The Tijaniyya Sufi Brotherhood Amongst the Idaw ‘Ali of the Western Sahara

ORIGINS OF THE IDAW ALIThe Idaw ‘Ali are one of the two most prominent and influentialzuwaya groups in Mauritania, other being Kunta, disseminatorsof Qadiriyya tariqa West Africa who claim to be descendants ofthe great Arab hero conqueror North Africa, Uqba b. Nafi. Thebasis prestige rested part on their widelyrecognized sharifian origin. Another basis was theirintroduction Tijaniyya Mauritania As ofProphet Muhammed, occupied a noble privilegedposition society that placed them above zawaya laygroups Mauritania.The traditions, as reported by Sidi Abd-allah al-HajjIbrahim al-‘Alawi (d. 1818) his treatise, “Sahihat al-Naql fi AlawiyatIdaw wa Bakriyat Muhammed Ghull” (The Authenticity theDescee from Caliph Ghull fromCaliph ‘Abu Bakr al-Siddiq), state unequivocally ‘Alidescended Talib 661), son-in-law Prophet andfourth Caliph, through an eponymous ancestor Yahya. SidiAbdallah maintains that:. . .the Idawa Yahya bereckoned progeny (May God bepleased with him). We know no disagreement between thosewho learned which has been handed down, bothwritten spoken, those have favored withspiritual illumination regarding it.This genealogy is said examined declared sound SidiMukhtar al-Kunti, founding father Qadiriyya-Mukhtariyyabrotherhood Africa. Furthermore, author al-Naql” adduced numerous quotations he related genealogistsand scholars Orient prove validity theIdaw ‘Ali’s shar(fian ancestry.Sidi Abdallah relates informed bySidi Ahmed al-Daymani, famed scholar Awlad Daymanzawaya group, descended house theProphet. According ‘Ali. .are and.. both young oldcontinue trace lineage him spite paucity ofthat allotted support claim.Sidi also member made thepilgrimage Mecca where met al-Habib Idaw‘Ali. told pilgrim:If you straightened circumstances, then say-ohforefather, oh Messenger God-for truth hisdescendant.The pilgrim asked how acquired this informationconcerning ‘Ali, replied:I saw book Cairo, but if return there, askSheikh al-Murtada about people Shinqit.Sheikh saint Egypt its sun .On pilgrim’s journey passed Cairo ...