Sidi Ibrahim Riyahi (May ALLAH be satisfied with him)

Among his companions, the great scholar of his time, Sheikh El Islam and guide for humans, the one who carries the banner of science and knowledge, defender of his Tariqa Al Ahmadiyah, protector of his honour, Sheikh Abu-l-Ishaq Ibrahim Seïdina Riyahi Tounsi (may Allah be satisfied with him).

He was first in the Chadhiliya Tariqa. When the Khalif Sidi Ali Harazim (may Allah be satisfied with him), a great and particular companion of Seïdina Ahmed Tidjani (may Allah sanctify his valuable secret), arrived in the first Tunisian homes in 1211, he met our character and was acquainted with him. Then he stayed at Sidi Ibrahim Riyahi, in the Madrasa, where their friendship has been strengthened.

He saw many miracles from him and heard the virtues of Seïdina Ahmed Tidjani (may Allah sanctify his valuable secret) and his Tariqa. He wanted to enter into this Tariqa Mohammediya and he was constantly reminding it to himself. The man who had initiated him to the Chadhiliya Tariqa and was part of the great men of God with a certain spiritual (Fath), opening, advised him clearly to take this Tariqa, what he does.

Before meeting Sidi Hajj Ali Harazim (may Allah be satisfied with him), he saw in a dream that he would soon be elevated to a great station among the stations. When he met the Khalif, he told him it, this one did some commentaries of a part of these signs and promised him what remains as meaning later, he invited him to enter into the Tariqa, which he did.

Among the events that have been reported of Sidi Ali Harazim's stay (may Allah be satisfied with him) at Sidi Ibrahim (may Allah be satisfied with him) in Tunisia, there is this: The Khalif told him one day: " I want to do Dhikr in the house, make sure that nobody comes in before I leave. " Then he entered and Sidi Ibrahim Riyahi (may Allah be satisfied with him) remained at the door. The wait was so long that he no longer hopes to see him out, he got tired, which led him to come to see what he was doing, but he found nobody.

He wondered what had happened to him and he repeated to himself that everybody knew that the Sheikh was in his house. He cried and said: " Oh! If I knew what I will answer them if they ask me what became Sheikh, Oh! If I knew where he is gone! "

He remained anxious all day, and while he was sitting at the door of his house here that the Khalif came out. Sidi Ibrahim Riyahi (may Allah be satisfied with him) asked him:

" Oh my master! Where have you been? " He said: " Certainly one who has Knowledge (of Allah) when he pronounces the Supreme name of Allah (Ismou Allah el A'dham), he melts and then after finishing his Dhikr, he returned to his original state. " That is what happened to Sidi Ali Harazim (may Allah be satisfied with him) and the love that Sidi Ibrahim Riyahi (may Allah be satisfied with him) had for him increased.

One of his graces was that once while he was asleep, Sidi Ali Harazim (may Allah be satisfied with him) woke him up and said to him: " Get up, ask Allah Ta'ala what you want, because this hour is an hour of exaucement ". He stood up and began to write wishes, Allah exauced his dou'a and gave him what he wanted. He was among those who had all their wishes exauced, when he wanted something, he attained it. He had a very high spiritual strength and dignity, he didn't care of futilities.

He wrote a book, which is a replica against those who criticized or blamed the Tariqa of Seïdina Ahmed Tidjani (may Allah sanctify his valuable secret). He also composed a magnificent poem praising the sublime qualities of Seïdina (may Allah sanctify his valuable secret) and it was written with such love that his reading leaves no one indifferent.

The great companion Sidi 'Arbi ibn Sa-îh (may Allah be satisfied with him) listening, felt a presence then said: " The one who wrote it, did so only by the presence and concentration in the love of Sheikh. Never has glorified poem like this. You are my children, and then you should know that each person who reads it, Allah will remove him his problem. It has to be read alone and certainly the exaucement will not avoid him ".He said that his reading has an influence to remove the misery and to relieve the hearts and is inscribed on which covers the tomb of Seïdina (may Allah sanctify his precious secret).

Among the benefits that Sidi Ibrahim Riyahi (may Allah be satisfied with him) received from the Khalif Sidi Ali Harazim (may Allah be satisfied with him), there is the writing of his own hand an invocation that allows for the needs of this life and the afterlife.

Sidi 'Abdelaoui (may Allah be satisfied with him) recounted the circumstances of the two men's meeting: When Sidi Ali Harazim (may Allah be satisfied with him) arrived in Tunisia, he entered a mosque where it was usual that a Grand Sheikh teaches the noble science.

Among the students who attended this lesson was Sidi Ibrahim Riyahi (may Allah be satisfied with him) and the destiny wanted when Sidi Ali Harazim (may Allah be satisfied with him) arrived at the mosque he sat beside him before and this before the lesson began. They talked together until he asked the Khalif on his situation and what bring him in Tunisia. He answered him then said: " It is essential that you enter in the Tariqa of the Knowledge, I came here for you and the evidence that will certify what I'm telling you is that your Sheikh who teaches you will not come to the lesson today ".

Sidi Ibrahim Riyahi (may Allah be satisfied with him) wondered about these statements and what he saw of them, it was his first meeting with him. He said: " If the Sheikh does not come today, it is sure that your position should be of great extent in the elite and the common and by this it will appear you from me the complete generosity ".

What the Khalif announced actually took place. Sidi Ibrahim Riyahi (may Allah be satisfied with him) attached to him and invited him to spend his stay in Tunisia at his home, which he accepted. Since the good does not stop flowing on his family coming from everywhere.

Sidi Ibrahim (may Allah be satisfied with him) took advantage of knowledge, secrets and lights of Sidi Ali Harazim's science (may Allah be satisfied with him). One day the Khalif told him: " It will be necessary that you leave as ambassador to Morocco and that you meet his prince and it will happen such and such thing. When you will leave for this destination, you will first visit our master Sidi Ahmed Tidjani (may Allah sanctify his valuable secret), stay a long time with him and left him the least possible " Sidi Ibrahim Riyahi (may Allah be satisfied with him) was surprised to hear these preaching, but he knew with certainty that everything would happen as he had announced.

Allah's destiny wanted a famine fell down on Tunisia in 1218 and people needed foods saved by the sultan of Morocco. The Turkish prince of Tunisia, Hamouda Pacha, ordered the famous scholar Sidi El Saleh Kaouache (may Allah be satisfied with him) to go as ambassador with the sultan of Morocco Maoulana Souleïman (may Allah be satisfied with him). The quoted Sheikh apologized for being unable to travel because of his advanced age and his increasing illness, he then presented his student Sidi Ibrahim Riyahi (may Allah be satisfied with him) glorifying his value with the prince and guaranteeing the success of this mission.

The prince Hamouda Pacha ordered therefore Sidi Ibrahim Riyahi (may Allah be satisfied with him) to prepare to travel and he went to Morocco where he came in peace. Following the recommendations of Sidi Ali Harazim (may Allah be satisfied with him) he went first in the home of Seïdina Ahmed Tidjani (may Allah sanctify his valuable secret). When he came to the door, a servant opened for him and asked him curiously:

" Are you Sidi Ibrahim Riyahi the Tunisian? " He answered in the affirmative, then she announced that Seïdina (may Allah sanctify his valuable secret) had informed him of his arrival and gave the permission to let him enter directly.

In the house, he found a group of companions who had the privilege to meet

Seïdina Ahmed Tidjani (may Allah sanctify his valuable secret), a cup of milk was presented to Sidi Ibrahim Riyahi (may Allah be satisfied with him) that he drank. At that very moment, Seïdina (may Allah sanctifies his valuable secret) got out of his isolation room and greeted our character and then he announced the death of his teacher Sheikh Sidi El Saleh Kaouache (may Allah be satisfied with him) and confessed him that it had himself attended the funeral prayer in Tunisia, (through a prodigy), on Monday, 17 Chawal 1218.

When Sidi Ibrahim Riyahi (may Allah be satisfied with him) arrived at the end of his visit, he went to the Sultan apartment where the court welcomed him with honour and generosity. He visited regularly Sultan until he gets his request; he could now return in peace in Tunisia after accomplishing his mission. The Sultan of Morocco was attached to him, he did often the praise of Sidi Ibrahim Riyahi (may Allah be satisfied with him) and wrote him regularly.

Here retranscribed, some passages of a letter that Seïdina Ahmed Tidjani sent to the Sheik El Islam of Tunisia:

" [...] I give you the permission and the authorization for the whole of noble Wird, blessed and immense, sticks well to all that will follow: awake your heart (Nafs) of his mindlessness and do not obey him in his vice, because the problem is not futile, it is serious and important.

Take the way of the efforts, because the poor one which gives up his pact, his punishments are very hard and his misfortunes are multiple, be in the certainty of what you have, do not neglect what you reached and do not occupy yourself of what you've already commanded, our Tariqa was particularized by Allah of a characteristic which locates it above all paths and of which the language could not be able to clear up his truth. Cannot take this way nor to shelter in it except the one that was accepted by the grace of Allah, if ever the veil which hiding it were raised, the great poles would have wished it as the shepherd of the desert areas wishes the clouds.

Pay attention! Look in front of you, do not delude yourself, because all the spiritual ways come from it, it is the source of all the tourouq, since the beginning of creation to the breath in the horn of the last Judgement, by a veracious promise of the Master of the existence (Sayyid El Woujoud (may prayer and peace of Allah be upon him).

I authorize you completely and forever without change with the obligatory condition giving up any visit to all the saints, except the visit of the Prophet (may prayer and peace of Allah be upon him) and his companions (may Allah be satisfied with them) and nobody else.

Know that Allah, by his immense kindness, has favoured us giving us the prayer called Djaouharatoul- Kamel, because anybody who will recite it 12 times with completes ablutions and say: " This is a gift for you, Oh! Messenger of Allah " it is as if he had visited the Prophet (prayer and peace of Allah be upon him) in his " garden in paradise " (Raouda Cherifa) and it is as if he had visited all Aouliya (Holy men of God) since the exile of the Prophet (may prayer and peace of Allah be upon him) (Hijra) to the accomplishment of the Dhikr.

Notice, may Allah forgive you, these big favours, these gems of a great value that Allah the Generous has given us and which were deprived of all other peoples.

Our Tariqa is hidden except to the look of the Master of the existence (may prayer and peace of Allah be upon him) who knows it as well as his value. Allah make us part of, as well as you, those that hang on to it and those that advance in his path in life and death, in peace, in good health and in security until they reach the highest degrees of the Paradise in company with the master of existence (may prayer and peace of Allah be upon him).

Beware and watch out! Abstain yourself to laze, to feel ashamed and to neglect what you

ordered to do, sit in the place of the doubt, to go astray. I advise you fear Allah internally and externally and follow the Sunna that it is far, close or exceptional in words and deeds, be satisfied with Allah in the little and the lot, to go towards Allah and give him attention in all the states, to detach yourself from the creatures that you approach or that you move away, to take for each situation Sunnah as judge.

I recommend you piety in all circumstances in the movement and the immobility, I counsel you patience and the complete abandonment in Allah provided that you abandon everything that is not straight, and the patience in the misfortune is more close of peace, praise Allah for his benefits, ask Allah to give you the right way, the whole good. May Allah take care of your case as he took care of the elite of his servants that He likes, those of the high degrees, of the true ones (Siddiqiyya el 'Adhma) and the high holiness, by the value of the Elected One (may prayer and peace of Allah be upon him). May Allah put you in his patronage. May Allah suffice you. May Allah put you under his protection. May Allah vaccine you against evil...

Sidi Ibrahim Riyahi (may Allah be satisfied with him) died on 27 blessed month of the Ramadan in 1266 at the age of 86 years, his grave is located in Tunis, may Allah be satisfied with him. As lived the scholar defender of our Tariqa Mohamediyya.