Spirit of Good Morals
Written by Sheikh Ibrahim Niyas
Translated by Sheikh Hassan Ali Cisse.
Says Ibrahim the son of Al-Hajj Abdullahi, our 1
glowing moon.
Having started with the Name of Allah and Praise, All 2
of it to Allah the Possessor of great Blessings and
Glory.
An advice from me to my brothers, adhere to the 3
path of Tijaniyya.
A path of pure grace and satisfaction, founded and 4
established upon the path of the Prophet (SAWS)
and the Qur`an.
Continuously say the Wird (Litanies) obligatory to 5
this tariqa, By this benefits are achieved without
doubt.
You will not profit by taking this tariqa, Except you 6
continuously seek righteousness.
Fulfilling all prescribed conditions, Exemplifying its 7
ethical code.
Exalting all its people, particularly the special ones: 8
to them be obedient.
When you start to perform this wird, Always 9
discipline yourself as much as possible.
Be of good manners openly and secretly, With it 10
does one climb unto high positions.
And picture in your mind, the Shaykh that brought 11
you up, likewise his Shaykh without doubt.
Always maintain concentration and calmness, 12
likewise seclusion helps in drawing near (to Allah).
Seek for a knowledgeable and experienced teacher 13
with sound advice, Complete in knowledge of Divine
Lord (and of course) a righteous leader.
Submit yourself completely to him and don't 14
experiment (on your efforts), Be like a dead person
before its washer and you shall be informed.
Don't oppose him even if it seems wrong (his 15
opinion), be always a follower.
For the teachers mistake could be more upright and 16
proper, Than students opinion among people of
intellect.
Do not turn to other than him in the universe, And 17
be with him as if there is no universe.
For there is nothing for the student other than this 18
Saint (Shaykh Ahmad Tijani), Alongside with the
Prophet (SAWS) and surely his Lord, the Most High.
As long as there is other than him in a heart it will 19
not attain, The knowledge of the Master (Allah), This
I say with all certainty.
Be at all times with the Shaykh to profit, Be at all 20
times tenderly in love to prosper.
In proportion to your love for him you receive, His 21
spiritual providence, the people (Sufis) have said this
repeatedly.
Spend out of your new and old possessions in 22
seeking, His satisfaction, and be prompt to his
signals, then you will get it right.
And satisfy your Shaykh even if he makes you weep, 23
Because it is to goodness, he guides you.
Be covetous of your time with such greed, Be 24
warned you shall be afflicted with test of decline.
When you see manifestation of opulence, Do not 25
exceed limits, be content with the manifestation of
dispossession.
For all of these (manifestations) are affairs of Allah's 26
unfolding, Glorious is He to be blamed for what
He Destines.
Do not be anguished when you are afflicted with 27
mischiefs of His creations, for that you were created.
(i.e. to meet such realities of life).
Mischief is made to flow from them so that you 28
don't rely, On them - but on Allah should you solely
rely.
When tested with difficulties and afflictions, 29
Persevere patiently, for thereafter shall come relief
and happiness.
For after every night comes the day, And after every 30
hardship comes the ease.
Rather, after every hardship comes double ease, As 31
related from Ahmad (SAWS) the Legendary Adnan.
If you know that, then you shall always be satisfied, 32
(With) Allah's decision which at all times must
prevail.
Whenever you seek a request that is lacking, The 33
dangers of it He knows and you don't.
He deters what is dangerous (from you) out of His 34
tenderness, therefore don't accuse our Lord
otherwise you shall be abandoned.
Were man to know Who the Merciful (Allah) is, He 35
would have been facing afflictions, a smiling man.
Don't seek exaltation from the creation without, 36
Being exalted by the Creator, no, never.
Don't be glad with favors you are bestowed with, Be 37
glad with the Bestower (Allah) if you reason.
For every favor will vanish except the Bestower, For 38
that is the Everlasting all time.
Don't despise any Muslim and don't mention, 39
people's faults, for the faults from you are likely to
be seen.
Perhaps if the one in two tatters of dusty garments 40
is to invoke by the Master (Allah), he will be honored
as has been reported (Hadith).
Don't harm a Muslim even if it appears that, he 41
persistently harms, be forgiving.
For indeed, all these creations are Allah's servants, 42
Do not harm, oh my brothers the servants of Allah.
For you will not be pleased with him who ill-treats 43
your servant, Even if he does wrong, fear therefore
your Lord.
Persist in sadness and the thoughts of death, Don't 44
forget also the questioning of the dead (in the
grave).
It is inevitable to first and foremost seek knowledge 45
And you must study the laws of Allah (Shari`at)
properly.
I swear by my life that knowledge is the leader of 46
actions, As was transmitted from Ta-Ha (SAWS), the
best of all messengers.
Obtain knowledge of four subjects, oh you traveler, 47
The first of it is the knowledge of the Lord
Possessor.
And secondly is to know all that is involved, In the 48
worship of Allah, for that, you will be certain.
And thirdly is to learn the different states of soul, 49
From its treachery, deceptions and plots.
For the soul has its fault, and Heart its fault, And the 50
spirit its Fault, in these there is no doubt.
And the seeking of knowledge of good conduct on 51
you disciple (is the fourth) For indeed, it is the door
for every disciple.
Be God fearing, a man of humility, You will not by 52
humbleness be in abasement.
Ilm (knowledge), Gina (wealth), Khisbun (fertility), 53
are words that came (in pronunciation), With low
pitched vowels established in them.
Jahlu (ignorance), Faqru (poverty), Jadbu (infertility) 54
are words that come, With high pitched vowels
established in them.
These are signs if you reason clearly, recognize what 55
you have been inspired with.
Not on mountains do flood settle, Nor on trees in 56
disregarding (their heights).
Never be satisfied about yourself, nor hope or Fear 57
other than Allah, besides Him neglect.
Never be arrogant oh my brother or be jealous, Nor 58
do eye-service, but to your Lord heed.
And arrogance arises either because of knowledge, 59
or lineage, Or companionship, or getting involved in
acts of devotions, and wealth.
A disobedience that brings about humiliation is 60
better, While an act of devotion that Results in
arrogance is worst.
You will never be free from blemish, Except with a 61
Shaykh of divine knowledge that is constantly
consulted.
Adhere strongly to the protection of Shaykh's (of 62
divine knowledge), If you want to attain a lofty
and exalted height.
The most excellent Shaykh of all time in any respect, 63
Is our leader Al-Tijani, the possessor of great virtues.
The intermediary and foundation of every scholar of 64
divine knowledge, he is to them the flowing fountain
and the sun.
And the best path (of Sufi order) by consensus, is 65
again his path without any dispute.
And, it is impossible to combine its practice with any 66
other (path of Sufi order), he is ruined (the one who
combined it) alongside with the speaker of such
(combination) on the Day of Judgment.
He has lied and fabricated against the Lord Majestic, 67
I say (with emphasis), that this Wird (of Tijaniyya) is
great.
Adhere to the litanies of this tariqa, Then, I swear by 68
my life, onto Reality have you been led.
(Among these litanies are:) Hizbul Tadara`i, Salatul 69
Fatih, also Allahumma Alaika Fatih.
And such other (litanies) possessed by the great 70
men, The People of this Tariqa, when you get their
permissions.
However, it is with great efforts that their secrets 71
are obtained, Not by laxity or by playing on the
intelligence of men.
But rather by adhering to what they give firmly, And 72
by following their instructions always.
Don't prefer colleagues conversations, To sitting 73
with him (your Shaykh), oh the annihilated one.
If so, don't be desirous of obtaining secrets, For 74
secrets are not obtainable in public.
But if you rather stick to him (your Shaykh) always, 75
You could succeed from him in obtaining your
requirement.
You could also gain from him by infection, and this, 76
Has been confirmed by the men (of knowledge), so
watch out.
Whosoever does not attain the knowledge of the 77
Merciful (Allah), his life has been in ruin for all time
spent.
I created these creations (Allah said) to worship Me, 78
"To worship Me" meaning "To know Me".
Don't lessen your effort in acquiring the knowledge 79
(of Allah), Then you shall be astonished by the
closeness of The Most Merciful.
He is manifest in everything, upon everything, and by 80
everything, before it and yet after it, forever.
If you crave for the increase of faith, Immediately 81
repent sincerely, and follow it with the way of
excellency.
Don't hate a Muslim or get angry, Except towards 82
the breaker of the refined law (Shari`at).
Adhere to night vigil and hungry stomach, Eating of 83
what is purely lawful has equally been enumerated
(as a way of increasing faith).
And give sincerity to fellow brothers or maintain 84
silence keeping company of, People of excellent
morals among close relatives.
And a man is in the religion of his close friend, If 85
righteous, he too will be righteous even if
unintelligent.
Remember the scales (of weighing actions) and the 86
distribution of the book (of works), And what is in
hell fire of perpetual grief.
And what is in the paradise of beautiful virgins, 87
Along with nice servants and beautiful dwellings.
And persist (on worships) of the sin wiping, The 88
strongest (of such worship) is the salat of this pivot
leader (Qutub).
Of it is the Musaba`at, morning and evening, 89
imitation of the Adhan (call to prayer) also, These
will be of assistance.
Various kinds of Azkar (worships) have been related 90
in the school thought (of Tijani), Our salat on the
exaltedly Dignified (Prophet, SAWS).
The glorification prayers and glorification itself, 91
Likewise Qur`an contemplation,
And two prostrations made in fear (of Allah) and 92
taking of steps, To the mosques (all these) expiate
sins.
Likewise, the perfection of ablution and the guiding 93
of a blind person, as well as Fulfilling peoples needs
(all these are among expiation of sins).
And the reflective counting of sea waves and ripples 94
plus, Shaking of fellow Muslims should be taken
advantage of (in seeking forgiveness).
Filling up of Ramadan by a person (with worship) 95
and fasting of it, keeping night vigils in it erases his
sins.
Performance of Hajj, Umra and charity in secret, 96
Made from lawful wealth is indeed a wonderful
charity.
Teaching of children (Quran and Hadith), praying in 97
straight rows (congregational prayers), All these are
mentioned in the Book (Qur`an).
And the following are defects that harden the heart, 98
The love of leadership is the worst of these defects.
Jesting, backbiting, bad sitting companions, 99
Indecency, slandering, and evil soul (are defects that
harden the heart).
Likewise passionate desires of mind should not be 100
followed, and in worldly things, show abstinence
without always following.
Be like a house carpet and withdraw from everyone, 101
Don't enjoy vain talks nor disputes (of people).
Take your eyes off people's faults, And as much as 102
possible pay them no attention.
Give charity out of your wealth for Allah's sake, Visit 103
Muslim tombs without cease.
Don't ever swear except you limit (your swearing) To 104
the will (of Allah) whenever you do swear.
Here comes to an end the brotherly advice, In 105
condensed form just like people of these days.
In the year forty two, After thirteen hundred (years 106
of Hijra).
I name this poem as "Spirit of Good Morals," 107
Because of what it contains of wisdom and manners.
Seeking excuse of the people of intellect, And just a 108
song of sayings of an active youth.
And for a child of twenty-one years, are reasons 109
acceptable and beautifully justified.
Benefit with this poem all the Believers, Oh our Lord, 110
because of the magnificence of the best of the
Messengers.
And make it to be purely for the sake of your Noble 111
self, Oh Lord, oh the Kind, Beneficent, the Most
Merciful.
Don't be deceived and not memorize the Poem, 112
Because I am small (in age) and from the non-Arab
(African country).
Allah favors with whom He wants, And Allah is 113
possessor of great virtues, and Willer (of what He
wants).
Indeed it has been said in this respect, the illustrious, 114
Servant of Ta Ha and of Maliki (school of thought),
Ahmad (the son of Bamba of Senegal).
A black skinned will never acquire (because of his 115
color), Youthful stupidity and bad understanding.
Oh Lord, Oh Lord, by the magnificence of Al-Haadee 116
(SAWS), Protect us from every evil of our enemies.
Bestow on us with the divine knowledge, And 117
everything desirous, because of the best of the
lineage of the legendary Adnan (SAWS).
And cover our faults with your covering, that is the 118
beautiful (of coverings), And overcome our enemies
with your power, that is the Most Splendorous (of
powers).
And praise are for Allah who has supported and 119
made easy my compilation. He is indeed a Wonderful
Patron.
Then Blessing and peaceful salutations be upon the 120
Prophet (SAWS), the chosen, the best of creations.
On him (is this blessing) and his household, dutiful 121
companions, As long as every patient one succeeds
in attaining the knowledge (of Allah).
