Shaykh Ibrāhīm Abdullāh at-Tijānī (1900-1975) was a knowledgeable and talented individual, and the possessor of many gifts from Allāh, the Exalted.  As has been said before, if one were limited to describing the Shaykh in one word, one would definitely say that the Shaykh was a Muslim throughout his life—in every time, place, and situation.  From even a brief look at his life, one would conclude that he was a Muslim, doing his best to follow in the footsteps of the Prophet (S).  He once mentioned in one of his poems, “if I am asked ‘what is your Madhhab?’ and ‘who is your beloved?’ I would definitely answer ‘the Prophet (S)!’”  Early in his life, Shaykh Ibrāhīm joined the Tarīqa Tijāniyya, which is a Tarīqa based purely on the Qur’ān and Hadīth.  If one were herein to describe the Tarīqa in summary, one would say that it is simply to rule oneself according to the teaching of Qur’ān and the teaching of the Prophet (S).  The Tarīqa was founded by Shaykh Ahmad at-Tijānī (RA), who lived from 1737 to 1815.

Since Shaykh Ahmad at-Tijānī (RA) passed, many of the scholars of the Tarīqa have come and performed their duty in propagating Islam and expanding the Tarīqa.  The majority of them are world-renowned scholars, such as Shaykh ‘Umar al-Fūtī, Shaykh Muhammad al-Hāfiz at-Tijānī (the Mauritanian Shaykh who brought the Tarīqa to West Africa for the first time), Shaykh al-Hājj Abdullāh Niasse (the father of Shaykh Ibrāhīm), and Shaykh al-Hājj Malik Sy, just to mention a few.  The contemporaries of these great leaders respected them as eminent scholars, and whoever met them or read their writings also considered them to be highly knowledgeable.  In time, the responsibility of leadership passed to the hand of Shaykh Ibrāhīm Niasse, who was to play an even greater role in spreading Islam and the Tarīqa in that area of the world.  Indeed, he has achieved accomplishments in this field that have no parallel in the history of West Africa.  To this day, contemporaries bear witness to his achievements, whether they were with him or against him.

The book originated in the year 1920, as a one hundred and twenty one verse poem written in Arabic, in praise of Allah, and in commemoration of the Prophet Muhammad (S), named “Spirit of Good Morals” (Rūhul-‘Adab).  It was written by Shaykh Ibrāhīm—at the age of twenty-one—as advice to the “People of Tarīqa,” the Tijāniyya brotherhood in particular, and to humanity at large.  This work is the culmination of its translation into English by Shaykh Hassan Ali Cisse, the Chief Imam of Shaykh Ibrāhīm Niasse Masjid (pictured on front), in Medina, Kaolack, in Senegal, West Africa.  In this second edition, Shaykh Hassan has added Qur’ānic verses, narrations from the Prophet (S), full texts of certain litanies referred to within the poem by the Shaykh, and his own commentary to further elucidate the advice of the poetic verses.  May Allāh accept.

Compiled and edited by Abdul Hakim Halim

The African-American Islamic Institute

Detroit, MI

Written By:
AAII