Senegal: all about the Grand Magal de Touba

Celebrated each year at 18 Safar of the Hegian calendar, he commemorates the departure in exile from Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba, founder of the Sufi brotherhood of Mouridism.

Arrested by the French colonial administration in 1895, he was deported to Gabon and accused of wanting to foment a rebellion.

But for the Mourids, commemorating this exile is an act of faith, a feast to give thanks to God because according to historical stories, Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba or Serigne Touba has considered his exile not as a punishment, but rather as a means of spiritual ascent.

The word “magal” which means celebrating, paying homage in Wolof, appeared to designate this celebration that the Mourides organize on 18 Safar of each year.

Through recitations of Khassaïdes, Islamic conferences, social and cultural actions, the faithful express their attachment to the values of work, endurance, peace and faith.

Over the years, Magal has gone from a simple local celebration to a national event that attracts thousands of pilgrims from all over Senegal and elsewhere.

The great magal of Touba is the expression of peaceful resistance, it is a day of commemoration, prayer, solidarity, generosity but also of impressive logistics organization.

Through its four dimensions – spiritual, social, economic and political – it offers the opportunity to discover a singular reality in Senegal and in the Muslim world, that of a Sunni, Soufi and African Islam, which has inscribed pacifism and work at the heart of its doctrine.

Founder of the Mouride brotherhood, Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba of his full name Ahmadou Bamba Mbacké (1853-1927) is an emblematic figure of the history of Senegal and a spiritual leader who deeply marked the religious and social landscape of the country.

He is revered not only for his piety and his erudition, but also for his peaceful resistance in the face of French colonization.

Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba was born in 1853 in Mbacké, in the Diourbel region, in the center of the country.

Son of Mame Mor Anta Sali Mbacké and Sokhna Diarra Bousso, he grew up in a deeply religious family. Very early on, he was initiated into the study of the Koran and the Islamic sciences by his father, who was himself a respected scholar. His intelligence and piety were remarkable, which led him to deepen his knowledge in different Koranic schools in the region.

A learned scholar, mystical poet and spiritual guide, he preached a peaceful Islam, focused on work, discipline and submission to God.

His non-violent opposition to the French colonial administration earned him several exiles, but strengthened his aura with the populations.

Through his teachings and his writings, he shaped an original Sufi path, the Mouridiyya, which is based on devotion to the marabout, work as act of faith and the search for spiritual perfection.

Despite the persecution, Serigne Ahmadou Bamba never ceased to preach peace, spiritual resistance, and the importance of work. He composed thousands of poems and religious writings in Arabic, known as “Khassaides”, which are still recited and sung by the disciples Mourides today.

He also founded the city of Touba, which has become over time, a spiritual and economic center for the brotherhood and for all Muslims.

Touba, a holy city founded by Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba in 1887, is today the beating heart of the Mouride brotherhood. It houses the great mosque of Touba, an architectural jewel and central place of Magal, as well as the mausoleums of the eminent figures of Mouridism.

From a Sufi tradition, the 19th century Mouridism founded is one of the most important Muslim brotherhoods in the country and its influence on politics in Senegal is considerable.

Autonomous religious city, Touba works according to a particular model where the spiritual authority of the Khalife takes precedence over the classical administrative organization.

It is a space apart, governed by strict moral and religious rules, free from activities such as the sale of alcohol or public dance, and whose economy is closely linked to pilgrimage and Mouride trade.

The pilgrims flock to the holy city of Touba, where the great mosque stands, testimony to the heritage of Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba.

With its remarkable architecture and its serene atmosphere, the great mosque is the central point of the festivities, bringing together the faithful around the same objective and the same devotion.

In the holy city of Touba, everything revolves around the silent and respected figure of the general caliph, the head of the community, direct heir to Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba Mbacké, founder of the brotherhood.

The Mouride brotherhood, born from an ideal of faith, discipline and work, has organized itself over the decades in a real society.

At the top, the caliph – currently Serigne Mountakha Bassirou Mbacké – embodies the soul of Mouridism. His authority is undisputed.

Around him, a constellation of marabouts, descendants or disciples of the founder, ensure the transmission of religious knowledge and the follow -up of talibés, these faithful who place themselves under their spiritual direction.

Dispected in Senegal and in the diaspora, the Dahiras – disciples associations – maintain the link with the brotherhood, organizing prayers, social actions and fundraising.

The role of the caliph far exceeds the religious framework. In his sermons, he sets the moral course, recalls the values of patience, discipline and service to others.

Behind the scenes, he administers, manages resources, arbitrator conflicts, mobilizes for agricultural or educational projects, and watches over Touba, a city with a special status, administered according to the rules of the brotherhood.

In his decisions, he does not speak only in the name of the Mourides, but in the name of a collective memory and a spiritual heritage, and all his speeches revolve around respect for the teachings of Islam and the respect of the rules laid down by the founder of the brotherhood.

In Touba, the succession to the khalifat obeys a specific order: from brother to brother, between the sons of Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba, then to the grandsons.

Each caliph, by his personality, marks his time. Some have embodied rigor, others the international opening, but all have kept the same course: protect and transmit the inheritance of the founder.

The different Khalifs of Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba: