By a Shadhili Shaykh
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I Al- Mi‘raj A Bi-Monthly Magazine of ISRA International Islam – Iman - Ihsan Imam Abul Hassan Al Shadhili (R.A.'A) Special Dul Qa’adah 1437. The new mosque and Maqam of Imam Al Shadhili opened in 2014 in Humaythara Egypt 1 The new building covers an area of 4000 world. He was born in 571 Hijriyyah and meters and is built at a cost of 12 million passed away on Shawwal 12, in the year 656 Pounds. Shaykh Abul Hasan Shadhili is one of Hijriyyah in the valley of Humaythara a small the great Awliyya of the Ummah and a famous town near red sea in Egypt on his way to Sufi Master who is the founder of world perform Hajj in Mecca in the company of a famous Shadhili Tariqa. Imam large number of his disciples. Included in the Shadhili is known by the titles of Arif Billah Hajj caravan was Shaykh Abul ‘Abbas Al Mursi (knower by Allah) and Qutb Al Aqtab (pivot of who performed his Janaza prayer and became the pivots) by millions of Muslims around the the successor and the Khalifa of Imam Shadhi. Introducing Al-Mi’raj: The bimonthly magazine of ISRA It is with a deep sense of gratefulness to years or so. The Qur’an calls for “ Let there Allah (swt) and appreciation to the readers arise out of you a band of people inviting to of ISRA Newsletter; we (ISRA) are embarking all that is good, enjoining what is right and on a new journey of becoming a full-fledged forbidding what is wrong: they are the ones electronic spiritual Islamic magazine of ISRA. to attain felicity” (3:104).The ummah needs The magazine will speak for ISRA and will cleansing from the water of Tazkiyyah become the voice of the silent Muslim (purification), and Tasawwuf as expressions majority of the world insha Allah. At present of al-Ihsaan. this Muslim majority feels under siege from Tasawwuf is the heart of Islam and its forces of extremism, violence, hate, foundation. It is based on Qur’an and rejection, intolerance, division, and Sunnah and is the way of purification of soul domination. and acquiring of Prophetic Akhlaq (or The condition of the Muslim Ummah comportment, manners, characteristics and resembles like a man who has fallen into behavior). The water of cleansing the soul is deep mud hole and has lost his senses. He formed by the combination of Zikr Allah emerges from the hole only to find that his (swt) and Salat ‘Ala Rasool Allah (saws). entire being is covered by deep layers of The carrier of this water after the Prophet dark mud making him look alike a scary (saws) was the Ahl Al Bayt, the Sahaba, their beast or a ferocious monster. In this followers, and then the followers of the condition it becomes the duty of followers. The Deen was practiced as one conscientious members of the community to unit, one message with dimensions of Islam pour buckets of water on him to wash off (Fiqh), Iman (Aqidah) and Ihsaan (Tazkiyyah- the mud and dress him up in nice and bright Tasawwuf). Later under the guidance and clothing. care of the Saliheen and Awliyya, spiritual The ummah in this condition is like the man guilds were organized known as Tariqas. in mud and needs to wash off the ISRA was founded to revive totality of Deen blameworthy traits (mentioned earlier) it has and especially revive the lost third acquired gradually in the past two hundred dimension of Deen, namely Al-Ihsaan. During 2 the last 10 years ISRA had been publishing About Special Edition Remembering Imam ISRA Newsletter covering special days, Al-Shadhili (RAA) nights, festivals, events and matters related Historians disagree about the date of Wafath to Spirituality, Fiqh, heritage and breaking (passing) of Imam Shadhili. Shadhili tariqa news. The contents and subjects of the adherents in South Asia consider Shawwal articles had already transformed it into more 12, as the date of Wafath of Imam Shadhili. than a newsletter. Many people called it a There are others however who consider Dul mini magazine. When the last Ramadan Qa’adah 1, as the date of his passing. There issue came out we had a great reception and is not much detail information available many well-wishers thought that we should about this date. However since Shawwal and convert it into a magazine. Agreeing with Dhul Qa’adah are both linked with claims of their wishes and acclamations and turning to Imam Shadhili’s passing, this ISRA newsletter Allah (swt) for guidance and help we are is dedicated to revive the memory of his humbly taking this step. The newsletter will blessed life, teachings and his immense now be a bimonthly magazine to be known contributions to Islamic spirituality and as Al-Mi’raj, the magazine of ISRA. illuminations of hearts to Ma’rifah. In this Al-Mi’raj intends to help the ummah to August – September edition we are trying to acquire the praiseworthy traits of give you a spiritual taste of his life and the knowledge, inward purity, love, sincerity, contributions of Shadhili Tariqa in reviving humility, patience, remembrance, reflection, the Ihsanic dimension of Islam through the compassion, generosity, and good character. science of Tasawwuf and the practice of The purpose will be to lift the ummah to Prophetic Akhlaq (comportment and Adab). spiritual perfection through Qur’an & It is our intention to introduce the founders Sunnah and the spiritual wisdom of Awliyya of all major Tariqas and their teachings and and Saliheen. services in the future issues insha Allah. 3 A Glance at the Life of Sayyidina Imam Abul Hasan Al- Shadhili (R.A. ‘A) Founder of The Shadhiliyyah Tariqah May his soul rest in peace: Rahmatullahi Alayhee Wa Quddas Allahahu Sirrahu According to South Asian branches of Shadhiliyya Tariqah, Imam Shadhili had passed away on 12Th of Shawwal (1259 A.D.) 656 Hijri . Shadhilis in South Asia observed the Urs ceremony of Imam Shadhili on 12Th of Shawwal 1432 A.H. The following article is in memory of a great pole and founder of a major worldwide Tariqah namely, The Shadhilliyah.Taken fromThe Mystical Teachings of al-Shadhili by Ibn al- postulates on the meeting between al- Sabbagh's Durrat al-Asrar wa Tuhfat al Shadhili and Ibn Mashish by saying that, Abarar translation by Elmer H. Douglas "Early in Iife al-Shadhili went to [Ibn] sections from the book about his Life Mashish to take him as his spiritual guide. The book can be ordered from ISRA The venerable teacher recognized the www.IsraInternational.com 'saintly' qualities of the young man and gave through Kazi Books link him his final injunction to refrain from men Excerpts from the book and to depart to Tunisia:' Ibn Mashish "was by far the most important of al-Shadhili's Ibn al-Sabbagh gives the following teachers, one to whom he owed his biographical data about al-Shadhili. He was instruction in the Sufi way:' Ibn Mashish also born in the region of Ghumara, in today's laid the foundations of "the future life of Morocco, around A.H. 583 or A.D. 1187 .He Abu al-Hasan al-Shadhili:' embarked on a spiritual journey in search of a genuine Sufi shaykh or the qutb [pillar]. As Al-Shadhili's stay in Tunisia marks the a result, he travelled to Baghdad which was beginning of his career as a saint and still famous as a theological and intellectual theologian. It is on the basis of lbn al- center. There, he was told by an lraqi Sufi Sabbagh's biography that we can determine shaykh to go back to the West, to his with some accuracy al-Shadhili's life in homeland, because the qutb was there. Abd Tunisia and his struggle to form an al- Salam Ibn Mashish (d. 622/1225) was this independent Sufi movement. The account qutb. Ibn al-Sabbagh says that Ibn Mashish given by lbn .Ata' Allah in his biography does was a strict follower of the Qur'an and the not shed as much light on the Tunisian phase Sunna. He applied them in his Iife and of al-Shadhili as does Ibn al-Sabbagh's encouraged his disciples to do so. Douglas writings. Later authors of Shadhiliyya's 4 Tabaqat base their narratives on Ibn al- first shaykh of the Tariqa after death of al- Sabbagh's biography. Al-Shadhili's departure Shadhili in 656/1258. Ibn"' Ata' Allah (d. to Egypt, as already mentioned, marks the 709/1309-1310), the famous author of The second phase in his career, which had an Book of Wisdom and Lata'if al-mínan, Iasting effect on the future development of became the second Shaykh of the order the Shadhiliyya order. after the death of aI-Mursi in 686/1287. Therefore, in its gestation phase, the During his stay in Tunisia, he attracted many Shadhiliyya order was formed against the followers, who perceived in him great background of 'an urban surrounding not human and spiritual qualities, and who necessarily in revolt against it but as an considered him to be on the side of the poor outcome of the eXisting patterns of politic- and downtrodden in society. This popularity, religious and economic Iife:' however, won him the envy and the hatred of Ibn aI-Bara' the chief qadi of Tunisia, who, The Shadhiliyya, as well as other renowned according to Mackeen, charged al-Shadhili orders in Islam such as Badawiyya and "with Fatimid Ieanings:' However, a modern Dasuqiyya, continued to expand and flourish biographer of al-Shadhili, Abd aI-Halim after the thirteenth century.