Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Starting immediately after breakfast, the dignitaries boarded buses and official cars for the one and a half hour drive into the desert to the gravesite and Ribat of Sidi Shekir.

Large tents were set up by the conference organizers for hosting this ziyarah, in imitation of the wali buried there, at whose ribat Sufis used to hold an annual gathering for 4 centuries without fail.

Guests were greeted by Moroccan official, including al-Ma'ali Ahmad Tawfiq. Then all proceeded on foot to the open-air prayer area.

Salat adh-Dhuhr and Salat al-'Asr were combined in the open air prayer ground.

Following the prayers, the entire entourage of over 350 ulama and scholars gathered under the open air tents where they listened to a short speech by al-Ma'ali Wazir Ahmad Tawfiq.

A . Shaykh Hisham shared the repast of a magnificent couscous served in traditional Moroccan style with Dr. Nasr, Dr. Ali Bashir, Nuredin Usman Bakr and other attendees.

After the excellent dinner, hot sweet Moroccan mint tea was poured in traditional manner for guests.

Mufti of Marrakech greets Shaykh Hisham.

At the grave Shaykh Hisham and other mashaykh pray for the wali Sidi Shiker. Sidi Shekir was renowned for the Ribat he established in the desert south of Marrakech where Sufis from around the land of al-Maghreb would gather on an annual basis.

Participants prayed two rakats Sunnah greeting the mosque adjacent to the gravesite.

Many guests requested photos with the Shaykh.

2nd row: Shaykh Habib Ali Jafri, Shaykh Ali Hashmi and Dr. Abdel Majid al-Rifaie and other guests pose with Shaykh Hisham.

Entering the enclosure around Sidi Shiker's maqam, an intense standing dhikr was held, led by Shaykh Mustafa Busir (next to Shaykh Hisham). Moroccan television cameras were busy filming the entire twenty minute session.