Sidi El Muhib ben Qadur Zarhuni, may ALLAH be pleased with him

Among the elite of the companions of Seyidina Ahmed Tidjani (may ALLAH sanctify his precious secret) and those who experienced prodigies in his company, was the jurist, the ascetic, the follower of the path of truth, endowed with the mastery of the knowledge of Law and of the truth, known for his conviction in the Tariqa, Abu Muhammad Sidi Abdelqader Zarhuni, nicknamed El Muhib ibn Qadur (may ALLAH be pleased with him).

Seyyidina Ahmed Tidjani (may ALLAH sanctify his precious secret) sent him the following letter:

“After mentioning the name of ALLAH, we request Him through His immense Majesty and His sacred Names, that, as of this moment, he makes you to travel the path of his virtuous saints. May you be in his hands in the situation of his beloved and knowers, in this world as well as the HereAfter because He is capable of this. Next, you asked for my authorization for additional formulas of evocation. Know that I authorize all the evocation and Names, verses and invocations that you wish for wherever they are and however they are formulated, except for those pertaining to the obligatory litanies of the Shouyoukh in their affiliation to their path.

Know that all the evocation, invocation, and prayers upon the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), that you can accomplish in a hundred thousand years would not equal the reward of one single Salatul Fatihi.

If you want to be among the winners in the Hereafter, practice it according to your capacities, because for he who accomplishes it, this is the great treasure of ALLAH (The Glorified, The Exalted). Add it to all your evocations and litanies, this is preferable for you and I advise it for ALLAH.

Concerning the difficulties of which you have informed me, that you find difficulty in submiting your soul (Nafs) before the orders of ALLAH and its continual and persistent disobedience, know that this is a tradition (established) of ALLAH upon His creatures who have neglected their soul (Nafs) and abandoned it to their passion. Consequently, it is difficult for them to follow the path of obedience to the orders of ALLAH because the ruses of their Nafs lead them to sin and disobedience.

Anyone who wants to rectify the deformation of his soul should prevent it from following its passion. He should continually strive for isolations, maintain silence, reduce food intake, increase practicing remembrance of ALLAH, evolving with the presence of the heart, and rejecting all thought, desire and love for worldly affairs. You should also drive out of you heart all kind of will, choice or thought regarding our own affairs and move away from any desire for information concerning God’s creatures.

Lastly, we should impose satisfaction with ALLAH’s destiny from our heart. By persevering in this way, the Nafs will be purified and emerges from its ruse to follow the orders of ALLAH. This has been always the Tradition of ALLAH upon His creatures and will never find any alteration. In this field, the Sheikh is a guide as well as a helper and not a creator or a doer, because creation and action belong to ALLAH, whereas the Shouyoukh indicate the direction. Peace be upon you and may the salutation and the prayer and the prayer of ALLAH be upon the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), his family and his companions. Here ends this letter written by this poor servant of ALLAH, Ahmed ibn Muhammad Tidjani, may ALLAH be kind to him.”