Ibrahim Niass

via: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ibrahim_Niass

Ibrhm Niass (19001975)also written Ibrahima Niasse in French,

Ibrayima as in Wolof, Shaykh al-'Islm al-jj Ibrhm ibn al-jj Abd
Allh at-Tijn al-Kawlakh in Arabic,
in Arabic alphabetwas a major leader of the Tijn Sufi order of Islam in West
Africa. His followers in the Senegambia region affectionately refer to him in
Wolof as Baay, or "father." He is the founder of the Ibrhmiyyah branch of the
Tijn order, whose adherents designate themselves in Arabic as the people of
the Faydah Tijniyyah (Tijn Flood) or in Wolof as Taalib Baay (disciples of
Baay). Outsiders often refer to his disciples as aseen, which in Wolof means
"of or pertaining to the as family," although his disciples do not generally use
this designation.

Life
Born in 1900 in the village of Tayba aseen (spelled Taba Niassne in French),
between the Senegalese city of Kaolack and the border of Gambia, he was the
son of Allaaji Abdulaay as (18401922), the main representative of the Tijn
Sufi Order, often referred to asTareeqat al-Tijjaniyyaa, in the Saalum region at
the beginning of the twentieth century. During his youth, Sheykh Ibrahim
relocated with his father to the city of Kaolack, where they established the
zwiya (religious center) of Lewna aseen. After his father's death in Lewna
aseen in 1922, Shaykh Ibrhm's elder brother, Muhammad al-Khalfa,
became his father's successor or Khalfa. The 22-year-old Shaykh Ibrhm
spent most of his time farming in the family's fields and teaching a growing
number of disciples in the nearby village of Kosi Mbittyeen. Although Shaykh
Ibrhm never claimed to be his father's successor, due to his charisma and
precocious knowledge, he gained a large number of disciples, and tensions
arose between his disciples and those of his elder brother, Muhammad alKhalifa. In 1929, while on the farm in Kosi Mbittyeen, the youthful Shaykh
Ibrhm announced that he had been given the Key to Secrets of Divine
Knowledge, and thus became the Khalifa of Sheykh Tijani in the Tajaniyya
Order, a position yet to be attained by anyone as of the time. Sheikh Ibrahim
then declared that whoever wishes to attain ma'arifa, a level of Divine Certainty
in the Sufi Order must follow him. In 1930, after the prayer of d al-Fir (the
end of the month of Ramadn), a fight broke out between Shaykh Ibrahim's
disciples and those of Muhammad al-Khalfa The incident made Shaykh
Ibrahim to immediately decided to relocate with his disciples to a new place.
That evening, he set out with a small group of his closest disciples to find a
new place to live, and the next day they established a new zwiya in Medina
Baay, a village that was later incorporated into the growing city of Kaolack. In

the following years, Shaykh divided his time between teaching during dry
season in Madina Baay and farming during raining season in Kosi Mbittyeen.
During the summer of 1945 he reestablished himself in his father's house in
his natal village of Tayba aseen, rebuilding and reorganizing the village after a
fire outbreak destroyed much of it.
Shaykh Ibrahim's fame quickly spread throughout the countryside and most of
his father's disciples ultimately became his disciples in spite of his junior
status in the family. Although his disciples remain a minority within Senegal,
ass disciples form the largest branch of Tijns worldwide. In an unlikely role
reversal during the 1930s, several leaders of the Arab 'Idaw Ali tribe in
Mauritaniathe same tribe that introduced the Tijn order to West Africa
declared to follow Shaykh Ibrahim and became his disciples. Notable among
the included Shaykhni, Muammad Wuld an-Nawi, and Muammad alMishri. Tareeqa al-Tijaniyya al-Ibrahimiyya, as Shaykh's disciples came to
known, flourished and gained large number of followers throughout the 1930s
and 1940s across North and West Africa. In the 1937, on meeting with Shaykh
Ibrahim during a pilgrimage to Makkah, the Emir of Kano,Alhaji 'Abdullahi
Bayero (Nigeria) made a declaration to follow and became his disciple. That
incident made Shaykh Ibrahim to gain the allegiance of many of the prominent
Tijn leaders of Northern Nigeria and lots of those who were non-Tijanis during
the time. One of his closest disciples and father of Sayyida Bilkisu( one of the
youngest wives of the Sheikh), was a Prince from Okene, the first High
Commissioner of Nigeria to the UK, Alhaji Abdulmalik Atta. Shaykh Ibrahim
became a renowned Shaykh al-Tareeka (Master of Sufi Order) throughout
Hausa areas of West Africa and in fact ended up with far more disciples outside
of Senegal than within it. By his death in 1975 in London, Shaykh Ibrahim as
had millions of followers throughout West Africa. His branch of the Tijniyya,
Tareeqa al-Tijaniyya al-Ibrahimiyya has become the largest branch in the
world. After his death the community was led by his closest disciple, Shaykh
Aliyy Cisse and as's eldest son, Alhaji Abdulahi Ibrahim Niass. The current
Khalfa in Medina Baye is his eldest surviving son, Sheikh Ahmad Tijani he
became the khalifa in 2010 after the death of his brother khalifa Ahmadu as
(known as Daam) on Tuesday 18 May 2010. Shaykh Ibrahim's role as
principal Imam of the Medina Baye mosque has been carried out by the Cisse
family. While serving as Medina Baay's Imam, Shaykh Hassan Cisse (Shaykh
Aliyy Cisse's son and Shaykh Ibrahim's maternal grandson) carried Shaykh
Ibrahim's teachings to the United States, United Kingdom and many other
western countries. Shaykh Hassan Cisse was generally regarded as the Leader
of Tareeqa al-Tijaniyya al-Ibrahimiyya worldwide until his sudden death in
August, 2008. Since then, Shaykh Hassan's younger brother Shaykh Tijn
Cisse has been given the position of Medina Baay's Imam.

Works
Shaykh Ibrahim as's many works include:

Kshif al-'ilbs an Fayati l-Khatmi 'Ab l-Abbs ("Lifting the confusion

about the Faya [Flood] of the Seal [of the saints] Ab l-Abbs [Ahmad atTijn]"). Edited by Shaykh Tijn Al Sse. Ash-Sharka ad-dawliyya li--iba,
Cairo, Egypt.
Jawhir ar-ras'il ("Pearls of the letters"), a compendium of letters, fatwas,
and other short communications by Ibrhm as.
As-sirr al-'akbar ("The greatest secret")*Countless anthologies of poems,
which have been published in Ad-Dawwn as-Sitt ("the Six Anthologies"),
Jmi Jawmi ad-Dawwn ("Collection of collections of Anthologies"),
and Majm Rilt ash-Shaykh 'Ibrhm ("The Compendium of Travels of
Shaykh Ibrhm"). All of these were edited by his son Shaykh Muammad alMa'mn Ibrhm as.
Kitb at-tarf ("The Book of Arabic morphology"), a book commonly used in
Arabic schools throughout Senegal.
Mansik al-ajj al-mubrakah al-musammt: tufat 'ahl al-dirah bi-m
yanfa al-jj siyyam f -'irah ("Rituals of the blessed pilgrimage, or:
gems for city people to benefit the pilgrim, especially one traveling by
airplane"). Edited by Shaykh Tijn Al Sse.
A number of fatwas (legal opinions), including: Wajh at-taqq f kawn jmi
medna huwa l-atq ("Verification that the longstanding rule of the
precondition of a mosque is a city"), concerning the circumstances in which a
Friday mosque should be built; and Bath f thubt ru'yat al-hill ("Study on
establishing the sighting of the new moon"), concerning when to end the
month of Raman and its fast. In addition to his printed works, dozens of
cassette tapes of Ibrhm as are readily available in Senegal, including
complete Tafsr al-Qur'n (interpretations of the Qur'an) in Wolof and
Arabic, several recitations of the Mawlid an-nabaw (birth [and life] of
Muhammad), also in Wolof and Arabic, and speeches on various religious and
practical subjects in Wolof."Dawawin Al-Sittah" (voluminous poetic work in
praise & exaltation of Muhammed),"Risalatul-Tauba"(a pamphlet expounding
the realities of sincere repentance to Allah)