On 16 March 2026, the zaouïa of Madagh celebrated Laylat al-Qadr, the Night of Destiny, under the presidency of the cheikh of the Way, Sidi Mouadh al-Qadri Boutchich, may Allah preserve him. The Moroccan press reported on it. Below we offer a summary, as part of our press review. The sources are available at the end of the article.
A great vigil in Madagh
On 16 March 2026, the zaouïa Boutchichiya of Madagh lived one of its most intense nights: the vigil of Laylat al-Qadr, celebrated in devotion and supplication. Hundreds of disciples, who had come from every region of Morocco but also from Africa and Europe, had gathered for this Night which the Qur’an describes as ‘better than a thousand months’. The vigil was woven of recitation of the Qur’an, invocations proper to the Night of Destiny and prayers for the security and stability of the country.
The cheikh at the heart of the night
The cheikh of the Way, Sidi Mouadh al-Qadri Boutchich, may Allah preserve him, presided over the vigil and placed it under his direct supervision. His presence gave the night its full significance: around him, the disciples lived hours of recollection, in an atmosphere of fraternity and love which a shared meal brought to a close.
The centrality of dhikr
Addressing the gathering, Sidi Mouadh, may Allah preserve him, recalled that dhikr, the remembrance of God, is the pivot of spiritual practice in Sufism, its greatest secret and its living breath. It is through it, he taught, that hearts return to life after their death and that clear-sightedness follows inattention.
The cheikh called for a daily dhikr, morning and evening, practised with presence of heart, accompanied by an effort to purify the soul, by humility and by vigilance. For dhikr, he specified, is not a mere word that one recites: it is ‘a pact constantly renewed, a continuous bond between the servant and his Lord’.
From the heart to behaviour
When the lights of dhikr settle in the heart, the cheikh went on, their effects reach actions and behaviour: the soul is purified, character is refined, and this inner clarity must be reflected outwardly in ethical conduct towards others. Such, according to him, is the ultimate aim of the Sufi education of the Way: to attain perfect adab, right courtesy, towards God and His Messenger, and to become a clear mirror reflecting divine guidance and prophetic character, within as without.
Sources: Sabah Achark and Ahdat Dakhla (Arabic), March 2026. Translation and summary: boutchichiya.fr.
