FROM LARACHE TO MZOURA
UNCOVERING THE HISTORICAL FACT OF THE BIRTHLAND OF IMAM AHMAD IBN IDRIS
Our adventure in the land of Morocco has led us to visit the hometown of the great Maghreb scholar, who has also shunned the land of Masyreq with the light of knowledge and gnostics. Passing through these hilly valleys which alternate with the extensive lush greeneries has truly blossomed an indescribable feeling.
Waving olive trees along the way have certainly brought us back to the past, hundreds of years ago, perhaps when the Spaniards came and conquered the city of Ara’isy (Larache), an entrepot which was the main route for sailing ships and where they would stop by.
Its strategic location facing the vast Atlantic sea is enough to arouse the desires of the kingdom of Spain to take over Ara’isy hence expanding their economic influence. In the end, their greed has caused the noble family of the Adarisah; Bani Yamlah ibn Masyisy being amongst them, to migrate to the inland.
The migration, in reality, carries hope with it as well; a hope to continue a much more peaceful and happier life. Their steps stopped and ended at a district 49 kilometres away from the seacoast of Ara’isy. This district which was given the name Mizoura, is very strange to the lips and ears of men for quite a long time even though it has never been taken out of the map of the world. They chose this place as their safe haven to avoid the authority of the Spaniards, hence starting their new life there and giving birth to their descendants later on where one of them is Imam Ahmad ibn Idris who was born in the year of 1163AH / 1760 AD.
Researchers and studies were conducted to find out the exact location of the birthland of this prominent figure. If we look back at the writings and notes of past researchers, it can be said that almost all of them is of the opinion that Ahmad ibn Idris was born in Maisur, Morocco. This particular fact was narrated by many but without any sort of thorough examination.
There was also not a single exploration that was held to examine the truth of the fact itself. Therefore, hundreds of years pass on the agreement of the fact of Imam Ahmad ibn Idris being born in Maisur (Missour), a remote district situated 468 kilometres away from the seacoast of Ara’isy.
Regardless of that, believe it or not, men, in reality, were all created only to be able to walk pass the path of destiny and what has been decreed by their Lord. Just like the leaves falling on the Earth, not even one of them that falls except that it has been set where it would fall since pre-existence. It is the same with the dews, they do not descend from the sky and perch on the first ever grass in the world except that it is subjected to the permission and allowance from its Creator.
Thus, it was Rabiulawwal of 1439AH that has brought us to be in the district of Mizoura. However, know that all of this wouldn’t happen if not for the intermediary of three great figures who were very serious in discovering the true birthplace of Imam Ahmad ibn Idris. They are Grand Shaykh of the Ahmadiyyah Idrisiyyah Tariqah, Prof. Dr. Abdul Wahhab at Tazi al Idrisi, his deputy, Dr. Muhammad Mujaddidi al Hassan al Idrisi, and Dato’ Hj. Muhammad Fuad bin Kamaludin, their representative in the Southeast Asia region.
This journey has brought us to Mizoura for the first time; the most accurate location to portray the birthplace of Imam Ahmad ibn Idris. This new discovery of ours gradually negates the history fact that has been long circulating in our minds, informing that Imam Ahmad ibn Idris was born in Maisur; a territory situated far away to the south of Morocco.
We arrived in Mizoura when the day was starting to get gloomy. Its cold wind that brushes the trees and greeny-grass fields brought all of our minds to dive into another world, imagining how a valley such as this was once developed by the noble Adarisah family, ancestors of Imam Ahmad ibn Idris.
Few hours before the sunset, Prof. Tazi was walking alone as if he wanted to dwell in the longing he had towards his great-great-grandfather which has been long there in his heart. We could almost feel the feelings enrapturing his heart. Sorrow, yearning, happiness, blissfulness, all of them can be seen through his expressions and movements at that particular time. He couldn’t stop smiling, showing that there was an indescribable satisfaction that was flowing inside him.
Steps were taken slowly one at a time, eventually bringing him to a local village man. It was seen that at first that they started by introducing themselves to each other, which later was followed by both producing friendly small talks. We, on the other hand, were watching his movements from afar but was not paying any sort of attention, assuming that the interaction was nothing more than just a small talk that would not very much mean anything to this adventure of ours.
Nevertheless, it did not pass anyone’s mind that Allah has decreed this journey to be more meaningful where the meeting between Prof. Tazi and that village man was the gateway that takes us to another essential finding that strengthens our opinion to be accepted as a well-founded fact.
The village man eventually brought us all to walk through the chilling twilight winds of Mizoura, passing through rocky pathways which were not too steep nor easy. We then finally reached the end where there was small hill covered with greenery that looked like a huge block of grass. There lie a few white rocks arranged as if they were the tombstone for the grave of a descendant of the noble Adarisah family, which stretches up to Moulay Idris al Azhar ibn Moulay Idris al Akbar.
This discovery fortifies and supports the opinion that the ancestors of Imam Ahmad ibn Idris did migrate to this particular district as mentioned before. However, only one question now remains unanswered. Is this grave the burial place of the noble body of the father of Imam Ahmad ibn Idris? Only Allah knows best. Blessings and mercy were what Prof. Tazi prayed for the nobleman in the grave, besides having the highest of hopes that the grave really belongs to his ancestor. The call to the Maghrib prayer then was slowly heard where we then prayed not too far from the noble grave.
As the day starts to get dimmer, we slowly depart from the beautiful and tranquil district of Mizoura, accompanied by the will and determination to realize what was uttered by Prof. Tazi moments before leaving, that is to build an Islamic institution or mosque in Mizoura so that one day the noble name of Imam Ahmad ibn Idris will be heard back again from the lips and hearts of his homeland’s people.
The spiritual journey in this time’s trip was not an easy one to describe, neither in a well-constructed sentence nor in a beautifully painted poem. It has touched our inner hearts and has left a very deep imprint on our souls. One of the main reasons was because we were successful in putting away the doubts and uncertainty in determining the correct location of the birthland of Imam Ahmad ibn Idris, whether it is situated in Maisur or Mizoura where both of them are in the land of Maghreb, but are separated hundreds of miles away apart.
As we got our seats in the warming rides of ours, we were still continuously praying for the chance of coming back to Mizoura one day with the company of Prof. Tazi, his brother Dr. Mujaddidi and Khalifah of The Ahmadiyyah Idrisiyyah Tariqah of Southeast Asia so that we may get the opportunity to witness the establishment of the mosque of Imam Ahmad ibn Idris here, as the landmark for Islam and the Tariqah of Ahmadiyyah Idrisiyyah in the land of Maghreb.
Indeed, this visit of ours was a blessed one. May it be accepted by Allah, for it was all done based on immense care and endless love for Imam Ahmad ibn Idris al Maghrebiy
There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, in every glance and breath, to the number that only Allah’s Knowledge can comprehend.
