The conditions of Tijaniya fiqh.
The Tijaniyya litanies are all based on expressions which come from the Quran and the Sunnah. Reciting them is an inexhaustible source of blessings and neglecting or abandoning them is an opened door to misfortunes. The litanies must be recited only with an authorization of a muqaddam whose transmittal channel is authentic. The other conditions of the validity of the mandatory litanies of the Tidjaniya are:
There are three obligatory litanies or “wird”: “LAAZIM” – “WAZIFA” – “HAILALA”
-The follower must have ablution with water or Tayyamoun, according to the Sharia rules.
-The purification of the body, the clothes and the area, according to the prayer rules is required.
-The follower is required to cover his body (awrah) as for salat (prayers)
-The follower must formulate the intention
-The disciple must not speak during the mandatory litanies of the Tariqa Tidjaniya, from the beginning to the end, except by necessity in which case he can communicate by gestures, and if he is not understood, then he can say one or two words.
There are three exceptions to this rule: the follower can answer freely when addressed by his parents, the wife (disciple) to her husband, and the follower to his Sheikh (his Muqaddam). The follower must refrain from eating and drinking during the mandatory litanies, doing such can invalidate the zikr.
Anyone who does not respect one of these conditions above-cited, his evocations are invalidated and he has to do them again. Besides, it is very important to perform the Wadhifa and the ‘Asrou (Hadra Friday after salatul ‘Asr) in congregation whenever it is possible, pronouncing them aloud and harmoniously with the other brothers.
Furthermore, understanding the meaning of what is recited, uttering distinctly, visualizing Seyidina Ahmed Tijani (may Allah be satisfied with him) and better our Noble Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), all that helps to take the maximum advantage of the litanies.
I. THE LAZIM (WIRD)
The Lazim is composed of these three mandatory pillars (in this order), Say:
1. “Astaghfirullah”: 100 times – I am asking for forgiveness to Allah:
2. “Salat ‘ala Nabi”: 100 times, which means to send prayers upon the Prophet Muhamad (peace and blessings be upon him).
3. “La Ilaha illallah”:100 times: “There is no God but ALLAH”
Notes: One can recite any of the salat ala nabi but the best one is Salatul Fatihi: “Allahumma salli ‘ala Sayyidinaa Muhammadin el faatihi limaa ughliqa, wal khaatimi limaa sabaqa, naasiri-l-haqqi bil haqqi wal haadi ilaa siraatiqa-l-mustaqiim, wa ‘alaa aalihi haqqa qadrihi wa miqdaarihi-l-‘aziim.”
Salatul Fatihi is a particular prayer that the Prophet (prayers and peace be upon him) ordered Seyyidina Ahmed Tijani (may Allah sanctify his precious secret) to recite and to transmit and that in wakefulness in broad daylight. The Pole (Qutb) Sidi Muhammad El Bakri (may Allah be pleased with him) had already got the authorization from the prophet, but to a certain degree. To obtain that benefit, he went on a spiritual retreat for several years in Mecca with the intention that ALLAH (The Glorified and The Exalted) would teach him a formula of salat ala nabi (prayer on the prophet) that is more powerful than all the other ones gathered with their secrets. And indeed, it was revealed to him. An angel came to him with a crystal tablet on which Salatul Fatihi was written, readable miraculously from both sides of it. But he kept it as a secret because this prayer was exclusively reserved for the coming time of the Hidden Pole (i.e. Seyyidina Sheikh Ahmed Tijani) and his disciples. Salatul Fatihi’s merits are very numerous, Seyyidina Ahmed Tijani (may Allah be satisfied with him said): “If there were 100000 communities, and each of these communities was constituted of 100000 tribes, and each of these tribes was formed of 100000 men, and each these men lived 100000 years, and each of these men recites everyday 100000 salat ‘ala Nabi other than Salatul Fatihi, then all these rewards would not reach the reward of only one Salatul Fatihi.
3. After the hundredth “La Ilaha illAllah”, we have to say: “Sayyidunaa Muhammadun Rasulullah. ‘alayhi Salamullah”
TIME OF THE WIRD
The Lazim is an obligatory wird performed alone, in a low voice, twice a day: morning and evening. Missed obligatory wird has to be make up. The time to perform the morning wird begins from Subh Prayer till Duha al A’la (about midday), it is the preferred time. The time of necessity, in case of valid excuse, extends from Duha al ‘Ala to the Maghreb Prayer (the sunset).
The morning Lazim can’t be accomplished between the Fajr and Subh Prayers.
The morning wird can be advanced in the night after the ‘Isha Prayer and a lapse of time enough to recite five sub-parts (hizb) of Quran (i.e. about 1:30 hours after ‘Isha Prayer time), but in this case it must be finished before the Azan of the Fajr, otherwise we must redo it. During the night, before Fajr, the reward is greater. Seyyidina Ahmed Tijani (may ALLAH be pleased with him) said: “The evocation of the wird during the night is equivalent to five hundred times his evocation during the day, and this is true for all good deeds.”
The time to perform the evening wird begins from ‘Asr Prayer till ‘Icha Prayer, it is the preferred time. The time of necessity, in case of valid excuse, extends from ‘Icha Prayer to the Fajr Prayer (the dawn).
It is possible to perform in advance the evening Lazim with three conditions:
1. Like the morning Lazim, the evening Lazim can only be advanced before the Fajr Prayer (i.e. during the night which precedes the day but never before the ‘Asr or Dhor Prayers).
2. It can be anticipated because of an impediment whose we think it will cover the entire period of preferable time of the evening Lazim (so from the Asr to the Isha). And then, even if the hitch ends during this period, the evening Lazim done in advance remains valid.
3. In the case of performing the evening Lazim in advance (during the night before the Fajr prayer), we must perform it before the morning Lazim. So the order is: morning Lazim in advance and then evening Lazim in advance. The suitable intention must be formulated before the wird each time.
It is reported by Sidi Taieb Sefiani in Ifadat-l-Ahmediya that Seyyidina Ahmed Tijani (may ALLAH sanctify his precious secret) said: “Whoever wants to make in advance the wird of the Asr (i.e. the evening Lazim), he can do it only if there is a hitch at this time, in this case he has to do it in advance during the night.”
II. THE WAZIIFA
The Waziifa must be performed in congregation whenever it is possible, arranging the rows properly, reciting loud.
The Waziifa is composed of these four mandatory pillars (in this order):
a- 30 times the following well-known expression of Istighfaar: “Astaghfirullah Al ‘Aziim alazii laa ilaaha illaa Huwal-Hayyul-Qayyoum” (I ask forgiveness from ALLAH, The Great One, no God exists but Him, The Ever Living One, The Self Existing One)
b- 50 times Salaatul Faatihi (during the Waziifa, we can NOT recite another prayer upon the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, otherwise it is invalidated as Sidi ‘Arabi ibn Saa-ih said, may ALLAH be satisfied with him)
c- 100 times “La Ilaaha illa laah” (There is no God but Allah, say right after) “Seyyidunaa Muhammadu Rasoulullaah, Alayhi Salaamullaah”
d- 12 times Djawharatul Kamaal (a special prayer upon the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him). Mandatory conditions to recite the Djaw-haratul-Kamaal:
– Ablution with water
Time of Waziifa
The Wadhifa is to be performed once or twice a day.
If the Wadhifa is accomplished twice a day, the time to perform it is the same than the Lazim.
If the Wadhifa is performed only once a day, its time begins from the ‘Asr Prayer to the ‘Asr Prayer of the next day and the period of necessity, in case of valid excuse, extends to the Maghreb Prayer of this next day.
NOTE
Women can attend the Wazeefa:
– They should not occupy the same room as men. But if there is only one room for the group, they sit at the back in a discrete section.
– Women must not recite aloud (as for the five daily Prayers.
III THE HAYLALA (THE HADRA OF THE FRIDAY, THE ‘ASRU)
The Haylala (other names: Hadra, ‘Asru) is the Friday’s dhikr to perform between ‘Asr and Maghreb Prayers.
Like the Wadhifa, the Friday’s Hadra must be performed in congregation whenever it is possible, arranging the ranks properly, reciting loud. If there is no congregation to join, do it alone.
It is performed only the Friday, and only between ‘Asr and Maghreb Prayers, the best time is just before the Azan of the Maghreb Prayer. If not accomplished during this lapse of time, we can’t make up for it.
Seyyidina Ahmed Tijani (may ALLAH be satisfied with him) said that if it is not performed during this period (i.e. between the ‘Asr and Maghreb Prayers of the Friday) without a valid excuse, the follower has to know that he has missed a huge blessing that he will not be able to make up.
The Haylala is composed of one single pillar:
Recitation of 1000 or 1200 or 1600 times “La Ilaha illAllah”,
