Journey to Fes (Part 3)

Madani Travelogue

Journey to Fes (Part 3)

Mawlana Muhammad Imran Attari

(Head of Dawat-e-Islami’s Central Executive Committee)

Departing for Fes

After that, we used the Internet to get directions for Fes, and then the journey started. We did not have breakfast, and we had to prepare for Ẓuhr and lunch, so we stopped at a suitable location and did both. We saw orange groves and fruit sellers, so we bought some oranges and ate them.

Heath benefits of oranges

* Oranges are rich in vitamin C.

* They protect one from heart related illnesses and are beneficial for people with high blood pressure.

* They improve the digestive system.

* Oranges are beneficial for treating fevers and hepatitis.

* They grant comfort to the body and mind.

* They are a great source of hydration.

We performed ꜤAṣr here too. We learnt that the city of Zerhoun was towards our right, which is also known as Moulay Idriss. Most Moroccans call the city Moulay Idriss, and the resting place of Sayyidunā Moulay Idriss Awwal رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه is located at the peak of a mountain in this city. Our destination was Fes, but the purpose of our journey was to visit the resting places of the saints, so we headed to Zerhoun first.

Supplications are accepted on Friday

The beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, “There is a time on Friday at which no Muslim asks Allah for good, except that He grants it. This is a very short time.”^[1]

In relation to the acceptance of supplications at this time, the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, “Seek out the hour that is hoped for on Friday after ꜤAṣr until the sun has set.”^[2]

The erudite Hanafi jurist, Muftī Amjad ꜤAlī al-AꜤẓamī رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه said, “There are two opinions regarding the time supplications are accepted:

1.   The time between the Imam sitting for the khutbah until the end of the prayer.

2.   The final hour of JumuꜤah.”^[3]

Our qafilah departed for Zerhoun on JumuꜤah before sunset, and the Islamic brothers supplicated in the car.

Visiting the resting place of Sayyidunā Moulay Idriss Awwal رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه

Sayyidunā Moulay Idriss Awwal’s رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه resting place was on the peak of a mountain. We visited the shrine and prayed Maghrib there too. A grand mawlid gathering takes place there on the 12^th of RabīꜤ al-Awwal every year. Similarly, an annual gathering is held on the 26^th of Ramadan in which Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī is recited. Islamic brothers recited Qaṣīdat al-Burdah near the resting place and there was a collective supplication. Other devotees who were visiting the resting place met us and joined the gathering.

Brief summary of his blessed life

Sayyidunā Moulay Idriss Awwal رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه is the great-grandson of Imam Ḥasan رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ. His genealogy is: Moulay Idriss Awwal b. ꜤAbdullāh al-Kāmil b. Ḥasan Muthannā b. Imam Ḥasan b. ꜤAlī رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهُمَا. During the reign of the Abbasid Caliph, Mūsā al-Hādī, Moulay Idriss Awwal رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه left for Egypt with his faithful servant Rāshid, and then he migrated towards the land of Maghreb in 172 AH. Isḥāq b. Muhammad, the leader of the Berber tribe, warmly welcomed him, and due to this leader’s efforts, other tribes also pledged allegiance to Moulay Idriss رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه. On the 1^st of RabīꜤ al-Ākhir, 177 AH, someone poisoned him and he رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْه was martyred.^[4]

He رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْه played a significant role in spreading Islam in this region.

Travelling to Fes

After offering Maghrib, we departed for Fes again. One and a half hours of the journey remained, it was dark and the path was mountainous. There is a famous cemetery in Fes called Bab al-Futūḥ in which many saint are laid to rest, including:

1. Sayyidunā Qāḍī Abū Bakr ibn al-ꜤArabī رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه.

Sayyidunā Abū Al-Ḥasan b. ꜤAlī Ḥirāzmī رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه.

Sayyidunā Yūsuf al-Fāsī رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه.

Sayyidunā Muhammad b. ꜤAbdullāh رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه.

Sayyidunā Shaykh ꜤAbd al-ꜤAzīz al-Dabbāgh رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه.

Visiting the resting place of Shaykh ꜤAbd al-ꜤAzīz al-Dabbāgh رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه

As soon as we reached Fes, we visited the resting place of Shaykh ꜤAbd al-ꜤAzīz al-Dabbāgh رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه. اَلْـحَمْـدُ لـِلّٰـه! I had read a lot about him beforehand, and I have great respect and devotion for him. I was elated as I stood in the presence of this great personality. Without doubt, it is the blessing of Mawlana Ilyas Attar al-Qadiri              دَامَـتْ بَـرَكَـاتُـهُـمُ الْـعَـالِـيَـهْ that every member of Dawat e Islami loves Shaykh ꜤAbd al-ꜤAzīz al-Dabbāgh رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه and every other saint.

Virtues of Shaykh ꜤAbd al-ꜤAzīz al-Dabbāgh رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه

His name is ꜤAbd al-ꜤAzīz b. MasꜤūd al-Dabbāgh, and he is a Ḥasanī sayyid. He was born in the city of Fes, in Morocco, in the year 1095 AH and passed away in this city in 1132 AH at the age of 37. His student, Sayyidunā Aḥmad b. Mubārak رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه, compiled his sayings and parts of his biography in to a book named “اَلاِبرِیز مِن کَلامِ سیدی عبدِالعزیز”.^[5]

Foretelling of his birth

Sayyidunā Shaykh ꜤAbd al-ꜤAzīz al-Dabbāgh’s رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه father, Sayyidunā MasꜤūd رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه, was the student of Shaykh ꜤArabī Fashtālī رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه. Shaykh Fashtālī رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه was a saint and an expert in jurisprudence and the science of Quranic recitation. He رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه raised his niece and wedded her to his student, Sayyidunā MasꜤūd al-Dabbāgh رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْه, and they were blessed with the birth of Sayyidunā Shaykh ꜤAbd al-ꜤAzīz al-Dabbāgh رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه.

Testimony of his noble mother

Sayyidunā Shaykh ꜤAbd al-ꜤAzīz al-Dabbāgh’s mother states, “(My maternal uncle) Shaykh ꜤArabī Fashtālī رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه said, ‘You will have a child named ꜤAbd al-ꜤAzīz, and he will attain an elevated rank of sainthood.’”

Shaykh ꜤArabī Fashtālī رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه had a dream in which the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم gave him glad tidings that his niece will give birth to a great saint. The Shaykh said, “O Messenger of Allah صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم! Who will be the father of this child?” The beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم answered, “The father will be MasꜤūd al-Dabbāgh.” This is why he wedded his niece to his student, Sayyidunā MasꜤūd al-Dabbāgh رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه.^[6]

Relics of Shaykh Fashtālī رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْه

Shaykh ꜤArabī Fashtālī رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه wished for Sayyidunā ꜤAbd al-ꜤAzīz al-Dabbāgh رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه to be born during his lifetime. However, in the year 1090 AH, he felt his death was near, so he called his parents and said, ‘I leave you with a trust from Allah Almighty. When ꜤAbd al-ꜤAzīz is born, give it to him.’ He entrusted them with a piece of cloth and a pair of shoes. His mother looked after them, and after some time, Sayyidunā ꜤAbd al-ꜤAzīz al-Dabbāgh رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه was born. When he became mature and observed the fasts of Ramadan in 1109 AH, Shaykh al-Dabbāgh’s mother remembered what she was entrusted with. When he received the relics and placed the cloth on his head and wore the shoes, he suddenly felt extremely hot to the extent that tears fell from his eyes. The meaning of that which Shaykh Fashtālī رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه had foretold became clear to him and Shaykh ꜤAbd al-ꜤAzīz al-Dabbāgh رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه expressed gratitude to Allah Almighty.^[7]

Visiting the resting place of Sayyidunā ꜤAli b. Ḥirāzmī رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه

We left the resting place of Sayyidunā ꜤAbd al-ꜤAzīz al-Dabbāgh رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه and visited the resting place of Sayyidunā ꜤAli b. Ḥirāzmī رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه. After that, we travelled to the home of our host who fed us and made arrangements for our rest. We also discussed how we should begin religious work in Morocco.         

Special grace of the Amir Ahl al-Sunnah دَامَـتْ بَـرَكَـاتُـهُـمُ الْـعَـالِـيَـهْ during the journey

The next day, Saturday 17^th December 2022, we travelled on a train for approximately six and a half hours to Marrakesh. The train departed at 10:40, and it stopped at multiple platforms along the way. When it was time to pray Ẓuhr, we offered it when the train stopped at a platform. During the journey, we recited Dalāˈil al-Khayrat and spoke about Amir Ahl al-Sunnah دَامَـتْ بَـرَكَـاتُـهُـمُ الْـعَـالِـيَـهْ. A video of us reciting Dalāˈil al-Khayrat was made and it was sent to Mawlana Ilyas Attar al-Qadiri دَامَـتْ بَـرَكَـاتُـهُـمُ الْـعَـالِـيَـهْ, and he responded by supplicating for us profusely.

An Islamic brother who was with us informed us that his brother was diagnosed with cancer and he asked if Mawlana Ilyas Attar al-Qadiri دَامَـتْ بَـرَكَـاتُـهُـمُ الْـعَـالِـيَـهْ could supplicate for him. This request was sent onwards, and the leader of Ahl al-Sunnah دَامَـتْ بَـرَكَـاتُـهُـمُ الْـعَـالِـيَـهْ replied immediately with a heartfelt supplication. The Islamic brother was overjoyed by the response. He was encouraged to grow his beard to a fistful in length, and the brother did not hesitate in making this good intention. When Mawlana Ilyas Attar al-Qadiri دَامَـتْ بَـرَكَـاتُـهُـمُ الْـعَـالِـيَـهْ was informed about his intention, he replied by sending him a further message inviting him to more righteousness.

Dear readers! Imagine how amazing this journey was. There was a sunnah inspired gathering for responsible brothers in Australia and I participated via video call, and there were meetings to discuss other religious activities.

Participating in the Madani Muzakarah

We were travelling on Saturday, and on this day in Pakistan, a Madani Muzakarah is held after ꜤIshāˈ in the Madani Markaz, which is aired live on Madani channel. Pakistan’s time zone is five hours ahead of Morocco’s, so when the time of ꜤAṣr was approaching for us, the people in Pakistan had already offered ꜤIshāˈ. This is why we could also watch the Madani Muzakarah during the journey. When the train reached Marrakesh, we prayed ꜤAṣr at the station.