The disciple of Shaykh Ahmad al-Tijani (God be pleased with him) is cautioned from doing, saying, or harboring anything in his heart that would constitute a veering toward another Shaykh (and, necessarily, away from Shaykh Ahmad al-Tijani).

One form of this is getting caught up in Sufi books from Shaykhs of other paths, to the point of iltifat, or inclining with one’s heart to the author in such as way that it detracts from one’s spiritual connection with Shaykh Ahmad al-Tijani (God be pleased with him).

This is not a blanket prohibition of reading other Sufi works, but rather a caution against something that can be a means of severing one’s connection.

Shaykh Idris al-‘Iraqi (God have mercy upon him) said:

One of the elite of our Shaykh Ahmad al-Tijani’s companions (God be pleased with him) who is still alive and who is very old in age, may God protect him and make him live long for the benefit of those who love him, told me that upon hearing about a book of Sufism concerning one of the Poles [Aqtab] of this Muhammadan community, where esoteric sciences [‘ulum], marvels [karamat] and great virtues were described,* he borrowed it from one of the beloved brethren and began to read it carefully, extolling it in his heart. God, however, wanted to protect him from a bad adab towards his Shaykh, since he was moving away from the presence of his Shaykh.

He then dreamed of entering, while coming to the neighborhood Sabtarin, the Sharratin Madrasa so as to exit through the main door which leads into another neighborhood, but, strangely enough, he found it closed and saw Shaykh Ahmad al-Tijani (God be pleased with him) standing in front of it. After greeting him, he asked him to open the door so he could leave. The Shaykh (God be pleased with him) replied, “Go to the author of the book you are reading so that he may come and open it for you.” He then understood that he had bad adab towards him, he kissed his hands while weeping and asked his forgiveness, citing his ignorance and incompetence as his excuse. He remained in this state for a long time, without getting an answer, until the erudite and noble Muqaddam, full of blessings, Mawlay ‘Abd al-Salam b. ‘Umar al-‘Alawi (God be pleased with him) appeared to him, pleading with the Shaykh on his behalf (God be pleased with him) and tried to gain his sympathy for him with an apology and, with appropriate eloquence, he addressed him justifying (the man) for having acted without consideration of the Tariqa, (adding) that he turned repentantly to Allah, and that, he was sorry that he had taken an interest in that book, he would not resort to it or any other similar ones again.

Eventually the Shaykh (God be pleased with him) forgave him and opened the door for him to leave. At that point he woke up and found his pillow full of tears from weeping, and without delay he returned the book to its owner without finishing it, pledging from that moment to bind himself only to those who would help him through perfect tarbiya.

He became a disciple of many of the elite companions of the Shaykh (God be pleased with him and them), such as the Sharif Sidi Muhammad b. Mawlay Ibn al-Nasr brother of the Sharif, the majdub, the one of Malamati states, Mawlay aL-Tahir b. Mawlay Muhammed b. Abi al-Nasr al-‘Alawi; of the Sharif filled with baraka, Sidi Bi-Nasir b. Ahmad al-Amghari, of the excellent Sharif Sidi ‘Abd al-Salam al-‘Alami, known as Abu Lihya and of the knower, the Muqaddam, bearer of baraka, Sidi al-Hajj al-Hasan b. al-Hajj ‘Umar Mazur, and of his brother the Muqaddam who spreads his baraka, Sidi Idris b. al-Makki Saqal (may God perfume their graves).

From these events you will understand how God, with His Grace prevents (the worst) to those who might fall into something similar to what has been narrated, and to God belongs assistance; He is the One who guides with His Grace to the Right Path.

• The book in question was al-Ibriz of Shaykh Ahmad b. al-Mubarak al-Lamati, wherein he collected the esoteric discourses of his Shaykh and the Qutb of his time, Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Aziz al-Dabbagh (God be pleased with him).