General Adab for the Women of the Tijaniyyah Thariqa’

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

Shaykh Abu al-‘Abbas Ahmad ibn Muhammad at-Tijani (q.s.) used to state, “Keep a distance between the breaths of men and women”.  The following are general adab for the women of the Tijaniyyah thariqa’. 

The rules of shari’ah are never abrogated.  A woman must always cover her awrah.  This is regardless of the status of any of the men in the thariqa’, whether a muqaddam or a shaykh.  She must also maintain an appropriate distance and not be in close proximity.  In the course of the practices, a woman may not be alone with a man who is not her mahram, even if he is her shaykh.  In the Tijaniyyah thariqa’, she may not shake the hands of the shaykh or the muqaddam and she may definitely not kiss it.  In the course of any of the dzikr, she may not raise her voice. 

A woman who does not wear the hijab may be given the permission to practice the thariqa’.  However, she will eventually be expected to wear the hijab to gain the full benefit of being in the thariqa’.  Otherwise, her spiritual growth may be impeded. 

A woman may perform the awrad and the wazhifah when she is menstruating.  It is optional.  However, she may not recite the Jawharat al-Kamal since it has to be recited in a state of ritual purity.  In place of it, she shall recite twenty Swalawat al-Fatih.  Even a married woman may be given the award of tarbiyyah but with the permission of her husband as the keeping of these awrad may affect marital life. 

A woman may also be appointed as a muqaddamah.  This does not change on any way the rules of adab and the application of shari’ah.  Women must sit separately from the men during the wazhifah, preferably out of sight.  The women of the thariqa’ should try to visit the shaykh, preferably with their mahram.  They may also call their shaykh and ask them questions, but must keep the conversation as short as possible and avoid frivolous and inappropriate talk.  It is be better to have their husband speak first. 

There is no difference in the possibility of a woman or man achieving any maqam, hal, darajat or the sciences of the Path.  However, according to Shaykh Ahmad at-Tijani (q.s.), as written in his Jawahir al-Ma’ani, the maqam of Quthbaniyyah has thus far only been occupied by one woman, Sayyidatina Fathimah az-Zahrah (r.a.).  This maqam is only for one person in every age.  There are numerous women of wilayat from the Tijaniyyah thariqa’.