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The Karkariya at the AISA Colloquium at UNESCO
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
و الصلاة و السلام على أشرف المرسلين
و على اله و اصحابه أجمعين
The Karkariya at the UNESCO Colloquium:
Spiritual Islam and Contemporary Challenges
The NGO AISA organised in Paris, on the premises of UNESCO, a colloquium devoted to the teachings of the incomparable pole, the saint who had no equal in his time, Shaykh Ahmad al-‘Alawi. It was held on 28 and 29 September. It was natural, even obligatory, for the fuqara of the tariqa to be present.
So the murids of the zawiyas of Paris, Bordeaux and Le Puy-en-Velay gathered to represent Sayyiduna Shaykh Mohamed Faouzi Al Karkari, heir of the saint being honoured that day. The colloquium lasted two days, with prestigious speakers such as Shaykh Salahedine al-Moustaoui, Shaykh Muhsin al-Qadiri, Shaykh Mustafa Ceric, Shaykh Bahaudin al-Naqshbandi and others of their stature. There was also a panel of specialists of Sufi literature who reminded us of the writings of Shaykh al-‘Alawi, but also of later Sufis, clearly mentioning the divine light, the characteristics of an educating shaykh and the vocation of Tajdid.
The talks also revolved around contemporary problems such as living together, tolerance and interfaith dialogue. Eminent intellectuals such as the journalist Edwy Plenel and Eric Geoffroy favoured us with speeches matching their learning.
Alongside the lectures, two exhibitions were held, on Shaykh al-‘Alawi and on Emir Abdelkader al-Jaza’iri. These exhibitions retraced the life and work of these two giants of Islam, and the fuqara were able to admire sayings that reminded them of their own states and also spoke directly to their experience under the guidance of Sayyiduna Shaykh Mohamed Faouzi Al Karkari. It was also an opportunity to meet many participants, intrigued by the muraqqa‘a. Media from several countries also engaged with the fuqara.
The fuqara also received a warm welcome from the murids of the ‘Alawiyya tariqa, who were extremely convivial and allowed us to display the book of the foundations of the tariqa on their stand.