Shadhili

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The Tariqa ash Shadhiliya is the Sufi order founded by Abu-l-Hassan ash-Shadhili. Followers, or murids (Arabic: seekers), of the Shadhiliya, are often known as Shadhilis.

It is the most popular Sufi order in North Africa and many of its followers have made great contributions to Arab and Islamic literature, most notably Sheikh Ibn 'Ata Allah, author of the 'Hikam' amongst other works, Sheikh Ahmed Zarruq, who died in Libya, who was the author of a commentary upon the Risala of al-Qayrawani (a standard work in Maliki Islamic jurisprudence) and a commentary upon the Hikam, he also wrote extensively on religion (Sufism) and law. Sheikh ibn Ajibah who wrote a commentary upon the Qur'an. Many of the sheikhs of al-Azhar University in Egypt have also been followers of the Shadhili tariqa.

The Swedish impressionist painter and Sufi scholar Sheikh Abd Al-Hadi Aqhili (1869-1917) was the first official Moqaddam (representative) of the Shadhili Order in Western Europe.

The Hamadiyya Shadhili branch is most popular. The Darqawi Shadhili branch is found mostly in Morocco and the Alawiyya (no connection to the Turkish or Syrian Alawi or Alevi groups) is found mostly in Algeria but now also in Syria, Jordan, and France amongst French North-Africans. The British Muslim convert Martin Lings wrote an extensive biography of the founding Sheikh of this branch, Sheikh Ahmad al-Alawi, entitled 'A Sufi Saint of the 20th century' (ISBN 0-946621-50-0)

Contents 1 Early Origins 2 Important Figures 3 Branches 4 The Spiritual Chain 5 External links

[edit] Early Origins

(By permission of Dr. Alan Godlas to post to Wikipedia) ([1]) "The Shadhiliya Order, named after Abu al-Hasan al-Shadhili (d. 656 AH/1258 CE), whose tomb is at Humaythra on Egypt's Red Sea coast, has branches throughout North Africa and the Arab world. It has also become established in Europe and the United States. One shaykh who has brought the Shadhiliya to the U.S. is Sidi Shaykh Muhammad al-Jamal ar-Rifa'i as-Shadhili[2]. The Shadhiliya derives from the tariqat of Abu Madyan Shu'ayb (d. 594 AH/1198 CE), whose tomb is in Tlemcen, Algeria. A recent book, The Way of Abu Madyan, by the scholar Vincent Cornell, provides his biography, a discussion of his teachings, and a number of texts written by Abu Madyan and translated into English along with the original Arabic.[3]"

[edit] Important Figures

1. Abu Madyan

2. Abd al-Salam ibn Mashish (d. 625 H/1228 CE), another disciple of Abu Madyan, who transmitted his teachings to Abu-l Hassan ash Shadhili.

3. Abu-l-Hassan ash-Shadhili

4. Abu-l-'Abbas al-Mursi (d. 686 AH/1287 CE), whose shrine is in Alexandria, Egypt. From another angle, visit the Mosque and Tomb of al-Mursi.

5. Ibn 'Ata Allah Iskandari (d. 709/1309 in Cairo), who wrote the text The Key to Salvation: A Sufi Manual of Invocation (Miftah al-Falah) (chapter available here). Another of Ibn 'Ata Allah's works is the Hikam (maxims or aphorisms), partially translated here by Ayesha Bewley.

6. An important Shadhili shaykh in Morocco was al-Jazuli (d. between 869/1465 and 875/1461), whose fame was spread throughout the Muslim world by his collection of prayers titled Dala'il al-Khairat. The order founded by him, the Jazuliya, as well as other Moroccan Sufi orders and saints, are discussed by Prof. Vincent Cornell in his recent book Realm of the Saint: Power and Authority in Moroccan Sufism.[4]

7. Sidi Mohammed Bennacer Edderai (1603-1674) from Tamegroute, Morocco, leader of the order of the Naciriyyin.

8. Muhammad 'Ali Ba'Alawi, from whom the 'Alawiya Order, also known as the Ba'Alawiya Order, derives.[5] See a brief summary of The Way of the Bani Alawiyah - At-Tariqah al-'Alawiyah.[6]

9. Shaykh Ahmad al-Alawi al-Mostaghanimi, Algeria, arguably the greatest Sufi Master of the 20th Century. Dr. Martin Ling's superlative account of this North African Sufi Master, is a classic in the genre.

10. Shaykh Isa-Nuraddin Ahmad al-Alawi al-Darqawi al-Maryami (1907-1998) rahmat allah alehi. Sometimes known as Frithjof Schuon, author of magisterial books on mysticism, philosophy and sacred art, this master of illumination, successor to Shaykh Ahmad al-Alawi, rahmat allah alehi, the Isawi seal of universal sancity. Dr.Martin Lings, among other authors on metaphysics, art and religion, a disciple of this most illustrious Swiss Master.

[edit] Branches

One Moroccan branch of the Shadhili order is the Darqawiyya, founded in the late 18th century (CE) by Mawlay al-'Arbi al-Darqawi. Selections from the Letters of Shaykh al-Darqawi have been translated by the scholar Ayesha Bewley.[7] One of the first tariqas to become established in the West was the 'Alawiya branch of the Darqawiya,[8] which was named after Shaykh Ahmad ibn Mustafa al-'Alawi al-Mustaghanimi, popularly known as Shaykh al-Alawi. A significant book about him, written by Martin Lings, is titled A Sufi Saint of the Twentieth Century.

A branch of the 'Alawi Order is the 'Attasiyah Order. The order is centered in Yemen but also has zawiyas (hospices) in Pakistan, India, and Myanmar. The 'Alawiya order in the Yemen has recently been studied by the anthropologist, David Buchman. In his article titled "The Underground Friends of God and Their Adversaries: A Case Study and Survey of Sufism in Contemporary Yemen," Professor Buchman summarizes the results of his six month period of fieldwork in Yemen. The article was originally published in the journal Yemen Update, vol. 39 (1997), pp. 21-24.

A Shadhili shaykh who has established centers in the West has been Shaykh Abdalqadir al-Murabit, a Scottish convert to Islam, whose lineage is Shadhili-Darqawi. Currently his order is known as the Murabitun. At other times his order has been known as the Darqawiya and Habibiya. One of the first books that Shaykh Abdalqadir wrote was The Book of Strangers, which he authored under the name Ian Dallas. For a brief anecdote of Shaykh Abdalqadir in the early 1970's, go here.

Still another contemporary order deriving, in part, from Shaykh Abdalqadir al-Murabit is the al-Haydariyah al-Shadhiliyah, headed by Shaykh Fadhlalla Haeri. Of Shi'ite descent, Shaykh Fadhlalla, nevertheless, neither teaches within a Shi'i nor a Sunni framework.

There is another branch of the Shadhili-Darqawi Order known as the Shadhili-Darqawi-Hashimi branch, which is firmly established in both Damascus and Jordan. This branch of the Shadhili tariqa was established through Muhammad al-Hashimi al-Tilmisani who had migrated as a young man from North Africa to Damascus with his spiritual guide (murshid), whowas a disciple of Sheikh Ahmad al-'Alawi (see above Martin Lings). Sheikh Muhammad al-Hashimi received his authorization (ijaza) to be a murshid of the Shadhili tariqa from Sheikh Ahmad al-'Alawi when the latter was visiting Damacus in the early 1920's. Perhaps the most well known spiritual guide (murshid) in the West of this branch of the Shadhili tariqa is Nuh Ha Mim Keller, an American convert to Islam who resides in Amman, Jordan. His writings are available here.

Between October 17-26, 1999, the First International Shadhilian Festival occurred Egypt. It concluded with a pilgrimage to the tomb of Abu 'l-Hasan al-Shadhili and involved Sufi gatherings of dhikr and chanting.

The Burhaniya or Burhamiya, named after Shaykh Burhan al-Din Ibrahim al-Dasuqi (d. 687/1288), sometimes regarded as derived from the Shadhili order and sometimes from the Rifa'i order, is an order active today in Egypt. A branch in Australia is led by Murshid F. A. Ali El Senossi whose organization is called the Almiraj Sufi and Islamic Study Centre.

[edit] The Spiritual Chain

The (silsila) of the Shadhili order is as follows:

• The Prophet Muhammad
• The Caliph Ali ibn Abi Talib
• Imam Husayn
• Sheikh Muhammad Jarbadi
• Sheikh Sa'id Qirwani
• Sheikh Fatih Mas'udi
• Sheikh Abu al-Qasim Mirwani
• Sheikh Abu Ishaq Ibrahim Basri
• Sheikh Qutubuddin Mahmud Qazwini
• Sheikh Shamsuddin
• Sheikh Tajuddin
• Sheikh Abu al-Hasan Ali
• Sheikh Taqiuddin Sufi
• Sheikh Sharafuddin Madani
• Sheikh Abdus Salam ibn Mashish
• Sheikh Nuruddin Abu al-Hasan ash Shadhili

[edit] External links

• Website for the students of Sheikh Nuh Ha Mim Keller
• Shaykh Ibrahim Institute
• Attasia Tariqa (Arabic)
• Damascus Breeze Memories of Sheikh Abdur Rahman Shaghouri, the murshid of Sheikh Nuh Keller.
• Sidi Shaykh Muhammad al-Jamal, his teachings and books
• The Shadhiliya Sufi Center in California follows Sidi Muhammad al-Jamal
• The Shadhili Darqawi 'Alawi branch
• A biography of Sheikh Muhammad ibn al Habib of the Darqawi branch
• Tariqa Burhaniya as Shadhiliya
• The Fons Vitae Ibn 'Ata'Allah Translation Book Series
• The Founders of the Shadhili Order