearts of those who seek. The veils can
only be removed by a pure and sincere longing in the seeker.
He who recites the Quran and in
his heart is away from the meaning will not benefit, thereby
missing the whole point of reciting it. The Prophet (S) said;
‘Perhaps one is reading the Quran and the Quran is cursing him’.
May Allah save us from this AMIN. The basics of Taribiyya
(spiritual education) are outlined in the book of Allah and in
the Sunnah (Prophetic example). Only by these can we measure the
right and wrong of any action. Hence my advice to you can only
be that which Prophet Muhammad (S) left with his companions:
“I have left you
on a wide path, its night is like its day, only the loser would
leave it. It is the Book of Allah and the Way of His Messenger
(S)”
The way and methods of Taribiyya
(spiritual education) for those who have good intentions and
honoured destinations and believe in the blessings in this
Tariqa (way) are based on the Dhikr (remembrance) of Allah and
the gatherings for this purpose. We strongly advise this as it
guarantees and contains the means of purification, the cure and
the giving of life to the heart. What method is there other then
this to lighten the heart from darkness and orientate it
inwardly rendering it pure and steady? As the Hadith says;
‘To everything there is a polish and the polish of the heart is
Dhikr’ullah.’ Effective Dhikr effects the soul, moves the
emotions and feelings and gives the believer a wholesome and
pure life with imbued with meaningful teaching. This is the
effect of Dhikr of the heart free from all worldly distractions.
This type of Dhikr is far from
the professional type which involves the use of Allah’s Names
for specific personal reasons, either to harm or attract others,
to increase one’s wealth or to control the Jinn (negative or
positive forces or spiritual creatures). This is far away from
the Wali of Allah (Allah’s intimate friends) and they do not
accord with the stations of truthfulness and sincere slaves.
When the Dhikr is from a pure heart there is no doubt that
Shaytan (devil) departs.
The eventual results of this
kind if Dhikr will be the Asrar wa’l Anwar (secrets and lights
of a spiritual nature) of Allah, which will touch the heart of
the believer and will sometimes manifest as shapes of light.
Their only goal is to encourage the Murid (spiritual wayfarer,
seeker) to continue steadfast in their spiritual practise and
thereby increase his Iman (Belief) and their knowledge of Allah.
They should not be troubled or frightened by these
manifestations. The seeker who grounds himself by continuing to
carrying out what is necessary in the duniya (material world of
everyday events as opposed to the realm of spirituality) will be
able to contain this. The balanced Murid (spiritual wayfarer,
seeker) should respect these manifestations when they occur by
both trying to conceal its occurrence and not indulging in them.
It is important to control and contain these states as far as
possible so that it does not take one out of the limits of
acceptable common behaviour particularly within a religious
context. It is related in a Hadith; ‘Speak to people
according to their understanding. Do you want Allah and his
Messenger to be disbelieved?’ To do so requires strong
focused sincerity and when this is achieved the Ahwal Zariyya
(the outward states or motions) will be in harmony with the
Ahwal Batiniyya (the inward states or motions) and one’s outward
actions will correspond to an inward motion.
These were the teachings of my
master, Sidi Boumedian and they were incomparably excellent. He
rejected all outward actions that had no inward reality. As for
the Hadrah (the Dance of the Divine presence) it was not
permitted except to those for whom the affair has become greater
then they are inwardly capable and their Shawq (spiritual
yearning) overwhelms them upon hearing the Dhikr of Allah and
recitation of the Quran. When this occurs the inward heart has
moved and the outward limbs are compelled to correspond. The
Murid is not taken out of this state until they return to their
normal selves on their own. Allah knows what he creates and what
he gives to his slaves and whatever manifests in the individual.
We also advise you to increase
your attendance at the gatherings. There is no Taribiyya
(spiritual education) without gathering. There is no love
without connection through gathering. The benefit of constant
gatherings is the contact with pure spirits. It is as if those
who attend water and feed each other enabling the Seeker to
overcome the attraction to of material things and strengthen
their spiritual cores. The gatherings provide an environment
where behaviour and habits that lead to misery can change to
noble behaviour which guide to purity and contentment.
You know amongst you many young
people for whom the duniya (material world) has become a source
of darkness and the living hell of a corrupted heart that
settled on them and the world had become very narrow for them
despite its width. The Tariqa (spiritual way) has lightened for
them once again and the nectar of peace and tranquillity has
descended into their hearts and they have tasted the Baraka
(Divine Grace) and the Sakin (intense calmness of the soul)
without which true contentment cannot occur.
Most certainly Truth and Reality
are discovered within oneself when the heart is touched by the
mercy of Allah. It will feel true happiness. It will see this
world with its clouds and mud as only purity and joy. The
gatherings of Dhikr (remembrance of Allah) which lead to
this glorious perception are pure of all worldly targets and are
rooted in the truth and in the fortune of the soul. The light of
Iman (faith/belief) is a hidden secret which cannot truly be
felt, achieved or transmitted except by the Righteous. It will
only travel between pure spirits. So know that all which is
other than Allah and occupies one away from Allah and changes
gatherings of mercy to gatherings of affairs is considered as an
obstacle on the way and needs rectifying.
My sons and brothers in Allah,
this is my counsel for you and if I advise you be sure that I am
the first to be following it. Allah is my witness as to any
words I may utter which doesn’t stem from inner conviction or
counsel with lack of personal experience. The speaker is one
whose age is over 80, suffers from poor health and loss of sight
and is in no need of power, wealth or position to say anything
other then the Truth. Therefore I trust you will act upon this
advice while I am still on the doorstep of the grave. The
essence of what I have advised you is to rely on Allah in all
your states, to act before you speak and to purify your
intention to Allah in both speech and action, guide the slaves
of Allah to the path of Allah steeped in Truthfulness, Purity
and without seeking reward. Allah, Subhana Wa Ta’ala (Glory be
to him) is the best knower of those who seek Him and those who
seek other than Him.
Let all your interactions and
relations be based on mutual counsel, pure intentions and a
positive willingness for the Good. Beware that Shaytan wants to
take you away from way of the people of goodness and truth. The
Will of Allah insists that those who wish to benefit from Light
of his Tariqa (Spiritual Way) are those whose intent is to know
the reality.
It is not desirable or
appropriate that the Dhikr of Allah should stand between one and
what the duties of everyday existence requires so that someone
should give up work and take the call to Allah as a means of
living. Let everyone of you labour in that which Allah has
placed before you and do so with honesty and sincerity. Let
everyone of you observe the creation and interact with it.
Accepting the will of Allah and His support in the manner in
which to overcome problems both in the Deen (The spiritual life
transaction) and in the Duniya (the material world). Certainly
Allah loves the steadfast believer whose words are in accordance
with their actions. Fill your spare time with the Dhikr
(remembrance) of Allah and gather for his sake after completing
your worldly occupations. This is evident in the Hadith;
‘Engage in the Duniya (the material world)
as if you will live forever and
worship as if you will die tomorrow.’
My children and brothers in
Allah, consider these words and act on them in order to be clear
in this matter and we ask the Almighty to inspire us in goodness
and to guide us to the straight path and give us and all Muslims
success. He, indeed is The Hearer, The Answerer and The Knower.
Wa Salamu Aleykoum Rahmatullahi
Wa Baraktu. (May Peace be with you and the Mercy and Grace of
Allah).
Dictated by Sidi Al-Hajj
Al-Abbas Al-Boutchich Al-Qadiri, May Allah be well pleased with
him, to the Faqir Sidi Al-Hajj Yahya Al-Atigi in Madagh, Morocco
on the 26th of Rajab, 1388 (Hijra) corresponding to
Saturday, the 19th of October, 1968.
(S) =
Prayers and blessings of Allah be
upon him
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