which they consider to be better than reciting the Qur’an. Is this true? Moreover, on Friday before Maghrib (Sunset) Salah and after Subh (Dawn) Salah, they circle around a piece of cloth on which, they claim, the Prophet (peace be upon him) and Ahmad Al-Tijany sit. During such times they recite the supplication called Salat Al-Fatih. Please, provide evidence and clarify if this practice is proper.
A: All their claims are false. Moreover, their deeds are null and void and are considered to be Bid’ahs (rejected innovation in religion).
For more clarification, I will cite the so-called Salat-ul-Fatih (Remembrance from the Tijaniyyah order).The following is cited in the Simplified Encyclopedia of Contemporary Religions, Doctrines, and Parties – The World Assembly Of Muslim Youths: “Their leader, Ahmad Al-Tijany, claims that he physically met the Prophet, peace be upon him, talked with him, and learned Salat-ul-Fatih from him- The wording of this Salat reads: “O Lord, have peace and blessings upon our master Muhammad, the opener of the closed, the last of the prophets, the supporter of right with right, and the guide to Your straight path, his family as high as his standing and rank.” They have beliefs concerning this Salah, including:The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, told him that the reward for reciting it once is equivalent to that of reciting the Qur’an six times.
The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, told him once again that the reward for reciting this Salah once is six thousand times as much as that for every Dhikr (Remembrance of Allah), Du`a’ (supplication), long or short, and the recitation of the Qur’an (Jawahir Al-Ma`any Wa Bulugh Al-Amany, vol. 1, p. 136)
The reward for such Salah is gained only if the reciter is authorized to recite it. This means there should be a chain of authorization tracing back to Ahmad Al-Tijany who, according to him, received this Salah from the Messenger of Allah.
Allegedly being the words of Allah (Exalted be He), this Salah is deemed to be a Hadith Qudsy (Revelation from Allah in the Prophet’s words) (Al-Durrah Al-Faridah, vol. 4, p. 128).
– He who recites Salat-ul-Fatih ten times will gain a reward that even an `Arif (Sufi who has reached a high station of worship) who had lived for one million years would not get if he had not recited it.
– He who recites this Salah even once will have his sins forgiven and will have a reward as much as that for six thousand Tasbihs (saying: “Subhan Allah [Glory be to Allah]“), Du`a’s (supplication), and Dhikrs. (See Mushtaha Al-Kharif Al-Jani, pp. 127, 299 and 300.
I say that the following verse applies to the above: “Then woe to those who write the Book with their own hands and then say, ‘This is from Allah,’ to purchase with it a little price!” The Committee elaborated on this sect in the previous Fatwas.
May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.
The Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta
Member – Member – Deputy Chairman – Chairman
Abdullah ibn Qa’ud – Abdullah ibn Ghudayyan  -Abdul-Razzaq Afify – Abdul-`Aziz ibn `Abdullah ibn Baz.