THE SEAL OF MUHAMMADAN SAINTHOOD SEYYIDINA SHAYKH AHMAD TIJANI (RA). Part II: HIS EDUCATION: The education of the saint-child was entrusted to the famous and prestigious Muhammad Ibn Hamou Tidjani (dead in 1162) under the aegis of whom he memorized the whole Quran and this, when he was seven years old. Then he learned Islamic Jurisprudence (Fiqh) according to Imam Malick’s School of Law (May God be satisfied with him) and he studied the different books of jurisprudence with the “knower of ALLAH” (‘Arif billah) the scholar Sidi Mabrouk Ibn Bou‘afiya Madaoui Tidjani (May God be satisfied with him). Still very young, Seyyidina Ahmed Tijani (May God be satisfied with him) made himself known thanks to his intelligence and piety; it was the same for his virtues and his modesty. He was an assiduous student and had a surprising will to succeed; he always finished everything he started doing, he always completed it. One day during his childhood when he was getting out of his school he saw a huge light in front of him that was climbing up to the sky,then the Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him) appeared and enhanced him with these words: “Go on, for you are truly following the right way.” After this event, he ran away to find refuge in his aunt’s house not far from this spot; she covered him up and cheered him up, while she was preparing bread for him. The young child would see in dreams what was going to happen to him.In fact, he saw himself on a throne, managing and ordering multitudes of creatures.Once he saw the Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him) riding a horse in Ain Madhi and Seyyidina Sheikh was following him very closely; he wanted to ask him for something but preferred waiting that the Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him) dismount his horse to feel more at ease. When the Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him) got down, he (Peace and blessings be upon him) went to a field and started to pray. Seyyidina Ahmed Tijani (May God be satisfied with him) wanted to join him in his prayer but he only arrived at the moment of the second rak’a. He understood thanks to that dream that his wishes would be fulfilled only in the second part of his life, which was represented by the second rak’a. As the Saint Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him), Sheikh Ahmed Tijani (May God be satisfied with him) became an orphan. Indeed, in 1752/53 (1166H) when he was only 16 years old his father and his mother died the same day because of a plague outbreak. This event did not demoralize him and he kept studding with more determination. In 1757/58 (1171H) when he was 21, he left Ain Madhi under the impulsion of an extremely strong thirst of learning, he went to Fes which was at this time a well known city of knowledge with notably its famous University-Mosque: Qarawiyyin. This town was also a place where famous masters and saints used to meet and Seyyidina Sheikh Ahmed Tijani (May God be satisfied with him) visited them so as to take advantage from their blessings (Baraka). Every day, in company of the Qarawiyyin’s scholars, his knowledge was increasing. Finally, he got all the degrees that enabled him to teach all the science known by the Muslims of that time but his strong thirst to learn was not yet quenched. His efforts and fear of ALLAH, his modesty, his love of truth and his dislike of falsehood compelled everyone to respect him. One day he met a Sheikh who belonged to those who have the spiritual unveiling (kachf) and this man urged him to. go back to his native town, what he did; on. his way back he stopped at many Zaouia and met a great number of pious men. After leaving Ain Madhi, he went to Abiud Sidi Sheikh where he stayed with Sidi Sheikh Ben Eddin (May God be satisfied with him) for 5 years then he left for Tlemcen in 1767/68 (1181H). He was at that time 31 years old and taught there for many years. In Tlemcen, he was loved and respected by the scholars for his wide knowledge and wisdom. To those who asked him questions about the identity of the great erudite who would have taught him so much knowledge, he always answered: “I did not receive this science from one person only but from all those I met while traveling.” During all these past years. To be continued Insha Allah... © Pa Amadou Sohna. Barakallahu anhu. Ameen.
Posted on: Sat, 15 Mar 2014 05:37:08 +0000
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