Abd al-Rahman al-Shaghouri
Encyclopedia
Abd al-Rahman al-Shaghouri عبد الرحمن الشاغوري (Homs 1912 - Damascus 2004) was a Syria
n Sufi master of the Hashimi-Darqawi branch of the Shadhili tariqa, as well as poet
, textile worker, and trade unionist. Born in Homs
in 1912, he was soon orphaned and moved to Damascus
with his brother. As a child, he worked as an errand boy and later as a weaver.
He attended the lessons of the major scholars of Damascus: Husni al-Baghghal, Muhammad Barakat, 'Ali al-Daqar, Ismail al-Tibi and Lutfi al-Hanafi. However, his most important teacher was Muhammad al-Hashimi, an Algeria
n Sufi from Tlemcen
who had already been living in Syria for twenty years before becoming the representative of Shaykh Ahmad al-Alawi
, spiritual master of the Shadhili
tariqa. Al-Shaghouri himself met al-Alawi in 1932 in Damascus, but it was al-Hashimi who served as his spiritual guide. Finding that al-Shaghouri was already suitable, al-Hashimi placed him in a spiritual retreat. The first day al-Shaghouri pledged himself to al-Hashimi's guidance, an unusual if not unprecedented occurrence in Sufi instruction and discipleship.
Al-Shaghouri soon became an important figure within al-Hashimi's tariqa, serving as the lead singer for his session of sacred dance (hadra
). Before his death in 1961, al-Hashimi has also given al-Shaghouri permission to transmit the general litany of the tariqa, a daily formula of meditations and prayers that typically serves to signal a disciple's commitment to his tariqa. Although he had received authorization as a full spiritual guide by Muhammad Sa'id al-Hamzawi of Syria and Ali al- Budlaymi of Algeria, he did not take any disciples until he was also authorised by his friend and companion, Muhammad Sa'id al-Kurdi from Irbid (Jordan
). Despite al-Kurdi himself being renowned as one of the great spiritual guides of his time, particularly in Jordan, he only his authorization to al-Shaghouri to be a spiritual guide and his successor upon his death.
Despite his commitment to his spiritual order, al-Shaghouri always maintained an occupation until his illnesses made he unable to work. He was a textile worker and Syria's representative in the United Arab Workers Union. He was forced to resign for refusing to comply with the nationalization of factories in Syria, and he later became a teacher in many religious institutes in Damascus. He was also a representative of workers in the Syrian Parliament. For years he was also sermoned at the al-Khayyat mosque in Damascus, until 1999 when a stroke resulted in a long coma
and left him severely weakened.
As a singer in al-Hashimi's choir for the hadra, al-Shaghouri memorised vast amounts of mystical poetry, which served as the basis for much his teaching and instruction. He was himself a poet, and his poetry was often sung in the hadra, and continues to be sung today. Al-Shaghouri's poetry draws on Arabic and Islamic literary tradition, and combines a genuine spiritual experience with a great mastery of poetical techniques. His poetry is, both in contents and in forms, akin to that of Ibn al-Farid
, Abd al-Ghani al-Nabulsi
and Ahmad al-Alawi
. He published his poems in a diwan he edited towards the end of his life, Al-hada’iq al-nadiyya fī al-nasamat al-ruhiyya (The dewy gardens in the spiritual breezes), and they have been published separately in many collections.
Despite his physical weakness, he never stopped receiving visitors and or attending the weekly hadra at the Nur al-Din al-Shahid mosque, in the old quarter of Damascus. He died on 8 June 2004. A great crowd gathered to attend his funeral at the mosque dedicated to Shaykh Muhy al-Din Ibn al-Arabi. The funeral prayer was led by Habib Ali al-Jifri
, from Yemen, a well-known representative of traditional scholarship and Sufism in Arab media. His death was widely mourned by scholars and laymen alike, and he was widely recognized as one of the single most important revivers of the Shadhili tariqa and Sufism in general, particularly in Syria.
His legacy and renown has also become widespread (particularly in the English-speaking world) through two American students he authorized in the Shadhili tariqa, Nuh Ha Mim Keller
and Zaid Shakir
.
Al-hada’iq al-nadiyya fī al-nasamat al-ruhiyya (The Dewy Gardens in the Spiritual Breezes), Damascus, Dār fajr al-‘urūba, 2nd ed., 1998,
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
n Sufi master of the Hashimi-Darqawi branch of the Shadhili tariqa, as well as poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
, textile worker, and trade unionist. Born in Homs
Homs
Homs , previously known as Emesa , is a city in western Syria and the capital of the Homs Governorate. It is above sea level and is located north of Damascus...
in 1912, he was soon orphaned and moved to Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
with his brother. As a child, he worked as an errand boy and later as a weaver.
He attended the lessons of the major scholars of Damascus: Husni al-Baghghal, Muhammad Barakat, 'Ali al-Daqar, Ismail al-Tibi and Lutfi al-Hanafi. However, his most important teacher was Muhammad al-Hashimi, an Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
n Sufi from Tlemcen
Tlemcen
Tlemcen is a town in Northwestern Algeria, and the capital of the province of the same name. It is located inland in the center of a region known for its olive plantations and vineyards...
who had already been living in Syria for twenty years before becoming the representative of Shaykh Ahmad al-Alawi
Ahmad al-Alawi
Ahmad al-Alawi , , was the founder of a popular modern Sufi order, the Darqawiyya Alawiyya, a branch of the Shadhiliyya.-Biography:...
, spiritual master of the Shadhili
Shadhili
The Shadhili Tariqa is a Sufi order of Sunni Islam founded by Abul Hasan Ali ash-Shadhili. Followers of the Shadhiliya are known as Shadhilis....
tariqa. Al-Shaghouri himself met al-Alawi in 1932 in Damascus, but it was al-Hashimi who served as his spiritual guide. Finding that al-Shaghouri was already suitable, al-Hashimi placed him in a spiritual retreat. The first day al-Shaghouri pledged himself to al-Hashimi's guidance, an unusual if not unprecedented occurrence in Sufi instruction and discipleship.
Al-Shaghouri soon became an important figure within al-Hashimi's tariqa, serving as the lead singer for his session of sacred dance (hadra
Hadra
Hadra can be:*Hadra, Poland, a village*Hadra , a genus of snails*Haḍra , rituals performed by Sufi orders...
). Before his death in 1961, al-Hashimi has also given al-Shaghouri permission to transmit the general litany of the tariqa, a daily formula of meditations and prayers that typically serves to signal a disciple's commitment to his tariqa. Although he had received authorization as a full spiritual guide by Muhammad Sa'id al-Hamzawi of Syria and Ali al- Budlaymi of Algeria, he did not take any disciples until he was also authorised by his friend and companion, Muhammad Sa'id al-Kurdi from Irbid (Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
). Despite al-Kurdi himself being renowned as one of the great spiritual guides of his time, particularly in Jordan, he only his authorization to al-Shaghouri to be a spiritual guide and his successor upon his death.
Despite his commitment to his spiritual order, al-Shaghouri always maintained an occupation until his illnesses made he unable to work. He was a textile worker and Syria's representative in the United Arab Workers Union. He was forced to resign for refusing to comply with the nationalization of factories in Syria, and he later became a teacher in many religious institutes in Damascus. He was also a representative of workers in the Syrian Parliament. For years he was also sermoned at the al-Khayyat mosque in Damascus, until 1999 when a stroke resulted in a long coma
Coma
In medicine, a coma is a state of unconsciousness, lasting more than 6 hours in which a person cannot be awakened, fails to respond normally to painful stimuli, light or sound, lacks a normal sleep-wake cycle and does not initiate voluntary actions. A person in a state of coma is described as...
and left him severely weakened.
As a singer in al-Hashimi's choir for the hadra, al-Shaghouri memorised vast amounts of mystical poetry, which served as the basis for much his teaching and instruction. He was himself a poet, and his poetry was often sung in the hadra, and continues to be sung today. Al-Shaghouri's poetry draws on Arabic and Islamic literary tradition, and combines a genuine spiritual experience with a great mastery of poetical techniques. His poetry is, both in contents and in forms, akin to that of Ibn al-Farid
Ibn al-Farid
Ibn al-Farid or Ibn Farid ;Arabic, عمر بن علي بن الفارض was an Arab poet. He was born in Cairo, lived for some time in Mecca and died in Cairo. His poetry is entirely Sufic, and he was esteemed the greatest mystic poet of the Arabs...
, Abd al-Ghani al-Nabulsi
Abd al-Ghani al-Nabulsi
Shaykh Abd al-Ghani al-Nablusi , an eminent Muslim scholar and Sufi, was born in Damascus in 1641 into a family of Islamic scholarship. His father, Isma'il Abd al-Ghani, was a jurist in the Hanafi school of Sunni Islam and a contributor to Arabic literature...
and Ahmad al-Alawi
Ahmad al-Alawi
Ahmad al-Alawi , , was the founder of a popular modern Sufi order, the Darqawiyya Alawiyya, a branch of the Shadhiliyya.-Biography:...
. He published his poems in a diwan he edited towards the end of his life, Al-hada’iq al-nadiyya fī al-nasamat al-ruhiyya (The dewy gardens in the spiritual breezes), and they have been published separately in many collections.
Despite his physical weakness, he never stopped receiving visitors and or attending the weekly hadra at the Nur al-Din al-Shahid mosque, in the old quarter of Damascus. He died on 8 June 2004. A great crowd gathered to attend his funeral at the mosque dedicated to Shaykh Muhy al-Din Ibn al-Arabi. The funeral prayer was led by Habib Ali al-Jifri
Habib Ali al-Jifri
Habib Ali Zain al-`Abideen al-Jifri is an Islamic scholar from Hadhramaut, Yemen of the Shafi'i school of fiqh, and the Ashari school of aqida.-Background:...
, from Yemen, a well-known representative of traditional scholarship and Sufism in Arab media. His death was widely mourned by scholars and laymen alike, and he was widely recognized as one of the single most important revivers of the Shadhili tariqa and Sufism in general, particularly in Syria.
His legacy and renown has also become widespread (particularly in the English-speaking world) through two American students he authorized in the Shadhili tariqa, Nuh Ha Mim Keller
Nuh Ha Mim Keller
Nuh Ha Mim Keller is an American Muslim translator of Islamic books and a specialist in Islamic law, as well as being authorised by Abd al-Rahman al-Shaghouri as a sheikh in sufism in the Shadhili Order...
and Zaid Shakir
Zaid Shakir
Zaid Salim Shakir is a prominent American Islamic scholar and writer who is a co-founder, , and faculty member, of Zaytuna College in Berkeley, California, United States, where he teaches courses on Arabic, Law, History, and Islamic Spirituality...
.
Works
Collections of his poemsAl-hada’iq al-nadiyya fī al-nasamat al-ruhiyya (The Dewy Gardens in the Spiritual Breezes), Damascus, Dār fajr al-‘urūba, 2nd ed., 1998,
Students
- Nuh Ha Mim KellerNuh Ha Mim KellerNuh Ha Mim Keller is an American Muslim translator of Islamic books and a specialist in Islamic law, as well as being authorised by Abd al-Rahman al-Shaghouri as a sheikh in sufism in the Shadhili Order...
- Shaykh Muhammad al-Ya’qoubi
- Zaid ShakirZaid ShakirZaid Salim Shakir is a prominent American Islamic scholar and writer who is a co-founder, , and faculty member, of Zaytuna College in Berkeley, California, United States, where he teaches courses on Arabic, Law, History, and Islamic Spirituality...
- Faraz RabbaniFaraz RabbaniFaraz Fareed Rabbani is a scholar and researcher of Islamic law and translator of several Arabic works to the English language.-Biography:Faraz Rabbani was born in Karachi, Pakistan and raised in Toronto, Canada. He entered the University of Toronto with a full scholarship and completed his...
- Gibril HaddadGibril Haddad-Biography:Born in 1960 in Beirut, Lebanon, Haddad studied French Literature at Columbia University. After studying in Damascus, Syria, from 1997 to 2006, he currently lives in Brunei and is an Islamic author and translator....