Latest news with #Tijani
Morocco World
21-05-2025
- General
- Morocco World
Tijaniyya Resonance in Fez: A Night of Sufi Devotion and Deep Roots
Fez – On Tuesday evening, the gardens of Jnan Sbil swelled with spiritual fervor as the National Tijani Samaa Group, led by Mohcine Nourrach, took the stage for one of the most anticipated evenings of the Fez Festival of World Sacred Music. Twelve vocalists, dressed in traditional white, filled the air with sacred praise poems and devotional chants. From the moment the first verse rang out, the audience was pulled into a state of collective reverence. These were not just songs. They were centuries-old invocations, echoing the spiritual teachings of Tijani masters and infused with Morocco's rich musical tradition. Founded in the late 18th century by Ahmad al-Tijani, the Tijaniyya order quickly spread across North and West Africa. Its teachings emphasize direct remembrance of God (dhikr), regular prayer upon the Prophet, and spiritual discipline, all without the need for retreat or isolation, an approach that made it especially accessible to scholars, tradesmen, and rulers alike. After al-Tijani's relocation to Fez, the city became the heart of the order. His zawiya (spiritual lodge), where he is buried, remains a revered site of pilgrimage to this day, anchoring Morocco's central role in Tijani religious and cultural life. For Nourrach and his ensemble, the performance was both a privilege and a prayer. 'Our constant aim is to enrich the global samaa repertoire with the poems of these celebrated poets,' he told Morocco World News, referencing figures like Al Arabi ibn al-Saih and Faqih al-Skirrej. Framed by the sacred presence of Sheikh Ahmad al-Tijani's mausoleum, the night echoed with devotion, bridging poetic legacy, spiritual longing, and Morocco's enduring role in the Sufi musical tradition. Read also: It went beyond a simple act of preservation to become a live transmission of heritage. The group performed odes by iconic Tijani poets such as Sidi Ibrahim Niasse and Al Arabi ibn al-Saih, as well as lesser-known yet deeply influential voices like al-Kansusi. Each chant served as a bridge between Fez and the rest of Africa, between the past and the present, between art and divine remembrance. While rooted in Moroccan samaa, the performance also nodded to the transcontinental scope of the Tijani order. The order's spiritual and cultural footprint is vast, with followers spanning from Senegal to Sudan. That breadth was felt in every rhythm and refrain performed at Tuesday's concert, making the event not just a local celebration but a pan-African homage. Now in its 28th edition, the Fez Festival of Sacred Music continues to position itself as more than a cultural event: it is a spiritual convergence. Over 200 artists from 15 countries have gathered under the theme of unity through sacred sound, transforming the city into a living sanctuary of intercultural dialogue and spiritual exploration. On this particular night, however, it was Tijanny poetry that took center stage. And in doing so, it reminded everyone in attendance that some of the most powerful forms of connection don't need translation, they just need to be heard with the heart. Tags: Fez festivalfez festival world sacred musicsufi festivalSufi music
The Guardian
12-04-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
Plymouth's late fightback strikes huge blow to Sheffield United promotion bid
Substitute striker Muhamed Tijani scored an 88th-minute winner as basement side Plymouth dealt a huge blow to Sheffield United's automatic promotion hopes at Home Park. Tijani scored from 12 yards out after United failed to clear Bali Mumba's dangerous cross and the ball fell kindly to the striker. Ryan Hardie cancelled out Jesurun Rak-Sakyi's 44th-minute opener after 81 minutes to set up a dramatic Argyle comeback, with huge implications at both ends of the table. Chris Wilder had made five changes to the Sheffield United side beaten at home by Millwall on Tuesday, with Callum O'Hare, Rak-Sakyi, Harry Clarke, Vini Souza and striker Tom Cannon coming in. Jack Robinson looped an early header over from Rak-Sakyi's corner while former Argyle goalkeeper Michael Cooper was untroubled. United took the lead through Rak-Sakyi in the 44th minute as he cut inside on his right, sending marker Nathaneal Ogbeta the wrong way, and let fly with his left foot into the far corner past diving keeper Conor Hazard. Hazard made a superb 51st-minute save to deny Rak-Sakyi his second, then saved Anel Ahmedhodzic's downward header from a Gustavo Hamer corner five minutes later. Ryan Hardie's shot on the turn hit the top of the crossbar in the 65th minute, with Wilder making a triple change as the Blades aimed to hold on to their lead. Their resistance was broken with nine minutes to play, in-form Hardie clinically finishing from close range after latching on to substitute Joe Edwards' scissor kick from a corner. Tijani's strike won it two minutes from time, sparking wild celebrations before players on both sides clashed after the final whistle. Sign up to Football Daily Kick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football after newsletter promotion Sheffield United's third straight defeat means they are five points behind both Leeds – who beat Preston 2-1 – and Burnley in the promotion race. Plymouth stay bottom but are just three points from safety after a dramatic comeback victory.
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
More injury woe for Argyle striker Tijani
Plymouth Argyle forward Muhamed Tijani has suffered another injury setback. The 24-year-old Nigerian will miss the FA Cup trip to Premier League side Manchester City and is likely to be out for the next few weeks after injuring his hamstring. It limits the Pilgrims' attacking options even further with Ryan Hardie, who scored the winning goal against Liverpool in the last round of the FA Cup, also out with a back injury. Tijani, who joined on loan from Slavia Prague last summer, has made just eight appearances in all competitions and has not started a game since the opening day of the season. He made just one appearance in four months after suffering groin and hamstring injuries before returning a month ago. Tijani scored his first goal for the club in the 1-1 draw with Cardiff City last weekend.
BBC News
11-02-2025
- BBC News
Rape accused Zhenhao Zou urged victim to drink alcohol
A woman alleged she was raped by a Chinese PhD student in London after he encouraged her to drink more alcohol, a court Zou, 27, is accused of drugging and raping 10 women, including three in London and seven in China - charges he denies.A police officer who took a crime report from one alleged victim told the court she said Mr Zou raped her after repeatedly giving her alcohol and would not allow her to go London Crown Court also heard that police found bags of powder at his flat containing ketamine and MDMA when they searched the property months later. The jury was told that Met Police officers were called on 21 May 2023 to the alleged victim's London home to reports of a serious sexual a witness statement, PC Tijani said the woman told officers she had gone out for drinks with a man who "encouraged her to drink more" a few days earlier at a party. 'He raped me' The statement added that the woman later felt "uncomfortable" and wanted to leave, but Mr Zou would not let body-worn footage played to the court, the alleged victim is heard telling officers: "He always let me drink more so that I feel the drink more. So I want to come back, and he wouldn't let me come back."The woman, whose native language is Mandarin, added: "He raped me."PC Tijani said the woman "appeared confused" and was "difficult to understand due to the language barrier".The police officers asked the alleged victim whether she had been drinking at the time of their visit to her address, as there was confusion about her officer who went to the alleged victim's home, PC Emily Nice, said the alleged woman also told police that another "girl had approached her and said she had experienced a similar incident". Viagra and tranquilisers found Jurors were also told that police seized substances from Mr Zou's flat in Elephant and Castle, south London, including multiple 500ml bottles of butanediol, Xanax tablets, Viagra and a folded banknote containing a white of white powder found were later revealed to contain ketamine and MDMA, the trial were also found on Zou's phone of the drug sevoflurane with "suitable for full body anaesthetisation" written on its packaging, as well as of the tranquiliser triazolam, jurors said Zou filmed nine of the alleged victims, footage of which has previously been played in student moved to Belfast in 2017 to study at Queen's University before moving to London in 2019 to do a master's degree and then a PhD at denies 11 counts of rape as well as three counts of voyeurism, 12 of possession of an extreme pornographic image, one of false imprisonment and eight of possession of a controlled drug with intent to will argue that the sexual interactions were consensual, that drugs and alcohol were consumed by the women voluntarily, and that some of the footage captured involved role-playing, jurors were trial continues.
