Cheikh Ahmed Al-Tijani and Sufism in Africa

LOUD THINKING
#PEERTALKS with Cherif Ahmed Tidjani (Morocco) on Cheikh Ahmed Al-Tijani and Sufism in Africa
Abū al-ʻAbbās Ahmad ibn Muhammad at-Tijāniyy or Ahmed Tijani (Arabic: أحمد التجاني‎, 1735-1815, was the Berber founder of the Tijaniyyah tariqa (Sufi order). in Aïn Madhi in Algeria, and died in Fez, Morocco, at the age of 80.
Tijani was born in 1735 in Ain Madi, the son of Muhammad al-Mukhtar. He traced his descent to a Berber Tribe, Tijania. When he was sixteen, Tijani lost both parents as a result of a plague. By then he was already married. He learned Quran under the tutelage of Mohammed Ba'afiyya in Ain Madi and also studied Khalil ibn Ishaq al-Jundi's Islamic jusrispudence works that were written under Malikite rites.[6] He also studied Abū al-Qāsim al-Qushayrī's Risala ila al-sufiyya. In 1757, Tijani left his village for Fez. While there, he joined three Sufi brotherhoods, the Qadiriyya, the Nasiriyya, and the tariqa of Ahmad al-Habib b. Muhammed. In Fez, he met a seer who told him he would achieve spiritual revelation (fath). Thereafter, he left Fez to teach at al-Abiad, spending five years at the village. In 1772, he began a journey to Mecca for hajj and to seek a Sufi way of life. During his journey, he was initiated into the Khalwati order at Azwawi. He later taught for a year at Tunis where he achieved some success. He left Tunis for Egypt where he met Mahmud al-Kurdi of the Khalwati order in Cairo. Tijani reached Mecca in late 1773 and performed hajj rites. In his quest to seek a Sufi way of life, he met Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah El Hindi, who rarely saw people except for his servant. He also met Abd-karim al-Sammman, founder of the Sammaniyya branch of Khalwati. Al-Samman told Tijani he will become a dominant qutb (pole) or scholar within the Sufi orders in the region. Tijani left Mecca and returned to Cairo where he got al-Kurdi's blessing to preach the Khalwatiyya order. From Cairo he settled at Tlemcen for a couple of years.
Tijani later settled at Boussemghoun, an oasis seventy-five miles south of El Bayadh. It was at Samghun that Tijani received a vision from the prophet who told him to start a new Sufi order. He left his previous affiliations with other Sufi orders and claimed divine instructions from prophet Mohammed. Tijani's order soon gained attraction in the desert regions surrounding Abi Samghun. Shaykh Tijani lived in Abi Samghun for about fifteen years. In 1796 he went to Fez, marking the real beginning of his Tariqa.
In Fez, Tijani was well received by Mawlay Sulayman, the Moroccan Sultan. Though Sulayman disliked other Sufi orders, he provided Tijani a house and appointed him as a member of his learned council. At first, Tijani chose the mosque of Mawlay Idris to pray but performed the rites of the Tijani order in his house. Tijani later built his own zawiya. In Fez, he sent his trusted aides to spread the word of his order. Trusted aides such as Abu Hafs' Abdul-Rahman was sent to Oran and Algiers and Abdul-Salam al-Waghiri to Constantine, Algeria. Further muqaddams were appointed among learned converts including Muhammad Fuwadir al-Abdallawi in the Jarid district of Tunisia and Muhammed al-Hafiz in Mauritania.
#Sufi #AhmedTijani #Sufism in #Africa #SufiAfrica

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Sin is universal problem. Sin is ubiquitous. Humanity contaminated by sin. Sin in us by default, not learnt, not taught. Sin manifests in many forms - evil, crime. Sin is the opium. The origin of sin is unanswered.
My journey.
Sin is pre-existing in all. Nobody taught us to sin. Sin pre-dates The Bible. The Bible explains origins of sin. The Bible provides remedy for pre-existing sin, through Jesus Christ death and resurrection. The Bible is best selling book in the world for this reason. Sin is real, The Bible is relevant. Sin is born at every child birth. Sin is disease of heart, and Jesus Christ is the cure.
Satan is the enemy, came to steal, kill and destroy. Misleads us to blame good loving God. God is not the author of evil.
Media, Police, Defense, Judiciary, Penitentiary, Security, Contracts confirm sin exists.
The origins of life, natural laws, sin, morals, purpose, meaning, conscience, music, creativity, intelligence, beauty, color, nature, water, air, light and amalgamation, remain unevidenced - elsewhere.
We love truth when it enlightens us, but hate when it convicts us.
Instructing to "Heart wash" from sin is not "Brainwash".
God created universe, placed natural laws, made humans in His image, gave talents, instructed to multiply and explore - The Initiation of Science. Science is the legitimate child of natural laws. Without natural laws science has no foundation.
We are created with good purpose and meaning. We are good. Then sin entered through satan and we all fallen. Disease, despair, deformities, deficiencies, depression, stress, guilt, greed, hate, anger, rebellious spirit, spiritual death entered. Sin plays spoilsport.
Unloose the Soul from the tight knot of sin. Soul outlasts death.
Sinners cannot save themselves from sin. Jesus Christ, the Holy God, intervened, willingly died on The Cross and resurrected, for remmissions of our sins, to save us from sin and hell.
We are weak at the core, however we try to portray otherwise. We need Holy God's help, who is willing to help with open arms.
Unable to find any motive any reason for Jesus Christ to die willingly on Cross and resurrect - except His love to save us from pre-existing sin and hell.
Nobody died for our sins and resurrected - except Jesus Christ. Exclusivity
Jesus Christ claimed:
"I am The Way, The Truth and The Life". "I am The Resurrection and The Life".
"I am The Good Shepherd".
Jesus Christ has the authority to forgive sins.
Religion says "Do". Jesus Christ says "Done".
Religion is man's attempts to 'search gods'. Jesus Christ came from heaven in 'search of sinful man' to save from sin.
Salvation from sin and hell is not earned through works or deeds or pilgrimages or rituals or ceremonies or traditions or cultures or meditations or public displays or hypocrisy or making personal sacrifices or making animal sacrifices.
Salvation from sin and hell is free, but not cheap. Because Jesus Christ laid His life on The Cross, and resurrected.
God loves the sinner, but hates the sin. Just like a parent loves child, but hates disease in child.
We are saved by God's grace, not by our works.
Karma is getting what we deserve. Grace is getting what we don't deserve. Only Grace can be pre-fixed with word Amazing. Amazing Grace. Karma is not Amazing, it is depressing.
GRACE: Getting what we don't deserve - i.e. forgiveness of sin, eternity in heaven through Jesus Christ.
MERCY: Not getting what we deserve - i.e. punishment of sin, separation from God, eternity in hell.
Other side of death is eternity. Either in hell; or in heaven through Jesus Christ.
God offers grace and mercy for free through Jesus Christ death and resurrection.
Jesus Christ suffered, ridiculed, spat-on, humiliated, crucified on The Cross, and therefore He understands our pain. He raised victorious, we will too. Those who endure till end are victorious.
Jesus Christ coming again to judge all. The doors will be closed. Jesus Christ reveals every mystery, answers every question. We all deserve to know the truth. He is The Alpha and The Omega. He judges everyone.
One day every knee shall bow, every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.
The First Christmas - Jesus Christ came to earth from heaven to save us from pre-existing sin.
The First Good Friday - Jesus Christ crucified to The Cross, died willingly for remission of our sins.
The First Resurrection Day, also linked to Easter - Jesus Christ resurrected from death.
Jesus Christ made entry to Holy Heaven free through Him. Repent of sin and be saved. Easy.
The First Coming of Jesus Christ - He is Lamb, slaughtered for remission of sins
to save us from sin and hell. And resurrected.
The Second Coming of Jesus Christ - He will be Lion, The Judge.
The Lamb and The Lion.
Jesus Christ forgave all who crucified Him, and now forgives all, even who reject, ridicule and mock Him. He loves all unconditionally.
Believe, trust, repent of pre-existing sin in Jesus Christ that He died for remission of our sins and resurrected, and coming back to judge, accept Him as Lord and Saviour, and be saved from sin and hell. Any time, any where. Even now. Simple.
Nothing to lose, everything to gain.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
I found God loved me regardless of sins, weaknesses and rejections by others. As sinner I cannot save myself through deeds. He believed me and has faith in me. I am not in competition with others. God loves you all, individually.
(My journal. Journey to life - after testing all 'isms' and religions, after failing to find origins, purpose and meaning of life, after swallowing pride, egos, anger, hate, depression.)