Imam Abul Hassan ash-Shadhili ق, the Founder of the Shadhili Tariqah
Imam Abūl Hasan ash-Shādhilī ق, whose full name is Abū al-Hasan ʿAlī ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿAbd al-Jabbār al-Hasanī wal-Husaynī ash-Shādhilī [593 AH/1196 AD – 656 AH/1258 AD] is the founder of the Shādhilī tariqah.
The Shādhilī path is known to be scholastic in nature with its strict adherence to the Sacred Law grounded upon the Qurān and established Sunnah of our Beloved Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ. At the same time, the Shādhilī path is of shukr [gratitude], jadhb [attraction] and mushāhadah [divine witnessing], giving adherents of the path beautiful ecstatic experiences like no other.
Shādhilī Masters which are more well known in Singapore include Shaykh ibn ʿAṭā illāh of the Hikam, Imam Busiri of the Burdah, Imam al-Jazuli of the Dala’ilul Khayrat, Imam Suyuti of Tafsir al-Jalalayn and Al-Tibb al Nabawi, Sidi Martin Lings of Muhammad: His Life Based on the Earliest Sources, Shaykh Abdul Qadir ‘Isa of Realities of Sufism and Sidi Muhammad ibn al-Habib of the Diwan. More contemporary Shādhilī masters include Shaykh Muḥammad ‘Alāwī al-Maliki, Shaykh Muhammad al-Yaqoubi, Shaykh Nuh Ha Meem Keller, Shaykh Ali Gomaa, Shaykh Ebrahim Etsko Schuitema, Shaykh Shukri al-Luhafi, Shaykh Youssef al-Bakhour and Sīdī Moulay Hāshim al-Belghitī.
“If your own insights [kashf] contradict Quran and Sunnah, then hold on to the Quran and Sunnah, and leave your personal insights aside. Allah, the Exalted, vouchsafed the infallibility of the Quran and the Sunnah, but kahf is not so warranted, neither inspiration (ilham) nor vision (ru’ya).”
“Do not depend on your knowledge, your deeds and the help of others. Be with Allah, by Allah, and for Allah!”
Early life of Imam Shādhilī
Imam Abūl Hasan ash-Shādhilī ق was born in 1196 AD in a royal family of a business man in Bani Yafrah among the Berber Ghomara tribe, near Ceuta in the north of Morocco. He followed the Maliki madhab and traveled far in search of knowledge. Immensely learned as a young man, he was famous for his ability to engage in legal argumentation with the religions scholars of his day.
Meeting his Spiritual Master
As a young man, Imam Shādhilī ق set out to find the Qutb of his era and, though many travels, it was not until he reached Iraq that the Sufi master Sidi al-Wasiti told him that the purpose of his travels would be fulfilled by returning home. Returning home, Imam Shādhilī ق found a light rising above Jabal Alam. Ascending the mountain he made wudhu at a fountain at the base. Arriving at the top he saw Sidi Ibn Mashish ق reciting Qur'an with one of his sons. Their bodies seemed to be moving, though, as Imam Shādhilī ق approached he realised that it was the whole mountain that was swaying in harmony with their recitation.
Sidi Ibn Mashish ق addressed him, saying "you cannot come to us in a state of impurity, return and perform ablution.“ Imam Shādhilī ق returned to the spring at the bottom of the mountain and refreshed his ablution. Ascending again, Imam Shādhilī ق was rebuked a second time with the statement "we told you to return when you have purified yourself." On the decent, Imam Shādhilī ق pondered his repeated rejection until it became clear that the purification required of his was inward. Performing ablution again, Imam Shādhilī ق washed all of his attributes, perceptions, preconceived ideas and aspirations. It was in this state of total surrender that he entered the Path to Allah!
His Master now embraced him with the deep love of acceptance. He could find no words with which to return the greeting, but the Master said to him, “If you wish to fetch water, you take an empty bucket to the well to do so. A full bucket has no room for water.” With these words he took his beloved disciple by the hand and filled him, overflowing with the freshest of Springs!
“مَنْ دَلَّكَ عَلَى الدُّنْيَا فَقَدْ غَشَّكَ وَمَنْ دَلَّكَ عَلَى الْعَمَلِ فَقَدْ أَتَّعَبَكَ وَ مَنْز دَلَّكَ عَلَى اللهِ فَقَدْ نَصَحَكَ
Whoever directs to this world has cheated you, whoever directs you to deeds has exhausted you; but whoever directs you to Allah has truly counselled you.”
Spread of the Tariqah
Under Sidi ‘Abdussalam ibn Mashish’s guidance, Imam Shādhilī proceeded to spread his knowledge across North Africa, especially in Tunisia and Egypt, where he is buried. He entered a new retreat in a cave on top of Jabal Zaghwan accompanied by his first companion Abu Yahya Abdellah ibn Samala al-Habibi. After intense spiritual exercises in the Jabal Zaghwan region, he was ordered in a vision to teach Sufism.
He founded his first zawiya in Tunis in 1227 AD. During his early years in Tunis, Imam Shādhilī first taught forty students who were known as the forty friends (al-awliya al-arba'un). He drew masses of people from all walks of life, including the sultan's family. On one of his trips to the East, an Ayyubid sultan conferred on him and his descendants, by way of a religious endowment, one of the enormous towers that arose from the walls formerly encompassing the city of Alexandria in Egypt. Imam Shādhilī remained in Tunis for a number of years until Allah brought him a young man who was to become his successor and the inheritor of his station and his silsila, Sidi Abul Abbas al-Mursi from Murcia in Spain. The teachings of Imam Shādhilī were then codified by his 2nd successor Shaykh Ibn Ata illah al-Sakandari in Egypt. Imam Shādhilī died in 1258 in Humaithra, Egypt, while he was on his way to the pilgrimage in Mecca. His shrine is located there, between Marsa Alam and Aswan, and is highly venerated.
The Shadhili tariqah then spread through the world through its various branches with almost all of the branches through Imam Darqawi. Through Imam Darqawi, the teachings of Imam Shadhili have reached Singapore through branches such as the Habibi, Hashimi and Siddiqi branches.
“وَكَانَ حِينَ يُسْأَلُ لِمَ لَمْ تُؤَلَّفْ كُتُبًا؟ قَالَ: كُتُبِي أَصْحَابِي
When Imam Abu al-Hassan ash-Shadhili was asked why he did not write books, he replied: “My companions are my books.”
The Shadhili Way
Imam Abul Hassan ash-Shādhilī ق said, “Of all the Ways there are two: the Way of Suluk (travelling) and the Way of attraction (Jadhb). Our Way is the Way of Jadhb. Our beginning is their end. Their beginning is our completion.”
“If anyone finds a sweeter spring than this [path of ours], let them drink from it. ”
Shaykh Ibn ‘Ata’ illah as-Sakandari ق , whose works greatly aided in the spreading of the teachings of Imam Shadhili ق, says in the Hikam, “He who is illumined in the beginning is illumined in the end.” Thus, the Shadhili way is firmly based on the haqiqah (reality) with the certainty that illumination in both our beginning and end are in His Presence and by His Grace.”
Sidi Ahmad az-Zarruq ق , commenting on this, said, “The variety in a branch is due to the variety of its origin. The origin of Tasawwuf is in the station of ‘Ihsan and it splits into two kinds: ‘to worship Allah as though you saw Him’ and ‘knowing that if you do not see Him, He sees you.’ The first is the degree of the Knower; the latter is the degree of the Seeker. The Folk of ash-Shādhilī revolve around the first and Folk of al-Ghazali revolve around the other.”
Shaykh Ibn ‘Ata’ illah as-Sakandari ق said, “Do not think that the majdhub (attracted) has no path. He has a path that has been enveloped by inayatullah (providential solicitude of Allah) so that his way has been speedily expedited. Too often we hear that the salik (traveller) is more perfect than the attracted due to the salik’s experience of the Path and the majdhub’s lack of experience. This is not true. He does not miss it but misses only its hardships and the length.” Thus al-jadhb (attraction) was a necessary prerequisite for the al-qawm (Folk) who took the Way of our Shaykh as the Shādhilī Way was par excellence that of mushahadah (witnessing) Allah at the beginning of the Way which in turn fostered a great concern with kashf (intuition) in contrast to the other ways more concerned with the aql (the rational faculty).
Shaykh Ibn ‘Ata’ illah as-Sakandari ق , to whom we are so indebted for our knowledge of the Imam Shādhilī ق, made abundantly clear that the Way of Arrival to al-ma’rifah (the knowledge of Allah) by insight, direct witnessing, and tasting at the beginning was the way of the elite who are the chosen of Allah whilst the Way of Arrival to Allah by intellect, reason and proofs was the way of the commoners who have been chosen by Allah. He indicates that arrival to the knowledge of Allah is not attained by jihad (struggle) with the nafs (self), neither by obedience nor good deeds, for these are the product of ‘irddah (human will) and humans have no will in relation to the Will of Allah. Man cannot reach Allah by his will alone, not by renouncing himself, humiliating himself, or destroying himself for “there is no logical nexus between the transcendent and the contingent.” Arrival to the knowledge of Allah stems from the providential solicitude of Allah. Real and ineffable sanctifying grace in conjunction with amorous wisdom. The ‘spiritual life’ is not so much a question of choice as it is a matter of vocation and an abiding sense of having been chosen in eternity on the day of ‘Alastu bi rabbikum? [7:172] Allah!
! أَلَسْتُ بِرَبِّكُمْ ? قَالُوا بَلَىٰ شَهِدْنَا
Alastu bi rabbikum? Qalu bala shahidna!
"Am I not your Lord?" They said, "Yes we have witnessed." [7:172]
Shaykh Ibn ‘Ata’ illah as-Sakandari ق mentioned In his book Kitab fi ‘Isqat at-Tanwir fi ‘Isqdt at-Taddblr {Light on the Cessation of Self Direction), “Know that al-haqq (The Truth) has always taken the best of care for you throughout all of your life since He brought you into existence on the yawm al-muqadir, the Day of “Am I not your Lord”, and you said, “Yes, we bear witness!” [7:172] Among the signs of His Care is that He caused you to know Him. He revealed Himself to you and you witnessed Him. It was He who made you speak and inspired you to affirm His rububiyyah (Lordship) and so witness His Oneness.” Allah!
Shaykh Abul ‘Abbas al-Mursi ق related that a certain man asked Imam Abul Hasan ash-Shādhilī ق, “Who is your spiritual guide Sidi?” He said to him, “In the beginning it was Sidi ‘AbdusSalam Ibn Mashish ق. At present I draw from ten seas, five of the sons of ‘Adam and five of spiritual origin. The five sons of ‘Adam are our Master Muhammad ﷺ and his companions, Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthman and ‘Ali. The five of spiritual origin are Jibril, Mika’il, Israfil, ‘Izra’il and ar-Ruh (the Holy Spirit).” Hence the Shādhilī way, though traceable back through Sidi ‘AbdusSalam Ibn Mashish, really has its beginning with Imam Abul Hassan ash-Shādhilī ق .
Habib Umar al-Hafiz ق commented on the Shādhilī path: “Most spiritual paths have a foundation that is either Shādhilī or Ghazalian. Both the Ghazali and Shādhilī paths are founded upon spiritual striving (mujahadah) but the Ghazalian method begins by focusing on the external aspect and then works towards the internal whereas the Shādhilī method begins internally. Both methods agree that obligatory actions must be performed, prohibited actions must be avoided and supererogatory actions should be performed in abundance. Mujahadah according to the Shādhilī method focuses on attaining constant presence of heart with Allah, awareness of His bounty and showing gratitude to Him.
Works
Hizbul Bahr (Litany of the Sea) of Imam Shādhilī
Hizbul Nur (Litany of the Light) of Imam Shādhilī
Hizbul Rizq (Litany of Sustenance) of Imam Shādhilī
Hizbul Tawassul (Litany of Intercession) of Imam Shādhilī
Hizbun Najaah (Litany of Success) of Imam Shādhilī
Hizbul Kifayah (Litany of Contentment) of Imam Shādhilī
Wiridul Aam (The General Litany) of Imam Shādhilī
General Shādhilī Awrad
After Fajr: Surah Yaseen, Wiridul Aam of Imam Shadhili
After Asar: Surah al-Waqiah, Hizbul Bahr of Imam Shadhili
After Maghrib: Wiridul Aam of Imam Shadhili
After Isya: Surah al-Mulk, Selawat Mashishiyyah of Sidi ‘Abdussalam Ibn Mashsih
Every Friday: Surah al-Kahf
