Poem by Sidi Muhammad Shareef in honor of Sayyidi al-Sheikh al-Sayyid Muhammad al-Ya`qubi written in Rajab 30, 1425 (14-Sep-2004)

and recited in front of Sheikh Muhammad alYa`qubi on the occasion of the sama` of Imam al-Tirmidhi's al-Sham'il al-Muhammadiyya in Pittsfburg, USA, in Shawwal 1425 (November 2004).

The shaykh, the son of shaykhs, the unique one of his time, Outstanding above champions, crowned with sciences, sublime. Muhammad al-Ya`qoubi the son of Ibrahim, one of the Abdal; The narrator of the prophetic traditions from the reliable Rijaal. A pure offspring of the Prophet, by whom Allah strengthens the Deen Clarifying its obscurities clearing the Path of the matters of the Unseen. He discharges the trust for the disciples of ash-Shathili the Saalik He clears the Trodded Path for the followers of the Amir, Imam Malik He gives coherent legal decisions based on the madhhab of an-Numaan Guiding the mureeds in all the spiritual paths in the sciences of al-Ihsaan He unravels the secrets of ash-Shamaail of the Gnostic at-Tirmithi And transmits the highest sanads of the Shaykhs Muslim and al-Bukhari. He has lion cubs that represent him, acting on his behalf, with his Ithn Young lions resolute in their awraad, and meticulous in their decisions. Calling people to Allah with baseera in the east and the west lands, In Sweden, in the urban ghettoes of the US, and in foggy England In Scotland, in northern Nigeria, Pakistan and the radiant Haramaan He has young knights transmitting the noble tradition of ar-Rahmaan When collaborating factions abound with new forms of hypocrisy He lifts from the face of upright religion the dark night of infidelity. With the religion in a low place like a thing made ugly and worthless,

This youthful Hasani steps forward spreading wisdom that is priceless: He does not kiss up to the Bushs, nor the Blairs, or any CIA spy ring He disseminates the inheritance from his Beloved ancestor like a king. He does not fear in manifesting the deen of Allah, the people of inkaarThose who give direction to Allah, full of criticism, who hem and haw. He manifests the religion of Allah in the presence of His sworn enemies He blots out their customs with the sword of good charm and integrity. He returned me back, like an orphan is returned to its lost mother, He reconnected me to the Golden Chain of my two erudite pious fathers. I mean by that the saint, Ibn Muhammad, known as Saalih al-Fulaati The descendant of Umar from the hills of Futa in Guinea Conakry Who spread the sacred sciences in the lands of the Hind and the Hijaaz And composed innumerous jewels of wisdom like his famous Iqaaz, Who took from the miraculous saint, long-lived, firm in the milla I mean by that, the erudite jurists, the Fulani, Muhammad ibn Sinna Who was from Bakhouna, west of Massina, who diffused many ijazaat Renowned for his prodigious memory, his fasting and brilliant karamaat. For returning me to my fathers I am grateful to this youthful Hassani, This Idrisi, descendent of the best of Adnan, Muhammad ibn Abdullahi. The one of the bright face and brilliant red hair, the smiling waliyyi The traveling scholar, the erudite jurist, Shaykh Muhammad al-Ya`qoubi May my Lord give him to drink and by that make me drink of his love The milk of praise from the rain clouds of Contentment from Above. By the rank of the Messenger of Allah, the full moon of the Hashim, Blessings and peace be upon him and upon the descendent of Ibrahim.