Concept

Shadhili

Overview

The Shadhili Order (Arabic: الطريقة الشاذلية) is a tariqah or Sufi order. The Shadhili order was founded by Abu al-Hasan al-Shadhili in the 13th century and is followed by millions of people around the world. Many followers (Arabic murids, "seekers") of the Shadhili Order are known as Shadhilis, and a single follower is known as Shadhili.

It has historically been of importance and influence in the Maghreb and Egypt with many contributions to Islamic literature. Among the figures most known for their literary and intellectual contributions are ibn Ata Allah al-Iskandari, author of the Hikam, and Ahmad Zarruq, author of numerous commentaries and works, and Ahmad ibn Ajiba who also wrote numerous commentaries and works.

In poetry expressing love of Muhammad, there have been the notable contributions of Muhammad al-Jazuli, author of the Dala'il al-Khayrat, and al-Busiri, author of the famous poem Al-Burda or "The Celestial Lights in Praise of the Best of Creation". Many of the head lecturers of al-Azhar University in Cairo have also been followers of this tariqa.

Of the various branches of the Shadhili are the Fassiyatush of Imam Fassi, found largely in India, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan. The Darqawiyya of Muhammad al-Arabi al-Darqawi is found mostly in Morocco and the Alawi-Darqawiyya of Ahmad al-Alawi originated in Algeria is now found the world over, particularly in Syria, Jordan, France, and among many English-speaking communities. British scholar Martin Lings wrote an extensive biography of Ahmad al-Alawi entitled A Moslem Saint of the Twentieth Century.

The anniversary of al-Shadhili is held on 12th of Shawwal (the tenth month of lunar calendar) at Humaithara in Egypt.

Overview adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0; see the article history for authors).

Possible passages

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12). But behind those who believe comes a crowd of ignorant people who deny the reality of Sufism, hear discourses on it with incredulous irony, and treat as charlatans those who profess it. To this ignorant crowd the verse applies: “There are those among them who come to listen to thee, and when they leave thee, ask of those who have received knowledge, ‘What has he just said?’ These are they whose hearts God has…
Ghazzali, The Confessions of Al Ghazzali
States what Shadhili is.
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Such a country is fit for a swift-handed, deep-hearted race of men. There is something most agile, active, and yet most meditative, enthusiastic in the Arab character. The Persians are called the French of the East, we will call the Arabs Oriental Italians. A gifted noble people; a people of wild strong feelings, and of iron restraint over these: the characteristic of noblemindedness, of genius. The wild Bedouin…
Thomas Carlyle, Sartor Resartus, and
States what Shadhili is.
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Still, as Augustine says (De Trin. iii), "bodies are ruled in a certain order; the inferior by the superior; and all of them by the spiritual creature, and the bad spirit by the good spirit." So the first order after the "Dominations" is called that of "Principalities," who rule even over good spirits; then the "Powers," who coerce the evil spirits; even as evil-doers are coerced by earthly powers, as it is written…
Aquinas Thomas, Summa Theologica, Part I
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Philosophers who discussed Shadhili

Related ideas

Opposing perspectives

Sufism

Place in the tradition

Part of Traditionalism (perennialism).

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