Three Principle of the Tijaniyyah

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ 

Shaykh Hasan ibn ‘Ali Sisi (r.a.) said the Thariqa’ Tijaniyyah is based on three principles: istighfar, tahlil and swalawat. 

The first, istighfar, asking Allah (s.w.t.) for Forgiveness, is the foundation.  It is forbidden for a Muslim to stop his brother in Islam from saying. “astaghfirullah.”  None of us are infallible.  The same way we do something right today, we may do it wrong tomorrow.  Consequently, the Prophet (s.a.w.) has directed us, saying, “Your sickness is the sins and the remedy of your sickness is to say ‘astaghfirullah.’”  In addition, there are many verses in the Qur’an Advising us to say astaghfirullah.  For example, in Surah al-Hadid, we are told: 

سُوۡرَةُ الحَدید

سَابِقُوٓاْ إِلَىٰ مَغۡفِرَةٍ۬ مِّن رَّبِّكُمۡ … (٢١) 

Be you foremost (in seeking) Forgiveness from your Lord ... (Surah al-Hadid:21) 

And then, there is the example of our most excellent guide, the Prophet (s.a.w.).  This is in spite of the infallibility of his station, and what Allah (s.w.t.) has Stated clearly in Surah al-Fath: 

سُوۡرَةُ الفَتْح

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

إِنَّا فَتَحۡنَا لَكَ فَتۡحً۬ا مُّبِينً۬ا (١) لِّيَغۡفِرَ لَكَ ٱللَّهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِن ذَنۢبِكَ وَمَا تَأَخَّرَ وَيُتِمَّ نِعۡمَتَهُ ۥ عَلَيۡكَ وَيَہۡدِيَكَ صِرَٲطً۬ا مُّسۡتَقِيمً۬ا (٢) 

In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

Verily We have Granted you a manifest victory: That Allah may Forgive you your faults of the past and those to follow; Fullfill His Favour to you; and Guide you on the Straight Way. (Surah al-Fath:1-2) 

Despite this, the Prophet (s.a.w.) asked Allah’s (s.w.t.) Forgiveness more than one hundred times every day.  If that is the case with him, what about those of us who live in this corrupt time of disbelief and sin? 

The second principle is to say, “Laa ilaha illa Allah,” “There is none worthy of worship but God.”  In a hadits, the Prophet (s.a.w.) said, “The best words I have ever said together with the previous prophets are the words, ‘laa ilaha illa Allah.’” 

And, again, in Surah al-Baqarah: 

سُوۡرَةُ البَقَرَة

فَٱذۡكُرُونِىٓ أَذۡكُرۡكُمۡ وَٱشۡڪُرُواْ لِى وَلَا تَكۡفُرُونِ (١٥٢) 

Then do you remember Me; I will Remember you.  Be grateful to Me and reject not faith. (Surah al-Baqarah:152) 

And in Surah Ali ‘Imran: 

سُوۡرَةُ آل عِمرَان

ٱلَّذِينَ يَذۡكُرُونَ ٱللَّهَ قِيَـٰمً۬ا وَقُعُودً۬ا وَعَلَىٰ جُنُوبِهِمۡ وَيَتَفَڪَّرُونَ فِى خَلۡقِ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ رَبَّنَا مَا خَلَقۡتَ هَـٰذَا بَـٰطِلاً۬ سُبۡحَـٰنَكَ فَقِنَا عَذَابَ ٱلنَّارِ (١٩١) 

Men who celebrate the praises of Allah standing, sitting, and lying down on their sides, and contemplate the (wonders of) Creation in the Heavens and the Earth, (with the thought), “Our Lord!  Not for naught have You Created (all) this!  Glory to You!  Give us Salvation from the Penalty of the Fire.” (Surah Ali ‘Imran:191) 

And, again, in Surah al-Jumu’ah: 

سُوۡرَةُ الجُمُعَة

… وَٱذۡكُرُواْ ٱللَّهَ كَثِيرً۬ا لَّعَلَّكُمۡ تُفۡلِحُونَ (١٠) 

… and celebrate the Praises of Allah often (and without stint): that you may prosper. (Surah al-Jumu’ah:10) 

Surely, when Allah (s.w.t.), Who has no limit, Says to remember Him “often”, it is not to be taken lightly. 

And the third principle is swalawat ‘ala an-Nabi, the offering of salutations upon the Prophet (s.a.w.).  Allah (s.w.t.) has Ordered the community of the believers to offer prayers upon the Prophet (s.a.w.) just as He has Himself Done together with His angels: 

سُوۡرَةُ الاٴحزَاب

إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ وَمَلَـٰٓٮِٕڪَتَهُ ۥ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى ٱلنَّبِىِّۚ يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ صَلُّواْ عَلَيۡهِ وَسَلِّمُواْ تَسۡلِيمًا (٥٦) 

Allah and His angels, Send Blessings on the Prophet: O you that believe!  Send you blessings on him and salute him, with all respect. (Surah al-Ahzab:56) 

Moreover, the Prophet (s.a.w.) said, in another hadits, “Whoever offers one prayer upon me, Allah will Offer ten upon him.”  In another report, the Prophet (s.a.w.) said, “Whoever offers one prayer on me, Allah will Offer ten on him; if he makes it ten, Allah will Make it one hundred for him; if he makes it one hundred, Allah will Make it one thousand for him; if he makes it a thousand, he will enter Paradise shoulder-to-shoulder together with me.” 

Support for the dzikr of the Thariqa’ Tijaniyyah, thus, is solely derived from Qur’an and ahadits.