Skiredj Library of Tijani Studies
The litanies of the Tijaniyya path occupy a central place in the spiritual life of its followers. Among them, particular attention is given to Salat al-Fatihi limā Ughliqa, known in the Tijani tradition as the Unique Ruby (al-Yaqutat al-Farida).
Scholars of the Tijani path have transmitted numerous explanations regarding its origin, its spiritual rank, and the immense rewards associated with its recitation.
These teachings appear in classical works such as Jawahir al-Maʿani, Al-Jamiʿ, and other authoritative texts of the Tijani tradition.
The Origin of Salat al-Fatihi limā Ughliqa
According to the transmitted accounts of the masters of the Tijani path, this prayer possesses a unique origin.
It is reported that the great spiritual master Sidi Muhammad al-Bakri al-Siddiqi, a renowned spiritual pole of Egypt, devoted himself to Allah for a long period. During this time he repeatedly supplicated Allah to grant him a prayer upon the Prophet Muhammad that would encompass the essence and reward of all prayers upon the Prophet.
His supplication was eventually answered.
An angel descended to him with the prayer written upon a luminous scroll, which he received as a divine gift.
The masters of spiritual knowledge consider such occurrences to belong to the realm of divine inspiration (ilham) granted to saints.
Similar events are reported in the biographies of other great spiritual masters, such as Abu Abdullah Qadib al-Ban and others among the knowers of Allah.
Recognition of Divine Writing
The scholar Abd al-Wahhab al-Shaʿrani mentions in his work Al-Yawaqit wa al-Jawahir a criterion mentioned by Ibn Arabi in Al-Futuhat al-Makkiyya.
According to this explanation, writing that comes from the Divine Presence has a distinctive property: it can be read from every direction without alteration. When the page is turned, the writing appears correctly oriented in every direction.
Ibn Arabi himself reported witnessing such a page that descended upon a devotee near the Kaaba in Mecca, granting him freedom from the Fire. When people saw the page, they recognized that its writing was not from the work of created beings.
The Immense Merit of Salat al-Fatihi
The masters of the Tijani path describe the merit of this prayer as beyond complete human comprehension.
Sīdī Aḥmad al-Tijānī stated that even if all the inhabitants of the heavens and the earth were to gather to describe its reward, they would not be able to fully express it.
Because of this immense virtue, the masters of the path encourage believers who seek spiritual success to devote themselves to its recitation.
Testimony of Sīdī Aḥmad al-Tijānī
In the book Jawahir al-Maʿani, Sīdī Aḥmad al-Tijānī recounts an important episode from his own experience.
Upon returning from the pilgrimage to Mecca, he devoted himself to the recitation of Salat al-Fatihi, having heard that one recitation equals the reward of six hundred thousand prayers upon the Prophet.
Later he encountered another prayer that was said to equal seventy thousand complete recitations of Dalā'il al-Khayrāt, and he began reciting that prayer instead.
At that time, the Prophet Muhammad appeared to him and instructed him to return to Salat al-Fatihi.
When Sīdī Aḥmad al-Tijānī asked about its virtue, the Prophet informed him that:
one recitation equals the reward of the Qur’an recited six times
one recitation equals all forms of remembrance in the universe six thousand times
A Unique Spiritual Rank
According to Sīdī Aḥmad al-Tijānī, the rank of this prayer in spiritual reward is surpassed only by one thing:
the invocation of the Greatest Name of Allah (Al-Ism al-Aʿzam).
Apart from that supreme invocation, no act of worship reaches the same level as Salat al-Fatihi limā Ughliqa.
For this reason, the masters of the Tijani path emphasize that its merit cannot be measured through ordinary comparison.
Allah grants His grace to whom He wills, as stated in the Qur’an:
"And He creates what you do not know."(Qur’an 16:8)
Extraordinary Descriptions of Its Reward
Among the descriptions transmitted in the teachings of Sīdī Aḥmad al-Tijānī are several symbolic expressions intended to illustrate the magnitude of its reward.
For example, he explained that if one were to imagine:
one hundred thousand nations
each nation containing one hundred thousand tribes
each tribe containing one hundred thousand individuals
each individual living one hundred thousand years
each one sending blessings upon the Prophet every day
then the total reward of all those prayers would still not equal the reward of a single recitation of Salat al-Fatihi limā Ughliqa.
Such descriptions aim to convey the immeasurable nature of divine generosity.
Spiritual Multiplication of Reward
The scholar Sidi Muhammad ibn al-Mashri explains in Al-Jamiʿ that the reward of this prayer increases with every recitation.
The first recitation carries a reward equivalent to six hundred thousand prayers.
The second recitation multiplies the reward even further.
Each subsequent recitation surpasses the one before it in reward, continuing indefinitely.
This continuous multiplication applies to the prayers of angels, humans, and jinn.
The Hidden Levels of the Prayer
Sīdī Aḥmad al-Tijānī explained that Salat al-Fatihi limā Ughliqa possesses several spiritual levels.
Some traditions mention seven or eight levels.
The explanations given to disciples only concern the first level, known as the apparent level.
The deeper levels remain hidden, as their realities belong to the unseen knowledge reserved by Allah.
The Prophet himself informed Sīdī Aḥmad al-Tijānī that the full secret of this prayer is preserved in the treasures of the unseen and was granted specifically to him.
A Prayer Protected from Annulment
One remarkable feature mentioned by the masters of the Tijani path is that the reward of this prayer is not subject to annulment (ihbat) in the way that other deeds may be.
Because it originates from the unseen divine realm, its merit remains preserved.
This characteristic alone is considered one of its greatest distinctions.
Conditions for Obtaining Its Full Merit
Sīdī Aḥmad al-Tijānī mentioned that the full merit of this prayer is obtained under two main conditions:
Receiving permission (idhn) within the Tijani path.
Believing that this prayer originates from Allah, similar to a sacred hadith, rather than being a human composition.
Even without this authorization, a person may still receive reward for reciting it. However, the specific spiritual benefits associated with the Tijani transmission are linked to proper permission.
Consistency in Reciting the Prayer
The masters of the Tijani path emphasize the importance of consistent recitation.
According to Sīdī Aḥmad al-Tijānī, consistency is achieved by reciting Salat al-Fatihi at least once every day.
He explained that one who maintains this practice with sincerity will die in a state of faith.
The Virtue of the Declaration “La ilaha illa Allah”
Alongside prayers upon the Prophet, the declaration of divine unity:
La ilaha illa Allah(There is no god but Allah)
occupies the highest place among invocations.
The masters of both outward and inward knowledge agree that this phrase is the most beneficial word a servant can utter at the moment of death.
The Prophet Muhammad said:
"The happiest of people through my intercession on the Day of Resurrection will be the one who says ‘La ilaha illa Allah’ sincerely from his heart."
Numerous prophetic traditions describe the immense weight of this declaration.
In one famous narration, Moses asked Allah for a special invocation.
Allah instructed him to say:
"La ilaha illa Allah."
Moses replied that all believers say this.
Allah answered that if the seven heavens and the seven earths were placed on one side of a scale and La ilaha illa Allah on the other, it would outweigh them all.
The Central Role of the Tijani Litanies
Within the Tijani path, the remembrance of Allah through the Wird, the Wazifa, the Haylala, and Salat al-Fatihi forms a complete spiritual discipline.
These litanies combine:
seeking forgiveness
prayer upon the Prophet
affirmation of divine unity
Together they guide the disciple toward purification of the heart and closeness to Allah.
Conclusion
The litanies of the Tijaniyya path occupy a distinguished place within Islamic spirituality.
Among them, Salat al-Fatihi limā Ughliqa holds a unique status due to its extraordinary spiritual rank and the immense reward associated with its recitation.
For disciples of the Tijani path, these litanies are not merely devotional formulas but a structured spiritual method transmitted through generations of masters.
Through their consistent practice, believers seek purification, divine remembrance, and the ultimate success in both this world and the hereafter.
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