OUR SULUK (SPRITUAL SOJOURN) THROUGH THE SALAT AL-FATIH
By: Imam Fakhruddin Owaisi Cisse
QUESTION:
Assalamu alaykum
warahmatullahi wabarakatuh Sayyidi,
I hope you are well.
I am emailing to you a
few questions, I hope you do not mind receiving so many...
There are some known
hadiths that busying oneself with Quran and dhikr is more profitable than
making dua. Likewise, a famous hadith indicates that to make all of one's dua
for the Prophet sall Allahu alayhi wasallam instead of oneself and one's loved
ones leads to one's concerns to be removed, sins forgiven and desires
fulfilled.
This would make me
think that it would be wise to stop making dua except salawat for the Prophet
sall Allahu alayhi wasallam. If someone wished to do so, should he refrain from
making dua for what he feels in his heart and duas for others and just hold on
to salawat convinced that through that all ambitions will be reached anyway? Or
is the matter less strict than this?
Is there anyone from
the Qawm (People/Folks) who is known to have substituted salawat to dua?
People who have done
their tarbiya (spiritual training) should know that the Prophet sall Allahu
alayhi wasallam encompasses existence and is its Master. Hence, Allah's salah
on him sall Allahu alayhi wasallam seems to benefit the whole creation. In fact
it could be said that salah on him sall Allahu alayhi wasallam brings forth
Allah's tajalli as ar-Rahman. This understanding seems to strengthen the idea
that salawat is a comprehensive dua. What do you think?
Also, can a Tijani
recite the Names of Allah and La ilaha ill Allah as daily Adhkar, in ADDITION
to the Wird and Wazifah?
JazakumuLlahu khayran
wa hafizakumuLlah
Wassalam,
ANSWER:
Wa Alaykum As-Salam
Sidi,
Hope you are well
Bi-IzniLlah!
Shaykhuna Ahmad
al-Tijani (RA) was ordered by the Master of Existence (SAW) to turn to Allah
Almighty through the Salat al-Fatih rather than the Asma al-Husna (which he
initially wanted to recite).
So Salat al-Fatih is
our KEY. It is the sum total of the Manifestations of all Names.
The Haylalah (لا اله الا الله) is
done by us in our daily Wirds, Wazifah and Dhikr al-Jumah. Talibes in Senegal
and elsewhere sing it whole night sometimes!
Of course, we love it.
However, our actual Suluk (Spritual Sojourn)
is through the Salat al-Fatih, as that is the Ultimate manifestation of the
Oneness.
Yes, in the Tarbiyah process, the Haylalah is
prescribed with certain Asma al-Husna, with a certain number, coupled with the
Salat al-Fatih of course.
Other than that, we focus on the Salawat,
with the Idhn of our Shaykhs and Muqaddams. The key in Tasawwuf is to NOT to
recite what one thinks is "good for me" as such thoughts may emanate
from the Nafs, BUT to recite what the Shaykh Murabbi prescribes. Suluk is about
Submission.
As for Salawat replacing Dua. Well, Dua is
also a form of Ibadah that pleases the Lord Most High. We are ordered by Qur'an
and Sunnah to make Duas. All Anbiya and Awliya made Duas.
In our own Tariqah, there are numerous long
Duas narrated from Shaykh al-Tijani (RA) and Shaykh Ibrahim (RA). Check the
Ahzab wa Awrad and al-Kanz al-Masun.
Yes, one should not make Dua purely for
Egoistic purposes. The Arif makes Dua as an Ibadah and act of obedience, and
his Dua is considered a form of Dhikr.
In his last years, Shaykhuna al-Tijani (RA)
had stopped making any personal Duas, except the Sunnah Duas. A Talibe may go
through that state also (of making no Dua at all), but shouldn't stay in it.
So, in summary, Salawat does not replace Dua.
Salawat is for Suluk. Dua is part of our
practice, in Shariah and Tariqah.
Dua reminds us of our Slavehood (extremely
important after Tarbiyah).
Try however to recite the Duas of our Shaykhs
though, starting with the Masnun Duas of the Habib (SAW).
Of course, the greater part of your Ibadah
must be Dhikr, and more specifically Salat al-Fatih. The rewards and benefits
of Dhikr and Salawat are much more than Dua, as stated in authentic Ahadith.
Barak Allahu feekum!
Was-Salam alaykum
Servant of the Tijani Door
Fakhruddin Cisse
SUFI BOOKS BY/ON SHAYKH IBRAHIM NIASSE AND THE TIJANI TARIQAH (AVAILABLE FOR SALE)
1. Vessel of Spiritual Flood, Translation of Goran Faydah by Shaykh Balarabe Haroon Jega - (Translated by Khalifah Awwal Baba Taofiq)
2. Rihlat Konakriyah (A trip to Conakry), Shaykh Ibrahim Niasse - (Translated by Khalifah Awwal Baba Taofiq)
3. Shariah and Haqeeqah: In the Light of the Qur'an and the Prophetic Traditions (Compiled by Khalifah Awwal Baba Taofiq)
4. The Icon of Mystics: Shaykh Ibrahim Niasse Al-Kawlakhy (Compiled by Khalifah Awwal Baba Taofiq)
5. Kano Conferences (Majlis Kano) and the khutba titled (Hadiqat al-Anwar fii ma ihtawa alayhi qawaaid al-Islam minal hikam wal asrar) - (Translated by Sayyidah Bilqis Grillo)
6. Katsina and Kaduna Conferences (Jadhbul ahbab ila hadrat Rabbil arbab) and Mecca Conference - (Translated by Sayyidah Bilqis Grillo)
7. A Brief Biography of the Shaykh al-Islam Ibrahim Niasse (Compiled by Sayyidah Bilqis Grillo)
8. Risalat at-Tawbah (Epistle of Repentance) of Shaykh Ibrahim Niyass al-Kawlakhi" – (Translation & Commentary by Dr. Razzaq Solagberu)
9. Islamic Law of Inheritance, by Sayyid Ali ibn Abubakar al-Muthanna ibn Abdullah Niasse (Translated by Dr. Sulaiman Shittu)
10. Muassasah Nasr al-'ilm Int. (AAII) Magazines No. 13, 14 & 15 (with Articles like Outline of Life of Sufi Heros & Heroines like Shaikh Ibrahim Niasse, Shaikh Abdus-Salam Oniwiridi Pakata, Shaikh Muhammad Bello Eleha, Shaikh Ahmad Rufa'i Nda Salati, and others...this magazines also features other interesting Articles).
11. Numerous “English” Sufism & Tijaniyyah Tariqah E-books/Journals/Articles (soft copies - to be sent via email)
12. Numerous “Arabic” Sufism & Tijaniyyah Tariqah E-books/Journals/Articles (soft copies - to be sent via email)
To order for copies, contact;
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