Sidi Muhammad ibn Hirzullah (may ALLAH be pleased with him)

The Muqaddam of obvious merits, who always hastened to perform good deeds, Sidi Muhammad ibn Hirzullah (may ALLAH pleased with him), was originally from Algeria. His aspiration was truly elevated and he was firmly attached to the rope of the Tariqa.

Among the events that he lived with Seyyidina (may ALLAH sanctify his precious secret), it is said that once he was riding his mount to visit Seyyidina (may ALLAH sanctify his precious secret). He wanted to ask him three questions. The first concerned wet cupping by night. The second concerned holding the beads (subha) in the left hand and the last concerned Imam Mehdi, the Sultan of Truth.

It just so happened that when he reached Seyyidina’s house (may ALLAH sanctify his precious secret), night had already fallen. He requested permission to enter and permission was granted. At the time when he was preparing to join Seyyidina, even before having met him, he heard him say: “Bring me the person who applies the cups so that he can bleed me.” Sidi Hirzullah (may ALLAH be pleased with him) thought to himself: « Here is the answer to my first question. »

Then, when he entered the room, he saw Seyyidina Ahmed Tidjani (may ALLAH sanctify his precious secret) evoking holding his rosary in his left hand. He said to himself: “Here is the answer of my second question.”

Once in the presence of Seyyidina (may ALLAH sanctify his precious secret), having paid his respects in accordance with Seyyidina’s station, he heard him speak about the Imam Mahdi and what he was going to do to those who disobeyed Muhamadian Law and when he heard him say: “Then, the Sultan of Truth will come, he will gather together the scholars and he will kill them all at once”, he had received the answer to his three questions without needing to ask them. In fact these scholars are wrongdoers, more harmful to people than the daemon himself due to using religion in their own worldly interests and opposing those who are well-guided.

In the book Rimah, Sidi Muhammad El Ghali (may ALLAH be pleased with him) related that one of the companions said to another, in the presence of Seyyidina Ahmed Tidjani (may ALLAH sanctify his precious secret) : “If Imam Mehdi comes, he will kill us.” Then, Seyyidina (may ALLAH sanctify his precious secret) said to them: “He will not kill you because he is your brother on the path, but he will kill the wrongdoing scholars.”

He also said (may ALLAH sanctify his precious secret) : “When El Muntadhar comes, he will ask our companions the Fatiha.” It is also written that Seyyidina (may ALLAH sanctify his precious secret) said: “All the Walis enter our group, take our wird and comply to our path from the beginning of existence and until the day of Judgement. At the end of time, the Imam Mehdi will take from us and join our group; we, ourselves, will have died and journeyed to the eternal abode.”

Research and translation by Zawiya Tidjaniya el Kubra in Lyon, France