“I have asked the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessing be upon him, the following: 'My aim is to attain your love and Allah's, your eternal satisfaction with me and Allah's, your solicitude (i’atina’) towards me and Allah's.' He answered me in this meaning, peace and blessing be upon him: ‘All of these [things are given in full] in the litanies that I had given you!!'” (Shaykh Abil Abbas Tijani in 'Kitab Rawd al-Mu’hib al-Fani') 

In 1196/1781, the Concealed Pole, the Known Mohammedian Seal, Sidna Shaykh Abil Abbas Ahmed ibn Mohammed Tijani  (1150/1735 -1230/1815) announced that his Grandfather, the Holy Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) authorised him in a daylight vision (yaqadatan; while he was awake) to establish his own order, the Tariqa Ahmediya Mohammediya Ibrahimiya Hanifiya Tijaniya, and not use any of the chains of authority of teacher-to-disciple that were the main stay of all the Sufi orders. The Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) had granted him permission to initiate mankind into the order during a period when he had fled from contact with people in order to devote himself to his personal development, and had therefore felt unable to consider himself a Shaykh until this permission was granted. He was commanded by the Holy Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) to renounce all the orders that he was affiliated to and told him that he was to take the path directly from him. The Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) had furthermore assigned to him the obligatory wird (litany) which he has to transmit in general and unstrictly to any seeker who asks for it and accepts to abide by its conditions; a 100 of Astaghfirou Allah" and a 100 of prayers upon the Prophet with any version, preferably with the prayer of Salat al-Fatih. By 1200/1785 the Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) completed to him the wird by adding a 100 of Haylala (“la-ilaha illa’Allah”; There is no God but Allah).

The Tijani Path: Concepts and Definitions

The Tijani Path is built upon three pillars: 

A) WIRD,

B) WADHlFA, 

C. HAYLALA.

The spokesman of the Tijani Path, the red sulfur, the pride of scholars, the crown of judgeship, the well-versed in every branch of learning, the Knower of Allah, Abil Abbas Sidi al-Haj Ahmed Sukayrij al-Fasi (d. 1363/1944 in Marrakech) said, 

“Our Tijani Path is a spiritual remembrance on the basis of reality (dhikr ‘ala al-‘haqiqa). The Path of which its litanies (awrad) become mandatory until death the day a person takes the oath, together with its conditions that are: (1) Observance of the daily ritual prayers at their prescribed times; (2) Non-visitation of saints (awliya) lest the Companions of Sidi Ahmed Tijani (may Allah be pleased with him) and the Companions of the Messenger (peace and blessing be upon him); (3) And (s)he who takes the oath of the Path and embraces another Sufi path afterwards should be scared for himself.” 

Allama Sukayrij (may Allah be pleased with him) has also said,

“Our Path yields in submission to the Friends of God (Ahl Allah) —be they deceased or alive, so that belief in each one of them might be preserved. But let everyone renounce the visitation of the Friends for the goal of spiritual supply (ziyarat al-istimdad) and attachment (ziyarat at-ta’allauq), have a beautiful opinion on the whole community of Islam, stay away from their opponents, and separate himself from their enemies as much as possible; for company of loathers is verily a deadly poison. All the latter is behold after the constant observance of obligations (faraid) especially the daily ritual prayer as it is the basis on which our Path has been founded. Constant observance of the ritual prayer is a critical condition that the Tijani disciple must watch particularly in the congregation if possible. Observance of the ritual prayer is obligatory by law and it does not necessary require auxiliary elaboration. But, the disciple should be primarily reminded of the ritual's observance. The Tijani disciple is certainly (s)he who is the very foremost to observe the prayer, its corners and prescribed times in congregation and dissipation. Therefore, the Tijani adept is hypothetical the person who receives a special permission in the (Tijani) invocations from a person with genuine Taqdim (a title of Muqaddam that allows the bearer legal transmission of the Tariqa) and a lucid initiating authority comparatively to what I have received myself from the Shaykh, the Knower of Allah, the Master, the Lord, Sidi Ahmed al-Abdellawi, the pupil of the Qutb Sidi al-Haj Ali Tamasini, himself the student of Sidna Shaykh Abil Abbas Tijani (may Allah be pleased with him)."

The Knower of Allah, Sidi Ahmed al-Abdellawi (may Allah be pleased with him), said,

"The Path of our Shaykh, the Qutb al-Tijani, is by definition the known blessed Wird which is from the making of the Chieftain of the Universe (peace and blessing be upon him) which is composed of (1) “Astaghfirou Allah" (I ask forgiveness from Allah) 100 times; (2) the prayer of Salat al-Fatih 100 times; (3) “La-ilaha illa’Allah” (There is no God but Allah) 100 times. This Wird is obligatory in this Mohammediya Path of ours and it is recited in the morning and in the evening. On the other hand, the blessed Daily Office (Wadhifa) composes of (1) “Astaghfirou Allah Al Adhim alladhi la ilaha ila houa al hayou al kayoum" (I ask forgiveness from Allah, the Mighty. No God exists but Him. He is the Living, the Self-Existing) 30 times; the prayer of Salat al-Fatih 50 times; “La ilaha ila Allah” 100 times; the prayer of “Jawharat al-Kamal” (Jewel of Perfection) 12 times. The Wadhifa is sufficient once a day in the morning or in the evening. Preferably twice a day, if possible. Congregation to celebrate the Wadhifa is obligatory if the person has brethren in the town. In addition, remembrance of the Haylala (i.e. La ilah illa Allah) in the wake of the Asr prayer on Friday (ba’ad ‘asr al-Jumu’a) is part of the obligations of the Path. Congregation is necessary if the person has brethren in the town. If not it is recited individually 1000/1200 times."

Moreover, Sidi Ahmed Sukayrij said in his book “Kashf al-Balwa al-Manshura ‘ala Majallat Taqwa” (Removing the Affliction Published on the Magazine of Piety),  

“Our Ahmedi Tijani Path is founded on piety to God and felicity (ridwan) in light of what it was divinely communicated to its founder from Allah because of his sincere intention of doing what God say and being united in love with the Holy Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him). It is the Path that has hewn out its three pillars on observance of the Wird, the Wadhifa, and Remembrance of the Haylala on Friday. And before that come observance of the daily ritual prayers at their prescribed times, doing what is right, and, as much as it is possible, putting aside the deeds of darkness. As far as the Miracles (karamat) of the Shaykh (may Allah be pleased with him) and the Merits of his Path are concerned, they are found at the outside of the border of the Conditions of the Path, inasmuch as the Path is a spiritual remembrance in reality (dhikr ‘ala al-‘haqiqa), and what it is added to this is whether more grace (fadl) or a kind of meddle (fudul). As for grace, it is expressed merely to its people. As for meddle, it is to be seen in the strangers that overlap with (its affairs). (..) And know that Shaykh Tijani, may Allah be pleased with him, did not command nor mention to his companions to believe in what is contrary to the creed of the people of the truth. He did, however, passed on to them the instruction to look at whatever reaches them from him and weigh it in accordance with the Law (Shari’a); to take what is in accordance with what is written in the Law, and put aside what it is not.”  

Sidi al-Haj Abdelwahhab ibn al-‘Ahmar al-Fasi (d. 1269/1852) is reported that he said:

"The Tijani Path rests on three pillars that represent both its kernel and secret: 

1) Perpetual love for the family of the Messenger—Allah's Peace and Grace be upon Him;
2) Performing one's canonical prayer at the appointed time; and,
3) Relentless prayers upon the Messenger—Allah's Peace and Grace be upon Him."

Allama Sukayrij, may Allah be pleased with him, said in his book, “al-Jawahir al-Muntashara fi’l Jawab ‘ala al-Asila al-Ihda ‘Ashara” (The Scattered Gems in Reply to the Elevenfold Questions),

“And know that Our Mohammedi Tijani Path is a Path of Perfect Beauty (Tariqa-tu Jamal) and likewise are its remembrances (adhkar) with the manifest exception of the Prayer of the Sword Bearer (Hizb Sayfi) and the Prayer of the Sea (Hizb al-Bahr), for reading them, or reading one of them, regularly each day, robes the reader in a manifestation of majesty that a disciple in our Path cannot hold even though he is to read them free without intentions of acquiring a particular kind of return (khasiya). (..) In this sense, Our Path is not founded upon the bases of acquiring a particularity (ta’hsil al-khasiya) nor on walking (suluk) under the standards set up by the seekers of spiritual training (tarbiya) in the other Sufi paths, but, as it is known among its people, Our Path is a Path of Thankfulness (Tariqa-tu Shukr).” “It is a Path of divine openings, celestial states and gnostic perceptions gushed out from the Mohammedian Presence upon its Companions through the blessing (baraka) of Shaykh Sidi Ahmed Tijani (may Allah be pleased with him). Verily, verily, his authority (Shaykh Abil Abbas Tijani) was about to be sanctified by the Truth and approved even by non-(Tijani) companions and brothers.”

Thus, the quiddity and nature and essence of the Tijani Path are a complex of invocations, namely, the morning and evening recitation of the Mohammedian Wird that the Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) had himself assigned to Sidna Shaykh Tijani to initiate any seeker who asks for it and accepts to abide by its conditions. To these are added the daily Wadhifa and the remembrance of the Haylala (i.e. La ilah illa Allah) in the wake of the Asr prayer on Friday. These invocations are initiated by a sound Muqaddam who possesses a doctrinal transmission tracing the succession of shaykhs back to the Mohammedian Pole Shaykh Abil Abbas Tijani (may Allah be pleased with him).  

Conditions of the Wird

1. Commitment to serve the litany until death with a face turned exclusively into the Path so that he abstains from taking any other litany that is of any shaykh of all the shaykhs.

2. Departure from visiting any of the friends (awliya): be they living or deceased.

3.Persistence in loving the People of God (Ahl Allah) altogether; having respect to him that come from among them, and avoiding any ill-natured talk against one of them. (Kitab Bulugh al-Amani)  

The conditions of the Path are explained in the Rimah.

From the letters of the Faqih Sidi Mohammed Akansus is this great, standing license. And he had sent it to the Knower of Allah, the Owner of Great States, the Great Muqaddam, our Master al-Haj Saʼid al-Dararki al-Maskini al-Susi:

"And your right upon us is that we mention to you the conditions of this Tariqa al-Mohammediya, the first of which, I'm sure you already uphold, so hold fast to it. The first of them is observing the five obligatory (prayers) at their appointed times in congregation. And (secondly) that if you take it (the wird) that you never leave it, since the one who leaves it after taking it, affliction befalls him in this world and the next. And refuge is sought in Allah, the Exalted (from that). And we have already seen that befalling some people. And no doctors existed who could cure them. And refuge is sought in Allah, the Exalted. The third is that this Wird is not joined together with another one. So, he who wants to enter into this Tariqa, it is indispensable that he abandon what other Awrad he had been practicing. And then he sound not take to practicing other than it (as a wird), ever.  And it is the guarantor for every good for the one who enters it. And besides it, nothing is more beneficial. And it is more beneficial than other Awrad. Verily, the Shaykh, may Allah be well pleased with him, said “Verily, every Tariqa will be cut off. And none will remain except this Tariqa. And the fourth condition is that whoever takes this Tariqa should not visit any one of the Saints- dead or living- for the purpose of seeking spiritual aid and benefit; meaning for the purpose of seeking spiritual aid from them. That is to say, do not visit them with the aim that they benefit him or that they should lift from him some harm. For, verily, no one is capable of benefitting him or preventing something from harming him except his Shaykh. "

An Explanation of the Litanies 

The Tijani litany consists of three sets of prayers which are recited at specified times in addition to the five daily prayers required of all Muslims. They are the wird, the wadhifa, and the Friday hadra of haylala. All these prayers together constitute the Tijani wird. The Holy Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, ordered Sidna Shaykh Tijani, may Allah be pleased with him to transmit these remembrances to all Muslims who requested them. Entry into the Ahmedi Tijaniya Path is effected by receiving an authorization to recite these obligatory remembrances (al-adhkar al-lazima). 

I. The Wird

"You had sent for us, to ask for the remembrance of our Wird, so here am I writing it down to you, which is: Astaghfir-u Allah, 100 times; Salat al-Fatih li ma Ughliq (The Prayer of the Opening of what had been Closed), 100 times, and it is known; then after it comes La Ilaha Illa Allah, 100 times. And the time for that is after the prayer of Subh and after the prayer of Maghrib. Should he labor it after the prayer of ‘Asr, then it suffices to recite the Wird in full during the time of the two times. And the rememberer (al-dhakir) is only bound to the remembrance of these two times. At other times, if he wants (to remember) then shall he remember, to cause more goodness, and if he does not want (to remember) then shall he give up without blame (bi-la ‘haraj). And the Prayer of Salat al-Fatih li ma Ughliq is: “Oh Allah! Bless our Lord Mohammad: the Opening of what had been closed, the Seal of what had gone before, the Helper of the Truth by the Truth, and the Guide to Your Straight Path. Allah's blessings be upon him and his Family. May (this prayer be) equal to his immense position and grandeur.”  Should he be occupied at work, and feels it heavy, let him recite instead: “Oh Allah! Shower your blessing and peace upon our Lord Mohammad and his Family.” (Allahuma salli wa sallim ‘ala Sayyidina Mohammedin wa ‘ala alih.) And it is only (recited) at the time of rushing (waqt al-isti’jal). (From the the letters of Sidna Shaykh Abil Abbas Tijani, may Allah be pleased with him)

The wird includes three recitations to be recited twice daily, in the morning before the dawn prayer, and in the afternoon.

1. 100 times the formula "Astaghfirou Allah" (I beg forgiveness from God),

2. 100 times the Salat al-Fatih or "Allahuma salli wa sallim ‘ala Sayyidina Mohammedin wa ‘ala alih" 100 times;  

3. 100 times "La Ilaha ila Allah" (There is no god but God),' called the haylala.

Timing 

The obligatory Wird is performed twice a day. The optional time of the morning Wird starts after the dawn prayer and continues up to high forenoon. Forenoon extends up to midday. The necessary time extends from high forenoon until sunset; and the making-up for the morning Wird is beyond that. However, it is unconditionally permissible to advance the morning Wird during the night, with or without a reason. The time for advancing the Wird starts after the Isha Prayer and a lapse of time enough to recite five sub-parts of Quran (i.e. 1:30 hours or there about). If dawn breaks before the Wird is over complete it and redo it after Dawn Prayers (a must). It has been narrated in the Jawahir al-Ma'ani and the Idafa al-Ahmediya that Sidna Shaykh (may Allah be pleased with him) said that night acts of worship multiply five hundred manifolds over daytime deeds. 

The optional time for the evening Wird starts after Asr prayer and extends up to the Isha prayer. The Necessary time is between Isha prayer and dawn break; the making-up for the evening Wird is beyond that.  If a person performed his Wird after dawn but before he prayed the Fajr prayer; or after the appointed time of Asr prayer was due but before he prayed the Asr prayer, and whether this has happened intentionally or due to forgetfulness or ignorance, he must redo the Wird during its appointed time, and must make-up for it if the appointed time lapsed. This is because he advanced the Wird before its prescribed time. Al-Qutb Salih Sidi Mohammed ibn al-Arbi Sayeh (d. 1309/1894) says in “Kitab Bughyat al-Mustafid fi-Shar'h Minyat al-Murid (Aspiration of the Beneficiary in the Commentary of the Desire of The Seeker)   

“This is what has been transmitted from the Shaykh. It is a consensus amongst his Companions; and what the author of al-Jaysha al-Kafil ("Sidi Mohammed Saghir Shinguiti"; may Allah bless him) wrote to the contrary was a distractedness from the a special order of our order, therefore it shouldn’t be considered, even though that might be the practice in some other Sufi orders. 

It is NOT permissible to advance the evening Wird during daytime, with or without excuse, whether before the time of Asr prayer or after the time but before the performance of Asr prayer. This is an authentic and continuously recurrent practice of Sidna Shaykh (may Allah be pleased with him). However, it is permissible to advance the evening Wird at night under two conditions: (1) A valid excuse is expected to occur during the optional time of the Wird; (2) its advancing takes place after the advancing of the morning Wird, for order, as it is invalid, with the presence of the excuse, to advance the evening Wird except after advancing the morning Wird.

If a person misses his Wird, he must make up for it. The vow makes the Wird obligatory. 

Remedy of Deficiency (Jabr)

If a person forgetfully exceeds the limit in some or all of the pillars of the Wird, he should, after finishing his Wird or Wadhifa, remedy that deficiency by reciting Istighfar (Astaghfirou Allah)  100 times and/or Jawharat al-Kamal prayer 3 times, with intent to remedy. If a person is in doubt as to whether he exceeds or falls short of the limit, he should build on certainty (the lower number) and complete the Wird, then remedy his doubt by reciting Istighfar 100 times after finishing his Wird or Wadhifa. If a person, forgetfully, reverses the order of the pillars – e.g. recites prayers upon the Prophet before the Istighfar – he shall cancel what he reverses (prayers upon the Holy Prophet in this case), redo the pillars in order, and then make Istighfar one hundred times and/or Jawharat al-Kamal prayer 3 times with intent to remedy that deficiency, after finishing his Wird or Wadhifa.If a person is in doubt, or forgetfulness occurs to him during the remedy, he should not repeat the remedy to avoid getting in circle. The remedy is for the individual who performs alone. In a group, the imam bears the deficiencies, similar to congregational prayers. Intentional increase, decrease, or reversal of the pillars invalidates the dhikr, and it is misconduct.  

Dust Ablution 

If a person performs dust ablution for a prescribed prayer, he must also perform another dust ablution for the Wird, otherwise the Wird will invalidates. This is because the Wird became obligatory by the vow, and it is not permissible to do two obligatory acts of worship with one dust ablution. Accordingly, he must redo all the Wirds that he has done with dust ablutions of prescribed prayers.   

Call to Prayer

If a prayer starts while a person is performing his Wird or Wadhifa, he stops, prays with the group, and then immediately after the prayer is over and before he utters any word resumes his Wird, building on what he has performed before the prayer, instead of starting it all over. This is analogous to starting of a prayer while one performs Tawaf (circumambulating the Ka'aba) as stated by Sidi Mohammed b. Abdelwahid Nadhifi (d. 1370/1951) in his Durrah al-Kharidah. Sidi Tayyeb Sufyani (d. 1259/1844) said, "This is a continuously recurrent tradition from the Shaykh and unanimously agreed upon between his Companions, thus, it is neither rejectable nor questionable". 

II. The Wadhifa

The Wadhifa includes four recitations recited at least once daily before the morning prayer, but a second time in the evening if one wishes.

1. "Astaghfirou Allah Al Adhim alladhi la ilaha ila houa al hayou al kayoum" (I ask forgiveness from Allah, the Mighty. No God exists but Him. He is the Living, the Self-Existing), 30 times;

2. Salat al-Fatih, 50 times;

3. “La ilaha ila Allah”, 100 times;

4. The Prayer of "Jawharat al Kamal"; "O God, send benediction upon and salute the source of divine mercy, a true ruby which encom­passes the centre of comprehensions and meanings, the son of Adam, the possessor of divine Truth; the most luminous lightning in the profitable rain-clouds which fill all the intervening seas and receptacles; Thy bright light with which Thou has filled Thy universe and which surrounds the places of existence. O God, bless and salute the source of Truth from which are mani­fested the tabernacles of realities; the source of knowledge, the most upright; Thy complete and most straight path. O God, bless and salute the advent of the Truth by the Truth; the greatest treasure, Thy mysterious Light. May God bless the Prophet and his household, a prayer which brings us to knowledge of him," 12 times. 

The Allama Sidi Ali Harazem Berrada (may Allah be pleased with him) says in Risalat al-fadhl wal imtinan: 

"(The Wadhifa) is carried out in the morning or in the evening  and  it suffices once a day and it is recited either in congregation or individually. But it does not dispense the daily wird  or the Haylala of Fridays." Sidi al-Haj Omar ibn Said al-Futi  stated in Kitab Rima'h: "Of the conditions of the Tijaniya order congregation for the performance for the wadhifa and the remembrance of the Haylala in the wake of the afternoon prayer on Friday. As we read in Jawahir al-Ma'ani: "The litanies that are essential to the Spiritual Path include the remembrance of the Haylala in the wake of the afternoon prayer on Friday, together with the congregation. If someone has brethren in the town, they are obliged."

Sidna Shaykh Abi Abbas Tijani (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that seven recitations from "Jawharat al-Kamal fi Mad’hi Sayyid Rijal” (The Jewel of Excellence in the Praise of the Chieftain of Men) taught him by his Grandfather (peace and blessing be upon him) result in the Prophet's physical presence.  

Kashf al-Hijab contains the following letter of our Master (may Allah be pleased with him),

"Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings. To the aMuqaddam Sidi al-Haj Sulayman from the slave in need of Allah who writes to you Ahmed ibn Mohammed Tijani, (...) Everyone who takes our Wird, they should not visit a Saint- living or dead. And whoever visits (them) has exited from our Wird. But, in our Tariqa, visitation is to our Master the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. And that is that Jawharat al-Kamal is recited twenty times, intending by it visiting him, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and gifts its reward to him, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. For verily, when seven recitations have been completed, he, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, sits with the rememberer with his Real Essence. And he does not stop sitting with him until he completes twenty. And verily he will be, by doing that, as one who stands in front of his grave visiting him, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. And whoever is reached by this benefit and reward in that visitation, it is not encompassed or equaled. And it is hidden. It is not permissible to mention it and it is not known except in the hereafter. And this visitation of him is not tied to any day or any time. Verily, it is independent whenever he wishes to do it. And it is better than visiting the Saints. And if your heart is open to receiving good news, then know that that it is a Wird overflowed from the Presence of Allah to our companions, bringing nearer to him the hidden eyes, if they would only be unveiled to his Dhikr. And it will not be known except in the Hereafter. And may Allah bless and send peace upon our Master Mohammed and his family and companions."

From the other particularities of Jawharat al-Kamal those that the Wasita Sidi al-Hajj Ali Harazem Berrada (may Allah be pleased with him) informs us in Kitab Jawahir,

(1) The fact that most of them will be granted each day the favour of visiting the Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) in his noble garden (Rawda), and of visiting all the saints of Allah and the righteous, from the beginning of existence until his own time. Sidna Shaykh said "Allah's Messenger gave me an invocation of salat upon him called "Jawharat al-Kamal".' If someone recites it twelve times and says: 'This is a gift from me to you, O Messenger of Allah,' it is as if he has visited him in his noble garden, and as if he has visited the saints of Allah and the righteous, from the beginning of existence until his own time."

(2) The fact that the Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) and the Four Caliphs are present with the people of this Spiritual path every day. Sidna Shaykh Ahmed Tijani said "The Prophet told me that if someone recites "Jawharat al-Kamal" seven times or more, He and the Four Caliphs will be present with him as long as he remembers it". Allah has graciously recommended to our brethren that it should be recited twelve times in the daily wadhifa so that is sufficient for those who are lazy.

(3) The fact that the Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) loves its reader with a special love, different from that already bestowed on them and on all the loved ones in the first part. Sidna Shaykh Tijani said "The Prophet told me that, if someone makes a regular practice of reciting Jawharat al-Kamal more than seven times every day, The Prophet will love him with a special love, and he will not die until he becomes a saint.

The White Flat Sheet

A well-established Tijani ritual is laying down a white flat sheet during the recitation of  "Jawharat al-Kamal" in honor of the Messenger's presence, peace and blessing be upon him. The Allama Sidi Ahmed Sukayraj said in Al-Kawkab al-Wahhaj li-Tawdii’h Dhurrat at-Taj wa 'Ujaalat al-Mu'htaj” (The Fiery Planet in the Commentary of the Inimitable Gemstone),

"It has been authentically related that the prophet peace upon him have laid down his noble dress for his sister (Shayma bint al-Harith) when she visited him with the envoy if the people of Hawazin. The composer of the Hamziya, Imam Sidi Mohammed al-Busairi, referred to this account in his verse:

   For her the Chosen laid down his dress,
      So great that dress contained of grace.

 

He also laid down his dress for Dihaya al-Kalbi when he came to submit to Islam Dahiya when cried because of this and lifted the noble dress kissed it and placed it on his head and eyes. We can clearly see from this action a sing of glorification to those the noble dress have been placed down for and since the Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) is an example for us to be followed. The disciple should also lay down a garment honouring the presence of the Prophet (peace be upon him) for if we were to lay down ourselves and foreheads on the ground honouring the prophet we would not be blamed."

Remedy of Deficiency in the Wadhifa 

 It is mandatory to make-up for the Wadhifa if missed even once in a lifetime. Sidi Mohammed al-Arbi ibn Sayeh said in Bughyat al-Mustafid,

 "No doubt, in the beginning, the Wadhifa was not as emphasized as the Wird, but it had been confirmed during the life of the Shaykh (may Allah be pleased with him). 

Consequently the author of Jawahir al-Maani amended his own copy and added a clear a statement that it is imperative to make-up for the Wadhifa, similar to the Wird. Therefore any a statement suggesting that the making-up for a missed Wadhifa is not obligatory should be disregarded because it is contrary to the settled practice of the Shaykh  and his Companions.

If a person forgetfully exceeds the limit in some or all of the pillars of the Wird, he should, after finishing his Wird or Wadhifa, remedy that deficiency by reciting Istighfar (Astaghfirou Allah) 100 times, with intent to remedy.

If a person is in doubt as to whether he exceeds or falls short of the limit, he should build on certainty (the lower number) and complete the Wird, then remedy his doubt by reciting Istighfar 100 times, after finishing his Wird or Wadhifa. If a person, forgetfully, reverses the order of the pillars – e.g. recites prayers upon the Prophet before the Istighfar – he shall cancel what he reverses (prayers upon the Holy Prophet in this case), redo the pillars in order, and then make Istighfar one hundred times with intent to remedy that deficiency, after finishing his Wird or Wadhifa. 

If a person is in doubt, or forgetfulness occurs to him during the remedy, he should not repeat the remedy to avoid getting in circle. The remedy is for the individual who performs alone. 

In a group, the imam bears the deficiencies, similar to congregational prayers. Intentional increase, decrease, or reversal of the pillars invalidates the dhikr, and it is misconduct. 

Late Arrival in Wadhifa 

If a person arrives late in Wadhifa, he performs with the group what he attends, and then completes what he misses after the group finishes recitation: that is to say, he starts the Wazifa from the beginning until the point where he catches up with the group. All the actions of the late-arriver are making-up, because they are all words not actions.  

Menstruation, Illness and the Wird 

It is authentically narrated from the Shaykh (may Allah be pleased with him) that the menstruous woman, and the patient, are free to perform or not to perform the Wird. It is alright if they did it, otherwise there is nothing against them, and no making-up is required of them afterwards. The choice here is for the patient who cannot perform the Wird properlywith all its conditions and counts without great difficulty. And the choice of the menstruating woman is analogous to her reading of Quran.

III. 'Hadra of Friday

The séance of hadra is a group recitation held each Friday between the 'Asr and Maghreb Prayers during which the haylala is recited. The number of recitations is not specified. Like the Wadhifa, the Friday's séance must be performed in congregation whenever it is possible, arranging the ranks properly, reciting aloud. It is performed only the Friday, and only between 'Asr and Maghreb Prayers. If not accomplished during this lapse of time, we can't make up for it. Sidna Shaykh Abil Abbas Tijani, may Allah be pleased 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", and just after the last "La Ilaha illAllah" we have to say "Muhammadun Rasulullah. 'Alayhi Salamullah" Here is an example of a recitation of the Haylala, according to the deed of the Grand Zawiya of Fez,

- "A'udhu billahi mina chaytani rajim,"
- Surat al-Fatiha + "Amin", 1 time
-  Salat al-Fatih, 1 time
- "Subhana rabbika rabbil 'izzati 'amma yasifuna wa salamun 'ala-l-mursalina wa-l-hamdu lillahi rabbi-l-'alameen,"
- "La Ilaha illAllah", one hour before the Maghreb until the call to prayer (recite 1000, 1200, or 1600 times if you are by yourself)
- " Muhammadun Rasulullah. 'Alayhi Salamullah" 
-  Salat al-Fatih, 1 time
- "Subhana rabbika rabbil 'izzati 'amma yasifuna wa salamun 'ala-l-mursalina wa-l-hamdu lillahi rabbi-l-'alameen,"
- Du'a.