Chain of transmission
Sidi ʿAli al-Jamal
Died 1779-1780 (1194 AH) · Fez · master of Mawlay al-ʿArbi ad-Darqawi
ʿAli al-Jamal was a Sufi master of Fez, attached to the Shadhili way. He is best known as the master of Mawlay al-ʿArbi ad-Darqawi, who founded the Darqawiyya after him.
His path
ʿAli al-Jamal first held posts in the Moroccan administration, before travelling to Tunisia to study with Sufi masters. He returned to Fez, where he founded a zawiya and attracted many disciples.
His written teaching
He wrote short texts which, it is said, he let fall from his window into the courtyard of his house; his disciple Mawlay al-ʿArbi gathered them and collected them into a book of advice for the disciple, known in English as Teachings from a Classical Sufi Master.
The master of Mawlay al-ʿArbi
Under his guidance, the young Mawlay al-ʿArbi followed a thorough training. He succeeded him at his death and gave birth to the Darqawiyya, whose influence spread across the whole Maghreb.
Death
He died in 1194 AH (1779-1780).