ETIQUETTE FOR WOMEN OF THE TARIQAH

QUESTION

As-Salam Alaikum Sidi,

Could You shed light on some of the rules for Women of the Tariqah, may Allah bless you?

ANSWER

Wa Alaykum As-Salam Wa RahmatuLlahi wa Barakatuh,

Amin to your Duas.

The general rules are the same for everyone. As for specific Tariqah rules for women. Here they are in short:

1-Firstly, no rule of the Islamic Shari’ah is changed or altered. There is absolutely no such thing as, “There is no hijab between me and my Shaykh or my Muqaddam or my brothers in the Tariqah”. Proper Hijab and Distance must be maintained between the women of the Tariqah and their Shaykhs, Muqaddams and brothers in the Tariqah.

As per the holy Muhamamdan Shari’ah, a Tijani woman cannot be alone with any non-Mahram (marriageable) man, even if he is the Shaykh or Muqaddam.

She also cannot shake their hands. And she cannot raise her voice in Dhikr.

These last three points were explicitly mentioned by Shaykh al-Islam Ibrahim Niyass (RA), besides other Masters of this Muhammadan Tariqah. So obey O Follower!

While a Hijab-less women may be given the Tariqah and benefit from it to; nevertheless remaining Hijab-less will be great impediment to her spiritual growth, as the Secrets of Allah must be covered by the robes of the Shari’ah.

2-As for the performance of the Wirds and Wazifah during Hayd (periods). It is optional. She may do them if she wishes to. However, the Jawharat al-Kamal must be replaced with 20 Salat-ul-Fatih.

3-A women may be given the Awrad of Tarbiyah (as per the Blessed Way of the Tijani Faydah), but with the permission of the husband as the recitation of these Awrad and their effects may alter the normal routine of Marital life.

4-A woman may also be appointed as a Muqaddamah, but she must still maintain the rules of the Shari’ah with all disciples.

5-Women must sit separately from the men in the Wazifah, and preferably out of their sight, as the mutual seeing of men and women feeds the Nafs and is a source of Fitnah.

Mawlana Shaykh Ahmad al-Tijani (RA) used to state:

“Keep a distance between the breaths of men and women”.

Listen Listen O Tijani Follower!

6- Like male disciples, female disciples should also try to visit the Shaykh (with their Mahram of course), sit in his company (with the proper distance of course) and get the barakah of seeing his Face and listening to his Words. The women of the Sahabah used to attend the gatherings of the Prophet (SAW) often, pray behind him and ask him questions.

Tijani women may also call their Shaykhs and ask them questions, but must keep the conversation as short as possible and avoid frivolous and inappropriate discussions. It is always better to let the husband speak first.

7-Women should strive hard in the Tariqah as men. Allah is the Creator of Men and Women. The Tariqah is the road to Allah for both genders. Shaykh Ibrahim (RA) wrote that all seekers who come to his Tijan Faydah will gain Ma'rifah of Allah, whether they are males or females. 

 

As Shaykh Ibrahim (RA) said:

I carried the Secret of the Seal of the Saints (Ahmad al-Tijani)

I combined in me both the Experiential Knowledge and the Rational One

Then from me overflowed His Secret, so there is no one…

Who follows me and does not Know Allah, the Self-Sufficient

Whether they be Males or Females

Whether they be servants or King (i.e. they will all know Allah)

And all of that is the Faydah of the (Shaykh Ahmad) al-Tijani

The Assistance of the Chosen One from (the tribe) of Adnan (The Prophet SAW)

All Maqams, stations, experiences, sciences and ranks of Sainthood are available for women, except the Highest Single Seat of Qutbaniyyah, which was occupied by one women only, Sayyidatuna Fatimah al-Zahra (AS) as mentioned by Shaykh Ahmad Tijani (RA) in the Jawahir al-Ma’ani.

Other than this Qutbaniyyah Uzma - which is for one Man in every age - all other Ranks are open for women. Indeed, numerous women of the Tariqah achieved these high ranks of Wilayah, as documented in the books of the Tariqah and well-known to people.

Even in this time and age, there are women in this Tariqah who meet the Prophet (SAW) in wakefulness on a nearly daily basis. Women who pass Tarbiyah, Tarqiyah and Ma’rifah to men. Women who are complete Saints of Allah.

The great Tijani scholar Shaykh Abu-Bakr Atiqu (RA) writes in his Raf al-I’tirad wa al-Malam amman Qaddama al-Mar’ah li-Talqin Wird Khatam al-A’lam about Sayyidah Fatimah (RA), the saintly wife of the great Sidi Muhammad al-Hafiz al-Shinqiti (RA):

 “And she achieved the Maqam of Tarbiyah in this Ahmadi Tariqah”

If no one else, just visit the daughters of Sahib al-Faydah Shaykh Ibrahim (RA).

That’s all for now.

We seek your Duas to remain steadfast in this Ahmadi Muhammadi Ibrahimi Tariqah,

Was-Salam,

Servant of the Tijani Door

Fakhruddin Cisse