Ribat Sidi Shiker  & The Seven Berber Companions of the Holy Prophet 

Although the Banu Amghar of Tit al-Fitr may have established the paradigm for subsequent generations of murabitun in rural Morocco, evidence provided in the works of geographers, biographers, and local historians makes it clear that the ribat as a centre for Sufi instruction existed well beyond the confines of Dukkala. The geographer al-Bakri, for example, mentioned Ribat Massa, south of the present day of Agadir, as a "retreat for those given pious devotions." Even more to the point in his mention of "Madinat Nafis", a middle-sized town dating from pre-Islamic times that was located a day's journey inland from the mouth of the Tansift river between modern Asfi and Essaouira. According to al-Bakri, the Muslim conqueror 'Uqaba ibn Nafi' defeated a combined forces of Byzantines and Christian Berbers at this site it the year 62/681-2. After this victory, he is said to have ordered the construction of a congregational mosque for the propagation of Islam in the Far Sus.

Further upstream, in the region of Ragraga, a companion of Uqba known as Sidi Shakir, known today as Sidi Shiker, was instrumental in the conversion of Masmuda Berbers living in the Atlas foothills. Around the end of the tenth century C.E., a ribat was built on the side of Shiker's tomb by a Berber mujahid named Sidi Yaala ibn Muslin Ragragi. This ribat, unlike Tit al-Fitr, was initially founded as a defensive outpost against the Barghwata, who were then making regular incursions in Dukkala and Ragraga. Ribat Sidi Shiker served for more than three centuries as a centre for the propagation of Islam and Sufism among the Masmuda Berbers of Ragraga and Dukkala, as well as for the inhabitants of the entire western portion of the High Atlas Mountings. In this way, it provided the same type of support for the sedentary and transhumant populations of the southern Moroccan highlands as Ribat Tit did for the pastoralist Sanhaja who competed with them for land along the Atlantic littoral.

Although much of the history of Ribat Sidi Shiker remains shrouded in mystery, circumstantial evidence indicates that from the Almoravid period it functioned as the headquarters of Masmuda Sufi tradition that grew up in response to the Sanhaja Sufism of Ribat Tit al-Fitr. In the three centuries following the Muslim conquest of the far Maghreb, social relations in the regions of Haha, Shayazma, Ragraga, and Dukkala were drastically transformed by in-immigrations of Sanhaja pastoralists moving north from their original homelands in the Anti-Atlas mountains. This Sanhaja encroachment on lands previously occupied by Masmuda farmers resulted in the displacement of most of the sedentary communities of Masmuda Berbers who lived in the lowlands along the Atlantic coast. Those who were left, such as the Banu Maghir in the hinterlands of Asfi, were forced to withdraw into fortified villages in the more easily defensible highlands.

Significantly the earliest Masmuda saints to be mentioned by the hagiographical record date from the time of Sanhaja migrations. By the early Almoravid period folk tales about the so called Seven Saints (ar-rijal as-sab'a) of Ragraga had began to be circulated as a means of promoting the Masmuda tradition. These seven awliya forerunners of the more famous Seven Saints (sab'atu rijal) of Marrakech ?were said to be Berber companions of Prophet Sidna Mohammed, peace and blessing be upon him, who introduced Islam into Morocco long before the arrival of the Arab armies of 'Uqaba ibn Nafi' a and Moussa ibn Nusayr. Modern historians, however, can find no evidence that any of these saints ?Sidi Wasmin (buried at Jabal Hadid, north of Essaouira, Sidi Abu Bakr Ashmas (buried at Zawiyat Qarmud, now the village of Akermoud), Sidi Ali ibn Abi Bakr Ashmas, Sidi Abdellah Adnas, Sidi Aissa Bu Khabya, Sidi Said ibn Yabqa as-Sabiq, and Sidi Yaala (the founder of Ribat Shakir) predated the Barghwata polity in Tamesna, a city close to modern Rabat, which was founded in 124/741-2. In fact Sidi Yaala was supposedly martyred whiled defending his homeland against the Barghwata during one of their raids south of the Umm ar-Rabi' river. This indicates that he may had been a contemporary of Sidi Abu Jaafar Amghar, who fled Tit al-Firt in 419/1027-8 ahead of a similar raid across the Umm ar-Rabi'.

One of the earliest bearers of the Masmuda Sufi tradition at Ribat Sidi Shiker was Sidi Abu Abdellah ar-Ragragi (d. 480/1065) from the potter's village of Talaght. Although biographical sources preserve neither the date of his birth nor of his death, Ragragi is known to have been a disciple of Sidi Abdellaziz Tunsi (d. 486/1053), the student of Sidi Abu Imran al-Fasi (d. 430/1015) and founder of Ribat Aghmat Urika in the High Atlas south of Marrakech. Despite the fact the Tunsi criticised Ragragi indulgence toward the Masmuda tribesmen who came to him for blessing, he learned to appreciate his rural contemporary after the latter was commended to him by the Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, in a vision. It is difficult to avoid the impression that Abu Abdellah Ragragi was more of a miracle worker than an actual Sufi mystic. This impression is reinforced by the fact that he was most remembered in at-Tadili's at-Tashawwuf for walking along the arc of rainbow.

A more intellectual representative of the Masmuda tradition can be found in Sidi Abu Zakariyya al-Maligi, who presided over a mosque in his home village of Maliga (Berber. al-miggi: the Pines), near present day Chichaoua, before becoming the head of Ribat Sidi Shiker. Because his reputation as a "substitute" (badil) require a great level of legitimating than was the case of for a miracle worker such as Ragragi, the exploits attributed to al-Maligi are more in conformity with the tradition of juridical Sufism. He is said, for example, to have been extremely scrupulous in his religious observances and would say all of his payers at the earliest possible time. When told by his disciples that an echo from nearby hills prevented them from hearing the call to prayer, he obligingly asked God to remove it from them. He is also said to have made the pilgrimage to Mecca every year.

Al-Malighi was succeeded as head of Ribat Sidi Shiker by the noted Sufi and scholar Sidi Abdelkhaliq ibn Yassin Daghughi (d. 571/1156). Characterised in the sources by such titles as imam and Shaykh al-Islam wa'ddin (master of Islamic dogma and the religious sciences), he shared an abiding interest in Quranic studies with his friend and contemporary Moulay Abdellah Amghar. After his death, his tomb complex at Sabt Bani Daghuogh, outside Marrakech, served both as a pilgrimage site and a school for many centuries. It was also used as a food distribution centre during times of famine or political unrest. In fact, one of Daghughi's most well-known sayings was: "We have long sought divine approval (tawfiq), but have erred. Verily, it is in the provision of food (da-idha huwa fi it'am at-ta'am).

Perhaps the most interesting figure associated with Ribat Sidi Shiker was Sidi Abu Ibrahim Ismail Ou Gmaten (d. 595/1180), a Masmuda Berber from the market town of Addar in Ragraga. A scholar of considerable repute, Sidi Abu Ibrahim, was venerated as an "anchor of earth" (watad al-ard), despite the fact that his malamati proclivities led him to feign ignorance in the presence of those who were unaware of his true state (maqam). His official sinecure was that of imam of the congressional mosque at Agawz (Ribat Jawz, the present Souira K?ima), the seaport for Aghmat, which was situated upriver from the mouth of Talsint. Besides being a malamati, Abu Ibrahim was divinely "attracted" or possessed (majdhub) and was subject to sudden and uncomfortable spiritual states (hal, pl. ahwal). When a hal came upon him, he would fall into a stupor and then awaken, intoxicated, to pronounce the first thing that came to his mind in the purest Classical Arabic. Because of the unpredictability of these states, he shunned the company of others. He would only emerge from his seclusion ?at times in fine clothing and at times in sack cloth ?to officiate at Friday prayers. At the onset of s state he would shout: "Beware not to harm the saints of God! Beware not to harm the saints of God! Beware not to harm the saints of God! Verily upon the saints of God shall be no harm, nor shall they grieve!

The inhabitants of Agawz often called on Abu Ibrahim to protect them from abuses of power. Upon hearing of the commission of a sin or the tyranny of a local official, he would become so enraged that he frothed at the mouth. One after giving a sermon critical of Almohad fiscal policies, he was imprisoned by the local governor. After three days in jail, the saint gathered the prisoners around him and said, "Repent to God Most High." "We repent," they replied. After he makes his companions repent a second time he asked, "Do you want to be freed from your prison." "Yes," they said. Suddenly, the wall of the jail collapsed and the prisoners and the prisoners escaped to freedom. Significantly, all of these unfortunates had been jailed for non-payment of taxes.

On another occasion, Abu Ibrahim was given the Friday sermon at Agawz when he exclaimed, "Do you want me to bite you?" Thereupon he admonished the Almohad governor of the town in terms so severe that the entire congregation feared for their lives. Infuriated at having to listen to such impertinence, the governor had Abu Ibrahim imprisoned and thrown into a deep dungeon. He then resolved to send a report detaining Abu Ibrahim's seditious comments to the Almohad caliph in Marrakech. After less than an hour had passed, however, the spiritually intoxicated imam was seen wandering about in the streets of the town, exclaiming, "Would you kill a man who says, God is my Lord?" At this the governor became even more enraged and supervised Abu Ibrahim's second arrest himself. To make sure that he could not escape again, he attached heavy iron balls and chains to the saint's legs and commended his soldiers to watch over him. No sooner had the governor's secretary put pen to paper in order to write his report then Abu Ibrahim got up and left the prison, saying, "Would you kill a man who says, God is my Lord?" Upon witnessing this second miracle with his own eyes, the governor quickly forgot about both the offending sermon and the report he had intended to write to the caliph.

Emir al-Muminin's Address to the Sidi Shikr International Sufi Conference

Emir al-Muminin King Mohammed VI addressed a message to the inaugural meeting of the international Sidi Shikr Sufi convention held in Marrakech in September, 10, 2004 under the aegis of his majesty. Here follows the full text of the monarch's message, which was read out by the Minister of Islamic Affairs, Ahmed Tawfiq.

Praise be to Allah and peace and blessings be upon our lord, the Messenger of Allah, his kin and kith.

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,

We insisted to sponsor this first meeting of the International Sidi Shikr Sufi Conference out of our sense of duty as Prince of the Faithful and overseer of the religious affairs in our kingdom in all their dimensions and manifestations. It is a pleasure to address you today and to welcome you to a country that is associated in your memory with an important Sufi heritage whose pivots are well known in the rest of the Islamic world. The people of this good land were aware, since their embracing of Islam, that the essence of faith is the purification of the soul from selfishness, grudge, and bigotry (…) and the exercise of self-control and supervision of daily behavior, for the attainment of the kind of spiritual perfection that is termed Sufism. Throughout the centuries, many Sufi turuq were founded in Morocco by pious, sensible, high-minded, exemplary sheikhs. Those turuq became spiritual and religious schools that served Islam by consolidating its highest values, strengthening its foundations, and adapting it to different times andplaces. They educated people through different rural and urban zawaya many of which still exist today. Our predecessors the kings, God bless their souls, used to address the sheikhs of these zawaya in letters as murabitin out of reverence for the Holy Qur’an and the sharifian sunna. One of the meanings of murabata is retirement for worship with the ultimate aim of refining the human soul, and that is the best form of jihad.

(…) The contemplation of the history of Sufism in Morocco reveals that Moroccan Sufis, from all social classes, just like their counterparts elsewhere, possessed refined characters and displayed much erudition in the study of the Qur’an. Yet, Moroccan Sufis are distinct thanks to their social and educational commitment. They taught the Qur’an and established an approach that talks to the heart and strengthens its faith in the allencompassing mercy of God. They fostered the people’s love for Mohamed’s kin, founded schools and libraries, reconciled enemies, popularized the values of reciprocity, solidarity, and cooperation. They also weaved webs of communication between different tribes, and thus abolished ethnic and tribal discrimination. Moreover, they helped to abolish many manifestations of social seclusion by urging people to compete for charitable causes, and renounce the material for the spiritual. Since it is impossible to cover here all aspects of their social and educational involvement, we would like to highlight three aspects of this involvement that are worthy of special notice: 1- the support and assistance of the Imama in carrying out its duties, 2- the purification of souls from power-thirst, selfishness, and tyranny, and 3- the upbringing of (Sufi) leaders whose universal aspirations did not clash with their nationalistic feelings.

Distinguished ladies and gentleman,

We are in dire need today for reviving the values of tolerance, solidarity, and altruism. Muslims especially need to revive their noble values of co-existing and cooperating with the Other. When we invoke the great mystics and salihs and reminisce about their white hands upon Islamic civilization, we long to drinking from the pure sources of their values and exalted qualities. After all, what is inspired by the Qur’an and sunna cannot be looked upon as a rigid, frozen heritage, or an outdated tradition. We ask Allah Almighty to guide you and promote your Sufi paths in His unification and invocation that lead to spiritual dettachment and utmost purity. As such hearts, communities and the whole nation achieve tranquility,  rapture, and learning respectively. 

Peace, mercy and graces of Allah be upon you.

جلالة الملك يوجه رسالة الى المشاركين في اللقاء الاول من "لقاءات سيدي شيكر العالمية للمنتسبين إلى التصوف   مراكش: الجمعة 10 شتنبر 2004 الحمد لله وحده والصلاة والسلام على مولانا رسول الله وآله وصحبه أيها السادة، أيتها السيدات لقد أبينا إلا أن نضفي على ملتقاكم هذا وهو الأول من لقاءات سيدي شيكر العالمية سابغ رعايتنا السامية، من منطلق الأمانة التي نتقلدها كأمير للمؤمنين والتي تلقي على عاتقنا مسؤولية رعاية الشؤون الدينية في مملكتنا بجميع مظاهرها وأبعادها، لذا يطيب لنا أن نوجه إليكم هذه الكلمة مرحبين بكم متمنين للمشاركين في هذا الملتقى من خارج المغرب مقاما هنيئا ومفيدا، يتعرفون خلاله على بلد يقترن في ذاكرتهم برصيد من التراث الصوفي والتربوي الروحي المتمثل في عدد من أقطاب التصوف الاسلامي وشيوخه من المغاربة المعروفين على مستوى العالم الاسلامي.  لقد استوعب أبناء هذا البلد الطيب منذ اعتناقهم للإسلام أن جوهر الدين هو تزكية النفس وتطهيرها من الأنانية والحقد والتعصب وتحليها بمكارم الاخلاق والتسامي عن الشهوات المذلة للقلب والروح والعقل بضبط النفس ومراقبة سلوكها اليومي، ابتغاء للاكتمال الروحي المصطلح عليه ب "التصوف".   ولقد تأسست في المغرب عبر القرون طرق صوفية على أيدي شيوخ مربين شهد لهم الناس بعلو الهمة، وشفوف الادراك واتخذوهم نماذج في القدوة السلوكية، وكانت تلك الطرق الكبرى بمثابة مدارس روحية وتربوية،خدمت الاسلام بالترسيخ لقيمه والتعميق لقواعده والتكييف مع ظروف الزمان والمكان، وكان تأطيرها للناس يتجلى في عدد من الزوايا في المدن والقرى التي ما يزال بعضها قائما الى اليوم، كما كان أسلافنا من الملوك رضوان الله عليهم، إذا وجهوا الخطاب الى القائمين على هذه الزوايا يسمونهم بالمرابطين استيحاء من القرآن الكريم والسنة النبوية الشريفة حيث تدل المرابطة من بين ما تدل عليه على الاعتكاف من أجل تهذيب أخلاق النفس البشرية وهو أفضل الجهاد. كما كانوا يضفون على شيوخ الزوايا أردية التوقير والاحترام ويستنصحونهم في الشدائد والملمات إقرارا بدورهم الفعال في إصلاح المجتمع وتقوية جانب المناعة الخلقية في مواجهة البدع والضلالات والغلو والتشدد والتسابق الى جلب المصلحة وعمل البر والتقوى وانزال السكينة في القلوب ونبذ المفسدة ودرء الاثم والعدوان.   والمتأمل في تاريخ صوفية المغرب يجد في سلوكهم وتعابيرهم سواء لدى الصفوة أو على مستوى عامة الناس ما يجده عند غيرهم من صوفية البلاد الاخرى من رسوخ كبير في الاذواق والرقائق وفهم القرآن . ولعل صوفية المغرب قد تميزوا عن سواهم بما غلب عليهم من نزعة اجتماعية وتربوية وخلقية،فقد اشتغلوا على الخصوص بتعليم القرآن الكريم ونشر تعاليمه بأسلوب مبني على مخاطبة القلوب وتعميق رجائها في رحمة الله التي وسعت كل شيء. كما عمقوا محبة آل البيت في النفوس وأسسوا المدارس وخزائن الكتب، وسهروا على اصلاح ذات البين بين الناس ونشروا قيم التضامن والتكافل وقضوا بما نسجوه من روابط الأخوة القلبية على عدد من حواجز التمايز العرقي والقبلي، وألغوا كثيرا من مظاهر الاقصاء الاجتماعي وذلك بحث الناس على التسابق في الخيرات والتسامي على الماديات وتعميق استشعار الافتقار لله تعالىوالاستغناء به عما سواه. وإذا كانت مناحي تأثيرهم التربوي والاجتماعي تند عن الاحصاء فإن ثلاثة أمور جليلة جديرة بالاشارة في هذا المقام أولها مساندة الامامة الشرعية في القيام بأعبائها مع الحفاظ على الوحدة المذهبية المالكية والعقيدة الأشعرية والانفتاح، وثانيها تحرير النفوس من حب الرئاسة المغرضةوترويضها على الشكر لله ونبذ أنواع الأنانية والطغيان وثالثها تخريج ثلة من الرواد الذين لم تتناقض في أذهانهم النوازع الكونية مع التحلي بالروح الوطنية الخالصة. أيها السادة أيتها السيدات ما أحوج الانسانية في عالمنا اليوم، الى تفعيل قيم التسامح والتضامن والايثار وردع الأنانيات الهوجاء بل ما أحوج المسلمين إلى إحياء قيمهم المثلى في الأخلاق والعمل والتعايش الجميل مع الاخر، ولا شك أن المعاني التي نستحضرها عندما نذكر أن أعلام الزهاد والصالحين وأياديهم البيضاء على حضارة الاسلام تجعلنا نتشوق الى ورود تلك المنابع الصافية من الخلق الرفيع باعتبار أن ما هو مستوحى من الكتاب والسنة النبوية المطهرة لا يمكن أن ينظر اليه كتراث جامد أو نزوع ولى زمانه ،فالعمل التربوي من أجل اصلاح الفرد من الداخل هو المطلوب في كل وقت وحين تجسيدا للايمان بأن الانسان من حيث هو محل التكريم الالهي والاستخلاف في الأرض مؤهل لتحقيق الكمال في نفسه ومجتمعه وبيئته. في هذا السياق نود الاعراب عن إشادتنا بالفكرة التي تؤمنون بها والغاية النبيلة التي تجاهدون أنفسكم لتحقيقها في سبيل استرجاع التوازن بين المادة والروح، كما نهيب بكم للتعاون على ما يجمعكم من الاهداف والقيم المثلى بالرغم من تنوع المشارب والطرائق التربوية التي توءدي كلها الى نفس المحجة وهي العقيدة الالهية الصحيحة التي تجمعكم وتوحد منظوركم. ولن يتحقق ذلك إلا بالتسامح الذي يفرض علينا اليوم أكثر من أي وقت مضى الاسهام في تصحيح النظر الى الاسلام عند أهل ملتكم أولا ثم عند أهل الملل والمذاهب الاخرى ثانيا، وأنتم أهل التوجهات الروحية التي تسمو على المذهبيات والعرقيات ،القادرون على استثمار حكمتكم في تنوير العقول وتطهير النفوس الحاقدة والمتعصبة أو الجاهلة مما ران عليها من التصادم والتعصب.   ولما كان اختيارنا السياسي في المغرب هو ترسيخ النهج الديمقراطي في تدبير شؤون شعبنا تدبيرا عصريا في توافق تام مع ديننا الحنيف فإننا نرى أن حرية التنظيم والمبادرة المكفولة بالقانون تفسح المجال أمام جميع الطاقات التي كانت مكبوتة تحت وطأة الخوف أو الاقصاء أو الاحتكار فلا شيء مع هذه الاختيارات الديمقراطية المنصفة يمكنه أن يحد اليوم من المبادرات الخيرة والمساعي الهادفة إلى إسعاد الانسان وترقية أحواله. ولا شك أن في تجربتكم الموروثة من أجل تحقيق هذه الاهداف ما يؤهلكم للعودة الى الميدان الديني والتربوي والاجتماعي المنزه عن كل توظيف سياسوي رخيص أو مغرض متحلين بقيم التصوف الأصيل القائم على الجمع بين الورع والتقوى والاستقامة في السلوك وبين العمل الخالص المنزه عن الأغراض الذاتية سيما وأن المجتمعات في عصرنا هذا قد أخذت في إعلاء كل قيم التجرد والتسامح وفي الأخذ بعدد من مفاهيم الثقافة التي قامت عليها طريقتكم، فما عليكم إلا أن تنافحوا عن هذه القيم ذات المنطق الموحد والهدف النبيل حريصين على تجسيد التواصل والتعارف والتعاون فيما بينكم لتجلية روح ملتقاكم هذا ببلد ظل قطبا للتسامح بين الاديان السماوية ثابت القدم في السير على نهج الوسطية والاعتدال مبرهنا في كل وقت وحين على تشبثه بأصالته وثوابته مراعيا على الدوام فضائل الانفتاح والتفاهم وتبادل الخبرات ،والاقرار بضرورة الجمع بين آداب الاخذ والعطاء بين الافراد والجماعات، والحضارات والثقافات. نسأل الله تعالى أن يجعل طريقتكم في التصوف موحدة على الطريقة المبنية على المحجة البيضاء من توحيد الله والتعبد بذكره، طلبا للتجرد الذي يهيئ للعمل الخالص والصالح، ذلك العمل الذي تطمئن له القلوب وتسعد به الجماعة وتنتفع به الامة.. والسلام عليكم ورحمة الله تعالى وبركاته