Memoirs - Spiritual journey through Damascus Part 1

“Memoirs of a Sufi Traveller in the West,
autobiography of Muhammad Sajad Ali”

My Spiritual journey through the blessed land of Damascus 
of Shahur Ramadhan 1998-2001  - Updated Part 1

Ruknah-deen
Maqam of Shaykh Faiz Dagestani
Meeting Shaykh Dr F. G. Haddad
Exploring the city for food
Abu Hurayirah Allah bless him
Shaykh Nur-deen Zenghi
Hammam Nur-deen-old Turkish Bath
Umayyad Mosque
Sunni Adhan
Nabi Sayyiduna Yahya Allah bless him
Sayyiduna Imam Hussain blessed Maqam
Salah-udeen Ayyubi
Sayyiduna sakinah
Graveyard of Ahl-bayt
Great Qubt in the middle of the road
Sayyiduna Zaynib
Taxi Cons
Tips around the Cons
Shaykh Bayzid Bistami
Maqam Muhiy-deen Ibn 'Arabi
Shaykh Abdul Ghani Nabusi
Shaykh Khalid Baghdadi
Maqam Arab'ain (40 Abdal)
Hand of Arch Angel -Jibriel
Nabi Sayyiduna Dhul-kifel peace be upon him

The following is based on three Ummrahs that I went on over a three-year period and in each case, in the month of Ramdhan in the years 1998 – 2001 it was at the end of December. Each of them has some interesting stories so I’ve combined them; I will try to indicate the 1st, 2nd and 3rd years in each case. But the majority is taken from accounts from 1st and 2nd Ummah experiences of the Journey.

I went on my first Ummrah journey with two Naqshbandi-Haqqani brothers, Naheed and Nasir of Slough, we planned to go in shahur-Ramadhan. As Naheed had been before so was more of a guide. However the journey has its ups and downs and interesting moments to reflect and learn from in life.

When three persons set out on a journey, they should appoint one of them as their leader-(Amir).”  -hadith

It is mustahabb (recommended) for the group to appoint the best and wisest of their number as their leader, and to obey him. Or at least choosing anyone as leader means that a journey should be undertaken under his guidance and instructions.

"A single rider is (accompanied with) Satan and two riders are (accompanied with) two Satans. Three riders form a group.'' -hadith

The reference about describing "accompanied with Satan'' has many meanings; example if there are two and there is an argument through Waswas-satanic insinuations, or lack of adaab who will stop them if there are only two. But with three the third can jump in and stop any arguments to bring harmony and balance back into the group.

Another meaning is that it will be difficult to travel alone thus doubts of Waswas-satanic insinuations or being falling ill and which leads to danger, but in this meaning it’s about the dangers of travelling alone is evil due to problems you may face or fall into.

One of the Duas I remember that we did was reading 100 Surah Al-faitha on the plane and seeking maddat-help from the Awilyah for support us and gaze at us for the journey. That is reading 100 Surah al-Fatiha and send this reward to the Wali of the country you’re going to, if one is just going from town to town or city to city then send 100 Surah al-Fatiha to Wali or Pious Ones of that Area location or town/ City you are visiting.

This way you are asking help from the Saints and Pious ones of that place as we all feel like strangers in a new town or city. Ask them for help and blessings once you in the town or City and this way more openings will Inshallah come your way and you will meet more Pious people on any journey. 

There are other Sufic duas I learnt years later which I use now see below, It says every 12 Miles or so there is a Qutb of some sort of some rank. The wali of the most basic level from amongst them, is sovereign in the radius of about 12 miles surrounding his presence or place of living.

Thus based on the 12 Miles or radius of the authority of the Saints I say this Sufi Dua based which is from Ghawth Al Adhim's Dua of Travelling; 

Ya nuqabu wa ya nujabu wa Ya ruqaba wa ya budalu wa ya aqtabu wa ya Ghawthu, Aghi-thu-ni bi-hurmati Sayyiduna Muahammad salla 'llahu 'alai-hi wa sallam.

                              

* Sufic Dua's to say when Travelling - Powerful Sufic Dua from by Ghawth Al Adhim - Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir Jilani when Travelling.

**Article to add:

Darqawi Qutb Shaykh Ahmad ibn 'Ajiba, from his ‘Basic Research’ The seventh rule concerning travel and visiting Shaykhs. 

The plan was to go to Jeddah via Damascus. We landed at Damascus Airport after all the red tape we finally got outside, I remember the crazy taxi drivers like vultures, trying to get us into their cars, and the airport was about 25mins drive into the city. We finally agreed on a price that I think was £10.00 English money. (We were conned – nothing new for strangers in a new city).

It was too wonderful being in the city of 40 Abdals- there is a tradition that the 40 Abdals live in the city of Damascus and one should show the utmost respect to the people and place, because you don’t know when you may just meet one of them.

Being thrilled, I was looking through the windows of the taxi to see the blessed land, maybe it was just myself being excited of travelling made me happy- not knowing I would come back next year.

We reached the old city, it was still morning and we started to walk around, my opinion was to first of all re-confirm our tickets; but we got into a some disagreement and didn’t and that was that.

We booked into our hotel; it was a hotel that brother Naheed had stayed in before. The rules of the hotel are that you have to give them your passports. In return they gave you a card which had details of their hotel, we were told if the police stopped us you just show them the card as a form of ID.

Eager to visit the tombs and shrines of the Pious Anbiya, Sahabah and Awliya, I wanted to venture through the old city. I can’t remember in which order we went to visit the tombs, but I’ll try in some fashion to explain without confusing myself.

Because I Spoke some Arabic the shift of Amir of the Journey went from Naheed guiding went to me (In Islam if you’re travelling you must point some as the Amir and he must make all the decisions you must not argue with him but may give him Naseeha - Advise if he feels he is not up to the job then someone else may take the role).

But I still had to consult him, he wasn’t as enthusiastic as me to find as many tombs as we could and give ziyarah-(visit them), maybe because it was my first time and his second. In regards of Adaab of Travelling see the article; The seventh rule concerning travel and visiting Shaykhs by Shaykh Ahmad ibn 'Ajiba (Qutb)-Darqawiyyah: Basic Research  To be added*

Travelling in a taxi to most of the places that we went to, not really knowing the fact that we were completely ripped off, but I know it was a bit of a con but I didn’t know how bad it was being conned until my next trip, when I wised up more.

Ruknah-deen

The area ruknah-deen was at the bottom of Jabul-Qassum a mount, once there, we had to get a small Suzuki. Suzukis had pit stops, they’d go up and around most of the mountain top with all its swirling paths. It was something very bizarre if you’d never had the experience of doing it before- and seemed even more dangerous than it looked.

You have to image a small 3 pistol Suzuki, going up a mountain frantically, through small bends made for walking; yes it did have enough space for cars. But once you were in the wild Suzuki you would have to hold on to the bars to protect yourself for dear life.

As buses and large heavy-duty lorries also frequented the journey, it made your heart jump and your eyes became wide open: staring at a large heavy lorry coming at you down a very steep mountain. Seatbelts? What are they! Not something for the light-hearted to say the least. And a little child was tagging onto the car by jumping on the back and then jumping off again.

Maqam of Shaykh Faiz Dagestani

Brother Naheed said that we had to get off at Maqam Ibrahim, so we jumped off and set off to find the Maqam of Shaykh Faiz Dagestani. (this is an old photo of the Maqam and since the clothe that covers the tomb has changed). 

 While walking up the Jabul-Qassum we walked past an unmarked Maqam- which Naheed pointed out. It was strange that the children were playing around it, however I read Fatiha as we walked. We then kept walking and a  few shops passed on our way.

We were now very closed to the maqam, however you can easily lose yourself in the labyrinth (maze) of little streets, Naheed had to think for a moment if it was the right way, and had to pause and was not sure which  way to turn. At this moment I stopped and looked down next to me where I saw rubbish bags with files flying around them and suddenly sweet scent of roses and I said it’s this way, maybe the Shaykh was helping us! It was my first time, so I just went with my soul’s direction.

We swiftly turned the corner and we approached the doorstep. The Green door of the Maqam was locked, Naheed said we have to go around the corner a few yards away and knock on the door and ask the muqaddam – Keeper for the key. We knocked on the melt doors then pressed the doorbell which echoed upstairs, the doors opened with a creak and Shaykh Anwar (who recently passed away 2016) stood there. He smiled and asked us to come in, we went upstairs and sat in the Shaykh Dagestani’s Zawiyah- (Zawiyah is the place where mureeds learn and sleep)

Going inside the Maqam of Shaykh Faiz Dagestani the Muqqadim-(the caretaker) gave us the key, as we opened the door inside was you a small box, the first impression is why a box? You’d think, why it so small, it happens that Shaykh Dagestani built his own Mosque and resting place with the measurements of the Holy Ka’baah.

As you looked inside you saw the Maqam to your left through a door and had a wooden boundary around it and to your right was the Qibah and there was a larger area for the mureeds to pray. This is in conjunction that a grave is not part of the Mosque so a barrier has been put around it so the maqam has its own space and doesn’t conflict with the Mosque.

After giving salaams and praying two ra’kahs we went back to the Shaykhs house. After a short while some German Mureeds came they were in their 50’s, and had been with the Shaykh for many years, dressed in purple that was the colour that many of the German Naqshbandi-Haqqani’s wore.

 I'm the on the right (Zebra colour Jubba) and on right next to me is Shaykh Anwar.

We ate together and food was prepared in a Damascus style. It was fun watching Shaykh Anwar serve so fast yet maintaining a conversation at the same time. He would laugh say a dua and put food down, eat and serve tea, clean the used dishes, laugh and joke with duas in between and you just didn’t notice him clear the food spread on the floor. All this happened just so fast in front of you. I was told Shaykh Dagestani trained him to serve food, to serve a large gathering of mureeds with ease and skill. Yet at the same time eating with them and cleaning up all the same time.

We stayed until Maghrib time, and then went to the Shaykhs Maqam were we did the prayer and then performed the Naqshbandi Wird. We then sent back for the hotel. But from that I wanted to do some Dhikr at the blessed place were Shaykh Faiz Dagestani and Shaykh Nazim sat for Dhikr. There we are sitting and behide us is the Maqam of the Shaykh.

 Me sitting in the Qibla area where Shaykh Faiz Dagestani & Shaykh Nazim sat for Dhikr too.

 There we are sitting and behide us is the Maqam of the Shaykh Faiz Dagestani

Our last day in Damascus I had a dream; In the dream Naheed tells me to hurry up at the Maqam of Shaykh Dagestani, and it happened just like that as in dream. So now at the Maqam Shaykh `Abdullah al-Fa'iz ad-Daghestani I’m making Duas and suddenly, Naheed walks has says to me come we have to go. (I used to make a lot of duas at maqams and made a lot especially at Maqam Shaykh `Abdullah al-Fa'iz ad-Daghestani). For those who don’t know, Grand Shaykh `Abdullah al-Fa'iz ad-Daghestani 39th Shaykh of the Naqshbandi-Haqqani Golden Chain, he was the Shaykh and teacher of Shaykh Nazim Haqqani.

I’ve had many dreams which (I’m going to add them to My Sufi Narrative Blog) Throughout my 3 Ummrahs I’ve had different dreams relating to each of my Ummahs

Meeting Shaykh Dr F. G. Haddad

On the 2nd trip at the Maqam of Shaykh Dagestani I met Shaykh Dr F.G Haddad, I didn’t know who he was at first, we talked and I asked his name he said Foud Haddad. It didn’t click instantly but then after a short while my brain clicked and I said, ‘What Dr. F. G. Haddad’ he replied ‘yes.’ Ah! I said, ‘Subhallah!’ … to Continue 

Memoirs - At the age of nineteen: part 2

“Memoirs of a Sufi Traveller in the West,
autobiography of Muhammad Sajad Ali”
At the age of nineteen: part 2

I want to make mention of an interesting topic that being what is the meaning or benefit of 40 hadith and will also go more into detail of meaning of Istafti Qalbak-(Consult your heart), also Shaykh Nazim mentions (istafti qalbak) in a suhba.

There are hadiths-(prophetic narration) about memorizing 40 of the Prophet’s (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) Sunnah (traditions) and being admitted to Paradise or raised with the scholars, he will be written in the company of religious scholars and he will be resurrected with the group of martyrs. 

"Whosoever from my Ummah memorizes 40 Hadith which would benefit them in matters of religion, and then this person will be resurrected among the scholars on the Day of Resurrection. An ’Alim (scholar) is 70 degrees superior to an ’Abid (one who engages in worship). Only Allah knows the difference between these degrees." -Hadith

Also we should worth noting the Sunnah of mentioning a hadith and the the virtue of listening to the hadith of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and conveying it, even if it is just one hadith and that maybe the person who reads or listens to it may understand it better then yourself, as Allah is the one that gives actual understanding or Light in the heart. 

“May Allah bless a man who hears a hadith from us and memorizes it so that he can convey it to others, for perhaps he is conveying it to one who will understand it better than him, and perhaps the one who conveys knowledge does not understand it himself.” - Hadith

Imam Malik said, "Wisdom and knowledge are a light-Nur by which Allah guides whomever He pleases; it does not consist in knowing many things." and another version states: "Knowledge does not consist in narrating much. Knowledge is but a light-Nur which Allah places in the heart." And imam Shafi' said, "Knowledge is not what one has memorized, Knowledge is what benefits."

istafti qalbak-Consult your heart

A questioner asked the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, about righteousness. "You have come to ask about righteousness." "Consult your heart. Righteousness is what the soul finds peace and the heart finds peace in. Sin is what stirs in the soul and go to and fro in the breast even if the people pronounce it okay." 

istafti qalbak-(Consult your heart) we need to remember to consult your heart "The moral compass is within, your heart", In a meditative state, place two conflicting opinions or beliefs one at a time inside your heart. 

Shaykh Nazim's in a suhba starts of addressing the Salafi scholars; these are the closing words of that Subha in Lefke April 2010.

("istafti qalbak wa in aftuka 'l-maftoon,' "You must ask your conscience, even if learned people say you can do something."

Don't be happy with their permissions; you must ask your conscience! If your conscience is saying, 'good,' follow it. If it is saying, 'not good,' don't follow it. Therefore, all nations must ask their conscience in doing everything, if they are happy and in satisfaction then do it and if not, don't do it.) - End - 

So we have something within us, (a moral compass, the heart) and if we keep it clean or are aware of Allah then Allah is our Safinat an-Naja–(Ship of Salvation) If you submit to Islam, your body will say this is the right thing. Your body will feel wholesome and it feels good. We need realign ourselves through submission. The hadith istafti qalbak-(Consult your heart) is for someone who is aligned with revelation, who submits to the Will of God. That is the one whose conscience is his guide, remember “Knowledge is what benefits and Knowledge is Light-Nur placed in the Heart” and it is from that light-Nur can you “Consult your Heart”.

You then became that person, who the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said to "Consult your heart." For example, if there is something inside you that feels uncomfortable with interest loans, even if there is a fatwa saying it is permissible to buy your first home with interest loan, you follow your heart. You don't follow the fatwa. This is righteousness.

Now to the question of whether or not a fatwa from one’s heart can be followed without qualification. It stands to reason that if muftis are required to undergo extensive training before issuing a fatwa that the heart likewise must be formed by some degree of wisdom and training before it is fit for fatwa giving. When commenting on this hadith, Ibn Daqiq al-‘Id, says of the people whose fatwa one resists when it conflicts with the heart’s fatwa are, “The most exemplary of them, not degenerates.”

Imam al-Nawawi says, “If a gift comes to you from a person the majority of whose wealth is unlawful and your heart fluctuates about the lawfulness of it, the mufti’s judgment that it is lawful to consume does not remove the doubt.” In other words, a thing may be deemed completely lawful before the outward teachings and scholars of law, while it may be unlawful to a single individual due to the fact that his/her heart is not comfortable with the matter. Otherwise, the individual would be guilty of committing a sin for which he/she will need to answer for on the Judgment Day.

You need to learn the balance of “Consult your Heart”, for there is a hadith that says, “Whenever you are without shame, do as you please.” And some will do, due to the egos overriding them with their whims and desires, There is some time I once heard on a movie “it’s the thrill is in the hunt not to kill” and that is true, for this is what actually the Nafs-Ego loves with Hawa-(Lust, passion) and nothing else.

We need to Know and learn our sense of right and wrong and that Nafs-Ego is in a constant flux. At one time, some things feels right and at another time, the same things feels wrong to us, we need some (Haya-shame) and we also need basic Islamic knowledge of halal and haram to guide, but that doesn’t mean everything is black-Haram or white-Halal for are a spectrum of colours and understandings to “Consult your Heart”, and light is but a spectrum of colours and its having light in one’ heart or spectrum of understanding to “Consult ones Heart”.

Finally a reminder to us all, as this actually me talking about (Salah-Prayer) then know that (Salah-Pray) is the first thing we will be questioned about on the Day of Judgement and if you fail that Then we are in major danger, below is about missing the salah and its danger;

“The person that performs his five daily prayers punctually and with complete purity will be surrounded by light on the day of judgment. The person that abandons and does not pray, his accounting will be with Fir’aun and Haamaan.” -hadith 

So this Hadith tells us that we will be surrounded with light, from the grave to the bridge (Pul Sirat)

“The first thing that will be looked at on the day of judgement will be a person’s (Salah-prayers). If they are complete his prayers and all deeds will be accepted. If his prayers are incomplete, then his prayers and all deeds will be thrown out.”

“The difference between us and them (the hypocrites) is prayer. He who intentionally misses prayers is a non-believer.” 

“The difference between us and them is Salah-prayer. The one that misses prayers has done the same work as infidels.”

Valley of Hell for Those that Miss Prayers

It is reported in Hadith that Rasul Allah sallalahu alayhi wasallam said, “The faces of those that do not pray will be blackened first of all on the day of judgement, then he will be put in a valley of Hell called Alam. There are snakes in this valley that are as large as camels and their length is the equivalent of one month’s travel time. They will bite the people and their poison will stay in the person’s body for seventy years, then their meat will rot”.

So make up you missing (Salah-Prayer) there is no excuse, and remind your souls of the dangers above if its lazy or stubborn. Al-Faitha.

Memoirs - At the age of nineteen: part 1

 “Memoirs of a Sufi Traveller in the West,
autobiography of Muhammad Sajad Ali”

 At the age of nineteen: part 1

I can recall this feeling that took hold of me in 1992, I was still eighteen years old and soon to turn nineteen, I didn’t know what that feeling was at the time, but something within me wanted to awaken is all I knew then. Then as soon as I turned nineteen in February 1993 something would change my life drastically, what was that stirring in my soul, it was a burning ember glowing, a spark to become a flame and flame that soon become a fire. 

Spiritual sparks come flying from heavens, an angelic calling a lordly inspiration that is lit deep inside ones heart and soul.  If you have a spark of inspiration, you can inspire others that’s how inspiration works it’s a burst of energy from within. But a spiritual inspiration is a yearning, a call from Allah to Allah and lit by Allah and is called ilham-inspiration.

The interesting thing about the number nineteen is, a Spiritual number mentioned in the  Qur’an number. Whoever wants Allah to rescue him from the nineteen Zabaniyya [tormenting angels within the Fire of Hell], should recite, 'In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, Most Merciful- Bismillah-hir-rahman-nir-raheem ' so that Allah will make each letter a shield for him against one of them. The basmala contains nineteen letters according to the number of the angels of the Fire who Allah says are also nineteen. See (74:30)

The basmala is the crown of the suras, we have been Instructed; write it in your books and letters (for there is only success and blessings in that which is started in Allah’ Name; meaning in Bismillah-hir-rahman-nir-raheem) and when you set it down in writing, pronounce it aloud.

It’s called [Ayatul-amana]- verse of Scripture that Guarantees Protection, The Noble Pen Qalam started with Bismillah-hir-rahman-nir-raheem. On the Noble Tablet – Lawh. Then Allah decreed that this ayat [verse of Scripture] would serve as an assurance of protection [aman] for His creatures, as long as they made a regular practice of reciting it.

Allah has caused this ayat to be effective as a cure for every sickness, an aid to every kind of healing treatment, a relief from every form of poverty, a shield against the Fire of Hell, and a guarantee of security from degradation, misrepresentation and slanderous accusation, as long as they [His believing servants] keep up the practice of reciting it.

Allah swore by His Almighty Glory that His Name would never be uttered over an illness without His healing that illness, that His Name would never be pronounced over anything without His blessing it, and that anyone who ever recited ‘In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the All-Compassionate’ would surely enter the Garden of Paradise.

Your ‘awra – Nakedness is hidden from Jinns when you say bismillah when you undress or go to the toilet, otherwise they see you nakedness.

On the Day of Resurrection, the members of my Community will be saying: "In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the All-Compassionate [Bismillah-hir-rahman-nir-raheem," and so, when their deeds are placed in the balance, their good deeds will outweigh [their bad deeds ]

No supplication [dua] will ever be rejected if it is prefaced with " Bismillah-hir-rahman-nir-raheem In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the All-Compassionate." You will find Allah’s forgiveness in saying bismillah.

Ali ibn Abi Talib looked at a man who had written, "In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, Most Merciful," and told him, "Do it well. If a man does it well, he will be forgiven."

And there I was at the age of nineteen, listening to my heart talk to me, my ilham-inspiration telling to start to pray salah-Prayer and that is how it all started, the awakening shook the core of my soul and without an argument or fight or  refusing I listen and obeyed. I forget parts of the pray and had to re-learn it again as I learnt to pray as a child, but that was many years earlier as a younger child and it was more theory then practise then.

So I set out bought books how to pray salah  from Ghulam Sarwar’s book, it was a useful tool to me and I had my old salah book tatty and old an old companion there too, once used as a child to learn the theory but was never put into practise. I still remember those frustrating nights at home, oh how I  used  hold the book in one hand and read  from it as I had forgotten some of the words and pray with the aid of a book while my other hand was besides my navel, thus in the posture of salah while standing…

Memoirs of a Sufi Traveller in the West intro

Bismillahi Babuna –  Ya Fattahu ya 'Alimu Iftahlana fathan Kareeba

“Memoirs of a Sufi Traveller in the West, autobiography of Muhammad Sajad Ali”

These are different reflections, moments, thoughts, contemplations of my life they will cover a varied array of old facebook thoughts, webpage articles, dreams and quotes and delve into my past and from the unseen world of dreams. I once wrote my memoirs but alas, I’ve lost the file from my old laptop. So let us see where these new thoughts take me and you, my beloved reader lets go on an intrepid journey into my life....

One of the dreams I had about 35 years ago, was the dream when I was a mere child, the dream is still vivid in my mind, my thoughts, engraved in my heart, my feelings, my inner core of being. It was the dream of seeing Sayyiduna Isa ibn Mariyam.

I recall; sitting on a bench on a lush green hill, the day idyllic so peaceful and serene, and there next to me on the bench was the angelic radiant and ever glowing Sayyiduna Isa ibn Mariyam, the reason it was tranquil and peaceful was due to his spiritual energy that was out pouring from his noble grace and blessed face, his smile was saintly and his gaze on me was gentle and beautiful-(Jamali).

He has this demeanour that I can only explain as a loving mothering nurturing energy, every moment in his presence only imbued engulfing love so much that it intoxicated my being, in awe and wonder being drowned at his gentle-Lutfiyyah did I look at his noble countenance and more and more, I was drawn to keep looking and yearning at his spiritual loving face. He beamed a dazzling light within him so powerful was it and such that even now, still it hits a core within my being as I bathe in that love of the beauty of Sayyiduna Isa ibn Mariyam’s smile and presence in my dream, many years later now.

Continuing with Sayyiduna Isa ibn Mariyam. 

The Great Sufi master Shaykh Ahmad al-Alawi was born at Mostaganem, Algeria in 1869, it’s said that this great Sufi Saint somewhat resembled Isa ibn Mariyam, (1869 - 14, July 1934) may Allah be please with him, he  was the Sufi, master of  the 'Alawiya order from a Shadhili Sufi line of transmission.

Many easterners and westerners alike, who have visited Shaykh Ahmad al-Alawi couldn't help but taken aback by the awe inspiring presence of his luminous being and at the same time many have shared a common experience that Shaykh al-Alawi resembles very much that of the appearance of Christ. If one to wonder how Christ would look like if he lived till his mature age, one has to look at some rare photograph of Shaykh al-Alawi and this resemblance that confirmed in the heart of many was confirmed in repeated spiritual visions and veridical dreams.

Taken from the Book, A Sufi Saint in the Twentieth Century: "The narrative which follows is by Dr Marcel Carret "...‘The first thing that struck me was his likeness to the usual representations of Christ. His clothes, so nearly if not exactly the same as those which Jesus must have worn, the fine lawn head-cloth which framed his face, his whole attitude - everything conspired to reinforce the likeness. It occurred to me that such must have been the appearance of Christ when he received his disciples at the time when he was staying with Martha and Mary."

Shaikh Hasan ibn Adal al-Aziz described his own vision:

I had a vision in which I was in the valley of the town of Tlemcen, and it was filled with a large crowd of people who were waiting for the descent from Heaven of Jesus - on him be Peace! and then a man descended and the people said: 'This is Jesus', and when I was able to see his face I found that he was the Shaikh Sidi Ahmad Bin Aliwah - may God be pleased with him. taken  (above from Sadiq M. Alam site)

Many people have had dreams, expressing that his face looks like sayyiduna 'Isa Ibn Mariyam, and that he reached the "maqam-station of Isa"-(isawiyyah)

All this reminds me of another dream later on in my life, I recall; I was in a cave and have entered this cave and was given sayyiduna 'Isa Ibn Mariyam's spiritual power, I felt energy absorbed me in the dream and later that day and felt it tingle across my soul and body, it was strange feeling very euphoric indeed and that was that dream. I will later talk more about his coming down to earth on the 2nd advent dressed in saffron which is mentioned in hadith and once relayed a meaning of a dream of a Shaykh Nazim mureed who saw this more to follow....