Salāt al ‘Azīmiyah

 For attaining a special connection (nisbat) with Rasulullāh sallallāhu alayhi wasallam and seeing him in ones dreams.

 Shaykh Ahmad ibn Idrīs, may Allāh be pleased with him, had a meeting in the waking state, with Sayyidina Muhammad, sallallāllahu alayhi wa ālihi wa sallam, and al-Khidr, Alayhis Salām. The Prophet said to al-Khidr: “Ya Khidr: teach him that which joins together all of the dhikrs, salawāt, and prayers for forgiveness of sins, and is superior in reward, larger in number, more exalted in worth, and greater in obtaining assistance.” Al-Khidr, Alayhis Salām, said: “What is that, oh Prophet of Allāh?” And so the Prophet, sallallāllahu alayhi wa ālihi wa sallam, taught him the Idrīsi Tahlil, this Salawāt Azīmiyya, and the Istighfār al-Kabīr. The ijāza and Dream of the great Qutb of Al-Azhar Shaykh Sālih al-J‘afari. From the ijāza of Shaykh Sālih al-J‘afari Rahimahullāh to recite salawāt ‘Azīmiya to all. This is the ijāza that Shaykh Salih has given for salawāt Azīmiya, a famous salawāt of Sayyidi Ahmad ibn Idrīs Rahimahullāh for all.

The shaykh says: “I was travelling by sea on the boat from Jeddah to Libya, and I saw in my sleep that I was sitting in the room that I was in, on a bed, and next to me was another bed. I was sitting and reciting the first salawāt (of the Salawāt of Shaykh Ahmad ibn Idrīs). So when I began reciting it, the Prophet sallallāhu alayhi wa ālihi wa sallam entered the room and sat on the other bed and he said,: ‘I came to hear from you the salawāt of ibn Idrīs.’ Then he, sallallāhu alayhi wasallam laid down on his right side, and the more I continued in reciting it, the more his light increased, and so did his visibility to me, so I thought to myself, whilst in the middle of the recitation, to get up and greet him, so I stood up and kissed his noble hand and he wiped with it my face and my chest. Then he pointed to me with his hand to sit and finish the salawāt. So I sat back and finished the first salawāt, and said after it: “Oh you of perfect body, O you of beautiful attributes,” until the end of the seventh salawāt. Then I woke up from my sleep, rejoicing and happy, thanking Allāh Most High. And he, sallallāhu alayhi wa ālihi wasallam, had already given me a general ijāza for all the salawāt. I saw in my dream that I was doing salawāt on the Prophet sallallāhu alayhi wasallam with salawāt other than the ones from our Idrīsi tariqa. But when I began with the Azīmīyya (of Shaykh Ahmad ibn Idrīs), he appeared to me, sallallāhu alayhi wasallam sitting on a chair. So I got up and kissed his noble hand and said: “Shall I do salawāt on you, O Messenger of Allah, with this formula?” So he said: “With it and with other than it.” And he pointed with his noble head from top to bottom, and from bottom to top, sallallāllahu alayhi wa ālihi wasallama taslīma.

And I give ijāza to all the brothers from the Idrīsi tariqa and others, from the East to the West of the world, in this Salawāt Azīmiyya, in which the Messenger of Allāh sallallāhu alayhi wasallam gave me ijāza. And likewise I give them ijāza in the first salawāt, which the Messenger of Allāh sallallāhu alayhi wa ālihi wasallam heard from me, and like wise I give them ijāza with the rest of the salawāt, which the Messenger of Allāh sallallāllahu alayhi wa ālihi wasallam gave me ijāza in by saying: “With it and with other than it.” And I have great hope that everyone who hears these words of mine, and turns with his heart and body toward these salawāt, and recites them regularly with love and belief, that he will see him, sallallāllahu alayhi wa ālihi wasallam, in sleep and in the waking. And nothing stands between me and the doubters except trying. 

اَللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ بِنُورِ وَجْهِ اللهِ الْعَظِيمِ ❁ الَّذِي مَلَأَ أَرْكَانَ عَرْشِ اللهِ الْعَظِيمِ ❁ وَقَامَتْ بِهِ عَوَالِمُ اللهِ الْعَظِيمِ ❁ أَنْ تُصَلِّيَ عَلىٰ مَوْلَانَا مُحَمَّدٍ ذِي الْقَدْرِ الْعَظِيمِ ❁ وَعَلىٰ آلِ نَبِيِّ اللهِ الْعَظِيمِ ❁ بِقَدْرِ عَظَمَةِ ذَاتِ اللهِ الْعَظِيمِ ❁ فِي كُلِّ لَمْحَةٍ وَنَفَسٍ عَدَدَ مَا فِي عِلْمِ اللهِ الْعَظِيمِ ❁ صَلَاةً دَائِمَةً بِدَوَامِ اللهِ الْعَظِيمِ ❁ تَعْظِيمًا لِحَقِّكَ يَا مَوْلَانَا يَا مُحَمَّدُ يَا ذَا الْخُلُقِ الْعَظِيمِ ❁ وَسَلِّمْ عَلَيْهِ وَعَلىٰ آلِهِ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ ❁ وَاجْمَعْ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَهُ كَمَا جَمَعْتَ بَيْنَ الرُّوحِ وَالنَّفْسِ ❁ ظَاهِرًا وَبَاطِنًا ❁ يَقْظَةً وَمَنَامًا ❁ وَاجْعَلْهُ يَا رَبِّ رُوحًا لِذَاتِي مِنْ جَمِيعِ الْوُجُوهِ فِي الدُّنْيَا قَبْلَ الْآخِرَةِ يَا عَظِيمُ 

Allāhumma innī as-aluka bi-nūri wajhillāhil ‛aẓīm, allaḍī mala-a arkāna ‘arshillāhil ‘aẓīm, wa qāmat bihī ‘awālimullāhil ‘aẓīm, an tuṣallīya ‘alā mawlānā Muḥammadin dhil qadril ‘aẓīm, wa ‘alā āli Nabiyyillāhil ‘aẓīm, bi-qadri ‘aẓamati dhātillāhil ‘aẓīm, fī kulli lamḥatin wa nafasin ‘adada mā fī ‘ilmillāhil ‘aẓīm, ṣalātan dā’imatan bi-dawāmillāhil ‛aẓīm, t‘aẓīman li-ḥaqqika yā mawlānā yā Muḥammad, yā dhal-khuluqil ‘aẓīm,wa sallim ‘alayhi wa ‘alā ālihī mithla dhālik,wajma‘a baynī wa-baynahū kamā jama‘ata baynarrūḥi wannafs, ẓāhiran wa bāṭinan, yaqẓatan wa manāman,waj‛alhu yā Rabbi rūḥan li-dhātī min jamī‘il wujūhi, fiddunyā qablal ākhirati, Yā ‘aẓīm

O Allāh, I ask You by the Magnificent Light of Your Face, Which filled the pillars of the Majestic Divine Throne, and by it are upheld the worlds of Allāh the Immense, to send blessings upon our Master Muhammad of magnificent worth, and upon the family of the Prophet of Allāh, the exalted, as much as the greatness of the Essence of Allāh, the Great, in every glance and in every breath, as numerous as that which is contained within the Knowledge of Allāh, the Great. A prayer that is perpetual in the perpetuity of Allah, the Mighty, in glorification of your worth, O our Master Muhammad, O you of the most noble nature, and send peace upon him and his family just as much, and join him with me, just as You joined the soul with the nafs, outwardly and inwardly, in wakefulness and in sleep. And make him, O Lord, a soul for my body in every aspect, In the here and now, before the next world to come, O the Magnificent One 

Sheikh Ahmad Al Kabeer ar- Rifâi (R)

 Birth and Childhood                             

          Sheikh Ahmad Al Kabeer ar- Rifâi (AD1107-1183) was born on Monday in 27th day of the lunar month of Rajab 500. His birthplace was in the town of Ummu ubaydah (Hasen) in the township of Bathaeh at the Wasit province of Basra, Iraq. He passed away on Thursday, Jumada al-Awwal 12, 578 A.H. (1183 A.D.), in the town of Wasit, in Basra, Iraq.

His father was Sayyid Ali Abul Hasan and mother was Fatima al-Ansari the daughter of Yahya Najjari. His Sheikh was Ali Al Wasiti. When he was seven years old, his father passed away in 507 A.H in Baghdad and buried there. Soon after, his maternal Uncle Sheikh Mansur ar-Rabbani took him into his care and educated him.

Sheikh Ahmad Rifâi (R) memorized the holy Qur’an by the age of seven. In this year, after the demise of his father, his maternal Uncle Mansur al-Rabbani moved with his family to the region of Dikhla. There he sent his nephew to Abul Fadl Ali al-Vasiti, who was an expert in the canon law of Islam, a commentator of the holy Qur’an, and a great preacher.

He occupied all his time with obtaining religious knowledge, and indeed Allah Almighty bestowed him the knowledge. In due course, even his own teachers and the people who taught him respect learned the essence of respect when they were in his presence.

In addition to attending the Dhikr gatherings of his uncle, Sheikh Mansur ar-Rabbani, Sheikh Rifâi also attended the courses of his other uncle, Sheikh Abubaker, who was a great scientist of his era and the sultan of scientists. He eventually memorized the book Tanbih, which deals with the Fiqih (Islamic jurisprudence) of Shafi School according to Imam Abu Ishaq Al sShirazi, and wrote an explanation about the book.

Lineage                     

         Sheikh Ahmed Rifai (R) has related to our Prophet (Peace and Blessing of Allah be upon him) through his father and mother sides by blood. His paternal lineage is as below. Sheikh Ahmad Rifai bin Sayyid Ali bin Sayyid Yahya bin Sayyid Sabit bin Sayyid Hazim bin Sayyid Ali bin Sayyid Hasan bin Sayyid Mahdi bin Sayyid Muhammad bin Sayyid Husain bin Sayyid Ahmad bin Seyyid Musa al-Thani bin Sayyid Ibrahim bin Sayyid Musa-al Qadhim bin Sayyid Jafr Sadiq bin Sayyid Muhammad Baqir bin Sayyid Zain al Abidin Ali bin Imam Hasan bin Ameer Al Mumineen Imam Ali bin Abu Thalib (May Allah Please with them.

Graduation and Teaching

When Sheikh Ahmad Rifâi (R) was twenty years old, Abu Fadl Ali, who was the Sheikh of Wasit province and his teacher, awarded him a teaching certificate encompassing the sciences of canon law and permission to initiate a Sufi order, gave him the name “father of external and interior sciences,” and dressed him with his own Sufi’s cloak. His teachers and his sheikhs agreed about the greatness of his rank and the superiority of his worth.

Sheikh Ahmad Rifâi (R) remained in Dikhla region for a short time and after that went back to his father's guesthouse for travelers in Hasen. He became very well known. When he was twenty-eight, his uncle Sheikh Mansur (R) requested him to lead the Sufi lodge and Caliphs after him. He also instructed him to live in the Sufi lodge of Sheikh Yahya an-Najjari, who was his grandfather from his mother’s side. Sheikh Ahmad Rifâi took up his post (Sheikh ship) there as an enlightened master and began teaching in this Sufi lodge. By the time Shiekh Ahmad Rifâi (R) reached the age of thirty-five, his Murids (disciples) numbered over seven hundred thousand.

Shiekh Ahmad Rifâi (R) taught the Sunnah (the way of the Prophet Muhammad (PBH)) and the details of the Qur’an to the public, and he always said that the trade of a wise man is to show the way that leads to Allah and to direct hearts towards Allah.

He held courses on Hadith, Islamic canon law, religious precepts, and commentary of the Qur’an on all days of the week except Mondays and Thursdays. He sat in his pulpit on Monday and Thursday afternoons and preached to intellectuals and the public. Because of the depth and the influence of his words, the people were captivated, their intelligence was amazed, and their hearts submitted to him.

Whenever he sat in his pulpit to give a lecture, crowds–including advanced scientists, preachers, spiritual teachers and the general public–gathered. When he began to speak, knowledge poured out with his words like the perpetual stream. Wise men became enthusiastic when they heard his beautiful and influential words and gave their ears to his extensive knowledge. The denying and obstinate were tongue-tied in the presence of the power of the evidence. Literary men profited from his outstanding expression, scientists from his skills and talents and philosophers from his deep and wise manner of speaking.

In his book Savad ul-Aynain, the writer Imam Rafii (R) narrates, “Sheikh Salih Yusuf Abu Zakariyya al-Asqalani, who was a great expert in the canon law of Islam, told me: ‘I had gone to Ummu Ubydah to visit Sheikh Ahmad Rifâi (R). There were more than one hundred thousand people around the guesthouse; some were managers, scientists and sheikhs, and the others were the ordinary people. He gave dinner to all of them and was very friendly to everyone. He started to preach in the afternoon of a Thursday. In the audience were preachers from the province of Wasit, as well as a religious community of doctors of Muslim theology of Iraq and the important people of the province. One group asked questions about the science of commentary of the holy Qur’an, another asked about subjects dealing with the recorded sayings of the Prophet Muhammad (PBH), another asked about Islamic jurisprudence, another asked about the disagreements between the different religious opinions, and yet another group asked many questions about different areas of science. Sheikh Rifâi (R) answered more than two hundred questions, and he did not get angry when he was answering the questions. I became embarrassed because of the insensitivity of people asking the questions, and I stood up and said, “Is this not enough for you? He can answer every question about the written sciences, without facing any difficulty, with the permission of Allah!” Sheikh Rifâi (R) smiled at my words and said, “Abu Zakariyya, allow them to ask before I pass away. Certainly, the world is a house from which we will all depart. Allah changes all situations, all of the time.” All the public cried at this answer. The crowd was perplexed and anxious exclamations were heard. Forty thousand people became his students because of the spiritual effect of his talk.’”

Quthub

Sheikh Rifa'i (R) has known as one of the four major Sheikhs of Thariqath (Aqthab al Arbaa, a Quthub of the time, not just of a local area). Another major Quthubs are Sheikh Abdul Qadir al Jeelani (R).

The Compassionate Mind

Sheikh Rifâi’s talks, his actions, his behavior and his every breath were for the sake of Allah Almighty. He always had a smiling face, was modest and good-tempered, endured suffering, and was very patient. He did not get personally cross with anyone, and did not want any help for his own person. On the contrary, he loved for Allah, and even his anger was for Allah. He did not rebuke anybody who behaved in a manner that he did not like. He considered neither his family nor himself superior to other people. Speaking about this he said, “According to the Islamic law, everybody is equal to everybody else: it doesn’t matter if they are close relatives or if they are strangers to us.” The righteous people more are closer to Allah.

Sheikh Rifâi (R) used to go to the houses of the leprous and bedridden, wash their clothes, bring their meals, sit and eat with them, and pray for them. When he heard that the people of his city were sick in a far-off city, he used to visit them. He also cured wounded animals, and said, “Compassion for the creatures of Allah is one of the qualities that bring human beings closer to Allah.”

Abu Musa al-Haddadi said that in the town of Haddahiyya there was a woman whose children were always stillborn. This woman said, if I have a child, I would give this child in the service of Ahmed Rifai. A few years later, she had a daughter who was hunchbacked and lame. Because of this, the other children in the village always made fun of her. One day, Ahmed Rifai was visiting this town and all the people went to the road to see him. The little girl threw herself at Rifai's feet and cried out, "You are my mother's Sheikh; please heal me from these problems!" and wept. When Sheikh Rifai saw her situation he cried as well, and praying over her, he placed his hands on her back and head. The girl's back and leg were both healed. This is why, Ahmed Rifai is called the Father of the Lame.

Once, Sheikh Rifâi (R) spent forty days caring for a dog with leprosy in the wilderness. When he returned and was asked why he had spent so much time caring for an unclean beast, he replied, "When I die and meet my creator, what would I have said if He asked me why I hadn't helped one of His creatures?"

One Friday, when Sheikh Rifa'i (R) woke up for prayer, there was a cat asleep on his robe. He asked his wife to bring the scissors, cut off the part of his robe where the cat lay, stood up and went to prayers. When he returned, the cat had awakened and left, so he asked his wife for thread to sew the robe back together. When he saw his wife's displeasure at what he had done to his robe, he said "Do not worry, nothing but goodness happened and I did not suffer because of this; this was a good thing."

Benefits Of Sidr leaves ( سِدۡرَةِ)

 وَلَقَدۡ رَءَاهُ نَزۡلَةً أُخۡرَىٰ

عِندَ سِدۡرَةِ ٱلۡمُنتَهَىٰ
عِندَهَا جَنَّةُ ٱلۡمَأۡوَىٰۤ
إِذۡ یَغۡشَى ٱلسِّدۡرَةَ مَا یَغۡشَىٰ

“And he certainly saw him in another descent
At the sidr of the Utmost Boundary
Near it is the Garden of Refuge
When there covered the sidr that which covered [it]”

Hadith on Sidr

The Prophet ﷺ ordered in authentic hadith that his deceased daughter be washed with sidr, and in another hadith he ordered a man who had newly entered Islam to bathe with sidr.

عَنْ أُمِّ عَطِيَّةَ ـ رضى الله عنها ـ قَالَتْ تُوُفِّيَتْ إِحْدَى بَنَاتِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَأَتَانَا النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ ‏ “‏ اغْسِلْنَهَا بِالسِّدْرِ وِتْرًا ثَلاَثًا أَوْ خَمْسًا أَوْ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ إِنْ رَأَيْتُنَّ ذَلِكَ، وَاجْعَلْنَ فِي الآخِرَةِ كَافُورًا أَوْ شَيْئًا مِنْ كَافُورٍ، فَإِذَا فَرَغْتُنَّ فَآذِنَّنِي ‏”‏‏.‏ فَلَمَّا فَرَغْنَا آذَنَّاهُ، فَأَلْقَى إِلَيْنَا حِقْوَهُ، فَضَفَرْنَا شَعَرَهَا ثَلاَثَةَ قُرُونٍ وَأَلْقَيْنَاهَا خَلْفَهَا‏.‏

One of the daughters of the Prophet (ﷺ) expired and he came to us and said, “Wash her with Sidr (water) for odd number of times, i.e. three, five or more, if you think it necessary, and in the last, put camphor or (some camphor on her), and when you finish, notify me.” So when we finished we informed him. He gave his waist-sheet to us (to shroud her). We entwined the hair (of the deceased girl) in three braids and made them fall at her back.

Sahih Bukhari, 1263

عَنْ قَيْسِ بْنِ عَاصِمٍ، أَنَّهُ أَسْلَمَ فَأَمَرَهُ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنْ يَغْتَسِلَ بِمَاءٍ وَسِدْرٍ

Qais bin Asim narrated that he accepted Islam and the Prophet ordered him to perform Ghusl with water and Sidr.

Jami` at-Tirmidhi 605

Benefits of Washing with Sidr

The benefits of sidr have also been documented by the scholars of Islam. Al Hafiz al Dhahabi (rahimullah) wrote about bathing with sidr:

لاغتسال بالسدر ينقي الرأس أكثر من غيره ويذهب الحرارة

“Washing with sidr purifies the head more than other things and removes heat.”

Like soap, sidr is known for containing saponins which is why it forms bubbles when mixed with water. It also contains mucilage and has astringent properties which make it ideal for sensitive scalps. These properties make it excellent for preventing dandruff, and softening and adding volume to the hair.

It can also be helpful in treating acne, psoriasis, eczema and itching.

How to Bathe or Wash Hair with Sidr

To wash with sidr, simply take a small amount of powdered sidr leaves and mix it with water until it becomes a paste. You can then use this paste in the same way you would use shampoo or gel soap, rubbing it thoroughly in your hair or on your skin.

For full effect, you can leave it on the skin or in the hair for a few minutes to let the beneficial compounds absorb. Then rinse thoroughly until all of the powder is removed.

There you have it! No more need for expensive Western shampoos and body washes that contain toxic chemicals and harm your body and the environment!

How to use Sidr against Sihr (Magic)

The use of sidr for protection against magic has been widespread among the Muslims since the time of the sahaba (radhi Allahu anhum). One traditional method of countering magic with sidr is to take crushed leaves (sometimes seven leaves) and dissolve them in water. Then recite Ayat al Kursi, Surat al Ikhlas, Surah al Falaq, Surat an-Nas, and other ayat which are beneficial for countering magic, such as the verses from Surah Ta Ha, Surah Yunus, and Surah al ‘Araf that deal with magic.