Lallah Mannana (May ALLAH be satisfied with her)

The famous majdhouba (one attracted by Allah) Lalla Mannana. She (May Allah be satisfied with her) was one of those whose feet were entrenched in the unveiling (Moukachafa) and his state of rapture (Jadhb) took the control over her at certain times.

She often went to Sidi Ahmed ibn Mohamed El Banani's (may Allah be satisfied with him) home. When he went to her home to seek her advice on his desire to enter the Tariqa, she welcomed him with hospitality and advised him to hasten to take the Tariqa of Seidina Ahmed Tidjani (may Allah sanctify his valuable secret). She told him about her merits and the time she spent besides him.

It was related that when Sidi Banani (may Allah be satisfied with him) wanted to consult her on his affair, she said, before he even said a word:

"O Sidi Ahmed! You have come to consult me about your commitment to the way of Seidina Ahmed Tidjani (may Allah sanctify his valuable secret). If you accept my advice, hasten to submit to him, he is certainly the Sultan. With Seidina Ahmed Tidjani (may Allah sanctify his valuable secret), she said, events have happened and I will quote on of them to you:

One day I was sitting at home when two people came and told me: 'Get up and talk to the Sultan," I thought then that it was the Sultan Souleiman."

Indeed, he often sent her messages and in turn she would often go and see him, he particularly liked her.

She continues: "I then went with them until we arrived at the gate of El Ftouh (one of the gates of Fez). I went towards the Sultan and I noticed that he was not Mawlana Souleiman, but it was Seidina Ahmed Tidjani (may Allah sanctify his valuable secret) and I hadn't met him before.

 

Then the Sultan Sidi Ahmed Tidjani (may Allah sanctify his valuable secret) asked me: "What do you think about the plague that has invaded the city? Certainly, it could only invade it view of this category of people that is characterized by such and such fact" and he cited a set of actions."

Sidi Ahmed Banani (may Allah be satisfied with him) continued to tell:

"When she heard that from him, she replied: "If all existing saints couldn't cope with this misfortune I am able to make this calamity disappear from the people." He said: "Are you able to bear it and to endure it? She said: "Yes."

He then ordered her to return to her home and when she came through the door of the city she heard behind her as if a blast had attained her. She fell on her face and remained so until people carried her to her home. They heard the explosion resound inside her and, in this state, she shouted every time until Allah decreed the end of this calamity on the city. "

Among the events that occurred to her, there is also the fact that during some years, the Majadhib (plural of Majdhoub) often spoke of calamities, tests and situation changes that would occur. Sidi Banani (may Allah be satisfied with him), after knowing that the situation was very serious, was inspired to go in a spiritual retreat in his house. He invoked by the name El Latif with the intention to push back the misfortune that was to come and he persisted in invoking it for days.

Now, one day while he was performing his Dhikr, Lalla Mannana (may Allah be satisfied with her) came to his house and she often used to visit him. Upon entering his home, she went, without saying a word to anyone, to the place where Sidi Banani (may Allah be satisfied with him) had isolated himself to perform his duty. She then said, upon seeing him: "You have been recognized Oh! Sidi Ahmed Banani" Then she returned from where she came.

When she came back the next time and had a conversation with people of the house, they asked her: "The other day, you did this and that, and you did not talk to anyone of us, what was the reason?"

So she replied: "I saw a calamity on this region coming down from the heavens, and it only remained a short distance between the punishment and the city. And I saw people frightened and full of regrets, she then quoted this poem:

"And real men are, to tell the truth, only the virtuous

Apart from them all others are only children. "

 

Then she continued: Then I saw this calamity rise until I lost all trace of it. I tried to find the reason why this misfortune had moved away, but I could not know, nor detect it, despite a substantial research effort (by unveiling). Having been unable to find out what happened, I took ablutions at night and I recited prayers upon the Prophet (peace be upon him), I then asked Allah to enlighten me on this issue.

When I fell asleep, two angels came to me. They took my hands and carried me to the place where Sidi Banani had isolated himself and was performing Dhikr. When I woke up I went to find it, I then knew that he was the cause of the withdrawal this calamity on the Muslims, may Allah reward him with his possessions."

This noblewoman attended the funeral of Seïdina Ahmed Tidjani (may Allah sanctify his valuable secret). Three days before his death, she informed Fqih Sidi Banani (may Allah be satisfied with him) and some deserving ones of the death of Sultan after two or three days.

When the funeral of Seïdina Ahmed Tidjani (may Allah sanctify his valuable secret) reached, she was asked: "Did you not tell us that the Sultan was going to die? She replied: "Yes, and indeed he is the Sultan."

Seïdina Ahmed Tidjani (may Allah sanctify his valuable secret) used to send some of his companions to her who used to question her about certain situations, she informed them on the truth of these situations.

She died shortly after Seïdina Ahmed Tidjani (may Allah sanctify his valuable secret) passed away. Her tomb is next to the presses lying near the main road in a mosque in ruins in the city of Fez. As for Sidi Banani (may Allah be satisfied with him), after consulting Lalla Mannana (may Allah be satisfied with her) he hastened to the great benefit and took from Seïdina, the Tariqa Mohamediya.

Seïdina Ahmed Tidjani (may Allah sanctify his valuable secret) always drew him close to himself since he had taken the Tariqa and asked about him if he did not see among the brothers. He (may Allah sanctify his valuable secret) appreciated his words and his discussions and when he was in a state of tightening (Qabdh) he used to send for him and discussed with him.

Seïdina (may Allah sanctify his valuable secret) used to ask him: "What do exegetes say about such and such verses?" And he gave answers to the sayings of exegetes. Seïdina Ahmed Tidjani (may Allah sanctify his valuable secret) certified the words of some and rejected others who departed from accuracy and he justified his words through logical and revealed evidence. Seïdina Ahmed Tidjani (may Allah sanctify his valuable secret) told him: "This is the aim of the sayings of the researchers among scholars of apparent science, but the deeper meaning of the verse is this and that"

He talked with him about the noble prophetic words with the same performance. The Fqih Banani (may Allah be pleased with him) never departed from Seïdina Ahmed Tidjani (may Allah sanctify his valuable secret) without a knowledge that dazzles reason and that can only grasp those gifted with a great science.

Among the characteristics of Sidi Banani (may Allah be pleased with him) is his great capacity of memorization. Indeed, he did not experience of oblivion as Allah (Glory be to Him) gave him the roots and the perfection of memory. Seidina Ahmed Tidjani (may Allah sanctify his valuable secret) called him using the term "Master" and when he spoke with him, he astonished the audience by his understanding of the sayings of Seïdina (may Allah sanctifies his valuable secret).