Rahmaniya

The brotherhood Rahmaniya (in Kabyle tareḥmanit ) is important a Moslem brotherhood soufie, founded in 1774 by Sidi Me hamed Bou Qobrine in Algérie. Rahmanyia, at the origin Khalwatiya , known a strong audience until the 19th century, succeeding with strongly being established and spreading themselves in North Africa.

The founder of the order

Sidi hamed is to Me the founder founder, about 1774, from the order confreric of Rahmaniya, He was born at the village from Has Smaïl, close to Boghni in Kabylie. After thirty years of absence, it returns finally at his place. It settles initially in its village of Has Smaïl, where it founds a zaouïa. It decides thereafter to settle in Algiers to found another zaouïa there. It chooses to settle in what will be later the district of Hamma.

Its large Zaouïa will radiate on all Algeria. This zaouïa, accommodates the poor, the orphans and the foreigners. It is also a university where many sciences are taught. It becomes the privileged place of Khalwa (retirement) of those which come to require initiation. Its Tariqa Khalwatiya (طريقةخلواتية) became Rahmaniya (what will give to the zaouïa Lalla Rahmaniya its name), in reference to Abderrahmane, the name of his/her father.

The history

The emergence and the golden age of Rahmaniya: 1774-1871

Impregnated of the mystic Soufi E at the time of its long stay to the Cairo near the sheik El-Hafnaoui, Sidi Me hamed had been given for mission of propagating this religious philosophy in North Africa. Recommending the practice of the renouncement of the material life (Asceticism) and the withdrawal compared to agitation profane city the khalwatiya, like other orders confreric, was characterized by a certain heterodoxy in the interpretation of Coran. Khalwatiya is of origin Persian as recommended by Sidi hamed, it is not to Me an integral transposition. It is Fortement penetrated of local religious elements, in particular those conveyed by ic Islam Marabout,

Thus Sidi Me hamed had introduced the way, the Tariqa Khalwatiya in Algérie. He will teach during approximately 25 years, until the day when feeling his health to decline, he decides to return at his place, in his native village. It is over there that he dies in 1793, at the 73 years age.

After the death of its founder, the tariqa Rahmaniya continued to thrive through the country. Many a zaouïas is here and there founded. Rahmaniya very quickly becomes the tariqa which counts the most followers in Algeria. This data deeply will be modified by the arrival, in 1830, of the French troops. Second the XIX century half will be one tragic period of the history of Algeria; it will be marked by the savage resistance of the autochtones to the colonial invasion.

Because undoubtedly of this geographical extension, Rahmaniya was divided into two branches: that of Kabylie and that of Constantinois.

Its establishment

Of all the brotherhoods which preceded it in North Africa (the Qadiriya, Chadouliya, Ammariya, the Aïssawiya, the Tidjaniya), Rahmaniya is the only one to be itself really established in Kabylie. Date of its creation, towards 1774, until 1857, date on which it undergoes a hard repression because of its participation in resistance to the French conquest, it exerted a remarkable influence in Kabylie, thanks to the fame of Sidi Me hamed. It was propagated quickly in the East as far as Tunisia and towards the South of Algeria (cf Robin).

Changes

Thanks to its charisma, Sidi hamed introduced Me, of the substantial changes which made into force move the maraboutic tradition until there in Kabylie. The first factor of this evolution related to the tacit rule according to which the transmission of the religious knowledge, like that of the capacity and the privileges which are consubstantial for him, could be done only on hereditary bases: it was necessary to be a born marabout to reach it. The second factor of innovation is the widening of the framework confreric: “Any laic can affiliate itself, provided that he recognizes and observes the rules of them. ” And finally, the third factor of change was the structuring of the Zaouïa in a system of religiosity arranged hierarchically: At the top is the Sheik of Tariqa sitting in the zaouïa-mother, come then the moqaddem S (representatives) who officiate with the head of the branches, around whose the khouan S gather, " frères" servants and followers of the brotherhood.

Life of Rahmaniya and its geographical presence

The branch kabyle saw its center of gravity to pass, with the beginning of the year 1860, of Has Smail with Seddouk, in the valley of Soummam. Indeed, following the closing of the head office of Has Smaïl and the setting under sequestration of its goods by the colonial administration in 1857, the direction of Rahmaniya moved in Seddouk where the family Iheddaden (Aheddad) officiated, rival of the Ben Ali Chérif of Ichelladen (Chellatta).

From 1843, for the branch constantinoise, and of 1871 for the branch kabyle, Rahmaniya subdivided in several subbranches, isolated from/to each other, which became little by little autonomous.

Very quickly the name of the Emir Abdelkader like the carrier of the banner of the Djihad will appear. It arranges base camps, in particular in the zaouïa of a young warrior well-read man and broken with religious sciences. The sheik Sidi Mohammed Ibn Abi Al Kacim, comes to return visit one day of the year 1844 to lend allegiance to the emir and to put themselves under his orders. This last gives him the order to return in its village and to found a zaouïa to train Moslems conscious owe them of Djihad against the Christian invader. It was originating in the small village of El Hamel whose creation, going back to the XI century, is allocated to the pilgrims chorfa of Djebel Rached descendants of Sidi Bouzid.

However and because of its knowledge and its knowledge in theology, the qotb Sidi El Mokhtar Ibn Abderrahmane Ibn Khalifa founder of the zaouïa of Ouled Djellel, requires of him to come to teach in its zaouïa public of tolba (student) high level. Sheik El Mokhtar finishes by him entrusting the direction of the zaouïa like the main thing moqadem. It is in this prestigious zaouïa that Sidi El Mohktar made entered the sheik in Khalwa. Sidi El Mokhtar was initiated by Sidi Ali Ben Amar, founder of Zaouïa of Tolga. Itself initiated by Sidi Ben Azzouz El Bordji disciple of Sidi Me hamed then with died of this one, the Sheik Bacha Tarzi El Kosantini.

The preeminence of Sheik Aheddad on Rahmaniya lasts only one ten years (1860-1871); its participation in the head of the insurrection of 1871 was worth to him to be stopped and off-set and its zaouïa was closed.

Large the Révolte of Mokrani will be at the origin of a setting in front of the sheik khalwati who, faithful to the orders of the Emir Abdelkader, then in deportation, continues his teaching modestly. Sheik El Haddad, spiritual leader of the insurrection of El Mokrani, writes, before its arrest, a will in which it recommends to his sons and its disciples to rejoin the Sheik d' El Hamel that it names red sulfur: " Alaïkoum bil Kibrit El Ahmer". El Haddad will die in captivity some month after its arrest in 1871. The mokrani and the many disciples of Rahmaniya, who have escaped with the deportation, but not less dispossessed of their grounds and their goods regain El Hamel, where they are placed under the protection of the sheik. The colonial administration will make him very expensive pay its standpoint, but will carefully avoid reaching it directly because of its notoriety. It will be assigned with residence and will only move provided with a special permit until its death in 1896.

The cheffery of the zaouïa will be ensured after him, by his/her daughter Lalla Zineb who will continue until her death, eight years later, to ensure teaching. Isabelle Eberhardt will write in her notes of voyages of very beautiful lines reporting its meeting with the holy woman.

Later an major event will make zaouïa of El Hamel the pole of the tariqa Rahmanya. Colonial administration, for allegedly sedentary reasons, prohibited with the autochtones the access to the zaouïa of Sidi Me hamed Ben Abderrahmane in Algiers. Remembering the recommendation of the Sheik El Haddad, the moqadem of the zaouïas Rahmanya moved towards the Sheik d' El Hamel which is then Sidi Mustapha father of Sidi Mohammed Al current Maamoun Sheik of the zaouïa. The sheik Mustapha imposed to the governor Algiers in an interview remained famous, the reopening of the zaouïa of Hamma.

Since then, all the zaouïas Rahamniya of Kabylie commemorate this event per annum once, by one will zyara (a Visitation) in El Hamel where the Dhikr rahmani recited by Khouanes (brothers) echoed the mystical songs protested in Berbère by the women. The end of the XIXe century marks the decline of Rahmaniya. At the beginning of the XXe century, especially since 1930, it was going to become like the other brotherhoods besides, the target of Oulémas and the Algerian nationalists.

Leaders of the brotherhood up to 1871

With died of the Master founder (Sidi Me hamed), in 1793, it was Sheik Ben Aïssa who took the head of Tariqa. Sidi Abderrahmane had recommended it to the khouans before dying: “I give all my capacity to Sidi Ali Benaïssa, it will be my substitute. I deposited in his center all my secrecies. ” Its magistère lasted forty-three years until in 1836. Its succession was rather surging because, in particular, of the great number of applicants. From 1836 to 1844, Belkacem ouLhafid (of Maatka), Lalla Khlidja (widowed of sheik Benaïssa), Mohammed Ben Belkacem (of Annan Has), and Hadj Bachir, a Morrocan recommended by the Emir Abdelkader, followed one another without none them being essential durably. The arrival, to the head of Rahmaniya de Hadj Amar from 1844, old a moqadem kabyle, gives a little more stability to the zaouïa up to 1857. On this date, Hadj Amar took share with the insurrection of which it became one of the chiefs; after the defeat, it was exiled in Tunisia and left the order without chief recognized until the advent of Sheik Aheddad in 1860.

Spiritual doctrines

The lesson and doctrinal principles of Tariqa Rahmaniya are transmitted, under the authority of the Sheik and of his representatives, by the courses exempted in the timaemmrin where the pupils (Telba) endeavor to make a success of the idjaza before going officer in the villages of the neighborhoods. Engagement (lward) in the zaouïya implies for the followers the observance of certain rules, such as the repetition of the profession of faith (Chahada) six days per week and during all the life, the port of the chain (Kab: ttesbih), the dhikr (Kab: adekker) or hymn glorifiant God and his " amis" , the pious visit (Zziyara) with the holy places of the zaouïa, the offering (aseddeq) etc

The catch of the Pact in the tariqa

At the same time sober and solemn, the catch of the pact, whose origin goes back to the Prophète saint, acts with the manner of an initiatory rite which founds the entry of the mouride in the way of God.

“Firm the eyes, listens to and repeats after me three times " The ilaha ila Allah…”

Firm agreement of a thaouba (conversion) continual

“conform only to the Holy Coran and the authenticated tradition of the Prophet”

Pillars of the tariqa

The dhikr or recollection of Allah

Famous the soufi Ali Al Dakak said: “The Dhikr is the decree of holiness (Al wilaya - الولاية). That which Allah has to lead to Dikhr, that there received in truth this decree”.

Dhikr or invocation of God is the remedy of the hearts which it alleviates, the weapon of the Soufi and royal roads towards the Object of its search. Dhikr in the Tariqa is an iterative and perpetual recitation of a “Divine Name”, verses of the Coran or formulas that the Mouride learns from sound Sheik as of the moment of the catch of the pact

Wird

This is Wird of Tariqa Rahmaniya such as transcribed the Sheik Sidi Mohammed Ibn Azzouz El Kacimi El Hassani in a manuscript preserved in the library of the zaouïa of El Hamel. The sheik known as:

After the prayer of the paddle ( fadjr ), you will recite forty times (the speech is addressed to Mourid rahmani): O you (God) alive remaining by Itself, It has of another divinity only You there, by Your mercy I beseech You to save me.
Then hundred times: Glory with Allah and by Your praises, Glory with the Lord the Very Large one, I beseech His forgiveness.
Then you will recite three times the prayer known as perfect whose text is: Blessed lord and hello our Mohammed Master and them his, of the blessing of people of the sky and the grounds. And make act Your subtle softness in any thing relating to me.
Then, three times: O Main Allah of Gabriel, Michael d' Israfël and Israel and Mohammed who the blessing and safety are on him, delivers to me hell.
After the prayer of the small hour you will recite, after the usual invocations “Ilaha Ila Allah”, three hundred times. For the first hundred you will take care to lengthen the syllables of each word then for the second hundred you will be spread out less and you will be faster for the third hundred.
You will recite three hundred times the kalima same manner after the prayer of the afternoon ( el Asr ).
You will give up the recitation of the kalima after the prayer of the afternoon of Thursday to devote you to the blessing of the saint prophet. You will recite three hundred times then: Blessed lord and hello our Mohammed Master, people of his house and its companions.
Then after the prayer of Friday you will recite eighty times the blessings on the Prophète saint in the following way: Lord blessed our Mohammed Master the prophet illiterate, blessed people of his house and its companions.
Then you will say “Ilaha Ila Allah” after what is usual to recite after each prayer.
After each prayer of the week you will take care to recite the blessings ten times: Lord blessed our Mohammed Master, people of his house and its companions.

Seven stages of the purification of the heart

To contemplate the luminous splendor of the Divine face can be done only by one released heart of the seventy thousand veils of lights and darkness. Veils which deprive it of the clear vision or which mislay it in illusory and chimerical perceptions. Each veil is a blindness that the khalwati by particular strains tries to raise. Dikhr (invocation) of only one of the Names sublimes of God makes it possible ten thousand these veils to be dissipated. This is why Khalwati define seven divine Names for the total revealing. To raise the veils successively in addition transforms the heart which reaches in increasingly high spiritual states and which is transported visible world, towards that of the spirits then mysteries to arrive at that of the absolute vision.

With each stage, for the khalwati, the heart has attributes, it is on a level or a spiritual degree (maqam). The ten miles veils which recover it are determined by the mysterious demonstrations suitable for the degree reached or determined by the psychological provision or state (hall).

the heart covered with the seventy thousand veils is tyrannical and inciting with the evil ( nafs El Amara Bi soui - نفسامارةبسوء); “I innocent step because the heart am inciting with the evil” (Horn: 12,53). Its ten the first thousand veils are darkness, and the world where it is spread is the visible world. Its state is the inclination with passions. The springs of its progression are in the observance of the commands of God. Mourid in this state is held with a constant effort against itself. Its Dikhr will be the kalima of Tawhid Ilaha Ila Allah which he will recite without slackening with force, in a state of ritual purity, and the closed eyes.
the reprobatory heart or admonitrice ( nafs lawwama - نفسلوامة); “I swear by the heart which does not cease blaming” (Horn: 75,2). Its veils are of light and its world that of the borders ( Al barzakh ). Its state is that of the love. The springs of its progression are in the observance of the rules of the tariqa. This heart is characterized by the inclination with the meditation, the contraction but also the self-satisfaction, ostentation, the sensitivity particular to the praise and the love of the capacity. The divine Name which is appropriate for this stage is “Allah”.
the heart inspired, ( nafs mulhima - نفسملهمة); “Then It inspired at the same time its immorality and its piety to him” (Horn: 90,8). Its veils are the revealed secrecies. Its degree is that of the heat in love ( el ouchk ). Its world is that of the spirits. It is characterized by humility, the tolerance, forgiveness, patience, science and generosity but it also knows the instability of its states ( el talouine ). Its Dikhr will be “Houwa” or Ilaha Ila houwa.
the serene or pacified heart ( nafs Moutmaïna - نفسمطمئنة); “O you alleviated heart” (Horn: 89,27) Its degree is that of the beginning of the perfection. Its state is that of serenity. Its world is that of the Mohammedienne truth. It is characterized by indulgence, gratitude, satisfaction from what emanates from God, and patience. Its Dikhr is “El Haq”. That which has this heart is “drunk”. The breezes of the arrival ( el wusul ) blow on him.
the satisfied heart ( nafs radhiyya - نفسراضية); “Towards your Lord satisfied…” (Horn Turns over: 89,28). Its state is that of the destruction ( el faded ), of the union ( el wisal ) and of the concentration (el jam). Its characteristics are sincerity, piety, the renouncement, honesty. Its Dikhr is “El Hay”. That which has this heart is submerged in intoxication. Khalwa is appropriate to him especially whereas were appropriate to him, until this stage, the loneliness and the separation of the others under the conditions known of progressing in the way (Ahl el souluk).
the heart approved ( nafs mourdhiyya - نفسمرضية); “… and approved” (Horn: 89,28) Its degree is that of the Epiphany of the divine acts, its state that of perplexity ( el will hira ). Its characteristics softness, love of the creatures, the abstention, proximity, satisfaction. Its Dikhr “El Kaïoum”.
the perfect heart ( nafs el Kamila - نفسكاملة); Its state is that of the subsistence by God ( el Baqa billah ). Its degree is the Epiphany of the attributes. Its characteristics are: perfection of all the virtues acquired with the length of the advance, and the total achievement of the state of tender. The name which corresponds to him is the dominator “El Qahar”. That which has this heart remains moving God, by God towards God and returns from God to God. He has of another refuge only God. He takes by God and gives by God. He is in the paradise of the vision of God.

The khalwa and its rules

The khalwa (rear: خلوة) comes from the verb khala (rear: خلا) which indicates the action of setting in withdrawal or insulation. It gave its name to the Tariqa, because of the importance that the khalwati allot to loneliness. Sidi Me hamed, in one of its many letters addressed to its disciples, speaks about the khalwa like the most advantageous means with the mouride for its purification in its advance towards a perfect tender with God. It symbolizes the moments of loneliness of the Prophète saint in the cave of the mount Hira or he accepted the Visitation of the Archange Gabriel. On this subject El Boukhari and Muslim quote Aïcha which reports that the beginning of the nomination of the saint Prophète Mahomet was marked by premonitory dreams then by a taste particular to the insulation which it carried out while being withdrawn in the cave of Hira. The khalwa also recalls the retirement of Moïse on the mount the Sinai

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