Pearls of Wisdom of the Tijani Scholars (5)

The conditions of the Tijani path, attendance at the Wazifa, the Friday Haylala, renewal, and practical rulings for disciples

In this fifth installment of Pearls of Wisdom of the Tijani Scholars, we turn to a set of teachings that are especially important for practice: the conditions of the Tijani path, the discipline of the wird and the Wazifa, the etiquette of group attendance, the Friday Haylala, and the circumstances that call for renewal.

These passages, drawn especially from Sidi Ahmad Skiredj and other major Tijani authorities, show that the path is not merely a matter of affiliation. It is a lived covenant, protected by discipline, reverence, constancy, and clarity about its conditions.

As requested, each pearl appears as a separate subtitle, the English remains close to the original meaning, and I use the spelling Skiredj.

The Conditions of the Tijani Path

Sidi Ahmad Skiredj says that the path should not be given to anyone unless he has taken firm commitments to fulfill its established conditions. He adds that there is one major condition that must be emphasized for anyone who takes on the covenant of this path: preserving the prayer in its proper time, performing it with full care, with complete and well-made ablution, tranquility, full humility, and reciting the litanies with measured recitation.

He laments that many brothers have neglected this condition, and that many muqaddams became heedless of it. He then adds a striking statement: one single recitation of the formula of La ilaha illa Allah with measured recitation and reflection is better than a thousand recitations without measured recitation and reflection. The same applies to other forms of dhikr.

He also states that among the essential conditions of the path are the commitment to the wird morning and evening, the Wazifa once a day or twice a day, and the Friday Haylala after the ‘Asr prayer in its special number for the individual, or without numerical restriction in group recitation continuing until sunset.

Another condition is perseverance in all these conditions until death, without taking them lightly.

He further explains that, in technical Tijani usage, one is not properly called a Tijani if he received the path from someone who also gives another unrelated path. Likewise, someone who already combines it with another unrelated path is not technically considered Tijani in the strict sense, because one of its conditions is not to combine it with another path that is not derived from it. Thus, a murid cannot be simultaneously Tijani and Shadhili in this formal sense.

Skiredj notes that some shaykhs who were authorized in the path mistakenly thought that they were also authorized to give it alongside other paths. Because of this, Sidi Muhammad M’hammed Kennoun objected to statements such as “I am affiliated with all the paths,” out of fidelity to the foundation of the Tijani way. At the same time, Skiredj adds an important nuance: one should not be harsh with someone who has truly been opened spiritually, for such a person should be interpreted in the best way and believed in what he has genuinely attained.

The One Who Leaves Attendance With the Group in the Wazifa

The scholars explain that if a person stops attending the Wazifa with the group for about a week, or even regularly, but still reads it alone and has no valid excuse, this does not remove his permission and does not require renewal.

However, he has left what is more fitting and better for him. Even then, no formal istighfar is required specifically for that matter. What the murid should truly fear is abandoning such group attendance at the very beginning of his journey, while he is still weak in insight regarding himself. That early abandonment is more dangerous than later negligence.

One of the Conditions of the Path: Not Visiting Other Saints Except the Companions of the Prophet and the Companions of Sīdī Aḥmad al-Tijānī

The scholars state that the whole axis of the path rests upon love. For that reason, the murid should not turn his attention away from his shaykh.

A strong image is used: just as mountains are not shaken from their places except by shirk, so too the heart of a man, especially a saint, is not truly displaced except by the shirk committed by disciples when they associate another in love alongside him.

The literature then quotes verses expressing this exclusive devotion: if another shares in the one I love, I abandon love altogether and remain alone; and love of another alongside the beloved is forbidden, and this is well known among lovers.

Al-Sha‘rani is cited as saying that he and others had taken a covenant not to prevent anyone from visiting their peers or the shaykhs of their age, unless they knew through certain unveiling that the disciple’s opening would occur only through their own hands. In that case, they would prevent him from visiting others, not out of love of leadership, but simply to shorten the road for him.

Then comes Skiredj’s comment: do not forget that the disciple of the Tijani path is already opened upon in a decisive manner. Therefore he is prevented from visiting anyone other than Sīdī Aḥmad al-Tijānī among the shaykhs.

On the Friday Haylala

The scholars state that the custom of reciting the Friday Haylala immediately after the Wazifa following Friday ‘Asr is an innovation introduced by some brothers in some zawiyas as a kind of facilitation and easing.

But the practice of the Shaykh himself is the true foundation, and it is still followed in his blessed grand zawiya in Fez: the Haylala is not begun until roughly one hour before sunset, so that its ending is directly connected to the adhan of Maghrib.

This pearl matters because it distinguishes between later convenience and the original living practice of the path.

How the Wird Is Recited

The transmitted description of the wird begins with seeking refuge in God, reciting the basmala, reciting al-Fatiha, and then a Qur’anic verse connected to seeking forgiveness, followed by a humble formula of response to God: “Here I am, O my Lord, at Your service; all good is in Your hands; here I am, Your weak, lowly, poor servant, standing before You…”

Then the disciple says Astaghfir Allah one hundred times. At the end of that section he says: “Glory be to your Lord, the Lord of might, far above what they describe; peace be upon the messengers; and praise belongs to God, Lord of the worlds.”

Then the second section begins again with ta‘awwudh, basmala, al-Fatiha, and the verse: “Indeed God and His angels send blessings upon the Prophet...” Then he says the same introductory humble formula, this time with the added intention of magnifying both God and His Messenger, and then recites Salat al-Fatih one hundred times, followed again by the closing praise.

Then the third section begins with ta‘awwudh, basmala, al-Fatiha, and the verse: “So remember Me, and I will remember you...” Then he says the same humble introduction, now adding that he remembers God sincerely from his heart by what God inspired him to through prior grace and favor, and then recites La ilaha illa Allah one hundred times.

At the end of the hundred he says: “Muhammad is the Messenger of God, upon him be the peace of God,” followed by the same closing verses of glorification, peace, and praise. After that he raises his hands and supplicates with whatever he wishes, in obedience to the divine command: “Call upon Me; I will answer you.”

This description shows that the wird is not meant to be a dry count. It is framed by Qur’an, humility, intention, and adab.

What Repairs Presence or Humility

The scholars were asked about the three recitations from Jawharat al-Kamal that repair presence in actions, in the five prayers, and in supererogatory prayers. Should they be recited immediately after the salam, or can one first complete other adhkar after the prayer?

The answer given was that they should be recited immediately after the salam. If there is only a slight delay, there is no problem. But the الأصل is immediacy, because presence belongs to the inner reality of the prayer itself. Whatever belongs to the prayer and is left out constitutes a deficiency, and deficiency is repaired immediately after the salam, or even before it when applicable.

Questions and Answers on Practical Matters

Can the Morning Wird Be Read Before Witr, About an Hour After ‘Isha?

Yes. The morning wird remains valid if it is advanced before Witr. Its validity does not depend on being read after Witr. The condition is only that it be read after ‘Isha by enough time for people to settle down, roughly about an hour after the prayer. Another scholar glossed this as roughly the time needed to recite five hizbs of Qur’an.

If Someone Prayed ‘Asr and Read His Wird, Then Repeated the Prayer With the Congregation, Must He Repeat the Wird?

If, when repeating the prayer, he intended delegation to God and left the matter open as to which prayer counted as the obligatory one, then he should repeat the wird, because he no longer knows for certain after which actual obligatory ‘Asr he recited it.

But if he intended the second prayer clearly as the obligatory one, then the first wird was recited outside its proper place and must be repeated so that it is truly connected to the valid ‘Asr prayer.

What Should a Latecomer Do in the Wazifa?

If a latecomer joins the group in the Wazifa, then as soon as the group completes the twelfth Jawharat al-Kamal, he should begin making up what he missed before concerning himself with the final Qur’anic closing. The final verses from the end of Surat al-Saffat are part of completion, but making up the missed pillars such as istighfar is more important than the completion-formula, because a pillar takes precedence over what is merely supplementary.

So ideally, before joining the group, he should quietly begin with al-Fatiha for himself, then follow them. When they finish the final Jawhara, he starts making up what he missed. Even if he did not begin with al-Fatiha before joining, but later made up what he missed and included al-Fatiha before or after the group’s closing recitation, that still suffices.

If One Misses the Friday Haylala

If someone misses the Friday Haylala entirely until sunset, he does not have to make it up later. The main point is that he has missed a great deal of good.

The scholars add that attending the gathering is better for the murid than performing the Haylala alone, provided the gathering is truly a gathering of the path.

And anyone who attended with the group from the beginning to the end, or from the middle to the end, or even only at the end, such that he joined them for even a single La ilaha illa Allah, that is enough for him.

Does the Friday Haylala Require a Space Large Enough for Six Persons, as in the Wazifa?

No. That condition does not apply to the Friday Haylala in the same way that it applies to the Wazifa.

For the Friday Haylala, purity of place is a matter of completion and perfection. But the Wazifa is not valid except in a pure place large enough for six persons: the reciter, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and the four Rightly Guided Caliphs, since their presence is affirmed during its recitation.

As for the Friday dhikr, such conditions are not binding. If time becomes tight and the murid is not in a state of ablution, he may still perform it without ablution if he fears that the time will pass while making wudu. He may also perform it while mounted or walking, and he may even speak during it. But the better state is always that he be in ablution, in a pure place, fully turned toward the dhikr, without distractions for himself or others.

If a Muqaddam From Whom One Received Dhikr Leaves the Path

If someone received the obligatory wird from a muqaddam and that muqaddam later left the path, then the disciple must renew the permission for the obligatory wird through another muqaddam.

As for non-obligatory formulas received from him, the disciple may continue them, except for matters that require a special permission from the elect, such as Hizb al-Bahr, al-Fatiha with the intention of the Supreme Name, and similar formulas. In those cases, renewal is necessary.

On the Monday and Friday Dhikr: Is It a Maqam?

The answer given is that the one who performs such dhikr wears a garment of special closeness on the day of his recitation, then becomes divested of it until he returns to the dhikr on another day. This creates in him a spiritual state that can even affect those who see him.

But this is not yet a maqam in the technical sense. A maqam belongs only to the people of Muhammadan inheritance who truly possess that station. The maqam is inherited from its أهل. The scholar closes by praying: may God make us and you among the people of this station and realize it in us.

When Does a Murid Need Renewal?

The scholars state it very plainly: a murid does not need renewal except in two cases — if he abandons the wird, or if he visits one of the saints outside his own brethren.

Then they add an important distinction. If he abandons the wird by total rejection and stripping himself from it, then this is a severing with no return at all. But if he left it merely out of laziness, then he can return to it.

The Things That Cut a Murid Off From the Path

Three things are explicitly listed as cutting a murid off from this path:

First, taking another wird upon this wird. In that case, there is no path back to it.

Second, visiting the saints outside the designated bounds. In that case, the person strips himself from the path unless he repents.

Third, abandoning the wird.

This passage is one of the clearest in the entire set. It shows that for the Tijani scholars, the path is not maintained by vague sympathy, but by loyalty to specific covenants.

How the Wazifa Is Recited

The recitation of the Wazifa begins by seeking refuge in God and reciting the basmala, followed by Surat al-Fatiha.

Then one says:“Astaghfir Allah al-‘Azim, the One besides whom there is no deity, the Living, the Self-Subsisting,” thirty times.

After that comes the prayer upon the Prophet known as Salat al-Fatih fifty times.

Then the closing Qur’anic glorification is recited:“Glory be to your Lord, the Lord of might, far above what they describe; peace be upon the messengers; and praise belongs to God, Lord of the worlds.”

After this one recites La ilaha illa Allah one hundred times.The hundredth is concluded with the phrase:“Muhammad is the Messenger of God, upon him be the peace of God.”

Then comes the prayer known as Salat ‘Ayn al-Rahma twelve times.

Finally the Qur’anic verse is recited:“Indeed God and His angels send blessings upon the Prophet. O you who believe, send blessings upon him and greet him with peace.”

Then one says:“May God send blessings and peace upon him, his family and his companions.”

The recitation ends once again with the Qur’anic glorification:“Glory be to your Lord, the Lord of might, far above what they describe; peace be upon the messengers; and praise belongs to God, Lord of the worlds.”

This structured sequence shows that the Wazifa combines repentance, prayer upon the Prophet, remembrance of divine unity, and concluding praise.

Authorizations (Ijazat) in the Tijani Tradition

Among the distinctive traits of the knower of God, the pole Sidi al-Hajj ‘Ali al-Tamassini, was that he did not grant authorization to anyone except by a noble prophetic permission.

For that reason, he would conclude his authorizations with the phrase:“By the permission of our master and the master of all that God has created, our master Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him.”

This indicates the spiritual chain linking such permissions back to the Prophet himself.

The Authorization Given to Ahmad Skiredj

In the authorization granted by Sidi Mahmud, the grandson of Sīdī Aḥmad al-Tijānī, to Sidi Ahmad Skiredj, it was stated:

“I have authorized him in everything contained in Jawahir al-Ma‘ani, and I have granted him a complete authorization concerning the obligatory litanies and other invocations, just as my shaykh and father Sidi al-Bashir authorized me.”

This text illustrates how knowledge and spiritual authority were transmitted within the lineage of the Tijani masters.

Authorization for Qur’anic Recitation, Supplications, and Spiritual Healing

In another authorization, Sidi ‘Abd al-Wahhab ibn al-Ahmar granted permission to Sidi Muhammad Belqasim Basri.

He authorized him to recite the Qur’an and all supplications for himself and for others, to practice spiritual healing, to remove the evil eye, and to attend to whatever the brethren might need.

He also authorized him in Salat al-Fatih with both its outward and inward rank, including what these ranks contain of secrets, lights, spiritual manifestations, divine effusions, spiritual ascents, and immeasurable multiplications known only to those who possess them.

A Subtle Method of Presence During Dhikr

Al-Sayyid al-Amin Balamino reported that Sidi al-‘Arabi ibn al-Sa’ih authorized him with a remarkable method to be used when reciting the wird, the Wazifa, or any form of dhikr.

The method is to gather one’s entire spiritual attention upon the Prophet during the prayer upon him. This concentration is considered a form of honoring the Prophet.

The practitioner then inwardly resolves that every particle of his being and every hair of his body remembers God, glorifies Him, and sends blessings upon the Prophet.

He further resolves that each of his own particles corresponds to every particle in the universe. In this complete gathering of attention, the number of praises recited by the particles of the universe is written in his record.

In this way, the entire universe remembers God through his remembrance.

Tijani Characteristics and Habits

Among the habits reported about Sīdī Aḥmad al-Tijānī is that he liked the prayer beads to remain tied to the belt. They should not be taken out except when they are used for dhikr.

His own prayer beads consisted of one hundred beads, neither more nor less.

Dietary Observations of the Shaykh

It is reported that he strongly disliked a certain local type of turnip, considering it harmful because of its excessive cold nature and its negative effects on vitality.

On the other hand, he appreciated a particular type of squash known locally as salawiya. He said that it cools excessive heat without harming the body and is beneficial for people suffering from fever.

Its preparation was described in detail: the squash should be peeled inside and out, then lightly steamed or cooked in a small amount of water. Its juice can be taken with a little musk for someone suffering from fever, and by God’s permission it brings rapid relief.

It can also be cooked with olive oil, a small amount of onion, and parsley, and when it boils a little cumin may be added. Prepared in this way, it becomes a pleasant food that cools internal heat.

Knowing Oneself

The scholars say:

“Know yourself. Know who you are, what you are, from where you came, and to where you are going. And know what is required of you while you are here.”

Another statement explains that a person’s worth among people is determined not by the clothing he wears but by the good he knows how to perform among those of his own kind.

The Nine Stations That Adorn the Spiritual Guides

The nine spiritual qualities mentioned for the guides are:

fear, hope, gratitude, patience, repentance, renunciation, trust in God, contentment, and love.

A person’s share of each of these qualities corresponds to the degree of his knowledge of God. The fear experienced by ordinary believers is not the same as the fear of the knowers of God, and the fear of the knowers is not the same as the fear experienced by the prophets.

Spiritual ranks therefore differ according to the depth of knowledge of the One who is feared.

An example is given: the fear felt by an intelligent man when a wild beast approaches him is greater than the fear felt by a child in the same situation.

Even so, sometimes a person may experience in a particular moment a degree of fear comparable to that of someone of higher rank. In such a case it is said that he has reached the station of that person in that moment.

This is not impossible, because a saint of the Muhammadan community may inherit from the prophets certain spiritual qualities, since the scholars are the inheritors of the prophets in knowledge and knowledge of God.

The scholars also explain that the spiritual stations recognized by the Sufis are acquired, except for prophethood.

Some stations depend on conditions. If the condition disappears, the station disappears, such as scrupulousness. Other stations remain until death and then disappear, such as repentance. Others accompany the servant into the next life until entry into Paradise, such as certain forms of fear and hope. And some accompany the servant even into Paradise itself, such as the station of intimacy with God.

The stations inherited from the prophets by the Muhammadan saints are not identical to those of the prophets themselves, but they are analogous reflections of them.

When Spiritual Masters Speak About Themselves

Sometimes spiritual masters speak about their own spiritual states.

The scholars explain that such self-description, when it occurs by divine command, is a characteristic of those firmly established in the stations of perfection.

In such cases the statement is not self-praise but obedience to a divine directive.

The Fear of the Knowers of God

The scholars say that nothing has torn the hearts of the knowers of God more than the fear of a bad ending.

May God protect us from His hidden decrees and cover us with His protection.

Respecting the Elder

It is said that when a young person respects an elder, he attains blessings that the one who violates that respect will never attain.

God may even bless the respectful person with an extended life.

A traditional saying expresses this idea: it is fitting that the one who honors the elderly should not die before reaching old age himself.

Another well-known saying states:“He is not one of us who does not honor our elders.”

Closing Reflection

This set of pearls makes something very clear: the Tijani path is not built on mere claims, emotional attachment, or honorary affiliation. It rests on prayer performed properly, daily litanies kept faithfully, humility in recitation, loyalty to the covenant, and careful preservation of the transmitted practice.

Again and again, these scholars return to the same idea: quality matters more than bare quantity, fidelity matters more than outward appearance, and constancy matters more than bursts of enthusiasm.

The true Tijani disciple, in these texts, is the one who preserves the prayer, keeps the wird, honors the Wazifa, understands the conditions of the path, and remains faithful to the covenant until death.

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