Skiredj Library of Tijani Studies
The learned judge Sidi Ahmed Skiredj was one of the most prominent scholars of the Tijani path. He joined this spiritual way in the year 1316 AH under the guidance of several esteemed scholars in the city of Fez. Due to his deep love for the Tijani path and his eagerness to acquire its teachings, he devoted himself to intensive study, meeting many of its renowned masters, especially Sheikh Ahmed Al-Abdellawi. His passion for the Tijani way continued to grow until his passing, and he wrote hundreds of books and poems to express his love for this path and his attachment to Sheikh Abu Al-Abbas Tijani.
Sidi Ahmed Skiredj was known for his poetry dedicated to Tijani zawayas in various cities, where he would compose verses praising each spiritual center, including the Grand Zawiya in Fez, as well as the zawayas of Salé, Tetouan, and Tlemcen. He often used poetry as a way to express his devotion to the Tijani path and its key figures, going so far as to inscribe verses on the walls of the zawiya in Fez. Deeply attached to Sheikh Tijani, he composed extensive poems and collections in his honor, including Divine Breezes in Tijani Praises and The Life of the Perishable Heart in the Praise of the Tijani Pole.
Additionally, Sidi Ahmed Skiredj was one of the most ardent defenders of Sufism and the Tijani path. With great courage, he confronted the path’s detractors and authored numerous works to defend it, including The Consolation of the Eye,The Divine Secret,The Coral Necklace,The Straight Path,True Faith,The Dissipation of Calamities, and The Rebuking Stones. These writings and debates significantly strengthened the Tijani path’s reputation and clarified its true essence in the face of misrepresentations.
His strong desire to promote and defend the teachings of the Tijani way was rooted in his faith and sincerity. He saw these efforts as a way to connect future generations with the true teachings of Islam and to address unfounded criticisms.
As for the origin of his attachment to the Tijani path, it traces back to his childhood, when he accompanied his grandfather, Sidi Abdel Rahman Skiredj, to the Maghrib prayer and litanies at the zawiya in Fez. Despite his grandfather’s passing in 1311 AH, he continued visiting the zawiya with his father, Al-Haj Al-‘Ayachi, which solidified his upbringing in a deeply Sufi environment. He officially joined the Tijani path in 1315 AH under the direction of Sidi M’hammed Guennūn, at the age of twenty.
Sidi Ahmed Skiredj later renewed his commitment with prominent scholars such as Moulay Abdel Malik Al-Alawi and Moulay Abdullah Al-Badrawi. In 1316 AH, he received a complete authorization from the noble Moulay Ahmed Al-Abdellawi, who imparted to him numerous teachings and secrets. A profound friendship and spiritual fraternity developed between him and Al-Abdellawi’s son, Sidi Mohammed. In 1318 AH, Skiredj authored his first book on the Tijani path, The Radiant Star for Clarifying the Path (Al-Kawkab Al-Wahaj), followed by The Lifting of the Veil (Kachf Al-Hijab), earning him great acclaim in scholarly and Sufi circles.
His authorization within the Tijani path was directly connected to Sheikh Sīdī Aḥmad al-Tijānī through several distinguished figures, including the “Four Pillars of the Path” such as Sidi Mohammed Al-Ghali Abou Talib and Sidi Al-Haj Abdel Wahab Ben Al-Ahmar. This lineage gave his authorization depth and strong spiritual bonds with the masters of Sufism. His chain of transmission, known as the “Golden Chain” due to its elevated stature, connects to Sheikh Sīdī Aḥmad al-Tijānī through his caliph Sidi Al-Haj Ali Tamassini and the esteemed mystic Sidi Ahmed Al-Abdellawi.