Orisons & Origins

of the School of the Sḫādḫdḫuliyyah

ORISONS, Volume One

ORISONS, Volume One

This beautiful and profusely illustrated book contains all the major ʾAḥzāb (pl. for Ḥizb), Litanies or Orisons, transmitted by Sḫaykḫ ʿAli ʾAbū-l-Ḥasan asḫ-Sḫādḫdḫulī, the 7th/13th century Magḫribi founder of one of the principal schools (ṭuruq) of Sufism - Ṭarīqah Sḫāddḫuliyyah - one that remains active in the present age both in the East and the West.

The ʾAḥzāb are the oral teachings of the Sḫaykḫ, may Allāh preserve his secret, transmitted through his pupils. They are litanies, collections of selected verses from the Qur’ān interspersed with duʿāʾ. Each one has its own character and utility in the practice of the student (murīd). They may be assigned by a sḫaykḫ; they also may be read as the student finds the need. Several of them, particularly Ḥizbu-l-Baḥr, are read all over the Muslim world by the Sḫādḫdḫulī and non-Sḫādḫdḫulī folk alike.

Dr. Sḫaykḫ ʾIbrahīm Muḥammad al-Baṭṭawi, Sḫaykḫ of Ṭarīqah Sḫāddḫuliyyah, may Allāh preserve his secret, said: “These supplications are true worship of Allah, pleasure in confiding in Him, the pleasure of being near Him, the pleasure of contentment with Allāh and the pleasure of happiness in what Allāh fulfills by answering you and shedding His mercies on you on your behalf."

INTRODUCTION AND COMMENTARY

The 99 page Introduction and Commentary places Sḫaykḫ ʾAbū-l-Ḥasan asḫ-Sḫādḫdḫul Shaykh Abu-l-Hasan in his spiritual, doctrinal and historical context as well as providing numerous extracts derived from his oral lessons recorded by his pupils Sḫaykḫ Abū-l-ʿAbbās Aḥmad al-Mursī and Sḫaykḫ Tāj-ad-Dīn Ibn ʿAṭāʾ Illāh as-Sakandarī, as well as their immediate companions and followers.

This section includes preface, appendices, bibliography, glossary of technical Sufic terms and index of contents.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

  • Introduction
  • The Times
  • The Life of Our Sḫaykḫ
  • The Way of Our Sḫaykḫ
  • The Legacy
  • His Successor, Sḫaykḫ Abū-l-ʿAbbās Aḥmad al-Mursī
  • Sḫaykḫ Tāj-ad-Dīn Ibn ʿAṭāʾ Illāh as-Sakandarī
  • Sḫaykḫ Yakūt al-ʿArshi Al-Ḥabasḫi
  • The Initiatic Chain Of Spiritual Transmission

TEXTS & PRAXIS

The texts of the ʾAḥzāb are printed in the original Arabic and are translated into clear English as well as transliterated for liturgical use by non-Arabic speaking readers.

The eight texts of the Sḫaykḫ are prefaced by an important prayer by his teacher Sḫaykḫ ʿAbd as-Salām ʾIbn Masḫisḫ (ṢALĀTU-L-MASḪĪSḪĪYAH) and a teaching poem called Guidance for the Wayfarer (DALĪL LI-ʾIBNI-S-SABĪL) by his other teacher, Sḫaykḫ Abū Madyan al-Gḫawtḫ.

In addition to ʾAḥzāb there are eight examples of oral and meditative practices (ʾadḫkār), described, and translated & transliterated for non-Arabic speaking readers.

In a section below you can find descriptions and texts of individually published Aḥzāb and ʾAdḫkār.

Example

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TEXTS

  • Guidance for the Wayfarer: DALĪL LI-ʾIBNI-S-SABĪL
  • The Prayer of ʾIbn Masḫisḫ: ṢALĀTU-L-MASḪĪSḪĪYAH
  • Orisons of the Sea: ḤIZBU-L-BAḤR
  • Orison of the Earth: ḤIZBU-L-BARR
  • Orison of Opening: ḤIZBU-L-FATḤ
  • Orison of Victory: ḤIZBU-L-NAṢR
  • Orisons of the Signs: ḤIZBU-L-ĀYĀT
  • Orison of the Sḫaykḫ: ḤIZBU-ASḪ-SḪAYKḪ
  • Orison of the Most Tender Mercy: ḤIZBU-L-LUṬF


PRAXIS

  • The Circle of Victory and Opening: DĀʿIRATU-L-FATḤ
  • The Names of the Noble Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ
  • Daily Exercise of aṣ-Ṣalātul-Masḫīsḫ
  • The Beautiful Names of Allāh: ʾASMĀʾ U-LLAHI-L-ḤUSNĀʾ
  • Loud Following the Beautiful Name of Allah: TḪANAʾI
  • The Universal Source of the Sḫādḫdḫulīyyah: AL-WIRD
  • The Gathering of the Presence: AL-ḤAḌRAH
  • Murāqabah: Circulation of The Light of Remembrance

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ORIGINS, Volume Two

ORIGINS, Volume Two

The second volume thoroughly details the life and teaching of the first four masters of the School of the Sḫādḫdḫuliyyah:

  • Sḫaykḫ ʿAli ʾAbū-l-Ḥasan Asḫ-Sḫādḫdḫulī
  • Sḫaykḫ Abū-l-ʿAbbās Aḥmad al-Mursī
  • Sḫaykḫ Yakūt al ʿĀrshi
  • Sḫaykḫ Tāj-ud-Dīn ʿIbn ʿAṭāʾ Illāh as-Sakandarī

The book incorporates translations of two works by the late Sḫaykḫ of Azhar, Dr. Abdul Halim Maḥmūd, one by the Sḫaykḫ of the Sufi Turuq in Egypt, Dr. Abu-l-Wafa Taftazani, and extensive notes derived from the earliest sources. It contains many treasures, among them extensive proofs and explanations of the meanings of taṣawwuf (sufism), and a convincing argument comparing the Sufic approach to reality to the rationalistic approach of many Western scholars.

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Individual Texts and Praxis

Individual Aḥzāb and ʾAdḫkār have also been published separately to allow easy access.

This booklet contains both the Prayer of Sidi ʾIbn Mashish, the Sḫaykḫ of Sidi ʾAbu-l-Ḥasan asḫ-Sḫādḫdḫulī, and the redaction upon it, composed by Sḫaykḫ Muḥammad Abu-l-Mawwahib at-Tunisi, may Allāh sanctify their secret.

Sidi ʾIbn Masḫisḫ received this prayer from the Prophet ﷺ , blessings of Allāh and peace be upon him and his family. The Sḫaykḫ says that prayers and salutations from Allāh are His Blessings [barakah] and his Mercy [raḥmah].

From the text: “Oh Allāh, blessings upon the one from whom are split open the secrets, and stream forth the lights, and in him rose up the realities, and in him descended the sciences of Adam (alayhi-s-salām), [by which] are made powerless all creatures, and in front of him is diminished all understanding, and no one [from among us] comprehends him in the past or in the future.”

Wird in Arabic means "source" or "place of return" and, most literally, "watering hole". In the realm of ‘ibadah it is a patterned remembrance [dhikr] recited at dawn and dusk by the folk of asḫ-Sḫādḫdḫulī for whom it is a diurnal means of renewal. The universal form of the Wird consists of three formulæ, each of which derive directly from the Qur’ān. These are:

1. ʾIstigḫfār: seeking forgiveness of Allāh

2. aṣ-Ṣalāt ʾan-Nabiyy: blessings on the Prophet ﷺ

3. asḫ-Sḫahadah / Haylalah: negating the contingent to affirm the Absolute

These three formulæ correspond with three fundamental spiritual stations, which in turn correspond with the three dimensions of the dīn: ʾIslām, ʾImān, ʾIḥsān.

ʾAḥzāb

The Orison of the Sea

This Ḥizb was orally transmitted by Sḫaykḫ ʾAbu-l-Ḥasan asḫ-Sḫādḫdḫulī, who received it in a veridical dream [ruʿya] under the direct personal inspiration [ʾilhām] of Sayyidinā Muḥammad ﷺ. Sidi Abu-l-Ḥasan spoke of the ḥizb as "The Instrument of Protection and Prevention". He said that if it is read in any place, that place is preserved from harm, and jinn are dispelled, the fearful are made secure, the sick one is cured and the anxious one is made peaceful. As the Sḫaykḫ, may Allāh perfume his resting place, lay dying, he gathered his students together and said, “Continue with the Ḥizbu-l-Baḥr. Teach it to your children. In it is the Greatest Name.”

The Orison of the Earth

The appointed time for this Ḥizb is after the morning ṣalāh. The reciter is not to speak with others during its recitation. It is reported that Sḫaykḫ Abu-l-Ḥasan said concerning this Orison: “He who reads our Ḥizb will have what we have and upon him (will be) that which is upon us.”

The Orison of Tender Mercy

In this Ḥizb of the Folk of Ash-Sḫādḫdḫulī there is a gathering of some of the prayers by which Allāh has answered the Prophets, peace be upon them all, and their Master, the Mercy to the Worlds and the Seal of the Prophets, Muḥammad ﷺ.

From the text: “Oh Allāh, whose Tender Kindness to His creatures is all-prevailing, and Whose Goodness reaches His every worshipper, do not remove us from the circle of tender mercy [luṭf], and secure us from all we fear.”

The Orison of Opening, Deliverance

From the text: “Release me from every misdeed and anxiety and grief and confinement and distraction and enticement and craving and dread and random thought and speculation and wanting and wrong deeds and forgetfulness and from every decree and ordinance, a way out.”

The Orison of Victory

Make sure to consult with a knowledgeable sḫaykḫ before proceeding with this Ḥizb.