Muslims Whose Holiest City Is Not Mecca
Millions honor the most respected person of Senegal in Touba
Dakar, the capital, is probably better known in Senegal for an outsider than Touba. However, Touba is the holiest place in the country where you have to be clear with the rules. To approach the tomb of Ahmadou Bamba, visitors must cover their arms, legs, and women their hair as well with a scarf. It is the only city where alcohol consumption and smoking are banned all year round. The tomb is inside the Grand Mosque of Touba, one of the biggest in Africa, that attracts millions of pilgrims during the biggest festival of Senegal, the Grand Magal.
Fraternity, marabout, gris-gris
95% of Senegal’s population is Muslim. However, this Islam is closer to the mystical Sufi branch interwoven with spiritual customs and practices.
40% of all Muslims in the country are followers of the Murid Brotherhood, founded in 1883 by Ahmadou Bamba. It is not the largest brotherhood but the most affluent and the most organized that has a large impact on Senegalese culture.
Touba, unlike other cities, is governed by the Murid order and not by the state government.
Despite being Muslims, members of the Mourid Brotherhood consider Touba more important than Islam’s holiest city, Mecca.
Ahmadou Bamba is almost like Prophet Muhammad in their eyes, which sharply contradicts the Orthodox Muslim conception. Senegalese believe he passed over his divine power to his descendants, so the current leader, the 8th caliph is his eldest grandchild.
Senegalese practice the religion through the spiritual leaders (marabout) of fraternities. Members of the fraternities show enormous respect to the marabout.
Senegal’s most influential people are not politicians but the leaders of the Sufi Islamic fraternities. They have the unique power to heal diseases and bless their followers with spiritual salvation. Their duty is to teach, give advice and prepare amulets for them. These amulets of different shapes are called “gris-gris”, which protect them from diseases and evil. Almost all Senegalese wear some of them under their clothes.
