Sidi Mohammed b. al-Arabi al-Tazi al-Damrawi (d. 1210/1795 in Ain Madhi)

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Sidi Mohammed b. al-Arabi al-Tazi al-Damrawi (d. 1210/1795 in Ain Madhi)

“If the greatest Poles (aqtab) of the Ummah are added together they would not reach the hair weight of the ocean of a group of my companions.” (Sidna Shaykh Abil Abbas Tijani)

Amongst the great companions endowed with knowledge and wonders, holding the highest levels of sainthood – considered as the elite of the elite, stood Sidi Muhammad Ibn Arabi Damraoui (May ALLAH be satisfied with him) who was originally from Taza in Morocco.

At first, Sidi Muhammad Ibn Arabi Damraoui was acting as go-between for Seyidina Ahmed Tijani (May ALLAH be satisfied with him) when the latter, because of his great decency, wanted to speak to the Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him). It is a mark of the great saints of the community who always used an intermediary between them and the Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him) in their requests because they forgot all things in his noble presence and so could not speak to him. Despite his young age, Sidi Muhammad Ibn Arabi (May ALLAH be satisfied with him) often met the Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him) in waking state. Sidi Abdelaoui (May ALLAH be satisfied with him) reported that Sidi Muhammad Ibn Arabi (May ALLAH be satisfied with him) used to meet the Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him) twenty-four times a day. The Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him) recommended Seyidina (May ALLAH be satisfied with him) to take care of him.

During his stay in Boussemghoune, Seyidina Ahmed Tijani (May ALLAH be satisfied with him) often travelled to Taza to meet his companion and student, the great Knower of ALLAH, Sidi Muhammad Ibn Arabi (May ALLAH be satisfied with him) because at that time he was one of his greatest companions and among his beloved. Seyidina Ahmed Tijani (May ALLAH be satisfied with him) was taking care of him more and more as recommended by The Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him). Seyidina Ahmed Tijani (May ALLAH be satisfied with him) used to visit him very often during his lifetime and after his death to such an extent that it was not necessary to mention it in the book "Djawahirou-l-Ma'ani". Seyidina Ahmed Tidjani (May ALLAH be satisfied with him) said: "The Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him) told me to take care of Sidi Muhammad Ibn Arabi (May ALLAH be satisfied with him) and told me that the latter one had rights over me". He also said that Sidi Muhammad Ibn Arabi (May ALLAH be satisfied with him) was a Cherif from Idmar Dachara in the region of Taza. Sidi Muhammad Ibn Arabi (May ALLAH be satisfied with him) had a lot of favours and the most important of them was that the Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him) had assured him that he loved him. He was the intermediary between the Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him) and Seyidina (May ALLAH be satisfied with him) by the consent of the Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him) himself. When Sidi Muhammad Ibn Arabi (May ALLAH be satisfied with him) died, Seyidina Ahmed Tidjani (May ALLAH be satisfied with him) replaced him by the great Caliph Sidi Hajj 'Ali Harazim (May ALLAH be satisfied with him), complying with, as always, the command of The Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him).
Sidi Muhammad Ibn Arabi (May ALLAH be satisfied with him) was assassinated. When he moved to 'Aïn Madhi, he was attributed many virtues which people talked about. It became a subject of women discussions in the region and aroused jealousy of his enemies who encouraged someone to assassinate him.

Long before the horrible act, his murderer often used to pay him a visit and he used to ask him for prayers (dou'a) but Sidi Muhammad Ibn Arabi (May ALLAH be satisfied with him) expelled him every time he came and told him: " Go away from me, O wrongdoer, son of wrongdoers! Enemies will encourage you to kill me." Indeed, it happened as he said.

One day, when Sidi Muhammad Ibn Arabi (May ALLAH be satisfied with him) was busy, that man came to him and and shot at him. He collapsed; the order of ALLAH (The Glorified and The Exalted) is a predestined decree. Sidi Muhammad Ibn Arabi (May ALLAH be satisfied with him) knew by spiritual unveiling everything that was going to happen to him like the machinations of his enemies. Following the event, ALLAH (The Glorified and The Exalted) punished those who plotted against him as well as his murderer in a harsh way. Their group was scattered, their descendants have almost died out and those who survived in that region were completely ruined and shocked by horror of the consequence of ALLAH's intense revenge. May ALLAH (The Glorified and The Exalted) protect us from making the same mistake, i.e. standing against our masters, the Walis, because it undoubtedly leads on the road of ruin. ALLAH (The Glorified and The Exalted) said in a Qoudoussi hadith: "Whoever attacks one of My Walis, I will declare him war..." (Boukhari). After having heard his death, a Wali from Tunisia, who didn't belong to the Tariqa Tidjaniya, wanted to take his revenge on all the inhabitants of 'Aïn Madhi. Seyidina Ahmed Tijani (May ALLAH be satisfied with him) wrote him a letter to warn him against the consequences of such an act. So, a group of six persons among which the great erudite Sidi Muhammad Ibn Mechri (May ALLAH be satisfied with him) was sent by Seyidina Ahmed Tijani (May ALLAH be satisfied with him) to carry him the message. It remained for him to comply with the orders by surrendering.

Sidi Muhammad Ibn Arabi (May ALLAH be satisfied with him) was the prodigy of his time for what he held in terms of secrets and knowledge. He received from the Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him), both in dreams and waking states, what could astonish minds and could be noticed only by the greatest masters. One day, in a dream, he was given a poem by the Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him). When he woke up, he saw the Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him) and asked him its comment. The Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him) explained him that it is thanks to the love and attachment to Seyidina Sheikh Ahmed Tijani (May ALLAH be satisfied with him) that he got all these favours but, without this love, he would have never seen him. The Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him) ordered him to convey the poem and its commentary to Seyidina Ahmed Tijani (May ALLAH be satisfied with him). The Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him) gave him also a prayer called The Pearl which contains huge benefits for the believers who recite it as it was said by the Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him) himself. Before meeting Seyidina (May ALLAH be satisfied with him), Sidi Muhammad Ibn Arabi (May ALLAH be satisfied with him) belonged to the Tariqa Bel Ben 'Azouz. Seyidina (May ALLAH be satisfied with him) had reported that The Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Bel Ben 'Azouz is a demon of this community".

When Sidi Muhammad Ibn Arabi (May ALLAH be satisfied with him) met Seyidina Ahmed Tijani (May ALLAH be satisfied with him), he asked him the authorization to follow his Tariqa, having seen in him all the wonders. Seyidina Ahmed Tijani (May ALLAH be satisfied with him) considered him as his intimate, following the recommendations of The Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him). Once, Seyidina Ahmed Tijani (May ALLAH be satisfied with him) sent his companion Sidi Hajj Mousaqam (May ALLAH be satisfied with him) to Taza with a horse to tell Sidi Muhammad Ibn Arabi (May ALLAH be satisfied with him) to come and see him. Once he was there, Sidi Hajj Mousaqam (May ALLAH be satisfied with him) informed Sidi Muhammad Ibn Arabi (May ALLAH be satisfied with him) about the message of Seyidina Sheikh (May ALLAH be satisfied with him). Sidi Muhammad Ibn Arabi (May ALLAH be satisfied with him) got up right away to meet the obligation. During the trip, his horse died and he ordered the Rouhaniyoun (spiritual entities) to come in its body so that they could take him to Boussemghoune. On the way, his companion said: "O Master! The horse's smell is bothering me". Then, he ordered to hurry up. Once he arrived, he got off and the horse fell down and worms came out of it. Then, Sidi Muhammad Ibn Arabi (May ALLAH be satisfied with him) met Seyidina (May ALLAH be satisfied with him) who talked to him about secrets.

In each of his residences, Seyidina Ahmed Tijani (may ALLAH sanctify his precious secret) was reserving a room known as "Bayit Sirr" (room of the secret) and that, complying with the command of The Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him). Indeed, in Boussemghoune, as in Ain Madhi, when Seyidina Ahmed Tijani (may ALLAH sanctify his precious secret) made his blessed house build, Sidi Muhammad Ibn Arabi (May ALLAH be satisfied with him) convey that The Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When the building of the house will be finished, reserve a room, named it "Bayit Sirr", perform your litanies and all I ordered you to do in it, and nobody else has the right to come in it but you, you will see the good and the blessing increase and you will reach all your goals."

This room was divided by wood plates. Seyidina Ahmed Tijani (may ALLAH sanctify his precious secret) was on one side while Sidi Muhammad Ibn Arabi (May ALLAH be satisfied with him) was on the other.

It was reported that one day while Sidi Muhammad ibn 'Arabi (May ALLAH be pleased with him) was doing his dhikr in the mentioned place a Rouhani came to him with a glass containing a drink of light so intense that it lit up the room where he was. The Rouhani said: "Drink!" But Sidi Muhammad ibn 'Arabi (May ALLAH be pleased with him) thought: "I would not like that somebody else than Seyidina Sheikh drinks this glass." Then he called Seyidina Ahmed Tijani (may ALLAH sanctify his precious secret) saying: "O my father" by repeating it from time to time, but Seyidina (may ALLAH sanctify his precious secret) did not answer because in that moment he was immersed in his dhikr. When he finished he finally answered him, and Sidi Muhammad ibn 'Arabi (ALLAH be pleased with him) said: "O my father, the Rouhani came to me with a glass and then I called you to send it to you. But as a long time passed, he left with it." Seyidina (may ALLAH sanctify his precious secret) said: "We are hopeful that ALLAH will bring it back to us."

Among all the favours of Sidi Muhammad Ibn Arabi (May ALLAH be satisfied with him), Seyidina Ahmed Tijani (May ALLAH be satisfied with him) said that, one day in Ain Madhi, the wife of Muhammad Ibn Arabi (May ALLAH be satisfied with him) wanted some honey while it was not the season. But he used to never refuse what she wanted. However, given the circumstances, he apologized for not being able to meet her request but she didn't accept and insisted. Then, he said to her: "Go to the courtyard because Seyidina Ahmed Tijani (May ALLAH be satisfied with him) has sent it to you". She went out and found a lot of honey laid on skins. She used to flatter her husband when she was with the women of the neighborhood to such an extent that they made their husbands jealous by their gossips until it became the cause of Sidi Muhammad Ibn 'Arabi's death (May ALLAH be satisfied with him). The son of Seyidina Ahmed Tijani (May ALLAH be satisfied with him) narrated that Sidi Muhammad Ibn Arabi (May ALLAH be satisfied with him) had plantations and when these had to be irrigated, clouds used to form and watered the field that belonged to him without watering the neighbours' ones. This is one of the extraordinary favours of our masters, the Walis.

Sidi Muhammad Ibn Arabi (May ALLAH be satisfied with him) had some problems with tribal leaders because those ones decided to capture him and fight all those who will oppose their will. When they arrived in Ain Madhi, they left no other choice for the inhabitants than handing Sidi Muhammad Ibn Arabi (May ALLAH be satisfied with him) over, otherwise they will destroy the whole village, and they were so numerous that the residents of Ain Madhi couldn't do anything. So the inhabitants asked Sidi Muhammad Ibn Arabi (May ALLAH be satisfied with him) to hand over and to accept ALLAH's decree. Sidi Muhammad Ibn Arabi (May ALLAH be satisfied with him) didn't even raise the head (to reply) and began to draw on the ground with his finger something like writing. Then, he took a little piece of paper and drew letters, then he torn it into two pieces and threw it in the direction of the enemies. The two little pieces flew away and congregate and according to ALLAH's decree, the enemies fought among themselves. Their union was broken and the hostility between them remained.

Sidi Ahmed Abdelaoui (May ALLAH be satisfied with him) reported that because of the strength of its spiritual opening (Fath), Sidi Muhammad Ibn Arabi (May ALLAH be satisfied with him) envied and desired to reach the level that was exclusively reserved to Seyidina (May ALLAH be satisfied with him) despite his young age. He wrote a letter to Seyidina (May ALLAH be satisfied with him) in which he revealed that he saw a station (Maqam) that was between the Prophet and the Poles but it was not inheritable and reserved to one person in this community. He acknowledged that he envied that station but he dared not ask it to the Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him) in case that station wasn't reserved for him and fearing to lose everything. Indeed, he was informed that it was reserved for Seyidina Ahmed Tijani (May ALLAH be satisfied with him) and he went to inform him about this huge favour. Sidi Muhammad Ibn Arabi (May ALLAH be satisfied with him) asked Seyidina (May ALLAH be satisfied with him) to give him, as a reward for the good news, the merit of ten times Ismou ALLAH El A'dham, ten times Salat el Fatihi and ten times Miftahoul Qoutbaniya. He asked it because he had noticed that a single word of Zikr of Seyidina (May ALLAH be satisfied with him) exceeded what he would do himself and his ancestors and his children during seventy years.
Among the stories reported by trustworthy people, there is the one of a group of people who paid a visit to Sidi Muhammad Ibn Arabi (May ALLAH be satisfied with him) one day. Among them were Sidi Muhammad Ibn Mechri (May ALLAH be satisfied with him) and the Knower of ALLAH Sidi Hajj 'Ali Tamacini (May ALLAH be satisfied with him). They asked him: "When animals die, do they go to paradise or not?" Sidi Muhammad Ibn Arabi (May ALLAH be satisfied with him) thought: "They thought I was a wise man but I was stupid. But those who love me despite my stupidity will go to paradise and those who hate me will go to hellfire. I was confused with that question and I didn't know what to answer them until I met the Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him) and asked him. He (Peace and blessings be upon him) told me that there are some of the animals that go to paradise, precisely those of the Prophets, The Messengers, The Saints, those that died in the war and those with which going on pilgrimage is performed and all those that died in the way of ALLAH (The Glorified and The Exalted).They have a Paradise which is different from the thinking beings and which is full of vegetation they love and desire".

Sidi Muhammad Ibn Arabi (May ALLAH be satisfied with him) died in 'Ain Madhi at the age of 28 and left only two daughters in that town. He died a few months before Seyidina (May ALLAH be satisfied with him) went to Fes. His grave which is located in 'Ain Madhi is well-known and is frequently visited for its baraka.

Source: tidjaniya.com