The Language of the Future
Sufi Terminology
by Murshid F.A. Ali ElSenossi

Sayyidatuna Fatima ash-Shadhuliyya
Sayyidatuna Fatima ash-Shadhuliyya

Sayyidatuna Fatima ash-Shadhuliyya is the sister of Sayyidi Abul Hassan ash-Shadhuli. She married her brother's servant and companion, Sayyidi Abdul Aziz al Mukni bi abi-l Majd. Amongst her children were Sayyidi Ibrahim al Qurayshi ad-Dasuqi and Sayyidi Musa Abul Umran. One day Sayyidatuna Fatima ash-Shadhuliyya was waylaid by bandits who were intent on doing her harm. The bandits had her cornered an unable to escape when, from out of the shrubbery came a lion which attacked the bandits and protected Sayyidatuna Fatima ash- Shadhuliyya. Many years later Sayyidi Ibrahim al Qurayshi ad-Dasuqi recounted these events to his mother and, on seeing her astonishment, stated "I was that lion."

Silsilat


See also: Spiritual Chain Sayyidi Abul Hashaan ash-Shadhuli (593AH/1196CE or 656AH/1258CE) Sayyidi Abdul Aziz al Mukni bi Abul Majd Sayyidi Musa Abul Umran (d. 729AH/1329CE or 739AH/1339CE) Sayyidi Ibrahim al Qurayshi ad-Dasuqi (633AH/1255CE or 676AH/1296CE)
(Silsilat). The Spiritual Chain of each tariqa descends from the Holy Prophet Muhammad himself (May the Salutations of Allah be upon him and Peace) down to the present-day Shaykh. It is through his attachment to the silsilat that the newly initiated murid has the means to travel to Allah under Divine Protection.
Sayyidi Abul Hassan ash-Shadhuli was born near Ceuta, in the north of Morocco, in the year 593AH/1196CE. His linage traces back to Sayyiduna wa Mawlana al Imam al Hussayn, through his mother, and Sayyiduna wa Mawlana al Imam al Hassan, through his father. As a young man, Sayyidi Abul Hassan set out to find the Pole (qutb) of his era and, though many travels, it was not until he reached Iraq that the Sufi master al-Wasiti told him that the purpose of his travels would be fulfilled by returning home. Returning home Sayyidi Abul Hassan found a light rising above Jabal Alam. Ascending the mountain he made ablution (wudhu) at a fountain at the base. Arriving at the top he saw Sayyidi Abdu-s-Salam ibn Basheesh reciting Qur'an with one of his sons. Their bodies seemed to be moving, though, as Sayyidi Abul Hassan approached he realised that it was the whole mountain that was swaying in harmony with their recitation. Sayyidi Abdu-s-Salam ibn Basheesh addressed him, saying "you cannot come to us in a state of impurity, return and perform ablution." Sayyidi Abul Hassan returned to the spring at the bottom of the mountain and refreshed his ablution. Ascending again, Sayyidi Abul Hassan was rebuffed a second time with the statement "we told you to return when you have purified yourself." On the decent Sayyidi Abul Hassan pondered his repeated rejection until it became clear that the purification required of his was inward. Performing ablution again, Sayyidi Abul Hassan washed all of his attributes, perceptions, preconceived ideas and aspirations. It was in this state of total surrender that he entered the Path of Allah. After his time under the tutelage of his Shaykh, Sayyidi Abul Hassan travelled across North Africa, Tunisia, and came to settle in Egypt. Sayyidi Abul Hassan did not leave any discursive works, though he did leave an extensive collection of litanies (ahzab). When asked the reason for not writing any books, he replied "my companions are my books." One year Sayyidi Abul Hassan stated "I have been Divinely ordered to go to pilgrimage." They set sail from Cairo, though, after only a few days, the winds shifted and they remained in an uninhabited spot on the bank of the Nile. After about a week without movement another pilgrim started questioning how Sayyidi Abul Hassan could have been Divinely ordered to go on pilgrimage and then have this happen. Sayyidi Abul Hassan came out of his resting quarters, ordered that the sails be unfurled, and recited the Litany of the Sea (Hizb al-Bahr). The wind picked up so quickly that there was not enough time to cast the rope off the stake and it continued this was until they reached their destination. When questioned about this, Sayyidi Abul Hassan stated "By Allah, I did not utter it [the Litany of the Sea] except as it came from the Prophet of Allah (May the Salutations of Allah be upon him and Peace) , from whose instruction I learnt it". 'Guard it,' he said to me, 'for it contains the greatest name of Allah (ism al-adham)." On his deathbed, Sayyidi Abul Hassan said of the Litany of the Sea "teach it to your children for the greatest name of Allah (ism al-adham) is contained within it." Towards the end of his life, Sayyidi Abul Hassan fought on the front line of the battle of al-Mansurah against the Crusaders, led by King Louis IX of France, despite his advanced age and weakening eyesight. Before the battle, Sayyidi Abul Hassan had a dream (ru'ya) wherein he saw a huge tent emanating light and filled with saintly people. When he asked to whom the tent belonged, he was informed "to the Prophet of Allah, peace and blessings upon him." In the latter part of the dream, the Prophet (May the Salutations of Allah be upon him and Peace) spoke to Sayyidi Abul Hassan and gave him advice and transmitted to him the Litany of Victory (Hizb al-Nasr). After this dream, Sayyidi Abul Hassan entered the battle mounted on his best horse, with a sword in each hand, reciting the Litany of Victory (Hizb al-Nasr). Despite superior military power, King Louis IX lost the battle and was captured along with many of his generals. Sayyidi Abul Hassan is the founder of the Shadhuliyya Tariqa. He passed away in 656AH/1258CE while travelling to perform Hajj and is buried in Humaithra, Egypt. Around his tomb a mosque and zawiyya have been built.
His linage traces back to Sayyiduna wa Mawlana al Imam al Hussayn. He came from Iraq where he was a khalifa of the Sufi master al-Wasiti. On meeting Sayyidi Abul Hassan ash-Shadhuli, he became Shaykh Shadhuli's servant and companion, later becoming his brother-in-law by marrying Sayyidi Abul Hassan's sister, Sayyidatuna Fatima ash-Shadhuliyya. Amongst his children were Sayyidi Ibrahim al Qurayshi ad-Dasuqi and Sayyidi Musa Abul Umran. One day on 'Arafat, during his time with Sayyidi Abul Hassan ash-Shadhuli, Sayyidi Abdul Aziz was singled out by Shaykh Shadhuli to say "Amen" to his supplication and him alone. After the Shaykh had completed his supplication another of his companions stated to Sayyidi Abdul Aziz. "By Allah, he has just supplicated for you to be an abdal and akhalifa. Later in his life the sahib al-waqt would stand when seeing Sayyidi Abdul Aziz al Mukni bi Abul Majd and then, after many instances of this, stopped doing so. The sahib al-waqt was asked "why don't you stand up before Abul Majd and pay your respects like you did before? Has something happened between the two of you?" The answer was given, explaining that "this standing up was not because of him but because of the great man, whose magnanimity is like a sea, in his loins, but has now been transmitted to his wife." The sahib al-waqt was referring to Sayyidi Ibrahim al Qurayshi ad-Dasuqi. Sayyidi Abdul Aziz is remembered as a pious and devout scholar. His tomb is in Marqus.
Sayyidi Musa Abul Umran is the brother Sayyidi Ibrahim al Qurayshi ad-Dasuqi and his maternal uncle was Sayyidi Abul Hassan ash-Shadhuli. He was the first khalifa of his brother, inherited the Dasuqiyya Tariqa after his brother's death, and is responsible for collecting his brother's written works together. Sayyidi Musa Abul Umran was a scholar, studying theology in Alexandria and teaching at al-Azhar in Cairo, and a wasilun. Due to his brother's asceticism, Sayyidi Musa Abul Umran is widely accepted as the organizing force behind the early Dasuqiyya Tariqa. He died in Alexandria in and is buried beside his brother in Dasuq.
Sayyidi Ibrahim was born in Dasuq, Northern Egypt, in the year 633AH/1255CE, during the last night of the month Sha'ban. Sayyidi Ibrahim refused to suckle in the morning after his birth and during the daylight hours of Ramadan, the first of many of the miraculous events of his life. He read the Qur'an from age three and regularly entered retreat (khalwa) from age five. A distraught mother came to Sayyidi Ibrahim, telling him that a Nile crocodile had taken her son. Sayyidi Ibrahim found the crocodile and told it to return the child, which it did. He then told the crocodile to die, which it did. One back vertebra (kharaza) from this crocodile still hangs in Sayyidi Ibrahim's tomb. He is author of many well known litanies (ahzab), perhaps most famous of which is Salat al-Muhammadiyyah, a prayer on the Muhammadan Essence, also known as Al-Dhatiyyah. Sayyidi Ibrahim understood Syriani, the language of the Angels, which can be found interspersed within his litanies. There are many stories recounting his engagement with the angels, even taking his parents, Sayyidi Abdul Aziz al Mukni bi abi-l Majd and Sayyidatuna Fatima ash-Shadhuliyya, to converse with them. His maternal uncle was Sayyidi Abul Hassan ash-Shadhuli. Sayyidi Ibrahim is the founder of the Dasuqiyya Tariqa and he is recognised as one of the four major Poles (aqtab) within Sufism. He had many followers all over Egypt, with many Christians converting to Islam at his hands. Sayyidi Ibrahim passed away in 676AH/1296CE. He is buried in his well-known mosque in Dasuq.

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