O you who seek closeness to the Beloved

Bismillāhi r-Raḥmāni r-Raḥīm
In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate.

⸻

O Allah, send blessings upon our master Muhammad,
the Opener of what was closed,
the Seal of what came before,
the Helper of the Truth by the Truth,
and the Guide to Your straight path.
And upon his family,
according to his immense worth and the greatness of his rank.

Allah تعالى said:

“Say: If you truly love Allah, then follow me;
Allah will love you and forgive your sins.
For Allah is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.”
(Sūrat Āl ʿImrān, 3:31)

“Indeed, in the Messenger of Allah you have an excellent example for whoever hopes in Allah and the Last Day and remembers Allah often.”
(Surah Al-Aḥzāb, 33:21)

“Take what the Messenger gives you, and refrain from what he forbids you.”
(Surah Al-Ḥashr, 59:7)

⸻

Words of our master Shaykh Aḥmad Tijānī (may Allah sanctify his precious secret)

“Every opening, every light, and every spiritual elevation
are attained only through sincere following of the Beloved ﷺ.”

“All goodness lies in following the Sunnah, and all evil lies in whatever diverges from the Sunnah.“

“Every path that does not lead to following the Prophet ﷺ is a path of perdition.“

⸻

O you who seek closeness to the Beloved,

Attach your soul to those who remember their Lord in the secret of the morning and the gentleness of the evening. Do not look at their garments—look at their hearts. For the one whose tongue is moistened with the remembrance of Allah carries a light that the eyes of this world cannot perceive.

Do not let your gaze drift toward the deceptive adornments of this worldly life. For what shines here will fade, but what is for Allah remains. How many souls have been seduced by appearances and then deprived of the truth.

Stay with the sincere, even if their gatherings are humble, even if their food is simple, even if their names are unknown among people. For they are known to Allah—and that is honor enough.

Distance yourself from the one whose heart is veiled from remembrance. For the one who forgets Allah eventually forgets himself. And the one who follows his desires strays from the path, even if he thinks he is progressing.

Know that companionship is a seed:

If you sit with people of light, your heart will be illuminated.
If you sit with people of distraction, your heart will grow dark.

So choose carefully where you place your gaze—and with whom you place your heart.

⸻

O Allah, send blessings upon our master Muhammad,
the Opener of what was closed,
the Seal of what came before,
the Helper of the Truth by the Truth,
and the Guide to Your straight path.
And upon his family,
according to his immense worth and the greatness of his rank.

⸻

The poor servant in Allah and disciple of Shaykh Aḥmad Tijānī
(may Allah sanctify his precious secret),
Mohammed El Mansour El Mohieddine Tidjani