A Muslim Convert Once Before

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ Shaykh Yusuf al-Kuzani al-‘Ajami ( q.s. ) reported, in his Risalah , that Sayyidina ‘Ali ibn Abu Thalib ( k.w. ) once implored the Prophet ( s.a.w. ), saying, “O Messenger of Allah, guide me to the nearest of the paths toward Allah ( s.w.t. ), the easiest of them for His servants, and the best of them in the sight of Allah ( s.w.t .).”   The Prophet ( s.a.w. ) replied, “O ‘Ali, you must make a constant practice of remembering Allah ( s.w.t. ) in the places of private retreat.”   Sayyidina ‘Ali ( k.w. ) then asked, “Does this excellent merit of the remembrance depend on its being practiced by all people?”   The Prophet ( s.a.w. ) replied, “O ‘Ali, the Final Hour will not arrive, so long as someone on the face of the earth is saying, ‘ Laa ilaha illa Allah .’”   Sayyidina ‘Ali ( k.w. ) then asked, “So, how should I perform the remembrance, O Messenger of Allah?”   To this, he replied, “You must close your eyes and h...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ   The following is adapted from an extract of Kitab Rimaḥ Hizb ar-Rahim ‘ala Nuḥur Hizb ar-Rajim of Shaykh ‘Umar ibn Sa’id al-Futi Thal ( r.a. ).   We should know that the full name of our spiritual path comprises several adjectival names arranged in this order al-Ahmadiyyah al-Muhammadiyyah al-Ibrahimiyyah al-Hanifiyyah Tijaniyyah .  If one wishes, he may call it, Thariqat al-Ahmadiyyah , or Thariqat al-Muhammadiyyah , or Thariqat al-Ibrahimiyyh al-Hanifiyyah , or Thariqat at-Tijaniyyah .   In Bahjat an-Nufus , Shaykh Abu Muhammad ‘Abdullah ibn Sa’di ibn Abu Jamrah ( r.a. ) said, “Suppose a question is raised about giving it several names while other spiritual Paths have single name, my answer will be, ‘It has been given many names because it is endorsed with excellent merits and special qualities, with which others are not endowed, and the multiplicity of names is indicative of the superiority of the object named.’” ...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ The following is an explanation of the vision of the Prophet ( s.a.w. ) in daylight, extracted from Section 8 of the Rimah al-Hizb ar-Rahim of Shaykh ‘Umar ibn Sa’id al-Futi Thal ( q.s. ). This section is concerned with informing the brethren that the saints behold the Prophet ( s.a.w. ) in a state of wakefulness, and that he is present at every meeting or place he wished, with his body and his spirit.  He moves freely and travels wherever he will, and he is in the shape he was in before his death, with no part of him having altered.  He is invisible, just as the angels are invisible, despite their being alive in their bodies.  If Allah ( s.w.t. ) Wished to let a servant behold him, He Removes the veil from Him, so he sees him in his physical shape.  Success is achieved with the Help of Allah ( s.w.t. ), for He is the Guide by His Grace to the Straight Path.   In Lawaqih al-Anwar al-Qudsiyyah fi al-Uhud al-Muhammadiyya...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ This is an adapted selection from a classic work written by Shaykh ‘Umar ibn Sa’id al-Futi Thal ( q.s. ).   He was the Tijaniyyah shaykh of the Sudan and Niger region.   This selection comes from ar-Rimah al-Hizb ar-Rahim ‘ala Nahur al-Hizb ar-Rajim . “The Spears of the League of the Merciful Thrown at the Necks of the League of the Accursed,” which is a book written in defense of the religion, the awliya’ullah , thuruq and the Tijaniyyah Thariqa’ in particular.   Success is achieved with the help of Allah ( s.w.t. ) for He is the Guide by His Grace to the straight path.   With regards to presenting the reward for our good deeds to the Prophet ( s.a.w. ), there are two questions relating to this subject.   Does the Prophet ( s.a.w. ) benefit by what we present to him of good deeds and if not, does that benefit revert to us?   Is presenting the Reward to him permissible in the shari’ah ?   As for the first...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ   This is an adapted selection from a classic work written by Shaykh ‘Umar ibn Sa‘id al-Futi Thal ( q.s. ).   He was the Tijaniyyah shaykh of the Sudan and Niger region.   This selection comes from ar-Rimah al-Hizb ar-Rahim ‘ala Nahur al-Hizb ar-Rajim , “The Spears of the League of the Merciful Thrown at the Necks of the League of the Accursed,” which is a book written in defense of the religion, the awliya’ullah , thuruq and the Thariqa’ Tijaniyyah in particular.   Success is achieved with the help of Allah ( s.w.t. ), for He is the Guide by His Grace to the Straight Path.   As we should know, that fact of life is inferred from Allah ’ s ( s.w.t. ) Saying in the Qur’an:   سُوۡرَةُ الاٴنعَام وَمَا مِن دَآبَّةٍ۬ فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَلَا طَـٰٓٮِٕرٍ۬ يَطِيرُ بِجَنَاحَيۡهِ إِلَّآ أُمَمٌ أَمۡثَالُكُم‌ۚ ... (٣٨)   There is not an animal (that lives) on the earth, nor a being that flies on its wings, but (forms ...