Sidi Muhammad ibn Ghazi, may ALLAH be pleased with him

The excellent Master Sidi Muhammad ibn Ghazi (may ALLAH be pleased with him) was a man of pure heart, the follower of the path of truth and holder of great Baraka. He was among the ten people to whom the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) had guaranteed the Great Opening, and he was among the beloved of Seyyidina Ahmed Tidjani (may ALLAH sanctifiy his precious secret) because of the purity of his love.

Sometimes his behavious was strange and in this way he was able to hide his secrets. He was renowned for his generosity and kindness towards the brothers. The qualities that ALLAH granted him included the blessings (baraka) upon everything he undertook in terms of buying and selling, food and drink, and in all circumstances. Seeing his Baraka, the brothers requested his presence at their festivities. When they desired his Baraka for something specific, even when Sidi Muhammad ibn Ghazi (may ALLAH be pleased with him) was not among them, they would say: “O ALLAH we beseech you with the Name with which Muhammad ibn Ghazi has invoked you, grant us the Baraka for this or that.” And they received the blessings.

At the beginning of his journey with Seyyidina Ahmed Tidjani (may ALLAH sanctifiy his precious secret), after having taken the Tariqa, he neglected to attend the recitation of the Wazifa in congregation in the blessed Zawiya because of his commerce. One Friday Sidi Muhammad ibn Ghazi (may ALLAH be pleased with him) was walking in the souk of Fes when Seyyidina Ahmed Tidjani (may ALLAH sanctifiy his precious secret), on his way back from the Zawiya, after the Zikr saw him. Sidi Muhammad ibn Ghazi (may ALLAH be pleased with him) said to himself: “There is no might nor power except in Allah, we have abandoned the reward of the Hereafter and busied ourselves with the reward of this life obtained through commercial transactions. I wonder whether I am a beloved or a loser for this Sheikh to whom ALLAH has allowed me to be close, because of what I have just done?” When they met, Seyyidina Ahmed Tidjani (may ALLAH sanctifiy his precious secret) said: “How are you fairing O so and so? You are among the particular beloved but you do not attend the Zikr, why is this?” Since that day, he has not neglected to sit with Seyyidina Ahmed Tidjani (may ALLAH sanctifiy his precious secret) until their separation and his spiritual state expressed: “If we had had the choice, we would not have been separated, but there is no choice with destiny.”

One day, after the death of Seyyidina Ahmed Tidjani (may ALLAH sanctifiy his precious secret), when he was sitting outside his house, a thought crossed his mind concerning visiting the Saints and he thought that this prohibition should only be limited to Seyyidina’s lifetime. At that very moment, he saw the virtuous Wali, the noble Majdhub Sidi Hafid ben ‘Adwa (may ALLAH be pleased with him) who came towards him and said: “He is not dead.” And they left. At that very instant, he realized what he was thinking and repented. He knew that he was enveloped in God’s protection because of his sincere love for Seyyidina Ahmed Tidjani (may ALLAH sanctifiy his precious secret).