THE TIDJANIYA'S CONDITIONS
THE TIDJANIYA'S CONDITIONS CAN BE DIVIDED INTO 5 CATEGORIES:
1ST CATEGORY: CONDITIONS REGARDING THE SPECIAL COMPANIONSHIP BETWEEN THE SHEIKH AND HIS DISCIPLE
1. The follower must not have any other spiritual way throughout the life.
2. The follower must not visit the saints (whether died or alive) of the other spiritual ways (tourouq), but preserve their sanctity and respect them all. It is allowed to visit the companions (May ALLAH be satisfied with them all) of the Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him), those who follow the Tidjaniya's way and of course the Prophets (Peace and blessings be upon them).
3. The follower must perform assiduously and carefully all the mandatory prayers of the Tidjaniya, i.e. the compulsory litanies (the adhkar which are the Lazim, Wadhifa and Hadra of the Friday), throughout the life. Note that once a pious vow is accomplished about doing a good deed, even though this deed is just commendable in general, it becomes obligatory because of the pious vow. That's why the way's evocations are mandatory for the affiliated persons.
4. The follower must never outrage or have any animosity or hostility towards Seyidina Ahmed Tijani (may ALLAH be satisfied with him). A sign which characterizes such disrespectful attitude is, for instance, not taking into account his recommendations and his warnings.
5. The follower must always and continuously show love towards Seyidina Ahmed Tijani (may ALLAH be satisfied with him).
6. The follower must never criticize Seyidina Ahmed Tijani (may ALLAH be satisfied with him).
7. The follower must believe firmly in Seyidina Ahmed Tijani's words (may ALLAH be satisfied with him) because they follow the Qur'aan and Sunnah, and never refute them and those of all the Awliya also.
The follower who does not respect any of these conditions will immediately lose his affiliation to the Tariqa. He will be linked to Sheikh Ahmed Tijani (may ALLAH be satisfied with him) again, only after repenting and having renewed his pact with him (with one of his Muqqaddam), being very sincere in the will of following his education.
2ND CATEGORY: EVEN IF THE CONDITIONS OF THIS CLASS DOES NOT BREAK ON THE TOP THE MEMBERSHIP (THE SPIRITUAL FLOW) BETWEEN THE SHEIKH AND THE DISCIPLE, THEY HAVE TO BE FOLLOWED BY EACH DISCIPLE
1. The follower must preserve all the commandments of the Law (Shariah) through knowledge and actions, among them, the preservation of the 5 mandatory prayers, timely, in congregation (if possible), respecting their conditions, their pillars, their different parties in a continuous devotion. Apart from being in a situation of diverging opinions that can lead to controversy, the follower has to say the Basmalah linked to the Fatiha, in a low or loud voice, according to the prayer in question. The follower has to accomplish the bow (ruku) and the prostration (sajda) calmly, by pronouncing at least three times the adequate formulas of glorification.
2. The follower must never think being safe from the God's ruse, while relying on His Mercy or the intercession of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) or the one of Seyidina Sheikh (may ALLAH be pleased with him).
3. The follower must be kind to his parents.
4. The follower must not state having the Muqaddam's title whereas it is not the case. Otherwise, according to some Awliya, it is a sign of bad end.
5 The follower must not neglect the Tidjaniya's mandatory litanies, for instance, not to do the evocations on time without having a good reason not to do it.
6. The follower must show respect to all those affiliated to Seyidina Ahmed Tijani (may ALLAH be satisfied with him) and needless to remind it concerning the elites among them.
7. The follower has to move away from Seyidina Ahmed Tijani's detractors because their company can cause disturbances.
8. The follower must not break relationships with any human being (except for a religious necessity), and above all with the brothers of the Tariqa.
9. The follower must perform the Wadhifa and the 'Asrou (Hadra of the Friday) in congregation whenever it is possible.
Whoever does not respect one of these conditions, should return to its fulfillment eagerly for ALLAH (The Glorified and The Exalted) allows him remaining in the Tariqa.
3RD CATEGORY: CONDITIONS OF THE VALIDITY OF THE MANDATORY EVOCATIONS OF THE TIDJANIYA
1. The follower must formulate the intention
2. The follower must have ablution with water or Tayyamoun, according to the Sharia rules.
3. The purification of the body, the clothes and the area, according to the prayer rules is required.
4. The follower is required to cover his body (awrah) as for salat (prayers)
5. The disciple must not speak during the mandatory litanies of the Tariqa Tidjaniya, from the beginning to the end, except by necessity in which case he can communicate by gestures, and if he is not understood, then he can say one or two words.
There are three exceptions to this rule: the follower can speak freely to his parents, the wife (disciple) to her husband, and the follower to his Sheikh (his Muqaddam).
The follower must refrain from eating and drinking during the mandatory litanies. Even a little (a sip or what remains between the teeth) invalidates the Lazim, as for the Wadhifa, it is a little more that invalidates it.
Anyone who does not respect one of these conditions, his evocations are invalidated and he has to do them again.
6. CONDITIONS FOR RECITING THE DJAOUHARATOU-L-KAMEL
A pure water (for the ablution), a clean place that is enough large for six persons, even if it is for reciting it once. It is forbidden to recite it on a mount or on a boat. If the follower does the Tayammum (dry ablution), or if he can’t clean himself with water after defecating or urinating, or if he has on his clothes or his body a filth (najas) which he can’t clean, he will recite Salat El Fatihi twenty times instead of Djaouharatou-l-Kamel during the Wadhifa. If the follower doesn’t meet all these special conditions for the recitation of the Djaouharatou-l-Kamel, when performing Wadhifa, it is invalidated, and he’ll have to do it again.
4TH CATEGORY: BEHAVIOR CONDITIONS FOR THE EVOCATIONS. NOT FOLLOWING UP THESE CONDITIONS DOES NOT CANCEL THE PRAYERS, BUT REDUCE THEIR EFFECTIVENESS (LESS OF DIVINE LIGHTS)
1. It should be done while sitting down, not standing or lying down except for some specific reasons, as well as walking on condition that the follower avoids filth substances.
2. Facing the Qibla, except for the one who is travelling and so cannot facing it, even if it is a short journey
3. The litanies, which have to be performed in a low voice, should be pronounced in such a way that the follower can hear himself reciting them. The litanies in congregation must be performed aloud but harmoniously.
4. Understanding the meaning of what is recited, uttering it distinctly.
5. Visualizing the image of Seyidina Ahmed Tijani (may Allah be satisfied with him) and better the one of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).
5TH CATEGORY: CONDITIONS THAT MAKE VALID THE TRANSMISSION OF THE AFFILIATION TO THE TARIQA
1. Authenticity of the Muqaddam and the transmittal channel, so of each link of the chain, until Seyidina Ahmed Tijani (may Allah be pleased with him)
2. Validity of the candidate (that wants to become a disciple of the way): he should be a Muslim with a true belief, free from any other spiritual ways and any other evocations from other spiritual ways, be fully determined to remain in the Tariqa during all his life, he must agree with all the Tidjaniya’s conditions that must be read and explained to him.
