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    Jihad For Peace

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    This book provides a summary of Sheikh Ahmadou Bamba's work "Ways unto Heaven", written in the early 1830s when he was in his thirties. The book expounds on Sufi teachings and principles based on the works of previous Sufi masters, focusing on spiritual practice and experience rather than just theoretical knowledge. While relying on established sources, Bamba's work goes beyond plagiarism by integrating his own profound experience of Sufism. The book emphasizes Sufism's nonviolent philosophy and universal message of attaining peace, showing the significance of Bamba's teachings for both his people and the world today.

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    Jihad For Peace

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    217 views130 pages
    This book provides a summary of Sheikh Ahmadou Bamba's work "Ways unto Heaven", written in the early 1830s when he was in his thirties. The book expounds on Sufi teachings and principles based on the works of previous Sufi masters, focusing on spiritual practice and experience rather than just theoretical knowledge. While relying on established sources, Bamba's work goes beyond plagiarism by integrating his own profound experience of Sufism. The book emphasizes Sufism's nonviolent philosophy and universal message of attaining peace, showing the significance of Bamba's teachings for both his people and the world today.

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    Cheik Amadou Bamba

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    This book provides a summary of Sheikh Ahmadou Bamba's work "Ways unto Heaven", written in the early 1830s when he was in his thirties. The book expounds on Sufi teachings and principles based on the works of previous Sufi masters, focusing on spiritual practice and experience rather than just theoretical knowledge. While relying on established sources, Bamba's work goes beyond plagiarism by integrating his own profound experience of Sufism. The book emphasizes Sufism's nonviolent philosophy and universal message of attaining peace, showing the significance of Bamba's teachings for both his people and the world today.

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    217 views130 pages

    Jihad For Peace

    Uploaded by

    Nebt Het
    This book provides a summary of Sheikh Ahmadou Bamba's work "Ways unto Heaven", written in the early 1830s when he was in his thirties. The book expounds on Sufi teachings and principles based on the works of previous Sufi masters, focusing on spiritual practice and experience rather than just theoretical knowledge. While relying on established sources, Bamba's work goes beyond plagiarism by integrating his own profound experience of Sufism. The book emphasizes Sufism's nonviolent philosophy and universal message of attaining peace, showing the significance of Bamba's teachings for both his people and the world today.

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    of 130

    JIHAD fOR PEACE

    EXPLORING Sheikh Ahmadou Bambas PHILOSOPHY

    By
    Abdoul Aziz Mbacke
    Leader of the Majalis Research Project and Head of the Institut Khadimou Rassoul (IKHRA !!!"majalis"or#
    $

    P%BLI&H'( B) MA*ALI&
    (!!!"majalis"or#

    Beyond the value of Bambas life and teachings for specific ethnic groups, he is a reminder of the adaptability and universality of the religion to different cultures and peoples through its inner tradition Further study into the contribution Bamba made in the cultural and spiritual revival of his people will demonstrate the significance his universal message and nonviolent struggle has for attaining peace in the world today., Michelle R" Kimball

    &heikh Muhammad Mourtada Mbacke. son of &heikh Ahmadou Bamba. readin# the /ur01n

    Preface
    I !ish to dedicate this !ork to the late &heikh Muhammad Mourtada Mbacke. !ho ne3er s4ared any efforts and any 4ains to s4read 4eacefully the true !ord of Islam throu#hout the !orld. in s4ite of his old a#e" 5his translation is the ri#ht outcome of his !ork" 5hank you Goor Y lla. I !ish also to ackno!led#e all !ho contribute in !hate3er form to the 4ublication of this book" May they all be eternally re!arded thereof by the Almi#hty Lord" 5his book !as !ritten in Arabic by &heikh Ahmadou Bamba durin# his thirties. before he became famous. o!in# to -- years of tense relationshi4 !ith the 6rench colonial authorities" &heikh Ahmadou Bamba is an African Muslim &ufi master. born in $78- in &ene#al (9est Africa . durin# 6rench colonization. just after the official abolition of sla3ery in the colonies" He !as born into a reno!ned Muslim clerical family. the Mbacke. !ell0kno!n for their dee40rooted attachment to learnin# and teachin# reli#ious kno!led#e" Islam had then nearly a thousand years of history in &ene#al" &ho!in# 4recociously #ifted inclination to!ards learnin# and imitatin# the noble de3out &ufis he heard about. &heikh Ahmadou Bamba started. in his early youth. to !rite books de3oted to the fundamentals of reli#ious kno!led#e any belie3er is com4elled to kno!:Islamic La! (Fi!h . 5heolo#y ("awh#d . &4iritual education ("arbiyya . &ufism ("asawwuf etc" His hi#h concern to 4reser3e and to s4read in an easier form true kno!led#e and the 3aluable Islamic 4rinci4les amon# his 4eo4le led him to 4ut in 3erses many of the reference 4rose books of that time he found too hard0learnin# for most of his contem4oraries" After his father;s death, &heikh Ahmadou Bamba founded the first Muslim brotherhood e3er been founded by a black man in all
    8

    Islamic history (the Muridiyya and settled ne! forms of teachin# he thou#ht more suitable to his disci4les and more likely to rekindle their human di#nity de4reciated by lon# years of 4olitical and intellectual domination" Many from all around the country. from all social classes. came to join the re3i3al mo3ement he initiated throu#h teachin# and !orshi44in# <od in accordance !ith the &unnah of the Pro4het (PBH and !ith the rules of &ufism" 5hanks to his charismatic 3irtues and to the s4iritual li#hts his disci4les !ere shinin#. his re4utation soon e=4anded and cro!ds to!ards his daaras (schools fast took lar#er 4ro4ortions" &uch a trend aroused a libelous cam4ai#n a#ainst &heikh Ahmadou Bamba. from some nati3e colonial re4resentati3es. and 4ro3oked stron# mistrust to the 6rench colonial 4o!er !ho sus4ected him of 4re4arin# his disci4les to $ihad (holy !ar " 5his bias !as all the most unfair if !e consider the non3iolent 4hiloso4hy of the &heikh as !ell as his conce4t of %hidma (Renderin# &er3ice to the Pro4het !hich e=cluded any 3iolence. e3en a#ainst the 3ilest creature" Indeed the kind of s4iritual and intellectual &ihad the &heikh !as carryin# on !as >uite different from all !hat !as kno!n by !estern 4eo4le about Muslim leaders; resistance" 5he &heikh !rote on this 4ur4ose? @I am waging my Jihad through Knowledge and Fearing the Lord," Ho!e3er. re#ardless of such kind of concern. the colonial authorities decided to arrest and de4ort him to <abon (Aentral Africa . in &e4tember $7B8" After ei#ht years of a 3ery tryin# e=ile. durin# !hich the &heikh !rote. in loneliness. an im4ressi3e number of 4oems all dedicated to the Lord and His Messen#er (PBH . the 6rench decided to let him #o back home. in Co3ember $BD+" But. in fearin# his #ro!in# charisma o3er the masses aroused by his success. they e=iled him a#ain to Mauritania. after!ards they maintained him in house arrest in &ene#al until his death in $B+E" Ho!e3er history 4ro3ed later that colonial strate#ies of @containment, did not succeed in holdin# back &heikh Ahmadou Bamba;s teachin#s and !ork from sha4in# dee4ly the thou#hts and the culture of his nation and of millions of 4eo4le all around the !orld" Abdoul Aziz Mbacke "ouba, $anuary '(()
    F

    Abbrevia io!s used


    d" h" G date of death" G year of the Hijra (the be#innin# of Islamic Aalendar H usual subse>uent date 4ut in brackets re4resents the corres4ondin# year in Ahristian calendar" G 4a#e"

    4"

    /ur01n ==" +8 G *+rah +D. Ierse +8 of the Holy Book" ,f. PBH lit" G com4are" G Peace and Blessin#s be u4on Him (the Pro4het " G literally"

    @5he &heikh, and @the &er3ant of the Pro4het, refer to &heikh Ahmadou Bamba" 5ranscri4tion of 9olof and Arabic nouns follo!s sometimes the usual forms better kno!n"

    "o! e! s
    A Message for Humankind Muslim Nonviolence 5he *ihad of Kno!led#e and 9orshi4 (i3ine <uidance 3s Human &trate#y and 9isdom Aonditions of <lobal Peace and Humanism Back to the &ources of Bamba;s Con3iolence The hortcomings of the ! hort"sighted# cholarshi$ %orking %ritten Miracles 5he Mysteries of 5ouba and of the Murid Labor 5he Muslim %to4ia 5he Key of Murid -immah 5he &la3e and the &er3ant The ufi Horse 9ho really founded the MuridiyyaJ 5he 5hree 6ounders Muslim 6raternity In the Name of &rogress Bamba;s Affirmati3e Action '3erlastin# 'nds and Ahan#in# Means Inno3ation and Pro#ress in Islam Murid <rounds for )es0!e0can Attitude 5he 9itnesses of the 9ritten Miracles tanding u$ !'rawling# tudies 5he Aollateral (ama#es of Mar= and Marty 5he 9olof Boatman 5he Kin# and the Aleric 5ouba is the 9orld 6ernand (umont;s <reat &ur4rise The Last of the %ritten Miracles &heikh Ahmadou Bamba;s 5reasure0Houses /asaid Project (ealin# !ith Methodolo#y $$E $7 +D +2 +F +B --E -E 22 8D 8E F$ F8 E8 EB EB 7D 7$ 7F 7B B$ B+ B8 $D$ $DE $$+ $$E $$E $+D $++

    #isc$aimer
    9hen I started this te=t. it !as just !ith the 4ur4ose to !rite a short introduction in the front of the 'n#lish translation of the .ays unto heaven I had just finished" &ome friends !ho read the manuscri4t. amon# !ho my 4ublishers. su##ested me to take ad3anta#e of this introduction to 4resent some as4ects of Bamba;s teachin#s to 'n#lish audience !ho are not familiar !ith &ufi 4hiloso4hy. es4ecially African &ufi masters" I started then to e=4ose the non3iolent 4hiloso4hy of &heikh Ahmadou Bamba and its rele3ance in the !orld today" Kne thin# leadin# to another. I unconsciously #et immersed in an immense /cean I hardly ima#ined the infinite and fertile de4ths before:&heikh Ahmadou Bamba;s thinkin#" Before I realized it. I had already !ritten almost one hundred 4a#es about hi#hly amazin# and unforeseen 4ers4ecti3es of Bamba;s 4hiloso4hy I had ne3er sus4ected hitherto. and !hich !ould really 4uzzle many scholars of the Muridiyya !ho thou#ht they ha3e already #ot the bulk of its doctrine" &o. this study is just an accident and is not at all !illful" I ha3e sim4ly let my boat be dra##ed alon# by the current of some ideas of mine and the #rounds!ells of some scholarly material" (urin# this stran#e tri4. I had sometimes 3ery une=4ected encounters. I may assure you" Ce3ertheless. I am far from 4retendin# to 4ut a com4lete and academic book in your hands" Cot yet. at least" And I neither intend. throu#h this reflection. to lay a claim to a Ph(" 5hese are just the fe! corals I ha44ened to found here and there in e=4lorin# the de4ths of an /cean" 9ell. it;s u4 to you to see if !e can #et some 4earls out of them"

    Bamba di gee& Gu t bbi gee& Fe00 fa gee& Gu ne 0o ngii& Bamba is an Kcean 9ho melted into an Kcean And found therein an Kcean 9ho blended !ith Him 1n the poem 2arnubi By *hei0h 3oussa %a, a .olof poet.

    $D

    %ave &irs
    A 'essa(e for Huma!ki!d

    3as4li05ul5$in4n is a book about &ufism. !ritten by the African Muslim master. heikh Ahmadou (am)a. !ho !rote it !ithin $77- and $77E ($-DD0$-D2 h" . at the be#innin# of his thirties" 5his corres4onds to the 4eriod follo!in# his fatherLs death. !hen he started e=4ressin# o4enly his 4rofound leanin# to!ards the 4attern of the Pious Ancients" @9ays unto hea3en, is an e=hausti3e di#est of the hi#hly 3aluable teachin#s be>ueathed by the old &ufi Masters. !hich are e=4ounded and e=4lained !ith a rare #enius by the &heikh in this book entirely 3ersified in Arabic" Ho!e3er. !e ha3e to bear in mind that a &ufi author sur4asses an ordinary scholar that is dis4layin# his theoretical kno!led#e about s4iritual >uestions" Indeed. !e may feel throu#h the notable synthetic mind of his 3erses that the *ervant of the 6rophet !as one !ho !as 4uttin# into ri#orous 4ractice the 4rinci4les that are in this book 0 !hich !as am4ly demonstrated later by his 3ery e=istence 0 and one !ho ha3e #ot 4reciously a keen e=4erience of &ufism ( ,f. 5he Bio#ra4hy of &heikh Ahmadou Bamba 0 5ome II. A44endi= $ "

    $$

    3as4li0 is mainly based on a 4re3ious 4rose !ork. !ritten by Al0)ad1lM$. a Mauritanian master. entitled N%h4timatu5t5"asawwuf N (5he &eal of &ufism . !hich content is su44lemented here by a !ide ran#e of !ritin#s of other &ufi Masters. admirably summarized by the &heikh" Ho!e3er. not!ithstandin# the hi#h si#nificance of reliable and accredited sources in Islamic theolo#y 0 !hich commonly com4els Muslim !riters to fasten to the ta!l#d (the o4inions of the Ancients O !e must not infer therefrom sla3ish 4la#iarism or lazy eclecticism" Because such kno!led#e as "asawwuf consists not in mere academic learnin# or formal >uotations. but it has to be indi3idually e=4erienced and li3ed. so as to be fully understood" 5his e=4lains most certainly !hy &heikh Muhammad Bachir Mbacke ($7B80$BFF . son and bio#ra4her of &heikh Ahmadou Bamba. !as keen to 4oint out in the bio#ra4hy he de3oted to his father +? @/ur *hei0h 7 may God be *atisfied with him5 has revived *ufism inasmuch as he revived *ufi practice and &uluk 8commitment in the spiritual path9. -e composed :in this purpose; Mas*lik"ul"Jin*n 8.ays unto -eaven9, which is a versification of <l5Yad4li=s Kh1timatu0t05asa!!uf. and he put in that boo0 a great number of rules and recommendations 5 sometimes summari>ed, sometimes detailed 5 so as to let people 0now that it is a versification of <l5 Yad4li=s boo0, in respect for its noble author. But there is no doubt that :.ays unto heaven; is far richer than <l5Yadali=s original te?t. Yet, his deference prevented the *hei0h from separating distinctly his personal thoughts from that te?t :in which case his boo0 would no longer be called a versification of <l5Yadali=s boo0;....hile putting a previous prose boo0 in verse, :the *hei0h; never failed to insert into his writing what was springing out of his vast intelligence and out of his heart, that is@ renouncing this vile world, loving God and preferring the Future Aife.BN,f. Anne= of the authors (5ome II. at !!!"majalis"or#Pmasalik " &ee also all references of our >uotations at this same %RL" * 'ntitled 3inanu5l5B4!i5l5Cadim (5he 6a3ors of the '5'RCAL <K( in !hich are #athered hi#hly 3aluable bio#ra4hical accounts relatin# to his father;s life. some he 4ersonally !itnessed" $+
    )

    5hrou#h 3as4li0. !e are #i3en a com4rehensi3e idea of the moral and s4iritual attitudes enablin# man to #et round material obstacles and countless !orldly tem4tations !hich 4re3ent him from #ettin# nearer to the Lord" 5hus. it constitutes @a remedy for any such whose heart has been dulled by earthly lusts, (3erse +E and a first0rate 3iaticum for all !ho as4ire not to yield to the lurin# mermaids of modern life and to 4urify their hearts" 5his is 4art of the reasons !hy !e felt the necessity to undertake the translation of its $8F- 3erses in 'n#lish. so as to allo! 'n#lish0s4eakin# 4eo4le to #et to kno! the 4riceless contribution of &heikh Ahmadou Bamba in Islam. in u4holdin# and handin# do!n to 4resent and future #enerations the 3ery NsubstanceN of the 'ternal Messa#e" And books like 3as4li0 4ro3ide us !ith the essential keys to enter the kin#dom of this uni3ersal and timeless Messa#e"

    All the references of our >uotations are a3ailable at this %RLH !!!"majalis"or#Pmasalik"
    +

    $-

    $2

    %ave ,-o
    'us$im No!vio$e!ce

    Indeed this uni3ersal messa#e of 4eace and !orshi4 of &heikh Ahmadou Bamba to humankind is no!adays !orthier than e3er of careful thou#ht" 5he !orld today is threatened by #ro!in# ruthless collision bet!een 9estern conce4tion of life and the Islamic a44roach of human freedom endorsed by a #rou4 of Muslims labeled as @e=tremists, or @terrorists," Recently. such a !orld!ide coldblooded stru##le reached horrendous hei#hts !ith &e4tember $$ attacks. the thousands 3ictims of Ira> and Af#hanistan !ars. and ne3er0endin# armed conflicts in the Middle0'ast and all around the !orld" Beyond real #eo4olitical and strate#ic or e3en strictly @reli#ious, moti3ations. !e contend that the dee4est dri3in# forces of this conflict are to be sou#ht as !ell in the differin# 4ers4ecti3es of the t!o systems. schematically taken. about human rights and duties. their true meanin#s and their limits in the uni3erse" &uch a @cultural, discre4ancy is e=acerbated by blatant lack of balance and of a44ositeness sho!n on either side in o44osin# their 3ariances in the field of 4olitical interests" 9estern fanatic materialism and e=cesses 0 !hich led man to lose track of his o!n meanin# and reality in the uni3erse 0 is facin# fierce reli#ious acti3ism 0 !hich !ent also far astray beyond the limits im4osed by minimum res4ect for human life" '3ery dis4ro4ortionate stance of one side 4roduces unbalanced
    $8

    res4onses from the other side. thus 4ro3idin# hi#her le3els of hatred and misunderstandin# to the dreadful escalation:unfairness al!ays calls for unfairness" &o. !hat both sides need is more balance and more clear0si#htedness" &heikh Ahmadou Bamba;s teachin#s and s4iritual 4ers4ecti3e of Islam offer this unho4ed0for balanced model" The Jihad of Knowledge and %orshi$ @<nd let not the hatred of others to you ma0e you swerve to wrong and depart from &ustice. Be &ustD that is ne?t to pietyD and fear God., (/ur01n 3" 7 In 4racticin# such a (i3ine Krder. &heikh Ahmadou Bamba made clear the true nature of his fi#ht in a 4oem !ritten in $BD-. on the 4oint of lea3in# for his second e=ile to Mauritania? @ :/ ye my persecutorsE; ye banned me on the pretence that 1 am waging a war 8*ihad9 against you. 1ndeed ye are right because 1 am really combating for the ,ountenance of the Aord. But I am waging my Jihad through Knowledge (ul+m) and Fearing the Lord (ta,w*), as :an humble; sub&ect of God and the servant of -is 6rophet@ and the Aord who oversees everything may assuredly bear witness thereof .hile others hold material weapons to be feared, my two weapons are :0nowledge; and :worship;@ and this is surely my way of fighting. (,f. his 4oem @K ye Peo4le of the 5rinityQ, . Indeed. it may be some!hat une=4ected to many. in our conte=t of tarnished 4erce4tion of Islam. !idely 4ortrayed. throu#h mass media. as intolerant and intrinsically 3iolent. to hear a Muslim leader. !ho !as yet 3ictim of #larin# injustice from unbelie3in# rulers durin# -- years. defendin# non3iolence. for#i3eness and lo3e for humankind" 5he follo!in# 3erses. taken from some Bamba;s 4oems. may assuredly sho! ho! Islam. if really understood and li3ed. can be tolerant and ho! it inte#rates organically all the hi#h morals !hich lead man to sur4ass himself?

    $F

    1 have forgiven all my enemies for the ,ountenance of the Aord who turned them away from me for ever, because 1 feel no resentment against them.F / *upreme 3aster of the universeE / "hou that art beyond any resentment, grant "hy mercy to all the creatures, o "hou who guide those who go astrayEF 3ay all human0ind benefit from me, o AordEF 3a0e me a source of bliss for all, blac0 and whiteF *pare me ever damaging "hy creatures, be they living near me or afar, be they 3uslims or unbelievers.F @/ AordE Aift me to the ran0 of Genovator of the 6ath of 1slam, out of any hostility and war., / AordE *pare me ever harming any of "hy creatures and protect me from their harm as well.F / AordE "o whomever that is blaming me or who has offended me, forgive him and may he submit to "hee.F 1mpart "hy Guidance, than0s to me, to the people of my time and to coming generationsF "he true warrior in Gods path is not he who 0ills his enemies, but he who combats his ego (nafs to achieve spiritual perfectionF 1ndeed, the toughest $ihad consists in hindering one=s mind from ever involving in aught that is not proper.F <lways cherish good feelings for all the creatures of God.F &uch a 4eaceful and hi#h attitude led Michelle R" Kimball. founder of the International Peace Project. to entitle @A Muslim &eacemaker of the Twentieth 'entury " haykh Ahmadou (am)a ,
    $E

    her introduction to the book @&haykh Ahmadou Bamba and /ur;anic and &unnah 6oundations of the Muridiyyah Krder," &he !rote? @<midst the heightened state of turmoil in the world today, associated with the apparent clash between 1slamic and .estern cultures, the life of one 3uslim peacema0er warrants recognition 5 a 3uslim saint who led a successful and completely nonviolent struggle for peace within the last centuryBeyond the value of Bambas life and teachings for specific ethnic groups, he is a reminder of the adaptability and universality of the religion to different cultures and peoples through its inner traditionFurther study into the contribution Bamba made in the cultural and spiritual revival of his people will demonstrate the significance his universal message and nonviolent struggle has for attaining peace in the world today., In another article of @5he 'conomist,. titled @Faith in the mar0et, ((ecember $Bth. +DDF and de3oted to Murids; economic doctrine and industriousness. the author concluded? @Aittle 0nown as they are, the 3urids might have a lot to teach the rest of the worldHnot only about how to respond to globali>ation, but how to practice religion in a peaceful way., Indeed. hitherto 3ery little is relati3ely kno!n about the richness of &heikh Ahmadou Bamba;s 4hiloso4hy and teachin#s in the !orld today. 4articularly re#ardin# his method of non3iolent resistance" Bamba succeeded in combinin# 4erfectly standin# u4 for his faith and for his moral 4rinci4les !ith ackno!led#in# to others the ri#ht to li3e 4eacefully. as lon# as they try not to constrain him 3iolently to #i3e u4 his faith" &uch a 4hiloso4hy !arrants certainly a certain e=amination so as to kno! its doctrinal and historical #rounds" -ivine .uidance vs Human trategy and %isdom It is note!orthy that the kind of non3iolence ad3ocated by Bamba is >uite different. to many e=tents. to that claimed by <andhi or by Martin Luther Kin#" As some ha3e noticed it. both <andhi and Martin
    $7

    Luther Kin# !ere killed throu#h violence, althou#h their bein# callin# 4ublicly for nonviolence. Accordin# to the Muslim 4ers4ecti3e tau#ht by &heikh Ahmadou Bamba. this is not at all contradictory since. as !orthy and as !ise as <andhi and Kin#;s strate#ies mi#ht be. they are just human and rational strategies issuin# from their only reasonin# and beliefs" '3en the dee4 s4irituality referred to by <andhi. althou#h morally 3aluable and 4raise!orthy. it has no ultimate effecti3eness and a spiritual 3alue in the 4ure Islamic 3ie!" &ince the 4rinci4le of <himsa (the a3oidance of 3iolence he !as claimin# ori#inates from the reli#ions of ancient India (Hinduism. Buddhism and *ainism !hich are ranked amon# 4a#an and 4olytheistic beliefs or amon# mere 4hiloso4hies by Islamic orthodo=y" <himsa notably em4hasizes 3e#etarianism and bans huntin# and ritual sacrifice. contrary to Islam" As for M" Luther Kin#;s non3iolence. it !as 4rimarily a useful strate#y. ins4ired by <andhi;s stru##le and 4hiloso4hy" Besides. it is kno!n that Kin# !as counseled to ado4t this strate#y by Bayard Rustin. an African American ci3il ri#hts acti3ist. !ho has studied <andhi;s teachin#s and !ho !as !ell0kno!n for his o4en homose=uality and his former ties !ith the Aommunist Party %&A" Human rational !isdom and rationality may !ell lead to success as it may lead to failure or to transitory setbacks !hich could end in future success" But. accordin# to the Muslim beliefs and &ufi 4hiloso4hy referred to by &heikh Ahmadou Bamba. man has to submit his entire !ill to his Lord and to !orshi4 Him 4erfectly. in 4urifyin# his heart from all !orldly 3anities and desires aside from <od. so as to attain true s4iritual 4erfection !hich enables him to benefit from direct (i3ine #uidance" @Fear God and God will teach ye., (/ur01n ii"+7+ @/ ye who believeE 1f ye fear God, -e will grant you a criterion 8to &udge between right and wrong9., (/ur01n 3iii"+B @"his is the Boo0@ in it is guidance sure, without doubt, to those who fear God. , (/ur01n ii"$
    $B

    @<nd those who strive in /ur 8cause9,5 .e will certainly guide them to our 6athsD For verily God is with those who do right., (/ur01n ==i="FB @*o persevere patientlyD for the End is for those who are righteous., (/ur01n =i"2B Accordin# to &heikh Ahmadou Bamba;s 4hiloso4hy. <od;s direct teachin# #oes far beyond any rational strate#y or human !isdom, and leads ine3itably to ultimate success" In fact. that is real !isdom and clear0si#htedness" Man can attain it only throu#h 6ear of <od (ta!w4 . !hich is defined by the masters as @com4lyin# 4erfectly to <od;s Krders and a3oidin# all He forbids," (6ear of <od is often e>ui3alent to !orshi4 and to #ood deeds. in Muslim 3ocabulary" 5hence. the kind of s4iritual *ihad 4romoted by &heikh Ahmadou Bamba is >uite different from that ad3ocated by many modern Muslim @acti3ists, as !ell" Inasmuch as the &heikh !ishes that Muslims may first 4erfect their faith. their trust in the Lord. their commitment to kno!led#e and !orshi4. their beha3iors and their morals throu#h education and clear0si#hted determination (himmah " Kther!ise. their faith !ould remain a 3oid 4rinci4le !hich could not in the least shield them from bein# dominated by other ci3ilizations and from losin# their s4iritual stren#th. !hate3er arms they may use" 5he real >uintessence of Islam. !hich #a3e Muslims 4o!er and success in e3ery domains. in the 4ast. !as unfailin# fidelity to the s4iritual and moral 4rinci4les tau#ht by the Holy Book and by the &unnah of the Pro4het (PBH . re3i3ed and further theorized throu#h &ufi masters; teachin#s" <od 4romises His hel4 only to the true belie3ers !ho fear Him really. not to zealous formal !orshi44ersH as He asserted @Ierily God will defend those who belie e, (/ur01n ==ii"-7 " &uch a dialectical 4rinci4le of 6aith0<uidance is the s4iritual basis of Bamba;s thinkin#. as im4lied by his !ritin#sH @:/ AordE; 1mpart me !ighteousness and "hy Guidance, protect me from blame and grant me .orthiness by the Grace of the 6rophet. , @God, the ,reator, has guided me :on -is 6ath; and has led me to -im through all 0inds of wonders. "he 3atchless Aord has freed me
    +D

    from anything but -im and has led me :on the Gight 6ath;., @1 render than0s to the *upreme 6rotector who has protected me from all my enemies., Because. in Bamba;s 3ie!. that is (i3ine <uidance !hich has 4ro3ided him 4rotection and !hich has ensured his success. unlike 4recedin# Muslim resistance fi#hters in &ene#al !ho all failed to o44ose to 6rench colonizers. because they did not attain such a s4iritual de#ree" Althou#h &heikh Ahmadou Bamba did not dismiss absolutely or e=clude the 4ossibility to use material !ea4ons. in case of self0 defense or under the s4ecial circumstances 4ro3ided for by Islamic la!. his s4iritual de#ree ins4ired him to use instead other kinds of weapons more suitable to his s4ace and time:combatin# his o!n soul. 4urifyin# his heart and consecratin# his entire life to raise the (i3ine 9ord and to benefit all humankind (0hidma so as to be #uided and 4rotected by the Areator Himself" Accordin# to this ne! 4ers4ecti3e. if the Pro4het (PBH decided at a certain 4oint to take u4 arms and to combat unbelie3ers. it !as only after clear 4ermission !as #i3en to Him by the Lord Himself. but not just throu#h 4ersonal strate#y or human a##ressi3eness" 5he !ord &ihad itself con3eys a !ider etymolo#ic meanin#. that is @efforts, made in <od;s Path" 9as it not such a mystical 4ers4ecti3e. the &heikh could ha3e certainly follo!ed the same 3iolent model chosen by many 4re3ious &ufi resistance fi#hters !ho combated 6rench colonialists throu#h arms" Is e3idence thereof !hat he said after the tryin# and frustratin# hardshi4s the 6rench <o3ernor of (akar made him under#o on the !ay to e=ile (&e4tember $7B8 ? @.henever 1 recall my so&ourn in such a :awful prison; they put me in, and the :misbehavior; of that unfair governor, 1 feel li0e ta0ing arms :to combat them;. But the "ro#het himself dissuades me therefrom.,

    +$

    5his 3erse is an e3idence of the s4iritual 4ers4ecti3e &heikh Ahmadou Bamba #a3e his non3iolent stru##le. !hich #oes beyond mere human reaction of indi#nation and of re3olt a#ainst #larin# injustice. and !hich takes its roots from mystical moti3ations" Books like 3as4li05ul5$in4n (9ays unto hea3en 4ro3ide us !ith the 3ital #round!ork to better understand the basic 4rinci4les !hich can lead to this kind of s4iritual 4hiloso4hy" 'onditions of .lo)al &eace and Humanism Ho!e3er. contrary to the theory of %to4ian 4eace and unconditional fraternity. Bamba is con3inced that ne#ati3e and destructi3e human conce4tions are to be fou#ht. in the suitable forms" &o. unrestrained materialism 4romoted by 9estern modern !ay of life and thinkin# are held by the &heikh as hi#hly detrimental to 4iety and to humankind as !ell" Insofar as it has led man to for#et the ultimate 4ur4ose of his stay on earth and his intrinsic meanin#. because of his s4iritual and moral em4tiness" He criticized such a lack of s4irituality in one of his 4oems? @:3any of the .estern; are devoting themselves to what displeases the Aord. *atan has deluded them towards disobedience, audacity, and spiritual ruin. "hey are so lost that now they are wandering all around the world and have set themselves to oppress :peoples;:<s for Blac0 natives;, they have set themselves to imitate them, through dissoluteness, disloyalty and other immoral vices", (Ilh1mu &al1m. 3" $+0$2.$7 &uch a lack of moral sense. criticized by the &heikh. is endan#erin# humankind themsel3es insofar as it has taken them to the t!o deadliest !ars in history. to the latent destruction of their ecolo#ical en3ironment. to fashion a hi#hly unfair and inhuman #lobal economic model. to 4romote #lobal a44ro3al of homose=uality and of other immoral 3alues" 5oday. the only gods !ho are really !orshi44ed by most 4eo4le and !ho are su44osed to fill their s4iritual em4tiness are se=. entertainment. and money" 9orl!ide standards 4romoted by 9estern materialism are furthermore morally
    ++

    undermined no!adays by the 4olicy of @double standards,. as Huntin#ton labeled it in "he ,lash of ,ivili>ations and the Gema0ing of .orld /rder ? @-ypocrisy, double standards, and Bbut notsB are the price of universalist pretensions. Jemocracy is promoted, but not if it brings 1slamic fundamentalists to power@ nonproliferation is preached for 1ran and 1ra!, but not for 1srael@ free trade is the eli?ir of economic growth, but not for agriculture@ human rights are an issue for ,hina, but not with *audi <rabia@ aggression against oil5owning %uwaitis is massively repulsed, but not against non5oil5owning Bosnians. Jouble standards in practice are the unavoidable price of universal standards of principle., &heikh Ahmadou Bamba;s non3iolent stru##le intended to sho!. throu#h @kno!led#e and !orshi4,. that such a materialistic 4ers4ecti3e is a dead end for humankind and that only !orshi44in# duly the Lord and com4lyin# !ith moral and s4iritual rules may lead them to ha44iness in this !orld and in the Hereafter" 5hus. in Bamba;s 3ie!. non3iolence does not mean un>uestionin# a44ro3al of all human misconce4tions" 6or him. time is not at all money neither 4ure leisure. as the modern sayin# #oes. but time is worshi$ and seekin# <od;s Li#ht instead" @<ny time :as brief as; a human breath will be worth a precious &ewel with which one would be able to buy a .ondrous and Kternal "reasure :on the Aast Jay;. Aosing such a time without worshipping God shall entail great loss on the Aast -our. But if ever thou spend it in transgressing :the -eavenly /rders;, that is an irretrievable disaster., (Mas1lik. 3" $-70$2$ @:/ my BrotherE 0now that; the greatest wish of the dead is coming bac0 to life so as to spend on earth were it only the slightest lapse of time and to perform a single good deed liable to entail some benefit for them once bac0 to the -ereafter., (Mas1lik. 3" $--0$-2

    +-

    6or &heikh Ahmadou Bamba. human rights can be 4erfectly achie3ed on earth only in com4lyin# first !ith human duties, !hich are. in reality. .od/s 0ights" Because e3ery ri#ht claimed by a human bein# corres4onds in fact to a duty incumbent on another human bein#" And the only ultimate moti3ation !hich can 4re3ent man from 4uttin# his e#ocentric interest o3er others; is faith in a &u4reme Po!er" 5hen. true humanism must start from <od so as to attain really human bein#s" But any humanism !hich claims to e=clude <od from its s4here of reasonin# and to use 4ure rationality alone is condemned by the inherent limits of human nature itself" Accordin# to Bamba;s reli#ious 3ision. <od has to be restored in the A=is of the uni3erse !here the humanism of the 'nli#htenment e=cluded Him" Bamba described his conce4tion of human ri#hts in these admirable 3erses? @"a0e great care of God$s !ights through your duties towards -is creaturesBe always mindful of your duties towards your fellow men, instead of their duties towards you", (Cahju Had1il H1j. 3" 88. 8E 6or &heikh Ahmadou Bamba. #lobal 4eace and non3iolence can be attained only throu#h mutual res4ect. ethics and !orshi4" His conce4tion of humanism makes of faith in <od the medium of human relations and fraternity !hich can be classified in the three cate#ories of rules of 'thics e3erybody is com4elled to abide by? @:"he three basic principles of; Kthics are 8L9 showing mercy to anyone that is younger than you, 8'9 showing respect to anyone that older than you, 8M9 treating your fellows as you would li0e to be treated. 3ind to do all of this for the sole ,ountenance of God, the ,reator to whom belongs the 3a&estic "hrone. , (Cahju Had1il H1j. 3" 88. 8E 6or Bamba. true human freedom is !orshi44in# the Lord alone and conformin# to His rules. but it is not most certainly claimin# theoretical self0determination !hile one is ensla3ed by his basic instincts and by his animal ur#es" (ack to the ources of (am)a/s Nonviolence
    +2

    Ho!e3er. !e cannot #ras4 fully the true si#nificance of this kind of @Muslim non3iolence, ad3ocated by &heikh Ahmadou Bamba unless !e #et back to his o!n intellectual and s4iritual sources. and to some s4ecial circumstances !hich sha4ed durably his !ay of thinkin#" 5he main referrin# sources !hich influenced si#nificantly &heikh Ahmadou Bamba are the /ur01n. the &unnah of the Pro4het (PBH and the teachin#s of the &ufi masters" Kther im4ortant and determinin# factors !hich must be taken into account are the historical back#round the &heikh inherited from his family and from his social milieu. his o!n bio#ra4hy. his 4ersonal tendencies and his indi3idual s4iritual e=4eriences throu#h his mystical relationshi4 !ith the Lord and His Pro4het (PBH " 5o e=4lore e=tensi3ely all these fertile research fields. !e !ould certainly need to study each of them se4arately or in interconnection. to look for clues liable to back u4 his thinkin#" In this instance. !e could try to brin# out koranic 3erses and hadiths s4ecifyin# the 4rere>uisites of le#itimate jihad and their limits" It could be also 3ery interestin# to re3ie! the historical and 4olitical issues raised by the dissensions !ithin Muslim leadershi4 factions after the death of the Pro4het (PBH and their lastin# im4acts in the o3erall 4erce4tion of 4olitical neutral stance. theorized later by some &ufi masters" 9e could like!ise in3esti#ate the historical back#round of &heikh Ahmadou Bamba;s family. throu#h the 3ery old &ene#alese tradition of 4eaceful coe=istence and of 4olitical neutrality bet!een the rulers and some cate#ories of clerical families (*erigne F 005taal to !hich belon#s the linea#e of the &heikh (,f. the book 6i#htin# the <reater *ihad, by Aheikh Anta Babou " In this trend. it !ould be also 3ery edifyin# to e=amine the bio#ra4hical 4ath of &heikh Ahmadou Bamba and its 3arious circumstances. as did. >uite rele3antly. some bio#ra4hers and historians !ho tried to sho! ho! key e3ents that occurred in his life affected his !ay of thinkin#" All of these areas deser3e. of a surety. careful and thorou#h e=amination to sho! ho! their combination contributed decisi3ely to the non3iolent 4hiloso4hy of &heikh Ahmadou Bamba" Ho!e3er.
    +8

    4rior to scrutinizin# the #estation 4rocess of Bamba;s thinkin#. one may be tem4ted to !onder a >uite rele3ant >uestion:considerin# the 3aluable teachin#s of &heikh Ahmadou Bamba about @Muslim non3iolence, and their #reat si#nificance. 4articularly in our !orld today endan#ered by frenzied materialism and indiscriminate e=tremism. ho! is it that serious studies ha3en;t been carried out on this to4ic yetJ

    +F

    %ave ,hree
    ,he Shor comi!(s of ,HE .Shor /Si(h ed0 Scho$arshi1

    Here are a fe! causes !hich could e=4lain. in our 3ie!. this stran#e #a4" 5he Muridiyya has been subject to research 3ery soon and substantial material !as de3oted to this or#anization since the late ED;s" Ho!e3er the bulk of this scholarshi4 focused on 4olitical. social and economic a44roaches. and disre#arded 3ery often its ideolo#ical ori#inal basis ins4ired by the teachin#s of its founder" As noted by the historian Pr" Aheikh Anta Babou. s4ecialist of the Muridiyya and author of @6i#htin# the <reater *ihad? Amadu Bamba and the 6oundin# of the Muridiyya of &ene#al. $78-0$B$-, (Khio %ni3ersity Press ? @<lthough the scholarship on the 3uridiyya has increased considerably, particularly since the mid5L)N(s, this wor0 has mostly focused on the political and economic dimensions of the organi>ation. "hree ma&or trends can be discerned in the literature on the 3urids. *ome scholars have concerned themselves with e?plaining the role of the 3uriddiya as an instrument used by the .olof ethnic group 8the ma&ority of the *enegalese population9 to adapt to French colonial rule. "hese same scholars also have strived to demonstrate how, in the postcolonial era, the 3urid order continued to perform its political
    +E

    function by helping foster a social contract, that mitigated the new rulers lac0 of legitimacy in the eyes of rural masses and provided stability to the *tate < second trend has concentrated on the economy and particularly on 3urid contributions to the e?pansion of the colonial cash crop of peanut... /ther scholars loo0ed at the ways in which the 3urid wor0 ethic and values helped rural disciples shift from agriculture to trading and international migration"he religious dimensions of the 3uridiyya has attracted some scholarly interest, especially among *enegalese and French specialists of 1slam. "hese scholars have e?amined some of <madu Bambas writings to verify the orthodo?y or heterodo?y of 3urid beliefs and the ability of the 3uridiyya to adapt 1slamic concepts and values to the local cultures., Another common factor of most of this scholarshi4 is its ideolo#ical and methodolo#ical biases deri3in# sometimes from its Mar=ist a44roaches. held today as too materialistic by the ne!est scientific trends" Kther biases ori#inate from uns4oken 4olitical concerns and from ne#ati3e clichRs about Islam or e3en from some fashionable racist theories" &uch a dis4ro4ortionate concern o3er material issues. combined !ith certain 4reconce4tions. caused real inade>uacies in e=4lorin# the key research fields !hich are yet essential to understand the ideolo#y of the Muridiyya" 5his !as notably the case re#ardin# the strikin# lack of scholarshi4 on the history of the Muridiyya and of its founder" Because. as noted by Aheikh Babou. @Jespite the relatively abundant body of literature on the 3uridiyya, there is a real dearth of historical scholarship on <madu Bamba and the early formation of the 3urid tari!a ," 5hus. 3ery little !as really kno!n about the historical back#round of the &heikh before his confrontation !ith the colonizers. and fe! !as scarcely in3esti#ated about his family;s history. as !ell as about the main e3ents !hich affected his 4sycholo#y durin# his youth" 5he recent !orks of Pr" Aheikh Anta Babou 4ro3ided essential data to fill this crucial #a4. in confrontin# unta44ed ne! historical material. internal and e=ternal. necessary to understand better the Muridiyya and its founder"
    +7

    Ho!e3er. thou#h #reatly 3aluable and critical. it is our contention that such a ste4 in history is not enou#h in itself to build com4letely the brid#e !hich !ill hel4 us to #et across the ideolo#ical <rand Aanyon du# by decades of o3ersi#ht of &heikh Ahmadou Bamba;s true teachin#s" Because another serious limit of the e=istin# scholarshi4 on the Muridiyya is that 3ery fe! scholars ha3e actually attem4ted to study the numerous writings of &heikh Ahmadou Bamba himself. !hich embody yet the core of his thou#ht and of his attitude. as he asserted himself? @3y writings are my true miracles," 5hus. Babou;s efforts @to render 3urid voices more audible through the e?ploration of sources hitherto inaccessible to scholars of the organi>ation, must necessarily be com4leted by another effort to render the voice of Bamba himself more audible to the e=istin# scholarshi4" And there is no source more entitled to 4lay this role than his o!n !ritin#s. in our 3ie!"

    +B

    -D

    %ave &our
    %orki!( %ri e! mirac$es

    &heikh Ahmadou Bamba is certainly one of the most 4rolific !riter of all Islamic history. as (a3id Robinson !rites, Bamba became one of the most outstanding poets and mystical leaders of the last L(( years.F His 4oems (>asidas . books and corres4ondences. outnumberin# by far one thousand2 and tens of thousands of 3erses and 4rose lines. can be di3ided into these main cate#ories? )2 5heolo#y ("awh#d . *2 Islamic La! (Fi!h . +2 &ufism ("asawwuf . 32 &4iritual education ("arbiyya and literary sciences. 42 Admonitions. 52 Remindin# and in3okin# <od;s Holy Cames (Jhi0r . 62 Praisin# <od (*hu0r . 72 Aall for blessin# u4on the Pro4het (PBH (*al4tu =al4 Oab# . 82 Pane#yric of the Pro4het (3adh . )92 Pleas (Ju=a " In s4ite of his 3ery arduous li3in# conditions. im4osed by his successi3e e=iles (<abon and Mauritania and his house arrests (5hiRySne and (iourbel . the &heikh seemed to ha3e s4ent all his lifetime in !ritin# and in teachin# 4eo4le" 9e can say that !ritin#
    3

    Af" our in3entory of the a3ailable >asidas at !!!"majalis"or#Pchoi=>"4h4" -$

    !as !ith him a kind of second nature" In his numerous 4oems. he continuously re3ealed his feelin#s of the moment. his states of mind. his ideas and thou#hts" His 4en and his sheets !ere the confidants to !hich he !as confessin# all his lo3e for <od. his admiration for the Pro4het (PBH . as !ell as his ho4es. his !eakness and his un!a3erin# faith in the Lord" But !ith Bamba. 4leas are not mere 4leas. 4raise0 4oems for the Pro4het are note mere 4raise04oems:they are acts of !orshi4 and the stairs liftin# him. mystically and intellectually. to!ards the Lord" 5hey con3ey all his 4hiloso4hy of life" 5hus. &heikh Ahmadou Bamba;s !asidas (4oems are the most 3aluable ra! material from !hich !e can e=tract the substratum of his real thou#ht" Kf a certain. the &heikh cannot be re#arded as an @ordinary, 4oet. com4osin# 3erses for the sole sake of artistry and esthetics. or to just relie3e himself of some hardshi4s" He claimed so to be rather a n4>im (an author !ho o4ts to !rite his books in 3erses instead of a sh4ir (an artistic 4oet full of fli44ancy " 5hou#h the >uality of his 4oetic !ork is one of the most outstandin# and most creati3e in all Islamic literary history" 5he &heikh chose to ne3er !rite about themes de3oid of any s4iritual use. because his dee4 con3iction is e3erythin# outside the Lord is doomed to 3anish and to be detrimental on the last day" 5o 4ure theory and ethereal mystical reasonin#. &heikh Ahmadou Bamba 4referred often 4ra#matical teachin#s or 4leas liable to educate his 4eo4le and to lift their s4iritual de#rees" '3en in !ritin# #rammar books (like *ah4datul "ul4b . he could not hel4 usin# e=am4les endo!ed !ith a certain reli#ious use (instead of usin# as an e=am4le @*ohn is !alkin# back home,. he !ould 4refer to say @*ohn is !alkin# fast to the mos>ue. so as to 4ray at the 4rescribed time, " 9e can also noticed that e3en 4articular <od;s names or !ords he used in his 3erses are not chosen at random: all are endo!ed !ith certain subtle si#nificance !e may do not #ras4 at first #lance" 6or instance. he 4rayed in his 4oem 3aw4hibu O4fih (5he 6a3ors of the Beneficient Lord. 3" +8 ? TK LordQU <rant me %4ri#htness. &afe#uard me from blame. <rant me 9orthiness.
    -+

    In the Came of !ho that holds the &tandard 5hou#h bein# a mere 4lea. this 3erse can #i3e a certain idea of Bamba;s 4hiloso4hy of life about !hich books can be !ritten" 5his 3erse im4lies that man cannot attain 4erfect uprightness by his o!n self. unless the Lord hel4s him" And that is such u4ri#htness and honesty !hich can only 4rotect him from (i3ine and 4ublic blame and !hich can. contrari!ise. #rant him real honour and worthiness. And this >uality is !hat #a3e to the Pro4het (PBH his !orthiness and his leadershi4 o3er humankind (embodied by the *tandard " Because such a >uality enabled him to accom4lish his outstandin# !ork. the reason !hy all Muslims ha3e to learn his 3irtues and to take him as a Model" 5he subtle relation of causality bet!een these notions is in itself a com4lete ideolo#y !hich effects can be e=tended to e3ery domain of life and thinkin#" And Bamba;s !ritin#s are full of e=am4les of the kind only thorou#h e=amination can unearth" 5he &heikh had a 3ery s4ecial and rare notion of his !ritin#s. !hich #oes beyond their mere social role and e3en beyond the s4iritual function some earlier &ufi !riters assi#ned their !ritin#s" Because !ritin# !as at the heart of his 0hidma (!ork in the ser3ice of <od and of His Pro4het and the key tool of his s4iritual reform. as he asserted often? @3y writings are my true miracles., @3y writings outshine the other good deeds and surpass all 0inds of spiritual masters., @1 have reawa0ened the writings of the Ooble <ncients so as to benefit :my fellow creatures; for the sole ,ountenance of the Aord ., @1 set myself to composing writings through which every believer, e?cept a 6rophet, can be guided to the Gight 6ath, if God wills., @"han0s to my writings, my Aord lead to the Gight 6ath :whoever -e pleases; .,
    --

    His first bio#ra4her and son. &heikh Muhammad Bachir Mbacke. understood so !ell that &heikh Ahmadou Bamba;s thou#ht is hidin# inside his !ritin#s that. to sho! the 4ro#ress of his s4irituality and of his !ay of thinkin#. he undertook. in his key !ork. to com4are the subtle s!in#s noted throu#h time in his different 4oems and to collate them !ith 4articular historical e3ents of his life" &o !e can safely ar#ue that &heikh Ahmadou Bamba;s >asidas con3ey the core of his thou#ht insofar as. throu#h the methodical analysis of his 4leas. of his ad3ice. of his 4ersonal feelin#s. of his 4raises to the Lord and his Messen#er. !e can 4enetrate his social. ideolo#ical. s4iritual and 4olitical 3ie!s" It is ob3ious that Aheikh Babou has also the merit to include in his historical sources &heikh Ahmadou Bamba;s o!n !orks alon# !ith other Murid internal sources (oral tradition. ha#io#ra4hy. !ritten sources " And Babou felt as !ell the hi#h 4otential of studyin# Bamba;s !ritin#s. !hen he noticed. for instance? @/ther writings, including most of <madu Bambas own wor0s, deal with abstract and esoteric religious and spiritual sub&ects that, at first glance, may seem of not much use to the historian see%ing to document historical e ents. But buried in this sacred literature is precious information that is useful in unearthing what proponents of the <nnales school would call an histoire des mentalitRs 8history of mentalities or states of mind9. Because of their ethical nature, some of Bambas religious writings reveal as much about his *ufi orientation and beliefs as about his perception of the mores and social practices of his time., 5he main 4ro#ress !e ad3ocate. and !hich differentiates our t!o a44roaches. is that &heikh Ahmadou Bamba;s !ritin#s may indeed be used by the historian see0ing to document historical events1 but they must also be fully used as the ori#inal ideological and theoretical basis of the or#anization he foundedH the Muridiyya" &o. Bamba;s !ritin#s are not just useful in #i3in# a better 4icture of his mentalitP" But they are the most reliable reflections of his authentic
    -2

    thou#hts and the ultimate theoretical basis !hich may enable scholars to #ras4 many as4ects of the Muridiyya today" 5hrou#h Bamba;s !ritin#s and the analysis of his life. !e can better 4enetrate the richness of his thinkin# and the beneficial ne! 4ers4ecti3es it offers to the !orld today" 5his im4lies. not just referrin#. !hen needs be. to some 3erses or >uotations considered as suitable to su44lement or to e=4lain 4articular historical. social. economic. or 4olitical facts. as scholars often do" But it entails takin# &heikh Ahmadou Bamba;s entire literary oeu3re as a whole and studyin# it methodically and systematically. confrontin# them !ith other crucial elements. so as to dra! therefrom his true thou#ht" And !e must #enuinely admit that many 4reliminary s4ecific tasks. !hich are necessary to achie3e this objecti3e. ha3en;t been carried out yet to date" The Mysteries of Tou)a and of the Murid La)or Let us #i3e just t!o e=am4les. in addition to non3iolence. !hich can better illustrate the im4ortant 4rinci4le to refer to Bamba;s !ritin#s in order to e=tend the sco4e of the scholarshi4 on the Muridiyya" 5he Muslim %to4ia 5he holy city of 5ouba. founded by &heikh Ahmadou Bamba in $77E and !hich is considered as the e4icenter of the Muridiyya. has al!ays raised many >uestions and aroused much 4assion" &ome e=ternal obser3ers of the Muridiyya and ad3ocates of 6rench re4ublican secularism seem often to be #reatly shocked by 5ouba;s self0 #o3ernment and administrati3e autonomy !hich #i3es it. de facto. the status of Ktat dans lKtat (a state !ithin a state " 5he relationshi4 bet!een the Murids and the &tate. !hich is lar#ely de4endent u4on the su44ort 4ublic authorities 4ro3ide to their urban 4rojects. has also fueled stron# hostilities to!ards the Murids. held as unjustly fa3ored by the 3ote0catchin# &tate and feared by 4oliticians" 5ouba;s administrati3e autonomy is embodied by its 4ro4erty lease (!hich makes it a 4ri3ate domain and its s4ecial le#al status of communautP rurale autonome. in s4ite of its size" Another s4ecificity of 5ouba is the bannin# of 4roducts and beha3iors 4rohibited by Islam or held as
    -8

    contrary to the sacredness of the city:dru#s. alcohol. tobacco. !earin# indecent clothes etc" '3en some other acti3ities !hich are re#arded as >uite normal in the secular or e3en Islamic !orld are 4roscribed in the holy city (des4ite e=istin# resistances :s4orts e3ents. 4ublic entertainment (outside reli#ious #atherin#s etc" &uch a s4ecificity allo!ed the Aali4h to ban all 4olitical #atherin#s !ithin the city and to com4el 4olitical 4arties to mo3e their centers outside. because of the clashes bet!een Murids belon#in# to o44osin# sides" Kther authors >uestioned instead the Islamic orthodo=y of foundin# holy cities outside the Mecca and Medina" 5ouba;s outstandin# de3elo4ment. on an African scale. ranks it today as the second most im4ortant to!n of the country. after (akar (&ene#alese ca4ital . in terms of economic #ro!th. urban 4lannin#. 4o4ulation and accordin# to other indicators" &uch a ra4id #ro!th is all the more strikin# since 5ouba is self0mana#ed by the Murids themsel3es (!ith the hel4 of the &tate and since it !as founded juts one century a#o. unlike the country;s other bi# to!ns !hich are far older" As for Murids. they hold 5ouba (!hich name ori#inates. in Islamic tradition. from the 5ree of Paradise and !hich a44eared once in the /ur01n =iii" +B as a 3ery s4ecial 4lace endo!ed !ith Bara0a (blessin#s . a (i3ine #ift to *erigne "ouba (the @Master of 5ouba,. the 4o4ular name of &heikh Ahmadou Bamba . a holy city !hich is s4iritually different from other 4laces and !here they ho4e lo li3e and to brin# about the 6a3ors 4romised by the Lord:in short the Murid Promised Land" &uch an ideal 3ie! of 5ouba. confronted !ith 4rosaic urban difficulties common to all #reat to!ns of the 5hird 9orld (health issues. shorta#e of some urban facilities. delin>uency and so on . has al!ays 4roduced a certain #a4 bet!een this idyllic model and reality" &ome local medias e=4loit often such a discre4ancy in usin# any ne!s in brief or scandal re#ardin# 5ouba as their fa3orite headlines:e3en a horse cart accident in 5ouba is liable to be a scoo4 for #ossi4 columns and breakin# ne!sQ 9hich shocks dee4ly Murids and arouses sometimes fierce debates on the radio" 6or many Murids ha3e an inclusi3e faith !hich can really not discriminate material necessities from s4iritual objecti3es" &ome of them e3en misconcei3e
    -F

    Bamba;s 3ision and ha3e come to think that li3in# in 5ouba is enou#h to benefit from its Bara0a (blessin#s H !hich leads them at times to be heedless to!ards Islamic basic teachin#s and to betray. in so doin#. the foundin# 3ision of the holy city" 9hich leads us to ask these serious >uestions:Is 5ouba a Muslim %to4iaJ 9hat !as really its foundin# 4rojectJ 9hen &heikh Ahmadou Bamba 4rayed the Lord in his famous 4oem entitled 3atlabul Faw>ayni (In /uest for Bliss in this 9orld and in the Hereafter . de3oted to the holy city of 5ouba. one may find out throu#h his 4leas ho! he concei3ed the model of 4erfect society to !hich he in3ites his disci4les and all humankind" 5he objecti3es set by the &heikh in 3atlabul Faw>ayni ha3e al!ays been the Aharter and the feuille de route of the successi3e Murid cali4hs and of the disci4les. !ho made e3ery efforts to brin# about in 5ouba the 4leas of its founder" 5his ideolo#ical dimension of &heikh Ahmadou Bamba;s !ritin#s did not esca4e some scholars as Babou. !ho !rote? @<ll these pro&ects and ideas :about "ouba; were enshrined in Matlabul 6a!zayni. a short poem of supplications :Bamba; composed soon after discovering the land of "ouba@ the 3urids see this wor0 as a sort of constitution for the holy city. 1n the poem, Bamba prayed, @T<odU make of 5ouba a 4lace of kno!led#e. faith and mercy", -e also wrote, @TLordU make of my home V a crucible for the flourishin# of TIslamicU ideas and thinkin#,. and he begged that God would pour wealth and blessings on the village and protect its inhabitants", Another scholar of the Muridiyya. Aheikh <uSye. !rote in this same instance. @"oubas economic attractiveness has also ideological grounds drawn from *hei0h <hmadou Bambas poem entitled Matlabul 6a!zayni. in which he prayed for wealth in times of hardships,. for @Gods help,. and for easeF in "ouba., In fact. to understand fully the s4iritual 4roject desi#ned by &heikh Ahmadou Bamba throu#h the conce4t of 5ouba. !e must refer to this >asida and to other !ritin#s" 9e could see in the 4reamble of
    -E

    3atlabul Faw>ayni ho! the &heikh refers directly to the /ur01n (notably Abraham;s 4leas for the Mecca and other similar 3erses and to the #eneral Islamic 4rinci4les re#ardin# holy 4laces !here reli#ion should constitute the nucleus and !here Muslims !ould find all s4iritual and material conditions fa3orable to !orshi4" 5his means that the scholars !illin# to unra3el 5ouba;s strikin# s4ecificities throu#h its ideolo#ical basis are in3ited to #o back to the /ur01n" Because Bamba;s 3ision !as basically ins4ired by the Holy Book. throu#h Abraham;s 4leas for a city (the Mecca de3oted to !orshi44in# <od and !hich he !ished to be a 3ery easy0li3in# 4lace for his heirs and all belie3ers? @Gemember .e made the -ouse a place of assembly for men and a #lace of safety@ and ta0e ye the station of <braham as a #lace of #rayer@ and .e covenanted with <braham and 1sma=il, that they should sanctify 3y -ouse for those who compass it round, or use it. <nd remember <braham saidD @3y Aord, ma0e this a &ity of "eace, and feed its #eo#le with fruits,5such of them as believe in God and the Aast Jay.B <nd remember <braham and 1sma=il raised the foundations of the -ouse 8with this prayer9D @/ur AordE <ccept 8this service9 from usD For "hou art the <ll5-earing, the <ll50nowing. /ur AordE ma0e of us 3uslims, bowing to "hy 8.ill9, and of our #rogeny a people 3uslim, bowing to "hy 8will9@ and show us our #lace for the celebration of 8due9 rites@ and turn unto us 8in 3ercy9@ for "hou art the /ft5Geturning, 3ost 3erciful<nd this was the legacy that <braham left to his sons, and so did $acob@ @/h my sonsE God hath chosen the Faith for you@ then die not e?cept in the Faith of Islam., (/ur01n ii"$+80$-+ Bamba;s reference to Abraham;s 4leas is >uite conform to his ideolo#ical immersion in the Holy &cri4tures !hich leads him to fre>uently use !ords and conce4ts taken from the 3ery terminolo#y of the /ur01n and the hadiths" His constant readin# of the /ur01n he held in an unusual re#ard. and his uni>ue s4iritual understandin# of its 3erses. are 3aluable clues for scholars of the Muridiyya to #et back to the holy Book so as to better 4enetrate his 3ision"
    -7

    &o. accordin# to &heikh Ahmadou Bamba;s s4iritual 4ers4ecti3e. 5ouba 4roject is not intended to re4lace or to du4licate literally. in verbatim and in e?tenso. the Muslim Holy Places. as assumed by some !riters !ho doubted the orthodo=y of foundin# holy cities outside the Mecca and Medina" 5he conce4t of 5ouba is >uite conform to <od;s 4romise to establish firmly to the land His ser3ants !ho intend to !orshi4 him duly? @8"hey are9 those who, if .e establish them in the land, establish regular prayer and give regular charity, en&oin the right and forbid wrongD with God rests the end 8and decision9 of 8all9 affairs., (/ur01n ==ii"2$ 5hus. 5ouba is not su44osed to be the hea3enly 4lace on earth and the idyllic city !here all material difficulties are totally i#nored. or a 4arallel (reamland !here all and e3erythin# !ould be 4erfect. as assumed erroneously by some Murid disci4les" 6or the &heikh. 5ouba is a conce4t and a 4lace !here the Lord has 4oured His Bara0a (blessin#s . a 4arcel of land !hich must be de3oted to !orshi44in#" 5he reason !hy he said? @"he reason why "ouba and Jarou *alam 8another village near "ouba he founded9 are dearer to me than the other places 1 founded is the purity of the intention which led me unto founding them. 1ndeed 1 did not settle there in following some ancestor or in see0ing for lands propitious to farming or pasturage. 1 founded these places with the sole aim to worship God, the /ne, and to gain -is *atisfaction, by -is Aeave., 5he &heikh founded 5ouba in a 3ery hostile 4lace" He setlled in the !ilderness and in a inhos4itable land lackin# in !ater !here no one could li3e unless he !as absolutely con3inced in the absolute Po!er of <od to brin# him there all kinds of fa3ors by His 9ill and by His <race to 4our do!n Bara0a (blessin#s !here3er He 4leases " 6or Bamba. 5ouba is a 3ision of society. a s4iritual life 4lan !hich should be 4ro#ressi3ely carried out by his s4iritual heirs and
    -B

    disci4les to the best of their abilities and as far as their material conditions allo!:4rayer is a dynamic 4rocess. not necessarily a static outcome" 5ouba is not certainly the %to4ia of 5homas More or Plato;s Re4ublic. !here <od is not the foundin# element" And the Murid community are not certainly 'l (orado. or le meilleur des mondes possibles. !here all are su44osed to be morally 4erfect and kind" Murids ha3e also to recall that Bara0a is not Paradise on earth. because e3en the Islamic holy 4laces ha3e often e=4erienced material difficulties and serious setbacks of all kinds in their histories" In s4ite of Abraham;s 4leas and Makka;s holiness for all Muslims. the Ka;ba has been yet the heart of idolatry and of #i3in# 4artners to <od (shir0 for centuries before the Aomin# of Muhammad (PBH " Althou#h the Lord teaches us in the /ur01n (=3ii"$ that @He has blessed the 4recincts, of the 3as&idul <!sa (Mos>ue of *erusalem . this 4lace ha3e been tra#ically burnt in $BFB and much Muslim blood has been shed in its @4recincts, since many years" A blessed 4lace. com4ared to other 4laces. is just like a 3illa#e enou#h fortunate to ha3e a ri3er flo!in# in its 4recincts. com4ared to other 3illa#es !here 4eo4le are daily com4elled to !alk for many hours to >uench their thirst" 5hou#h it is easier to #et !ater in such a fa3ored 3illa#e. its inhabitants mi#ht ne3er take ad3anta#e of their 4ri3iled#e if they s4end their time thro!in# !aste in the ri3er so as to 4ollute it and to make it unusable for a !hile" It is neither of use li3in# there !ithout #oin# to the ri3er and dra!in# !ater from there. as the &heikh !arned idle belie3ers in 3as4li0D" @.ellE 1n what use may be a sic0le to a hungry person who consents not to go to the fields and to weed thereinQ / Jear FriendE 1s it useful to a thirsty man to have in his possession a rope and a buc0le as long as he will be reluctant to go to the well and to draw water therefromQ .ilt thou be e?empted from the /bligation of 6ilgrimage &ust because of thy having sold some provisions to a pilgrimQ Joes it suffice 5 o my BrotherE 5 to always perform ablutions without ever prayingQ, (Mas1lik. 3" 7-$07-2 Indeed. Islamic orthodo=y has sufficiently tau#ht Muslims that claimin# our theoretical linka#e to a blessed 4erson or 4lace !ill be of
    2D

    no use as lon# as !e consent not to com4ly our deeds !ith the 4rinci4les of such a relationshi4" As !arned this ans!er of the Lord to another 4lea of Abraham about his offs4rin#? @<nd remember that <braham was tried by his Aord with certain commands, which he fulfilledD -e saidD @1 will ma0e thee an 1mam to the Oations., -e pleadedD @<nd also 81mams9 from my offspringE, -e answeredD @But 3y 6romise is not within the reach of evil5doers., (/ur01n ii"$+2 Bara0a can be defined as an unusual $ositive $otential #ranted by the Lord to !hate3er and !home3er He 4leases. and !hich is ready to entail benefit in the easyiest !ays to all !ho 4urify their hearts and sho! #enuine intention to take ad3anta#e of such a (i3ine <race. throu#h the rules and limits allo!ed by <od" Its o44osite is (i3ine curse and disa44ro3al. !hich is a ne#ati3e 4otential ready to harm all !ho sho! intention to misbeha3e" Murids must also kno! that breakin# ne!s about horse carts accidents in 5ouba or about a Murid robber cau#ht in /0as market is neither a tra#ic melodrama nor a si#n of failure of Bamba;s initial 4roject" 5hey just recall that 5ouba has no! become a bi# metro4olis. !ith a meltin# 4ot from different horizons and social back#rounds" 5oo many banks in 5ouba is not a si#n of secularism" As lon# as Murids !ill make far more efforts to build as many modern uni3ersities and mos>ues. or if they 4ro4ose s4ecific Islamic financial system likely to take into account the le#al 4rinci4le of riba. Murids must remember that. like other modern to!ns. 5ouba is o4en to all (#ood and bad effects of #lobalization. and that the challen#e must al!ays remain to 4re3ent this @in3asion, to alter for #ood the initial 4roject" Kf course. there has been and there !ould al!ays be difficulties and im4erfections in buildin# 5ouba. as it !as and so is still the case of Islamic holy cities mentioned in the /ur01n" 5here !ould still be misbeha3iors and misconce4tions amon# Murids" But !hat must stay 4ermanent is the 4rocess of its founding pro&ect to build 4ro#ressi3ely. throu#hout the numerous obstacles and setbacks of
    2$

    material !orld. brick by brick. mos>ue by mos>ue. school by school. a land for Islam in Africa" 5he Key of Murid -immah Another meanin#ful case !hich sho!s the rele3ance to refer to Murid internal literary sources. to better understand their ideolo#y and beha3iors. is !hat !e call the @Mystery of the Murid labor 4hiloso4hy," Actually. many scholars ha3e al!ays been 4uzzled by the Murid conce4tion of !ork and the 4rominence they accord to labor and 4roducin# !ealth for their community" Much has been said and !ritten about this >uestion. indeed" Many scholars e=4lained Murids; zeal for !ork as a result of the so0called @sanctifyin# 3irtue of !ork, !hich @is considered as e>ui3alent to 4rayers by the Murids," Accordin# to this 4re3ailin# scholarly theory. such a !ork0e>uals0 4rayer doctrine has been built by &heikh Ahmadou Bamba himself and other Murid sheikhs to abuse their disci4les; credulity. in 4romisin# them 4aradise in return for their labor and !ealthH in short. a ne! African 3ersion of man;s e=4loitation of his fello! man and a local form of @the Muridiyya as the o4ium of the 4eo4le," Kther students of the Muridiyya ha3e tried to #o a bit further than this hard0materialist 4ers4ecti3e and ha3e 4ro4osed a44roaches stressin# more on doctrinal and 4sycholo#ical elements" Like the symbolic si#nificance of !ork for Murid disci4les to e=4ress their membershi4 to the or#anization. or their faith in the !ould0be @redeemin# 4o!er of !ork, Murid doctrine !ould share !ith 4rotestant !ork ethic" Besides. most scholars of the Muridiyya sho!ed blatant #a4s in their kno!led#e of Bamba;s !ritin#s throu#h the t!o !ell0kno!n and !idely >uoted sayin#s mistakenly attributed to Bamba by almost all of them. althou#h their bein# (contro3ersial traditions of the Pro4het (PBH H @.or0 is a mean of worshipping God, and @.or0 as if you will never leave this world and pray as if you 0now you will die tomorrow," (es4ite the si#nificance of these ma=ims. such a lon#0lastin# scholarly mistake. taken u4 by almost all !ho !rote about the Murid doctrine of !ork 0 and e3en by some Murid scholars 0 is assuredly an interestin# e3idence of the lack of direct e=amination
    2+

    of Bamba;s !ritin#s !e are concerned about" Moreo3er. if really such sayin#s !ere fully and directly effecti3e !ith the Murids. they should then refer o4enly to them fre>uently. !hich is not actually the case (e=ce4t some modern lecturers !ho >uote them !ithout 4rior checkin# " Moreo3er. seein# that all Muslims are sharin# these hadiths. !e should lo#ically notice the same !ork doctrine !ithin many other Muslim communities" 5he Murid labor mystery dee4ens !hen one realizes that. althou#h Bamba ha44ened to allude here and there to formal !ork in some of his !ritin#s. !e cannot notice an unusual em4hasis on its im4ortance. in com4arison to other themes" At least to such an e=tent that it may e=4lain alone Murids; !orkin# dynamism" 5he &heikh refers to !ork in his books often !hen incitin# Muslims to seek for licit means of li3in#. in accordance !ith Islamic orthodo=y and the &unnah of the Pro4het (PBH " Besides. the ascetic &ufi conce4tion of life. tendin# to de4reciate !orldly acti3ities in fa3or of formal !orshi4 and contem4lation. may seem some!hat contradictory to Murids; economic commitment" In analyzin# all 4re3ious scholarly inter4retations in such an interestin# issue. Aheikh Anta Babou brou#ht in a44ositely ne! essential doctrinal conce4ts referrin# to !ork and used by the &heikh himself in his !ritin#s:like 0hidma (!ork for the benefit of others and for the sake of #odly re!ards . amal and 0asb (labor or earnin# one;s li3in#. !hich are reli#iously si#nificant. and become 0hidma, only !hen they ser3e ultimately #odly 4ur4oses " 5his central 4rinci4le of %hidma may be considered. in our 3ie!. as the !orshi44in# brid#e !hich links this 4resent !orld and the Hereafter" &ince. as the Lord;s 3ice#erent (0halifa on earth. man has been entrusted the mission to build 4ro4erly this !orld in order to make it a 4lace most 4ro4itious to !orshi4 and to 4re4are for 6uture Life" As im4lied by these 3erses? @<nd there are men who sayD B/ur AordE Give us good in this world and good in the -ereafter, and defend us from the torment of the FireE, (/ur01n ii"+D$
    2-

    @But see0, with the 8wealth9 which God has bestowed on thee, the -ome of the -ereafter, nor forget thy portion in this world., (/ur01n ==3iii"EE In makin# such an interestin# breach to all the 4re3ious scholarshi4 on this >uestion and in su##estin# other ideolo#ical 3ie!4oints. Babou sho!ed ho! it can be far fruitful to bore the lon#0 o3erlooked !ells of &heikh Ahmadou Bamba;s o!n !ritin#s" 6urthermore. Babou;s contention is lar#ely backed by Murids; fre>uent references to the central notion of 0hidma. they translate in 9olof by ligPeyal *erigne "ouba (literally @!orkin# for Bamba, . %hidma has also the same le=ico#ra4hical root than 0h4dimu Gas+li A4h (the &er3ant of <od;s Pro4het . the s4iritual title claimed by Bamba and !hich is central in his !ork" 9e !ill not need further 4ersuadin# to ste4 cheerfully into this fresh breach and to introduce another im4ortant conce4t taken from Bamba;s !ritin#s as !ell and liable to clear u4 more the Murid labor @mystery,:'immah or 6astPef in 9olof" If !e refer to another bio#ra4hy of &heikh Ahmadou Bamba. called 1rwa5u Oadim (/uenchin# the 5hirst of the &4iritual <uests . !ritten by &heikh Muhammad Lamine (io4 (a#ana. a bio#ra4her and disci4le of the &heikh. !e can read these interestin# e=tracts relatin# to the circumstances of the foundin# of the Muridiyya? @/ne of our elder 3urid shei0hs 5 a very reliable witness 5 reported to me that *hei0h <hmadou Bamba related him that the 6rophet ordered him :mystically;D Henceforth. educate (tarbiyya your com4anions (ashaaba0a throu#h 'immah (constant determination in !orshi4 but do not educate them throu#h theoretical teachin# alone", :"his historic order mar0ed the founding of the 3uridiyya in the village of 3bac0e ,ayor, because when the *hei0h made clear this new educational direction in the school he inherited from his father, a large group of his students chose to leave him then and to see0 for other teachers, while others accepted to stay and to follow him;. "hen the *hei0h urged all his disciples to see0 for Gods *atisfaction, in teaching them how to bear patiently
    22

    hunger, to perform numerous acts of Khidma, to invo0e fre!uently the Aord 8Jhi0r9,and to always stay in perfect purity 810hlas9. 3urid disciples soon surpassed all their peers because they dedicated their entire lives and all their goods in !uest for Gods *atisfaction. :1n accordance with this verse;D @God hath purchased of the believers their persons and their goods@ for theirs 8in return9 is the garden 8of 6aradise9, (/ur01n i="$$$ , 5his ne! conce4t of Himmah. referred to by the &heikh. on the e3e of foundin# the Muridiyya. is assuredly !orth of a certain e=amination. e3en thou#h !e ne3er ha44ened to come across it in the e=istin# scholarshi4 on this or#anization" -immah. !hich may be translated as @clear0si#hted and un!a3erin# resol3e in seekin# <od;s &atisfaction. throu#h any la!ful thin# in the uni3erse,. is the s4iritual turnin# 4oint Muridiyya brou#ht alon# in the historical 4ath of Islam in &ene#al" Althou#h this conce4t (!hich is also translated by @constant s4iritual ambition, has al!ays been im4licitly at !ork in the messa#e of Islam and e3en if it has been mentioned by fe! &ufi masters. this notion had not been 4re3iously brou#ht to the fore in circumstances alike" It is e=actly the same case. !e can say. !ith other im4ortant s4iritual conce4ts !hich !ere in the latent state throu#h the messa#e of Islam and &ufism" &uch conce4ts ha3e been revived and updated throu#h different 4ers4ecti3es by &heikh Ahmadou Bamba" *ust to mention. as edifyin# cases. %hidma (&er3ice to humankind , daara5tarbiyya (educational and !orkin# school , non3iolent &ihad (!hich basic and !ider meanin# is @efforts, made in <od;s Path , Islamic holy city, -adiyya (4ious #ifts etc" 5his seems to be the core of the mission of s4iritual Rene!al (ta&d#d Bamba undertookH the semantic u4date of many s4iritual key conce4ts. for social and reli#ious chan#e and 4ro#ress" &o. Bamba;s ultimate 4ur4ose seems not to be really creating ne! 4rinci4les and conce4ts. but rather reviving and renewing e=istin# Muslim key 4rinci4les he found de4reciated to achie3e social and s4iritual e3olution" Practice has sho!n that the full si#nificances and social sco4es Bamba #a3e to many Islamic traditional conce4ts !ere far richer than !hat many Muslim masters im4lied in the 4ast" Althou#h all !ere usin# the same terminolo#y. their meanin#s and sco4es !ere >uite unlike:indeed.
    28

    s4irituality and reasonin# are often de4endent on indi3idual e=4erience" 5hence. !e ar#ue that -immah !as the 4o!erful le3er !hich started u4 the Murid @>uiet re3olution, in &ene#al" Because. once the &heikh succeeded to instill keen sense of -immah in his disci4les. usin# as tools Jaara5tarbiya (educatin# schools , %hidma, Jhi0r, lo3e and confidence in their s4iritual masters. mystical certainty in Bamba;s (i3ine 6a3ors and so on. Murid disci4les learnt to sho! hi#h resol3e and !ill4o!er throu#h !hate3er thin# they undertake" 5hey also learnt to see the 4ossibility to obtain <od;s &atisfaction throu#h anythin# la!ful and liable to benefit the Aause of Islam and their fello! creatures" Bamba;s notions of -immah and %hidma enabled Murids to take !orshi44in# <od out of the Mos,ues alone. and out of formal 4ractices and 4ure litur#y. and to e=4and the sco4e of reli#ion in &ene#al to the 'ity itself and to all social and economic daily acti3ities (!ork. urban 4rojects. mi#ration. lan#ua#e. stron# cultural identity etc" Murids. !ho usually translate Himmah by 6astPef in 9olof. ha3e al!ays held this 4rinci4le as the to40ranked 3alue !hich allo!ed them to undertake and to finish major community 4rojects on their o!n (railroad buildin#. 5ouba;s 4rojects. farmin#. schools. mi#ration . to face manifold social obstacles and to rise to the to4 of &ene#alese social scale" &o -immah. %hidma and lo3e for the &heikh (bRgg *erigne "ouba may be re#arded as the true keys of the @Murid Labor Mystery," 5hey enable us to better understand the ideolo#ical #round of the Murid conce4tion of !ork. in s4ite of the hardly noticeable concern about @formal !ork, in Bamba;s !ritin#s" It seems also note!orthy that it !as essentially this same 4rinci4le of -immah (unfailin# resol3e in ac>uirin# <od;s &atisfaction !hich ha3e enabled the Pro4het (PBH and his com$anions (ashaaba in their times to raise the 9ord of Islam o3er idolatry and i#norance" 9e may learn. throu#h the history of the first Muslims. that they !ere also entirely committed to 0hidma for the Messen#er (PBH 0 they !ere holdin# as their master O throu#h all their acti3ities to establish firmly Islam:stru##les. buildin# mos>ues by their o!ns. solidarity and manifold sublime sacrifices in the Holy Path"
    2F

    6urthermore. the term @ashaaba0a, (your com$anions or your disci4les used by the &heikh in referrin# to the order #i3en to him by the Pro4het (PBH is si#nificant inasmuch as it may e=4lain !hy the &heikh concei3ed his mission as a re3i3al of the ori#inal Messa#e of Islam #i3en to Muhammad (PBH " Because the Aom4anions themsel3es !ere not tau#ht fi#htin# on <od;s Path throu#h theoretical te=tbooks alone by the illiterate Messen#er (PBH . they !ere also educated throu#h the same tool of -immah" 5his may e=4lain !hy Bamba ne3er ceased to 4oint out the Pro4het;s com$anions to his disci4les. so that his disci4les may take them as models" @(y wish is to renew the "ure )radition (*unnah) of the Elected (essenger ,. he !as claimin#" In fact. the Messen#er (PBH tau#ht his &er3ant and disci4le (Bamba the same educatin# method he !as tau#ht by <od Himself and throu#h !hich he trained his com4anions in the 4ast" &o. !e cannot understand Bamba;s 4hiloso4hy unless !e study the 4hiloso4hy and the bio#ra4hy of the Pro4het Muhammad he took as his absolute model" Another >uestion !hich is hinted at by the materialistic inter4retation of Murid !ork doctrine by the scholars is the !ell0 kno!n @e=4loitation of Murid disci4les, throu#h labor and the #i3in# of haddiyya (4ious #ifts to their leaders" (es4ite some black or lost shee4 amon# Murid leadershi4 (as it is the case in all communities !ho do not abide by the theoretical conditions of use of Murids; donations. and !ho s4end them for indi3idual interests. the 4rinci4le of 4ersonal contributions to the community 4rojects remains hi#hly 3alid and constitutes an im4ortant 4illar to the materialization of &heikh Ahmadou Bamba;s 3ision" '3erythin# !hich has been built by Murid leaders (mos>ues. schools. farms. infrastructures in 5ouba. su44ortin# the needy etc" !as funded by indi3idual donations of the disci4les and 4ersonal contributions of the leaders themsel3es" 5he true function of haddiyya is contributin# to the 4ro#ress of faith in financin# reli#ious acti3ities and 4rojects. and obtainin# blessin#s from <odly 4ersons !ho ha3e committed themsel3es in such
    2E

    acti3ities" As im4lied by this reli#ious ma=im reminded by the &heikh in 3as4li0? N.hosoever helps who that is see0ing for 0nowledge, in his aim or in any of his worldly affairs, will share with him aught he might be imparted as a reward. $ust the way any such that 0nowingly sells a sword to a brigand should be involved in the crimes perpetrated by this one., (3" $EB0$7D A cursory sur3ey may sho! that most Murid leaders are su44ortin# many 4eo4le (needy or kins . !ho are 4artially or totally de4endent on them" (es4ite effects of #lobal #ro!in# indi3idualism. Murids (as other &ene#alese communities ha3e al!ays culti3ated a certain tradition of solidarity !ithin their community" Indeed. the fact that some ta= ins4ectors may embezzle and break the measures arran#ed to collect and to transfer the amounts recei3ed from ta=4ayers does not >uestion the 3alidity of 4ayin# ta=es" Moreo3er. an interestin# >uestion one may !onder. in this instance. is:if Murid disci4les are really economically e=4loited and decei3ed (in com4arison !ith other &ene#alese communities . ho! is it that they are today amon# the richer businessmen of the country. es4ecially if one recalls that Murid disci4les !ere ranked at the bottom le3el of the social and economic &ene#alese scale in the 4astJ The lave and the ervant 5he -immah 5 %hidma 4aradi#m theorized by the &heikh im4lies an interestin# 4hiloso4hical 4ers4ecti3e !hich !arrants certain e=amination" 5he s4iritual title &heikh Ahmadou Bamba !as mystically #i3en and !hich he claimed continually throu#h his >asidas is @<bdu A4hi wa %h4dimu Gas+lih#, (5he u)2ect (literally @the sla3e, of <od and the ervant of His Pro4het " 5he 3ocable %h4dim (ser3ant . deri3in# from %hidma (ser3ice or !ork in <od;s Path . !as a s4iritual title hitherto unkno!n in the history of &ufism" And it seems to embody much si#nificance in Bamba;s ideolo#y. as !ell as the !ord <bd (subject or sla3e of <od !hich is central in Islam. as unanimously sho!n by all Islamic references"
    27

    But. in addition to 4ure orthodo= moti3ations. !e may find fe! other symbolic meanin#s im4lied by such t!o conce4ts" 9hen &heikh Ahmadou Bamba !as born. in the middle of the nineteenth century. Black African Muslims !ere subjected to t!o major domination systems threatenin# their li3es and faiths:the traditional domination system and the colonial domination system8" 5he first one !as based on the absolute 4o!er of royal classes (allied sometimes !ith other hi#h classes o3er the common 4eo4le. !hich led Black kin#s to contribute si#nificantly to the slave trade. in e=chan#in# many of their sub&ects for alcohol. arms and other #oods" '3en after the official abolition of sla3ery in $727 (Bamba !as born just se3en years after . kin#s !ent on im4osin# their rule and !ill to the masses. throu#h sudden raids. ne3er0endin# battles. unfair re>uisitionin# and other ini>uitous measures" Many. e3en !ithin the Muslim leadershi4 and the clerics. !ere com4elled to acce4t such an unfair he#emony. either in bearin# humbly kin#s; e=cesses or in becomin# their allies" In denyin# any form of subjection. e=ce4t <od;s su4reme and e=clusi3e domination (im4lied by <bdu A4h:subject of <od alone . &heikh Ahmadou Bamba !as denouncin# some!hat this alienatin# system and he had the o44ortunity to sho! his o4en disa44ro3al in se3eral circumstances" &o. !hen he !as in3ited to take o3er his dead father;s 4osition as ad3iser of kin# Lat0(ior. Bamba 4ublicly turned do!n the offer and !rote after!ards. in res4onse to 4eo4le !ho !ere blamin# him. a famous 4oem called 1r0an (Lean thou ? @"hey told me@ @Lean thou to!ard the doors of the kin#s so as to #ain enou#h !ealth that !ill suffice thee for aye",
    I am indebted to my dear friend Pr" <alaye Cdiaye. a Murid scholar teachin# theolo#y and 4hiloso4hy in Brussels. for ha3in# attracted my attention to this ori#inal duality" My fre>uent e=chan#es !ith my other Murid collea#ues !ere also 3ery hel4ful to inte#rate all their 3arious scholarly waves and upstream critics in this /cean? &" Aheikhouna A" 9adud. &" &am Bousso. &" Khadim Cdiaye. &" Khadim Lo. &" Mourtada 6all. &" Alioune AissR. my little brother A" Khadre Ba. &" Abdoulaye (io4 &am. &" Issa (anfan etc" 2B
    4

    @<od suffices meB, 1 retorted, BI do content myself !ith HIM and nau#ht satisfies me but knowledge and worshi$", 1 fear nothing but my "rue %1OG and 1 put my hope in -im alone, for -e is the 3a&estic A/GJ who is able to ma0e me rich and to save me -ow could 1 entrust my affairs to such people that are not even capable of managing their own, li0e the poorest creaturesQ .hatE -ow the lust for wealth could drive me unto fre!uenting such people whose palaces are *atan=s gardensQ, In claimin# the de#ree of <bdu A4h (&ubject of <od . Bamba sho!ed his stron# !ill to reco#nize alone in his heart the Lord as his true Master:!hich is the true feature of #enuine Sbudiyya (ser3in# only <od " Besides. it is note!orthy that. e3en in this early a#e. the &heikh had already his kno!led#e0and0!orshi4 ideolo#y" As for the second domination system Black Africans !ere under#oin# 0 colonial im$erialism !hich had re4laced sla3ery in fact 0 its main objecti3es !ere e=4loitin# the natural resources of the con>uered countries and usin# the wor0 force of their inhabitants" Aolonies and Black nati3es !ere su44osed then to be at the service of 9estern countries and of colonizers throu#h the la!s about forced ci3il !ork (travail forcP and many other coerci3e and de4reciatin# rules" 6urthermore. 6rench style of colonization. contrary to British form. !as characterized by its aim to ada4t nati3es sub&ects to 9estern culture and to enslave them intellectually. throu#h their 3arious assimilation 4olicies and evangeli>ation cam4ai#ns carried on by conni3in# Ahristian missionaries" In ad3ocatin# his status of %h4dimu Gas+l (&er3ant of the Pro4het alone . &heikh Ahmadou Bamba some!hat rejected clearly these 4olicies as !ell and set himself to stren#then Islam. the messa#e of the Pro4het (PBH he ackno!led#ed as his only s4iritual and intellectual master" 5hus. all his !orks !ere intended to re3i3e and to
    8D

    rene! the mission and the 4rinci4les tau#ht by Muhammad in the hearts of his fello! nati3es and to shield their s4irits and their hearts from inferiority com4le= and self0ensla3ement" Bamba criticized the intellectual ensla3ement of his fello! nati3es in such terms? @:Blac0 natives; who are misguided and ignorant thin0 that :.estern rulers; are superior and endowed with natural supremacy. *uch fools are actually holding them as the overlords of the Ooble *aints*uch insane fol0 set themselves to imitate them, through dissoluteness, disloyalty and other immoral vices" /ut of fear for their :masters;, some of them have come to forget God and -is 6rophet "hey are actually convinced that *upreme 6ower 8ha!la9 and *trength 8>u!!ata9 are their sole privileges. <lthough 6ower and *trength belong to our Aord alone"here are among :natives <fricans; who are literally ran0ing :the coloni>ers; among the <ngels of the 3ost Gracious AordE.../ ye my peopleE <wa0en ye from inebriation of sleepE, (Ilh1mu &al1m. 3" $8. 6rom this ne! 4hiloso4hical 4ers4ecti3e. %hidma can be considered as the key tool throu#h !hich Bamba intended to re3i3e Islam in the hearts of all the members of Muhammad;s Aommunity (Smmah and to !ork in the material !orld so as to rebuild the true and s4iritual Cation of Islam" Bamba summed u4 his attitude to!ards these t!o alienatin# systems in this strikin# 3erseH @1 content myself with God, out of all other masters. <nd 1 content myself with the 6rophet, out of all other intermediaries., 9e are allo!ed then to think that these follo!in# s4iritual dialectics are >uite e>ui3alent for &heikh Ahmadou Bamba (as they a44ear in his !ritin#s and that they just differentiate in their o4erational and conce4tual de#rees?

    0-immah5%hidma

    ((etermination to attain .od/s &atisfaction W &er3ice of the &ro$het

    0<bdul0%hadim (&ubject of .od W &er3ant of the &ro$het


    8$

    0Aom4liance !ith -a!i!a (Internal realities and la!s W *haria


    (34ternal realities and la!s

    0Batin5Tahir (Inner considerations W outward considerations 0"awa0ul0%asb (In!ard reliance to .od W usin# rational means in
    accordance !ith the &unnah of the &ro$het

    0God and -is 6rophet" 5his last dialectics reminds !hy Muhammad
    (PBH is so im4ortant in the &ufi conce4tion. as the &ymbol par e?cellence of the (i3ine Mercy (Gahmatun lil <lamin and the <ate throu#h !hich the Lord ordains to deal !ith His creation" Indeed. here is assuredly a solid #round to better understand the outstandin# si#nificance of the Pro4het (PBH in all &heikh Ahmadou Bamba;s life and !ork. and his matchless lo3e for him"

    01lm5"a!w4 (knowledge W fearin# <od or worshi$ " 9e can also

    better a44reciate here and ha3e a ne! 4ers4ecti3e of the double title <bdul0%hadim the &heikh used in a 4re3ious 3erse in !hich he e=4lained the true nature of his jihad? @1 am waging my $ihad through Knowledge and Fearing the Lord, as a sub&ect of God 8+bdun9 and the servant of -is 6rophet 8Khadim9@ and the Aord who oversees everything may assuredly bear witness thereof.,

    9e may infer throu#h this last dialectics that the 4ur4ose of his s4iritual jihad !as to make Islam 4ro#ress in fi#htin# the t!o alienatin# systems" &uch a stru##le !as made by Bamba throu#h the t!o !ea4ons that areH ($ fosterin# true and useful knowledge in himself and in his 4eo4le and (+ 4uttin# such a kno!led#e in #enuine 4ractice (worshi$ for the sole sake of <od" 5his seems to im4ly. in Bamba;s conce4tion. that any !ho achie3e not such de#rees of <bdul0%hadim could ne3er carry on the kind of successful non3iolent stru##le he !as !a#in#" It ensues from this 3ision the fact
    8+

    that Muslims @acti3ists, should first become <bdul0%hadim (instead of 4lantin# bombs and that they should ha3e 3aluable s4iritual de#rees. #ranted by clear0si#hted faith and !orshi4. is a condition of #lobal 4eace"

    8-

    82

    %ave ,ive
    ,he Sufi Horse

    9e may feel that. in Bamba;s conce4tion. &ufism !as just the 3aluable tool ideal to rene! the ori#inal 4rinci4les of Islam he has found some!hat de4reciated and debased throu#h s4ace and time" 5hence. in our 3ie!. the &heikh seemed far more concerned to achie3e the ultimate s4iritual #oals:<od;s &atisfaction: rather than focusin# too much on theolo#ical and meta4hysical debates !hich ha3e al!ays di3ided Muslim scholars since the death of the Pro4het (PBH and !hich ha3e se3erely !eakened the Muslim community" 5he conce4t of @&ufism, is basically the result of the theorization of such s4iritual 3alues as asceticism. 4urification of the heart from !orldly 3anities. sincerity in !orshi4 im4lied by the third key 4illar of Islam ( 1hsan or s4iritual 4erfection " &o. it is considered as nonsense to say that. since this e=act !ord has not been used by the Pro4het (PBH himself. &ufism is a blame!orthy inno3ation (bida " Because all of its basic 4rinci4les !ere in fact 4racticed by the Messen#er and tau#ht by the /ur01n" Rejectin# &ufism on the 4retence it !as not e=4licitily >uoted at the birth of Islam amounts to disre#ardin# sciences ori#inatin# from 4hiloso4hy. like >uantum 4hysics. molecular biolo#y and other ne! sciences. just because they !ere not >uoted e=4licitly in the books of the fathers of 4hiloso4hy" 5his is more a 4roblem of s4iritual 4ers4ecti3e than a real di3er#ence. not!ithstandin# 4articular 4ractices and e=cesses" 5hus. &heikh Ahmadou Bamba;s a44roach of
    88

    &ufism seems not to be bound by some &ufi conce4tions !hich ha3e been criticized and !hich ha3e often led to certain drifts he 4ersonally condemned? @*ome who claim to be *+fis 83ystics9 declare that what they are practicing :as a worship; is worthier than the reading of the Cur54n, :the reason for which they disregard it;. %now that such an allegation is groundless and erroneous@ *atan has deluded such people 5 do bring thyself closer to G/J through the -oly Boo0 instead., (Mas1lik, 3" 8-+08-@*ome others claim to have attained G/J=s OeighborhoodD the reason for which they gave up any act of worship 5 so do they perishE "hey have been deluded by their lac0 of understanding and by the veil of their sins which hide the "ruth from them., (Mas1lik, 3"$2F$0$2F+ In dealin# !ith the contro3ersial issue of discord amon# Muslims aroused by their belon#in# to different &ufi brotherhoods (tar#!a . the &heikh reminded that brotherhoods !ere. in fine, just s4iritual forms of or#anizations. founded in accordance !ith the teachin#s of a s4ecific 4roficient &ufi master" But they are not at all the end in itselfH tar#!a are just means and 4articular ty4es of s4iritual and social or#anizations. amon# others. to attain <od;s &atisfaction? @1t matters little that a !ird 8set of pleas designed for a specific brotherhood9 originated from *hei0h <bd5al5Cad#r $#l4n# or from *hei0h <hmad "i&4n# or from any amongst the other eminent 3asters@ because all of them are in the Gight 6ath. <nd all of them prompt their disciples unto worshipping the A/GJ /F "-K "-G/OK and unto what is upright. "hence beware of ever belittling any of the accredited !ird and never denigrate one of them., (Mas1lik, 3"$+E-0+E8 5o better de4ict Bamba;s o3erall 3ision of &ufism. let us use the meta4hor of the &ufi Horse" &ufism !as the s!ift thorou#hbred Horse of Islam the Lord sent to Bamba. accom4anied by the Iirtuous &ufi Ancients. !ho tied u4 the Horse in front of his door" Bamba #a3e himself enou#h time to remo3e meticulously some unessential
    8F

    harnesses &ufi emissaries loaded do!n the (i3ine Horse !ith and undertook then his tri4 back to the Lord" Kn his !ay back to the (i3ine &atisfaction Home. !hene3er Bamba found lu##a#e fallen from the horse of Islam durin# its out!ard journey o3er s4ace and time. he sto44ed" 9ithout any concern about the color of the dust co3erin# such Islamic lu##a#e. !hich de4ends on the 4articular sand they fell o3er (&unnit or &hiite. &ufi or Ahl &unna . he bent do!n. took them (ihy4 or re3i3al or Renaissance . dusted them carefully (ta&d#d or rene!al and 4ut them back on the horse of Islam some 4asser0by ha3e named no! @Muridiyya," He constantly follo!ed the Ri#ht Path. !here the Horse;s foot4rint !ere still 3isible. and a3oided all cracks on the !ay left by the numerous stru##les and >uarrels to seize the Horse" &o. he !ent on his !ay" &heikh Ahmadou Bamba;s dee4 3ision of Islam is o3erall and 3ery 4ra#matic. because he understood 3ery early that most di3isions amon# the Muslim community are s4iritually artificial and that all Muslim sides are holdin# someho! a 4art of the 5ruth" Many !ere just o3erstressin# their 4arts of the 5ruth and did not acce4t others may hold as !ell other 4arts. !hich are yet essential to 4iece to#ether the ori#inal and !hole Koranic 5ruth broken u4 by centuries of 4olitical and ideolo#ical dissensions !ithin the Muslim 4eo4le" @"hose who split up their Geligion, and become 8mere9 *ects,5 each party re&oicing in that which is with itselfE, (/ur01n ==="-+ 5his indictment. !hich !as ori#inally intended to the Peo4le of the Book. seemed unfortunately to a44ly no! to the Muslim community" Bamba;s a44roach !as an attem4t to a44eal a#ainst such a #rim jud#ment" Co!. this e=4lains better the critics of some 6rench scholars !ho labeled Bamba as ha3in# @une pensPe syncrPti!ue et hPtProdo?e, (a syncretic and heterodo= thinkin# because of their failure to 4ut him for #ood in a definite cate#ory amon# the standards cate#ories of &ufism or other ideolo#ical schools. out of the rest" In fact. this critic turns out to be one of the most 3aluable 4raise e3er 4aid to him" 9e may find in Bamba;s thou#ht and !ritin#s many of the different 4arts of the ori#inal Islamic Messa#e scattered amon# the
    8E

    differin# factions of the Muslim community" 5his is the reason !hy most of Muslims !ho carefully took the time to read him and to #et ac>uainted !ith his 3ery history and thinkin# could not hel4 feelin# consideration for him and to a44ro3e at least some 4arts of his 3ie!" &uch is the case !ith some modern &alafis (!ho are rankin# him no! amon# the &ene#alese salafu s4lih#n (3irtuous ancients . some &hiites (!ho a44reciated his lo3e and his #reat re#ard for AlM . &ufis and 4eo4le of other reli#ious 4ersuasions" Bamba;s inno3ati3e 4ractice of wird (set of 4leas desi#ned for a s4ecific &ufi brotherhood is another e=am4le !hich sho!s his broadminded 3ision" '3en Murid disci4les. !ho ha3e not yet #ras4ed such a 3ision. are still en#a#in# in 3ain sectarian >uarrels !ith members of other brotherhoods" 5he &heikh ha3e 4racticed all the accredited !irds of his milieu for at least ten years durin# his youth. 4rior to ado4tin# the /ur01n as his only !ird and ackno!led#in# the Pro4het (PBH as his only s4iritual and intellectual master" (es4ite most brotherhoods ha3e laid do!n s4ecial conditions and 4rere>uisites to their members (!hich !ere re#arded as >uite mandatory rules . &heikh Ahmadou Bamba ne3er consented ho!e3er to abide by some of those rules" 6or instance. he did not acce4t the 4rinci4le set by some tar#!as to not 3isit other masters belon#in# to different brotherhoods. neither did he !ith the rule to ne3er 4ractice concurrently many !irds" His basic conce4tion of !irds is these are just e=tracts of the /ur01n and 3aluable 4leas and Jhi0r liable to brin# the belie3er closer to the Lord. in 4erfect accordance !ith the &unnah of the Pro4het (P&L . nothin# else" 5hence. e3en after he founded officially the Muridiyya. the &heikh ha44ened to still transmit the other !irds to some of his disci4les and to ad3ise some ne! Murid disci4les comin# from other brotherhoods (5ij1ni. /1diri and so on to kee4 u4 their 4re3ious !irds (thou#h there are other mystical moti3ations justifyin# this 4ractice " And e3en after ha3in# recei3ed his o!n !ird. Bamba !ent on maintainin# that the /ur01n itself (!here all !irds are e=tracted is his 4ersonal !ird" Moreo3er. all his bio#ra4hies and all e=ternal testimonies about him a#ree on the kind and fraternal !ay he al!ays treated his Muslim brethren. in his e3eryday life. in s4ite of their 4articular s4iritual claims or belon#in#
    87

    to other brotherhoods" Bamba 4ractically ne3er 4rayed in fa3or for his Murid disci4les alone in his !ritin#s. he !as al!ays usin# the !ords m+min+n (belie3ers or muslim+n (Muslims in his numerous 4leas instead" Bamba;s s4iritual e=4erience !ithin the different brotherhoods. durin# his youth. and his 3arious readin#s. !ere really hel4ful in #i3in# him a 4ositi3e and tolerant conce4tion allo!in# him to make a synthesis of their benefits" Kn the e3e of foundin# his o!n doctrine. he beha3ed as the bee !ho sucks u4 the nectar of all the flo!ers in the #arden to make thereof honey for 4eo4le" 5ime 4ast in e=4lorin# other teachin#s and other 3isions enabled him to set u4 his o!n uni3ersity !here one may find all 4re3ious faculties" As his bio#ra4her. &heikh Muhammad Bachir. 4uts itH @:"he *hei0h behave in the past as he did; because he was destined by God to be the ,onfluence of the rivers :of 0nowledge; and the Guardian of :spiritual; goods., &o. !e are >uite con3inced that if. instead of the &ufi Horse. the Lord had decided to send to the &heikh a &hiite Aamel (in case he !as li3in# in the desert or a &unni Boat (in case he !as li3in# near a ri3er . Bamba !ould ha3e 4roceeded e=actly in the same !ay" 5hat is to say. sortin# out carefully lu##a#e he found in the 3ehicle. selectin# essentials and thro!in# do!n non0essentials or detrimentals. collectin# e3ery useful element found on the !ay back and belon#in# to the ori#inal loadin# of Islam" %ho really founded the Muridiyya5 Indeed. all of this raises some!hat the interestin# >uestion of kno!in# if the Muridiyya is actually a tari!a (Muslim brotherhood or order . in the full and traditional meanin# of the !ord. or not" 9e are tem4ted to ans!er @yes,. sociolo#ically s4eakin#. but @no,. s4iritually and doctrinally s4eakin#" Kur contention is deri3ed from our 4re3ious analysis and from the e=amination of some other scholarly material disre#arded theretofore" '3en if !e are con3inced that only more thorou#h research based on all Bamba;s a3ailable !ritin#s could alone ans!er fully this >uestion" Let us ask first a >uite
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    une=4ected >uestion (scholars ha3e not yet !ondered. some!hat oddly : Aan !e find the !ord 3ur#diyya itself in &heikh Ahmadou Bamba;s !ritin#sJ 9e ha3en;t yet. to the best of our kno!led#e" And all Murid s4ecialists of Bamba;s !ritin#s !e asked did not either" 9ell. is it not 4eculiar that Bamba. uni3ersally kno!n as @the founder of the Muridiyya order, (muasasatul tar#!atul 3ur#diyya . he !ho has s4ent all his lifetime in !ritin# thousands of books about numerous s4iritual themes. has ne3er mentioned the name of his order in just one 3erseJ He did neither !rite any!here that he had founded a ne! brotherhood:!hich is hi#hly 4eculiar" (oes this mean that !e are all !ron# in #i3in# him a title he himself ne3er claimed any!hereJ And !hat about our solemn titles !e are #i3in# him in our books and conferences all around the !orldsJ (oes the @Muridiyya, really e=ist in the mind of his so0called founderJ Are !e all ro!in# in the !ind since almost a century. o fello! scholarsQJ 9ell. thin#s are startin# to seem a bit confusin# and disconcertin# no!. aren;t theyJ All ri#ht" Let us #et our breath back. and O !hy notJ 0 drink one or t!o nice cu4s of hot cafP "ouba. and #i3e enou#h time to our old brains to restart 4ro4erly. 4rior to resumin# our e3entful e=4loration" 9ell. this hea3y s!ell on the o4en sea has dri3en us seasick (V Are !e backJ All ri#ht" 5he 4re3ious unans!ered >uestion leads us to other >uestions that are not less serious:.ho has actually coined the !ord @MurMdiyya, thenJ And !here does it come fromJ '3en if !e ha3e not yet met this !ord hitherto in Bamba;s books. on the other hand !e can find. mostly in his earlier !ritin#s. the !ords 3ur#d and 1r4da !hich ha3e the same le=ico#ra4hical root than 3ur#diyya. It is note!orthy that e3en the Arabic !ord 3ur#d !as not coined by Bamba himself" In fact. this !ord has al!ays e=isted in &ufi tradition and it describes the be#inner !ho as4ires to attain <od;s &atisfaction (1r4da and hi#h s4iritual de#rees (ma!4m4t !ith the hel4
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    of a !ell0#uided &ufi master (shay0h or murshid in char#e of teachin# him. of 4urifyin# 4ro#ressi3ely his heart and of educatin# his soul. throu#h 3arious s4iritual e=ercises" It is likely that &heikh Ahmadou Bamba ado4ted this !ord. !hich is in fact an Arabic synonymous of @disci4le, or @4u4il,. from his numerous readin#s (Al <haz1li. Kuntiyu authors of &ene#al and Mauritanian masters " 5hence. in namin# his disci4les by this !ord in his s4eech and in his first !ritin#s. Bamba;s main 4ur4ose !as just to use the a##ro#riate e,isting word used by all *ufi masters to refer to their #u#ils and disci#les. Cothin# else" Indeed. if !e #et back to the !ritin#s of some 4re3ious &ufi masters. those !ho founded brotherhoods or not. the common !ord they all used to refer to their disci4les is this same !ord murid. 9hen the &heikh refers to his disci4les in his !ritin#s. he e>ually uses @my 4u4il, (tilm#># or @my murid, (my disci4le :and it is unlikely that a 5ij1ni or /1diri master calls his disci4les @my tij1ni, or @my >adMri," 6urthermore. !e !ere 3ery interested to read after!ards the definition of the !ord murid in 9iki4edia (*anuary +DDB . !hich backs u4 the uni3ersal meanin# !e em4hasize abo3e? @Murid is a *ufi term meaning Xcommitted one=. 1t refers to a person who is committed to a teacher in the spiritual path of *ufism. 1t also means BwillpowerB or Bself5esteem,B. <lso 0nown as a &alik, a murid is an initiate into the mystic philosophy of *ufism. "he initiation process is 0nown as Lahd or BaiLath 8pledge of allegiance Tour note? called &ebbalu in 9olof lan#ua#eU9. Before initiation a Murid is guided and taught by a Murshid 8&haykh9 or Pir who must first accept the initiate as his or her disciple. "hroughout the instruction period, the murid typically e?periences visions and dreams during personal spiritual e?ercises. "hese visions are interpreted by the murshid. "he murid is invested in the cloa0 of the order upon initiation, having progressed through a series of increasingly difficult and significant tas0s on the path of mystical development. Murids often receive boo0s of instruction from
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    murshids and often accompany itinerant murshids on their wanderings. Geligious meaningsD 5 Pir :"ersian word for *ufi master;. 5 <s a proper noun, the word Murid may refer to an adherent to the 3uridiyya *ufi order based in *enegal. 5 3urids are also members of a caste of the Ya>idi5Geligion 8of Ira-9. 5 < 3ureed is also the term for a follower of .ni ersal *ufism 8an universalist and spiritual movement founded in the beginning of the twentieth century9. 5 <lso, the official word for a follower of the Oi>ari 1smailism, following the <ga %han :a *hiite organi>ation;., It follo!s that the &ene#alese Murids are not the only Muslims !ho are kno!n as murid and this is a clue !hich sho!s. in our 3ie!. the universality of this term in the Islamic !orld and in the history of &ufism" Most of the &ufi tari>as a#ree to use the generic term of @murid, to refer to their members at the sta#e of disci4les" As im4lied. for instance. by some book titles as @$unnatul 3urid, (5he &hield of the (isci4le . !ritten by &Mdi Mukht1r Kuntiyu. an old /1diri master in 9est Africa. referred to by &heikh Ahmadou Bamba in 3as4li0. 5his means that there are as !ell 5ij1ni Murids. /1dirM Murids. &hiite Murids. &ene#alese Murids. Persian Murids. Ira>i Murids and so on" All of them share the same fundamental basis:Islam" 5here are other clues !hich may reinforce our contention about Bamba;s uni3ersal 3ision of his doctrine" Most of the brotherhoods !ho are kno!n in Black Africa and in the !orld bear a name coined (mainly by their follo!ers from the name of their founders: the 6*diriyya ori#inates from &heikh Abd0al06ad7r *Ml1nM. the Ti2*niyya ori#inates from &heikh Ahmad Ti2*n7. the h*dhaliyya ori#inates from &heikh AbY Hasan al0 h*dhili" If Bamba intended to found his o!n brotherhood. !hy hadn;t he called it the Bambiyya, or the 3ba00iyya or e3en the %h4dimiyya, as it !as the ruleJ And !hy his follo!ers did not eitherJ
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    And somethin# else !hich is more strikin# is !e ha3e not yet read a book !here Bamba asserted clearly he has founded a ne! brotherhood called the 3uridiyyaQ Indeed. there is no need to tellH @I ha3e founded such a thin#, to be considered as its founder" 6acts con3ey often more than !ords. but the fact is. !hen referrin# to !hat he brou#ht in. Bamba ne3er used the !ord @Muridiyya," He used instead @re3i3al, or @rene!al, of Islam. of the &unnah of the Pro4het (PBH . and so on" 5his leads us to this disconcertin# remark:it seems that Bamba ne3er intended to found a s4ecific brotherhood called the 3uridiyya and !hich is su44osed to be different from 4re3ious brotherhoodsQ &uch an 4ers4ecti3e. if 4ro3en. calls fundamentally into >uestion all the 4re3ious official scholarshi4 on the @Muridiyya," &o. !hat can e=4lain then that such an a44ellation is reser3ed to Bamba;s disci4les and the doctrine he brou#ht inJ And !hy disci4les !ho affiliate themsel3es to Bamba;s doctrine name themsel3es @Murid, and refer to their or#anization as the @Muridiyya,J In our o4inion. unless later ne! material 4ro3e the o44osite. the term 3uridiyya ((yoonu murit in 9olof has been created by former disci4les Murid andPor by e=ternal obser3ers !ho need to find a name to label the ne! community of disci4les #athered round &heikh Ahmadou Bamba. follo!in# the a44ellation this latter !as usin# to refer to his disci4les and these ado4ted for themsel3es" 5his term meets of the common need to name an or#anization !hich differentiated itself from 4re3ious mo3ements in many as4ects. but !hich functionin# is alike many brotherhoods in numerous as4ects" History and sociolo#y do not like #a4s and a suitable noun had to be ine3itably coined to label the ne! community" &o. @Muridiyya, is the sociolo#ical term chosen to name the disci4les and after!ards the doctrine of Ahmadou Bamba" It is likely that the term has been in3ented by Murid or Moorish !riters !ho needed a suitable !ord based on the Arabic root ir4da and !hich is sha4ed in the similar le=ico#ra4hical form than standards names of all the kno!n brotherhoods" '3en the 6rench corres4ondin# term @Mouridisme, is coined by Paul Marty. the influential colonial administrator and s4ecialist of
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    Islam. !ho !as initially usin# this !ord to label all Black Muslim mo3ements he re#arded as liable to threaten the colonial order or those he held as heterodo=" He used. for instance the meanin#ful 4hrase @:1l e?iste une; efflorescence de 3ouridismes en germe !ui n=attendent !u=une occasion favorable pour se dPvelopper l=Pgal de celui d=<madou Bamba. , (5here are many @Mouridismes, Tin &ene#alU !hich may de3elo4 as the Mouridisme of Amadou Bamba " Besides. Marty referred as !ell to the @Mouridisme, of Bou Kunta and of other &ufi masters in &ene#al" He also unsuccessfully tried to name @Bambisme, Bamba;s doctrine" 5his reflects the #eneral tendency to add @ism, suffi= after ne! ideolo#ies. the !ay 4re3ious 6rench authors !ere namin# Islam. !ith a certain 4ejorati3e connotation ho!e3er:@Islamisme,. @MahomRtanisme, and so" In old 9olof Murid lan#ua#e. the s4iritual 4ath re3i3ed by &heikh Ahmadou Bamba is referred to by the terms ag taalibe (the status of disci4le . or ag 3urit (bein# a Murid . or yoonu *erigne "ouba (the 4ath of &heikh Ahmadou Bamba . or later by yoonu 3urid (the Murid 4ath or brotherhood " Althou#h the 9olof term yoon translates the double meanin#s of the Arabic !ord tari!a 5 !hich is a @4ath, etymolo#ically and a @brotherhood, in &ufi le=icon O old Murid disci4les !ere not used to say tari!a Bamba or tari!a *erigne "ouba (Bamba;s brotherhood . unlike their Black Muslim brothers !ho often refer to their orders by tari!a *hay0h (&heikh Ahmad 5ij1nM;s brotherhood or tari!atul C4diriya (/1dirM brotherhood . T5his difference may !ell be e=4lained also by Murids; #reater attachment to their nati3e lan#ua#eU" Ho!e3er. one may recall. >uite a44ositely. that some of the founders of old &ufi brotherhoods did not either name themsel3es the brotherhoods they ha3e founded and that many !ere rather claimin# the uni3ersality of their mission of re3i3al as Bamba did it" 5his is true. but one of the main 4roblems !ith Bamba;s doctrine is the traditional si#nificance of wird 4ractice in almost all &ufi brotherhoods (kno!n in &ene#al !hich is not found in the Muridiyya" In fact !irds ha3e al!ays been. in all the 4o4ular brotherhoods in Black Africa. the
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    most distincti3e and essential feature !hich confirms officially one;s belon#in# to those or#anizations" Bamba @founded, the Muridiyya in $77- ($-D$ h" !ithout any s4ecific !ird" 5his moment is considered as corres4ondin# to the foundation of the Muridiyya because of its markin# the turnin# 4oint !hen Bamba made clear his ne! method of education (tarbiyya throu#h himmah and 0hidma. 5he community of his disci4les #re! considerably in such conditions until $BD2 ($-++ h" !hen he 4ublicly asserted ha3in# recei3ed. durin# his second e=ile in Mauritania. his o!n wird (called 340h+> from the Pro4het (PBH " 5hat is to say. more than t!enty years after the official foundation of the Muridiyya" And e3en after he recei3ed his o!n !ird. he ne3er stressed on the 4articular si#nificance of Murid !ird. as other brotherhoods ha3e done in the 4ast" As 3aluable and im4ortant as he mi#ht hold this !ird. he ne3er ranked it to the same s4iritual le3el he claimed for his o!n >asidas (4oems . the reason !hy 3ery fe! Murid disci4les are really usin# it" Bamba seemed to consider this !ird just as a mystical privilege and favor the Lord has #ranted him. because he !as 4romised by <od and by His Pro4het (PBH to obtain e3erythin# the 4re3ious &aints !ere #i3en and e3en far more" It is also note!orthy and symbolical. in our 3ie!. that Bamba;s Moorish bio#ra4her. !ho re4orted the story and !ho !as 4resent at &arsara (Mauritania . had said that the &heikh has recei3ed his !ird durin# the s4ecial ni#ht of Aaylatul Cadr (the Ci#ht of Po!er. !hich is hi#hly re#arded in Islam . durin# the month of Ramadan (the month of fastin# . durin# the year $-++ h. durin# his second e=ile to Mauritania" 5he Ci#ht of Po!er is said in the /ur01n (surat =c3ii to be the best ni#ht of the year and that it corres4onds to $.DDD months of !orshi4" 5he month of Ramadan is also unanimously held as the best month of the year" 5he year $-++ h" has been #ranted s4ecial fa3ors by &heikh Ahmadou Bamba in his !ritin#s" He called him in fact h4ma shahidn4 bil 0aram, h4ma ba0sashin (the year in !hich !e testify ha3in# been honored Tby <odU $-++ h" and he asserted that the >asidas he !rote after this date are s4iritually su4erior to those he had !ritten before. because of the s4ecial #ifts the Lord #ranted Him in that year"
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    As for his second e=ile to Mauritania. the &heikh !rote that this e=ile is 3ery different from the first one to <abon and that !e must ne3er confuse their 4ur4oses" Because the first one;s 4ur4ose !as a trial the Lord made him under#o in order he mi#ht combat his soul and 4urify it entirely throu#h its numerous hardshi4s" As for the second one. it !as in fact a reward <od had aimed to #rant him. as he affirmed" All these symbolical coincidences are 3ery meanin#ful for &ufi belie3ers and are. in our 3ie!. a 3alid #round to say that Bamba held the !ird im4arted to him in such circumstances as a re!ard and a s4iritual a!ard for his !ork in Islam rather than a classical !ird #ranted to a s4ecific brotherhood" The Three Founders 5here is another im4ortant clue !hich may sho! that &heikh Ahmadou Bamba;s dee4 3ision of his doctrine #oes beyond all kinds of sectarianism and takes its root in the basic 4rinci4les of Islam" 5his document is an interestin# corres4ondence (found in the 3a&m+ha collected by the third Murid Aali4h in !hich the 6rench <eneral <o3ernor asked $7 >uestions about the or#anization Bamba has founded" 9e may feel throu#h his >uestions that the 6rench <o3ernor !as re#ardin# the Muridiyya like the other brotherhoods 4racticed in Black Africa and !hich ori#inated first from old Arab &ufis and !hich !ere just s4read locally by Black masters re4resentin# them in &ene#al" 5hrou#h the ans!ers #i3en by the &heikh. !e can better understand his o!n 3ision of the Muridiyya (!hich is. in his 3ie!. a synthesis and a re3i3al of Islam and his etymolo#ic conce4tion of this tari!a (!hich is just the kin#ly s4iritual path of Islam leadin# to!ards <od ? @"hese following !uestions are as0ed by the General Governor of *aint5Aouis 8*enegal9 to the great *hei0h :<hmadou Bamba;D Cuestion LD .ho is the initial founder of the 3uridiyya orderQ Cuestion 'D .hen was born this first founder of the tari!aQ Cuestion MD .here was he born e?actlyQ Cuestion UD .ho were his first disciplesQ
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    Cuestion VD .hat are the main motivations which led him to found this tari!aQ Cuestion WD .hat are the cities he was travelling throughQ Cuestion XD .here did he dieQ Cuestion ND .hich communities are still faithful to the initial tari!aQ Cuestion )D .ho is the first master who introduced this tari!a in .estern <fricaQ Cuestion L(D From which area e?actly this tari!a penetrated <fricaQ Cuestion LLD .hat is the present epicenter of this order where most of its followers are gatheredQ Cuestion L'D .hich people were first converted by the founder of this tari!a Q Cuestion LMD .hat is the history of this brotherhoodQ Cuestion LUD .ho are the current leaders of this tari!aQ Cuestion LVD .here did their present leader :you are; originate fromQ Cuestion LWD .hen did he convert to this tari!aQ Cuestion LXD .ho has converted himQ Cuestion LND .hat can he say about his own caseQ /+nswers of the *hei%h +hmadou Bamba0 1n the Oame of God, 3ost Gracious, 3ost 3erciful @*ayD -e is God, the /ne and /nly. God, the Kternal, <bsolute -e begetteth not, nor is -e begotten <nd there is none li0e unto -im, 8Cur54n c?iv9 Cuestion LD .ho is the initial founder of the 3uridiyya orderQ +nswerD "his 6ath has been initiated by these :three founders;D 5 Faith in God 8Iman9 through absolute conviction in Gods Snity 85a!hMd9 5 *ubmission to God 8Isl1m9 through worshipping practices in accordance with the rules of 1slamic Aaw 86i>h9 5 *#iritual "erfection 8Ihs1n9 through sincere worship allowed by :the rules of; *ufism Cuestions ' and MD .hen was born this first founder of the tari!a and where was he born e?actlyQ
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    +nswer1 .henever and wherever a 3uslim was born, this 6ath was born again in such a place. Cuestion UD .ho were his first disciplesQ +nswer1 <ll who aspire to get :religious; 0nowledge and who are see0ing for it. Cuestion VD .hat are the main motivations which led him to found this tari!aQ +nswer1 "he main principle of this 6ath is the e?clusive Face of God, the -onorable. Cuestion WD .hat are the cities he was travelling throughQ +nswer1 Kvery country where 3uslims are living is among these cities. Cuestion XD .here did he dieQ +nswer1 Kvery place where a pillar of the different spiritual paths dies. Cuestion ND .hich community are still faithful to the initial tari!aQ +nswer1 <ll who conform to the rules of 5 Faith in God 8MYminYn9, 5 .orshipping God 8MuslimYn9, 5 <nd *piritual 6erfection 8MuhsinYn9. Cuestion )D .ho is the first master who introduced this tari!a in .estern <fricaQ +nswer1 "hat are :the three founders of the main tari!as;@ *hei0h <bdul Cad#r $#l4ni, *hei0h <bul -asan *h4dhali, and *hei0h <hmad "#&4n 8may God be *atisfied with them all9. Cuestion L(D From which area e?actly this tari!a has penetrated in <fricaQ +nswer1 "his 6ath was introduced :in <frica; by the Great 3asters who have attained God 7 Blessed and K?alted 7 and who made people attain -im, wherever they may be.
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    Cuestion LLD .hat is the present epicenter of this order where most of its followers are gatheredQ +nswer1 .e have to ac0nowledge that nowadays there is no longer a place where genuine followers of this original 6ath are gathered. Cuestion L'D .hich people were first converted by the founder of this tari!a Q +nswer1 "hese people are all who are see0ing sincerely the ,ountenance of God, from the time of the 6rophet 86B-9 to the Iirtuous <ncients until today. Cuestion LMD .hat is the history of this tari!aQ +nswer1 1t began from the -egira of the 6rophet 86B-9 until :this present moment; LMUV h. 8L)'W9. Cuestion LUD .ho are the current leaders of this tari!aQ +nswer1 "here is no longer a true leader of this 6ath. Cuestion LVD .here did their present leader :you are; originate fromQ +nswer1 "he forebears of who that is answering these !uestions :myself; were believers 8mYminYn9, worshippers 8muslimYn9 and sincere in their worship 8muhsinYn9. Cuestions LW, LX and LND .hen did he convert to this tari!aQ .ho has converted himQ .hat can he say about his own caseQ +nswer1 *uch a 6ath was transmitted to me by masters 1 thought first authentic, which proved to be false. God 7 Blessed and K?alted 7 decided to e?ile me to the sea :Gabon; and to grant me, during this e?ile, the three main !irds 8C4diriyyah, *hadhaliyyah and "i&4niyyah9 through the 6rophet 86B-9 himself, without any other mediator, due to the numerous actions of Khidma 1 was performing in his *ervice. <fterwards, God -imself 7 Blessed and K?alted 7 entrusted to me the Cur54n and 1slam. <nd assuredly @God is a witness to what we say2B (Cur54n ??viii.'N ,

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    6rom all of this. !e may contend that. ideolo#ically s4eakin#. Bamba;s dee4 3ie! of Islam #oes beyond foundin# a formal and distincti3e brotherhood. and that the @Muridiyya, is not a brotherhood. in the traditional meanin#. if !e refer to the intentions and to the basic s4iritual 4roject of the &er3ant of the Pro4het" It is rather a doctrine intended to re3i3e and to rene! the 4ristine messa#e of Islam and to ada4t it to s4ace and time" Ho!e3er. if !e consider strictly certain 4erce4tible sociolo#ical as4ects. !e !ill notice that this doctrine has taken on the features of a formal &ufi brotherhood. in many e=tents" 5he reason !hy it is not a mistake. in our 3ie!. to treat it sociologically as a &ufi order (tar#!a . as all scholars are com4elled to do. 4ro3ided one bears in mind its doctrinal basis !hich e=cludes any kind of deliberate limitation or e=clusion !ithin the Muslim community. In fact. such ambi3alence ori#inates from Bamba;s synthetic a44roach of Islam !e discussed earlier" Because. althou#h the dee4 s4iritual 4roject of &heikh Ahmadou Bamba is to rene! Islam. he !as also con3inced that the &ufi Horse is fully endo!ed !ith all the features !hich can enable him to realize his 4roject" Brotherhoods ha3e al!ays been the sociolo#ical forms !hich ha3e 4layed a key 4art in s4readin# Islam in 9est Africa and !hich !ere more likely to ada4t to their cultural milieu. des4ite certain 4roblems" 5his is one of the reasons !hy Bamba and his disci4les ado4ted naturally this or#anizational form !hich corres4onds better to their objecti3es and !hich is more conform to their conce4tion of &ufism and Islam" In this re#ard. !hat !e called @Muridiyya, is just the #rou4 of Muslims !ho ha3e o4enly ackno!led#ed the s4iritual 3alue of &heikh Ahmadou Bamba and !ho commit themsel3es to carry out his 3ision and 4rojects throu#h 0hidma (or ligPeyal *erigne "ouba in 9olof " In fact. Murids ha3e re4licated all the features of the standard brotherhoods they re#ard as useful for attainin# their 4articular objecti3es" &ometimes they ha3e ada4ted some of these features accordin# to s4ecific considerations or 3isions" 5his is the case. for instance. !ith the 4yramidal structure of the order. characterized by the hierarchical stratification of clerics related. throu#h bloody ties or
    ED

    alle#iance. to Bamba or to one of his reno!ned disci4les" In addition to the !idely discussed theme of Baraka0laden sheikhs common to many tari>as. the 4rinci4le of a44ointin# a sheikh (see?al in 9olof in the Muridiyya seems rather to be ori#inally and essentially dri3en by t!o main concerns:($ com4etences transfer and (+ tasks sharin# out" 5his 4articularity is some!hat due to the central 4lace of 0hidma in the Muridiyya" %nlike other traditional !ird0centered tari>as !here the nomination of a ne! sheikh in3ol3es often a certain ceremonial (!earin# a symbolic turban or cloak. recei3in# a stick. or a !ritten i&4>a !hich is an official authorization to transmit the !ird . the see?al 4rocess is less im4licit in the Muridiyya" Besides hereditary dimensions common to all &ufi orders. the status of sheikh is 4rimarily indicated by the le3el of res4onsibility and the si#ns of confidence sho!n by Bamba (or by another sheikh to one of his disci4les:the order to found a ne! 3illa#e. to teach schools. leadin# im4ortant !orks and so on" 5his e=4lains !hy Bamba ne3er consecrated officially and formally any Murid sheikh" (isci4les !ho are formerly treated and held as sheikhs in the Muridiyya are those !ho ha3e been #i3en hi#h res4onsibilities or a certain autonomy (w cce or 4ublicly 4raised (ngRrRm for their merits by &heikh Ahmadou Bamba" &o. this 4osition !as initially endo!ed !ith t!o dimensions that are linkedH mystical (relatin# to Bara0a and merely organi8ational" 5hese t!o dimensions are interlinked in the Muridiyya. because abilities and full commitment to 0hidma are re#arded as a kin#ly source of bara0a &uch an informal mode of nomination. in stressin# on the 3alue of measurable merit. has #i3en to the Muridiyya much social fle=ibility and mobility !ithin the traditional hierarchy of social classes. in s4ite of dra!backs aroused sometimes by some !ho can 4roclaim themsel3es sheikhs out of any control" But. combined !ith Bamba;s 4rinci4les of @affirmati3e action, (!e !ill discuss further . this system allo!ed some disci4les from humble back#rounds to raise. thanks to their !ork. to 3ery 4rominent 4ositions !ithin the order" 5his sociolo#ical dimension of Bamba;s doctrine of re3i3al. called @the Muridiyya order,. can be likened to a company (a buildin# firm for instance in char#e of carryin# out the 4rojects of its founder"
    E$

    5he main 4rojects entrusted to this com4any by the founder is to build mos>ues. schools and other urban facilities likely to rene! his nati3e city (Islam " 5he founder is 3ery conscious that. !ithout a !ell0 or#anized and structured com4any. made u4 of really moti3ated staff (Murid disci4les . his noble and #reat objecti3es !ould remain dead letter:the reason !hy he set u4 different de4artments !ithin the com4any (!ork sharin# in the Muridiyya and a44ointed mana#ers (sheikhs at their heads" A General mana#er (Aali4h is in char#e of su4er3isin# all acti3ities. in collaboration !ith the board of directors (local cali4hs . chiefs de4artments (sheikhs and &Rwrign . and staff (Murid disci4les " Ahiefs de4artments can be concurrently in3ol3ed in other de4artments acti3ities" Amon# the com4any de4artments initially set u4 by the founder himself there are ? 0Training (e4artment. in char#e of educatin# and formin# future staff. in trainin# centres (daaras led by 4roficient teachers like &eri#ne Cdame Abdou Rahmane Lo. &eri#ne Mbacke Bousso and other sheikhs" 0Administrative (e4artment. in char#e of coordinatin# all acti3ities and of re4resentin# the founder before third 4arty. led by Mame 5hierno Ibra 6aty (Bamba;s ri#ht0hand man and other sheikhs" 0Accounts and Financial (e4artment. in char#e of collectin# and mana#in# funds:ac>uisition of holdin#s (haddiya . salaries. in3estments and 4rofit sharin#" 5his de4artment !as led by Mame &heikh Anta. Massouran# and other sheikhs" 09$erations (e4artment. in char#e of su4er3isin# all technical acti3ities and manual !ork on the site. led by Mame Aheikh Ibrahima 6all. &eri#ne Mandoumbe and other sheikhs" In addition to these key de4artments. other ha3e been added in accordance !ith the com4any #ro!th" In order to #ro! and to attain its basic objecti3e (!hich is buildin# the Islamic Aity. e3en if funds can be 4artially used to 4ay salaries and to remunerate in3estments . standard conditions of #ood mana#ement must be met" 5hus the com4any must be run by >ualified and #enuine mana#ers (#ood sheikhs . chiefs mana#ers and staff must all abide by com4any rules and charter (Bamba;s
    E+

    teachin#s . staff ha3e to be constantly moti3ated (himmah and fully committed in their jobs (0hidma . they should be also con3inced in their real 4ros4ects of (social and s4iritual 4romotion accordin# to their le3el of 0hidma. Mana#ers must al!ays remember that staff (disci4les under their su4er3ision and control are hired by the com4any itself. and their !ork and means (as other current assets are to be de3oted to the com4any;s objecti3es. but not to 4ersonal interests" Potential elements !hich can slo! do!n the com4any #ro!th are un>ualified or disloyal mana#ers (deceitful sheikhs . mismana#ement of some unskilled heirs !ho inherited free shares from the founder or 4ositions from their relati3es. demoti3ated staff (!ithout himmah and 0hidma . disre#ard for com4any rules. embazzlin#s and use of the com4any means (haddiya for e=ternal 4ur4oses etc" 5he Muridiyya Aom4any !as so successful that it has set u4 international branches (dahiras !here its acti3ities are currently 4erformed as !ell" &uch an ima#e. !hich ca4tures many as4ects of the runnin# and structurin# of the Murid order. im4lies the difference to be made bet!een Bamba;s doctrine (embodied by the com4any objecti3es. and !hat is commonly called ag murit or 1rada relatin# to rene! ori#inal Islamic 4rinci4les and the organi8ation. in the form of a brotherhood (embodied by the com4any and its mana#ement 0 !hat is commonly called yoonu murit or 3uridiyya . in char#e of carryin# out this doctrine" 5hou#h this or#anization may be considered as just a tool. a 4articular method. to achie3e such main objecti3es. it !ould remain really si#nificant and e3en 3ital as lon# as it 4erforms the mission assi#ned to it" Ho!e3er. like any method. this company can e=4erience all 4roblems. misconducts and conflicts inherent to human communities and !hich e=4lain !hy a human resources de4artment is al!ays necessary !ithin a bi# com4any" 5hou#h many or#anizational and mana#erial methods ha3e e3ol3ed since the founder had 4assed a!ay. they must be constantly u4#raded accordin# to ne! circumstances and realities of #lobal lar#e0scale firms" Muslim Fraternity
    E-

    Bamba;s conce4tion of Islam and of Muslim Aommunity is an o3erall 4ers4ecti3e. e=cludin# all 4olitical. ideolo#ical. racial or semantic di3isions created by historical differin# a44roaches" 6or Bamba. althou#h all Muslims are not alike and !ell0#uided. to e3ery e=tent. most cate#orizations are artificial" &ome Muslims claimed for themsel3es to be the true <hl *unnah (Peo4le attached to the Authentic &unnah out of the others. thou#h any lucid Muslim !ould ne3er consent to be e=cluded from this circle" &ufism, &unnism, &alafism and the like are just cross0meanin# notions. since any !ell0balanced &ufi !ould ne3er acce4t to be out the &unnah of Muhammad (PBH . like!ise any clear0si#hted &unni !ould ne3er decline to ha3e his heart 4erfectly 4urified as theorized by &ufis. and all of them are claimin# their res4ect and fidelity to the Iirtuous Ancients ( *alaf " All true Muslims ha3e fundamentally the same #oals. and they only differ in their methods. their accredited sources and the outcomes of their 4ers4ecti3es (in s4ite of mis#uided tendencies and e=cesses sometimes " Cot!ithstandin# this ultimate unity. each side !ould not in the least hesitate to treat as their deadly enemies other Muslims !ho do not share their 4ers4ecti3es and to label them as unbelie3ers (04fir+n . or #i3in# 4artners to <od (mushri0+n . or hy4ocrites (mun4fi!+n " 5oday Muslims are ready to kill other Muslims and to thro! bombs in mos>ues full of other belie3ers. durin# 6riday 4rayer. just because other Muslims are not sharin# their ideolo#ical 3ie!s" Bamba;s 3ision of Muslim fraternity. in s4ite of all their real doctrinal differences and cultural di3ersities. can be summed u4 in these t!o 3ersesH @Oever consider as an enemy anyone you hear proclaiming that there is no other god but <llah2, @Jo love every 3uslim for his faith in God., 9hen 4rayin# for #ood and mercy for his Muslim brothers. the &heikh ne3er made distinction bet!een &ufis. &hiite. &unni and any other Muslim 4ersuasions. as sho!n by his 4leas in 3atlabu *hifai (&eekin# for Remedy ?
    E2

    @:/ AordE; 6rovide "hy remedy to all 3uslims, in this world and in the -ereafter, and protect them from fear and sorrow on the Beyond. Grant them salvation and forgiveness, treat them with benevolence and never show resentment against them for their numerous wrongdoings. / "hou the /nly /neE Kven if they disobey "hy orders out of heedlessness, 0now that :in their inmost hearts; they assign no partners to "hee. <nd it is obvious that their wea0 bodies cannot in the least bear "hy ordeals. :1n spite of their numerous transgressions; their hearts will never turn towards someone else but "hee. -owever, the inclination of their members for worldly pleasures has led them to the basest acts. Jo not punish them for their :own errors; which could in the least depreciate "hy Grandeur, and grant them "hy :favors; which are of no use to "hee. / AordE "hou who can reverse the hearts, turn our hearts away from vices. 1nspire us love for all 3uslims and protect us from evil aroused by wrongdoers. 3a0e of all 3uslims our beloved brethrenHso will we be safeguarded from harm. Guide to the Gight .ay all 3uslims, men and women, and forgive all their sins in the Aast Jay., 5his kind of tolerance and lo3e transcends all social and racial considerations. and focus on the s4iritual and moral 3alue of the indi3idual. in ackno!led#in# humbly that only <od may ultimately jud#e His ser3ants and in remindin# that !e are not e3en sure of our moral su4eriority and of our sal3ation once before the Lord"
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    EF

    EE

    %ave Si:
    I! he Name of PROGRESS

    (am)a/s Affirmative Action 5his o4en0minded 4hiloso4hy of &heikh Ahmadou Bamba is like!ise e=tended to other social di3isions" Bamba;s !ritin#s as !ell as his 3ery life ha3e sho!n that the only criterion by !hich man must be jud#ed is his moral 3alue" Accordin#ly. he ne3er a#reed to conform to the rules of social stratification of the 9olof ethnic #rou4. !hich reser3es some 4articular !orks to certain classes and castes out of the others" 5hus. the &heikh did not hesitate to entrust to disci4les of noble descent tasks !hich !ere traditionally considered as de3oted alone to lo!er classes (like handicrafts . or to raise deser3in# Murids from humble back#round to hi#h functions in the community (like teachin#. or bein# a sheikh at the head of disci4les from all classes and all ethnic #rou4s " &uch a 4olicy of @e>ual o44ortunities, and @affirmati3e action,. des4ite still endurin# social resistances today. e=tended to !oman status in 9olof society" All &heikh Ahmadou Bamba;s dau#hters recei3ed a #ood education and !ere all tau#ht the Holy /ur01n and reli#ious sciences" 9hat is am4ly 4ro3en by the numerous and fine 4oems some of them !rote. as !ell as in Arabic and 9olof (&okhna MaZmounatoul Kabir. &okhna Amy &heikh. &okhna MaZmounatoul &akhir etc" 5here is no need to say that this
    E7

    !as 3ery unusual in the class of doomi so0hna (9olof reli#ious aristocracy " Bamba;s dau#hters had also the rare 4ri3iled#e to ha3e their o!n disci4les (men and !omen . just like other male sheikhs: !hich is a bi# first in &ene#alese recent male0dominated history" &ome of them (like &okhna Mouslimatou set u4 3ery ambitious self0 mana#ed food 4roduction units" An e3idence of the s4iritual ad3ancement the Muridiyya 4romoted for !omen in &ene#al is the hi#h re#ard Murids are holdin# Bamba;s dau#hters and mother" Indeed. &okhna (iaara is one of the rare !omen in 9estern Africa to !hom a commemoration (3 ggal is dedicated. at Porokhane (&outh &ene#al . !here thousands of de3otees #athered e3ery year to 4ay her tribute" &o. e3en if Islamic conce4tion of household and of #ender0 based sharin# out remains essentially different from 9estern indi3idualistic and libertarian 3ision. !e may find throu#h Bamba;s teachin#s. ins4ired by the Pro4het;s life (PBH . 3aluable clues and enou#h #round to #i3e more si#nificance to !oman #ender today. !ithin the limits set by the Lord and by nature ho!e3er" 3verlasting 3nds and 'hanging Means In fact such an interestin# 4otential of social 4ro#ress. in Bamba;s thinkin#. is an outcome of his dynamic a44roach of reli#ion" In claimin# his adherence to &ufism. the &heikh be#an. as usual in his time. by subscribin# to most of the teachin#s taken from the accredited &ufi masters of his youth" But he 4ro#ressi3ely freed himself of their s4iritual and intellectual tutorshi4" 5his is !hy he undertook to redefine many social and s4iritual traditional conce4ts he !as tau#ht before and im4osed boldly ne! definitions and ne! 4ers4ecti3es his milieu !as not really accustomed to" 5his e=4lains also !hy the >uality and the im4ort of his !ritin#s ha3e made si#nificant 4ro#ress the further he disco3ered ne! 4ros4ects and ins4irations" 5hou#h referrin# often to the Iirtuous Ancients (*alafu *4lih#n . 4articularly in his first !ritin#s. Bamba cannot be ho!e3er labeled as a &alafi. in e3ery sense" Insofar as he claimed that. as 3aluable as the teachin#s of the Pious 6orefathers may be. he felt
    EB

    com4letely free to chan#e !hate3er method they 4ro3ided him !ith. !hene3er he realized that such methods are no lon#er suitable to his o!n s4ace and time" Bamba;s intellectual and s4iritual a44roach differentiates !ell bet!een mere methods (often subject to 4ro#ress and chan#e accordin# to s4ace and time and s4iritual aims (!hich are fundamental and often static. as the immutable im4ortance of kno!led#e and !orshi4 . &o. all methods are doomed to be u4dated and to u4#rade one day. as lon# as all conditions re#arded as com4ulsory are #athered:tellin# reli#ious essentials from non0 essentials. differentiatin# !hat is really relatin# to faith from mere traditions. 4ro3in# that su##ested u4dates are s4iritually and materially better than e=istin# methods. a44ointin# 4roficient and ri#hteous masters entitled alone to deli3er authoritati3e ad3ice. enforcin# chan#es !ith #reat skills and in accordance !ith the s4ecific realities of the milieu" Kn second thou#hts. this conce4tion seems to be more conform to the Islamic 4rinci4le of progress sho!n by the ada4tation and the u4date of many 3erses of the /ur01n. accordin# to different sociolo#ical and #eo4olitical situations" 5his dynamics0and0statics dialectics is. to some e=tent. !hat other African authors. like &en#hor. called later enracinement et ouverture (rootin# and o4enin# u4 " Indeed. such a 4rinci4le of "a&d#d (Rene!al is 3ital to #ras4 the 3itality of &heikh Ahmadou Bamba;s 4hiloso4hy and its hi#h 4otential for 4ro#ress and ada4tability" Kn one hand. !e may say that Bamba is a conser3ati3e (muh4fi> as far as moral and s4iritual 4rinci4les are concerned. but he is in the same time a reno3ator (mu&adid re#ardin# methods and their necessary fle=ibility" 5his is one of the ideolo#ical clues. in our 3ie!. !hich are likely to ans!er to the old disturbin# >uestion of many scholars. @9hat can e=4lain the unusual ability of the Muridiyya to maintain cohesion and continuity across s4ace and time. and to ada4t to chan#in# factorsJ, Innovation and &rogress in Islam Here are a fe! e=am4les !hich may illustrate the social and intellectual 4ro#ressi3ism of &heikh Ahmadou Bamba;s thou#ht" In
    7D

    traditional &ene#alese Muslim society. e3erythin# from the 4ast and from the ancestors !as almost re#arded as naturally sacred" Imitatin# the Ancients and res4ectin# their o4inions at the 4oint of makin# them sacred. is assuredly a common denominator of all societies in decline" 5hat !as the case at the time of &heikh Ahmadou Bamba" 5herefore. any o4inion !hich came from the Iirtuous Ancients !as often held as correct and undeniable" As for the contem4oraries. their sole roles !ere to e=4lain such o4inions and to defend them" &heikh Ahmadou Bamba in3ited his contem4oraries to #o beyond such a follo!0my0ancestor attitude and he !rote in this instance? @Jo not thin0 that the Jivine grace is &ust reserved to the <ncients. For, a man living in present times may well 0now secrets which were ignored by men living in old times. <nd may not my low renown in this generation divert thee from giving credit to this :boo0;., (Mas1lik. 3" 8$08+.2F 5here is no need to say that such an attitude !as not at all usual in that time" Another e=am4le of the modernity of Bamba;s thinkin# is the ne! teachin#s aids and methods he dared to brin# in 9est African traditional educational system. mainly based on te=tbooks and theoretical instruction" Aonscious that many !ere condemned to stay out of the realm of true kno!led#e by their inability to be #i3en te=tbook instruction. and that such a method !as just one method amon# others. &heikh Ahmadou Bamba inno3ated in u4datin# &ene#alese daara (school model" He created. alon# !ith the traditional theoretical schools. the daara tarbiya (center for 4ractical education and trainin# throu#h !ork and s4iritual e=ercises run by educated instructors" 5o such disci4les !ho !ere under his direct authority. and !ho !ere not rece4ti3e to te=tbook teachin# (or not . he #a3e 4ractical education and oral teachin# in 9olof lan#ua#e. usin# 3arious illustration methods to con3ey his messa#es:lines. marked 4oints on the sand. e=am4les. 4arables. com4arisons. and so on" (It is note!orthy that such a method has been used by the Pro4het (PBH himself !ith his com4anions" Many !ho failed to #ras4 this inno3ation in the domain of teachin# (!hich does not e=clude
    7$

    theoretical teachin# in the least assumed that Bamba sho!ed little re#ard for te=tbook teachin#. in s4ite of his numerous books and the foundin# of many Murid theoretical schools (daara al Curan and daara 3a&alis " Moreo3er. the recent introduction. in many modern educational systems around the !orld. of 4ractice0oriented schools for 4u4ils considered as unfit for theoretical teachin# is e3idence of the rele3ance of Bamba;s early inno3ation" Besides. such an interestin# dichotomy bet!een theoretical kno!led#e (1lm and #enuine $ractice of one;s kno!led#e (amal is conform to the differentiation Bamba al!ays made (follo!in# other masters bet!een 4ure s4eculation and !orshi4 based on reliable kno!led#e" 5his is the true relationshi4 bet!een reli#ious theory and 4ractice. for the &heikh? @Jo 0now, o my BrotherE, that 0nowledge prevails over action, being its principle and root 5 bliss to whom that is endowed withE Oevertheless, 0nowledge could not bear fruit and bring profit without its subse!uent putting into practiceHso try to combine both of them. Few actions based on accurate 0nowledge will, of a surety, entail more Geward than a host of actions performed with ignorance. Sseful 0nowledge :in the -ereafter; is that which has been learnt and taught for the *ole ,ountenance of the 3<$K*"1, A/GJ, the /OK. But not that which has been learnt for superficial debates, ma0ing parade and searching for glamour 5 0now thou thisE, (Mas1lik. 3" $D-0$DE 6or the &heikh. 4hiloso4hy and other intellectual e=ercises are 4raise!orthy as lon# as they enable man to combine his material and s4iritual 4ro#ress. in this !orld and in the Hereafter" As lon# as they do not hinder him to #et nearer to his Lord and do not lead him astray from the ri#ht 4ath and to o3erste4 the limits im4osed by the Lord" 6or him. kno!led#e is not noble by nature, but it becomes di#nified only throu#h its suitable e?pression. Because kno!led#e ac>uires its true 3alue only throu#h #enuine and clear0si#hted practice" As Bamba !rote it?

    7+

    @1ndeed, any who fears not the A/GJ of the .orlds is far from being learned@ had he mastered all the branches of 0nowledgeEB (Mas1lik. 3" $7&o. contem4lation. meditation and 4hiloso4hy (etymolo#ically @lo3e for !isdom, are only 3aluable if they can render man really wise. that is to say !hen his actions corres4ond strictly to his accurate 0nowledge and can lead him to ha44iness and 4eace in this !orld and in the Hereafter. Hi#h s4iritual de#rees and 4urity of heart #ranted by such a u4ri#htness are the #round !here are so!ed the seeds of true kno!led#e 4ro3ided by the Lord to His ri#hteous ser3ants" 5his is the reason !hy the &heikh has al!ays stressed on the #reat im4ort to fa3or 4racticin# one;s kno!led#e o3er doctrinal un4roducti3e contro3ersies (as the sho!n. durin# his e=ile in Mauritania. by the fierce ar#ument bet!een Moorish scholars about the m4hiya (ho! <od can be with a creatureJ to !hich the &heikh ans!ered !ith a se3ere !arnin# to both sides" Another interestin# e=am4le of Bamba;s concern to ada4t tools to 4eo4le but not the o44osite. is his efforts to make old reli#ious books easier for modern students" In fact. Black Muslims used to teach !ith ancient books. !ritten in different s4aces and times. in forms and sizes no lon#er suitable 0 !hich im4acted sometimes on the effecti3eness of teachin#" Bamba noticed that most of such books. thou#h 3aluable. !ere not ada4ted to the local realities" @"he wor0s of the :old masters; are presently neglected by most of the people of this generation, due in part to their voluminous si>es<nd 1 have revived in this boo0 the lights of 0nowledge people have rendered dead letter in their errant ignorance, (Mas1lik. 3" +2. -+ &heikh Ahmadou Bamba dared. durin# his 3ery youth. !hen he !as still his father;s assistant in the daara. to meddle !ith such sacrosanct books. in 4uttin# them into 3erses and in #i3in# freely his o4inions and his o!n analysis of the #reat masters; !ritin#s. !hene3er needs be" 6or instance?
    7-

    @<s for the <dvantages ensuing from regular reading of the Cur54n, they are held in great regard by the *tainless 3aster :<l5Yad4l#; who said@ N9hoe3er !ishes to dra! nearer to his LKR(. let him read the /ur01n ceaselesslyN. I do add for myselfD N9hoe3er !ishes to earn <K(Ls &atisfaction. let him read constantly the /ur01n and meditate on its 3erses", (Mas1lik. 3" 8+E08+B @TAfter ha3in# e=4ounded the differin# o4inions of the masters re#ardin# the case of a !orshi44er !ho is i#norin# the le#al rules of !orshi4:his act of !orshi4 is acce4ted or notJU" For my part, I do #ut this D B/ur A/GJ forbids to any person recogni>ed as accountable for his actions to perform any practice of worship, prior to 0nowing the particular legal conditions which rule it.B *uch a point of view is verily reliable. 1ndeed any such who ignores his religious obligations and who persists in not as0ing information thereon is bringing ruin upon himself and is wronging himself. , (5aza!udu Ai#h1r. 3"$F$. $FBamba;s thou#ht is that men are not at all com4elled to stay stuck in an intellectual time!ar4. and Muslims should not be a hidebound community obsessed by their #lorious 4ast" &uch a ri#id misconce4tion and lack of ada4tability of Muslims is assuredly one of the main causes !hich ha3e dramatically 4reci4itated Islamic ci3ilization decline in the 4ast" Aontrary to this 3ision. Bamba;s attitude has 4ro3en that he belie3es dee4ly that 4ro#ress in Islam is 4ossible and has to come" %nlike many &alafis !ho han# on the famous 4rinci4le of absolute su4eriority of the first #enerations of Muslims (based on some hadiths about the illustrious 4ioneers and follo!in# t4bih+n, and on some 3erses understood as the @'nd of Muslim History, . &heikh Ahmadou Bamba thinks that. e3en if Muslim 4recursors are eternally #ranted e=ce4tional fa3ors. <od;s <race !ill ne3er end and is closed to nobody. as he asserted it in 3as4li0? @<s goes the sayingD @(rizzle may !ell 4recede 4ourin# rain. ho!e3er 4ourin# rain is far better to the cro4s than drizzle B / thou that art scorning my wor0E Jo call to thy remembrance this
    72

    6rophetic ma?im 8hadith9D @My community is like a rain1 :no one knoweth which $art thereof is the )est;the first $art or the last $art<,(Mas1lik. 3" 8-082 &uch a con3iction about 4ossible s4iritual and material 4ro#ress of the modern #enerations of Muslims. !hich eludes no!adays many Muslims e=cessi3ely haunted by bida (blame!orthy s4iritual innovation and a0h#ru >am4n ('nd of time . runs counter to the idea of una3oidable moral and s4iritual decadence !idely ad3ocated by most of Muslim 4reachers" 5he &heikh is far from bein# fatalistic" 6or him. there can be amon# modern and comin# #enerations some !ho are as 3aluable or e3en more 3aluable than most of the Muslims of 4ast #enerations" Humanity can im4ro3e if men stri3e to com4ly !ith true s4irituality and if they use their 4o!erful modern means to achie3e <od;s &atisfaction instead of lettin# them lead humankind to animality. as it is often the case today" 5hus. in foundin# a ne! city (5ouba he 4lanned to be a 4lace most 4ro4itious to !orshi4 for comin# #enerations. in educatin# #enerations of Muslims. in rekindlin# the di#nity of his 4eo4le. in re3i3in# and ada4tin# many essential conce4ts to his s4ace and time. Bamba made a #amble on the future and demonstrated that all is not lost" %nless !e really !ant it" Murid .rounds for =es"we"can Attitude A last e=am4le sho!in# that Bamba;s thou#ht !as a len#th ahead the s4iritual conce4tions of most of his fello! Black Muslims. is his self0 confidence !hich led him to found a &ufi doctrine (or brotherhood . in a relati3ely youn# a#e" Indeed. most of &ene#alese Muslims !ere con3inced to be Muslims only if they become members of one of the t!o most 4rominent e=istin# brotherhoods. founded by Arab &ufi Masters:the /1diriyya and the 5ij1niyya" Besides. their hi#hest s4iritual ambitions !ithin these brotherhoods !ere to be conferred one day the title of *hay0h in the /1diriyya or that of a 3u!addam in the 5ij1niyya" Althou#h &heikh Ahmadou Bamba has al!ays ad3ocated the im4ortance of &ufi orders and the merit of their res4ecti3e founders. he !as also con3inced that brotherhoods are not
    78

    the ultimate end and that their founders. like &heikh Abdul /adMr Al0 *il1ni and &heikh Ahmad At05ij1ni. reached their eminent ranks by the <race of <od and by their sincerity in de3otion" 5he &heikh be#an by 4racticin# the wirds of such brotherhoods and of others. !ith the ambition to reach the s4iritual ranks of their founders and 0 !hy notJ 0 to sur4ass them one day" 9ith this darin# and )es0!e0can con3iction. !hich constitutes the #reatest le3el of -immah (infinite s4iritual ambition . the &heikh undertook to reach the hi#hest s4iritual and intellectual de#rees" He made so many efforts that he e3entually attained a le3el !hich allo!ed him to no lon#er reco#nize as his s4iritual master anyone but the Pro4het himself (PBH " Hence. he founded his o!n brotherhood (or s4ecific s4iritual doctrine :a bi# first in all African history" It is kno!n that after his mystical alle#iance to the Pro4het Muhammad (PBH . &heikh Ahmadou Bamba ceased to make fre>uent references to his 4re3ious masters (Al0<hazali. and others &ufi !riters " 9hile still holdin# them in hi#h re#ard. he sto44ed introducin# himself as he !as used to in his earlier booksH @<s a disciple of my father :who taught me;, 1 say," @&eniority, and race !ere no lon#er 3alid criteria of su4eriority for him" He !rote? @<nd never be dissuaded from holding this boo0 in due regard by my belonging to the blac0 race. Because :as !uoted from the Boo0; the most honorable human being before G/J is who that fears -13 the most, without any possible doubt. *o blac0 s0in does not imply insanity or ill understanding, (Mas1lik, 3"2E02B In a second little0kno!n 3ersion of Mas1lik he !rote later (and !hich has been lost. e=ce4t some 3erses . he !ent e3en further and re3ised this last 3erseH @*o blac0 s0in does not imply denial of the Jivine Grace or of attaining high spiritual degrees., Bamba;s assertion of his o!n 4ersonality and identity is 3ery unusual in those times and foreshado!ed a radical mental re3olution in the relationshi4 bet!een Black Muslims and Moorish masters" 5his attitude also called into >uestion the !ould0be natural intellectual su4eriority of 9hite men o3er Blacks !hich !as one the key ar#ument of the u4holders of @ci3ilizin# behind0the0times Black 4eo4les, throu#h colonization (@le fardeau de lhomme blanc, or @la mission civilisatrice, as they called it "
    7F

    In sayin# @yes. !e. Blacks. can !rite books. !e can think. !e can reach the hi#hest s4iritual and moral de#rees ,. &heikh Ahmadou Bamba !as also maintainin# that the era !hen Blacks must >uite necessarily consider Moorish as their natural leaders is in the 4ast and that the time has come !hen Blacks can be the s4iritual as !ell intellectual masters of Moorish and 9hite men as !ell" 5he only 3alid criterion must be fearin# of the Lord ensuin# from reliable and dee4 kno!led#e. moral >ualities and !orshi4 of <od. in accordance !ith the basic 4rinci4les of Islam Althou#h this absolute racial e>uality in Islam. constantly ad3ocated and reminded by the Pro4het (PBH to his 4eo4le. had al!ays to face most Arabs; 4sycholo#ical and cultural re4resentations of their Black co0reli#ionists as former sla3es" 5his stron# affirmation of self0confidence of &heikh Ahmadou Bamba enabled him later to be ranked amon# the most 4rominent &ufi masters of all times by many Mauritanian 4oets and Moorish &ufis !ho re#arded themsel3es as his humble disci4les" &uch attitude contributed much in re3i3in# Black Muslims; self0assurance and into de3elo4in# a stron# Murid identity" Ho!e3er. such a claimin# a#ainst ne#ati3e conce4tions about Black race is not intended at all to u4hold any s4iritual difference on a racial basis. as some seem to assume it" Indeed. &heikh Ahmadou Bamba;s teachin#. in itself. does not con3ey any idea liable to substantiate seriously the assum4tion of ha3in# @ne#rified, Islam (as President &en#hor 4ut it once or of for#in# a form of Islam more suitable to Black Africans" His sole 4retence and 4ur4ose !as the rene!al of the ori#inal 4rinci4les of Islam. out of any racial or social coordinates" In fact. thou#h refusin# the so0called intellectual and s4iritual he#emony of the Moors. &heikh Ahmadou Bamba built u4 3ery solid relationshi4 !ith many of them" Mostly durin# his second e=ile in Mauritania (he !as callin# <rd *4lih#n. the Land of the Iirtuous . !hen a fe! Moor tribes s!ore alle#iance to him. he a Black master:a first. to our kno!led#e" Mauritanian masters. amon# !hich some !ere kno!n yet for their natural condescension to!ards their black
    7E

    4eers. and for their far0reachin# kno!led#e. !ere so im4ressed by Bamba;s s4iritual and intellectual le3els that they dedicated him hundreds of im4assioned 4raise04oems 0 another first in &ene#alese history 0 !hich ha3e been #athered in a major collection in 5ouba Public Library" The %itnesses of the %ritten Miracles 5here are definitely too much to say about these >uestions. but let us content oursel3es in a#reein# that one cannot understand 4erfectly the ideolo#ical basis of the Muridiyya unless he becomes familiar !ith all these notions con3eyed in &heikh Ahmadou Bamba;s !ritin#s and other internal literary materials !e call @Murid 4arallel !ritin#s,. like bio#ra4hies. ha#io#ra4hies. .olofal (4oems !ritten in 9olof lan#ua#e by Murid authors etc" Amon# im4ortant 4arallel !ritin#s. !hich deser3e analysis and !hich may be of #reat interest throu#h meanin#ful cross0 checkin#. !e must count Bamba;s official bio#ra4hies. and reliable accounts made by close disci4les !ho li3ed !ith him and !hich are #athered in !ritten ma&m+ha or in audiocassettes" &uch as the im4ortant re4orts of &eri#ne Mabandji Cdiaye. &eri#ne Aheikh 6atou 5acko (io4. &eri#ne (emba KRbR. &eri#ne Habibou Mbacke. &eri#ne Mor &eck Ridial and others" 5hese disci4les. !ho !ere unanimously reco#nized as reliable and <od0fearin#. #a3e hi#hly 3aluable clues. throu#h stories and anecdotes they 4ersonally !itnessed. about the thinkin# and the stance of their &heikh re#ardin# numerous matters: amon# !hich some may be 3ery une=4ected. as household. the im4ortance of teachin# #irls. his outstandin# e=e#esis of some Koranic 3erses and hadiths. his o4inions about many daily situations. his attitude in 4ri3ate life etc" 5heir testimonies. after due cross0checkin# throu#h classical academic tools. could constitute an im4ortant com4lementary element crucial to analyze some !ritin#s and attitudes of &heikh Ahmadou Bamba" Because s4iritual e=4erience is not easy to communicate and !e can #ras4 it 4erfectly only throu#h the &ufi Xs e3eryday life. as Ana!ati !rote it?
    77

    @3ystical e?perience is essentially personal and cannot be fully interpreted outside the analysis of the *ufis life itself, beyond his mere verbal e?pression. .e need to 0now in detail the accurate behavior, during his life, of the author we intend to study, as well as his conduct towards his close relations, and his attitude towards death. <ll of this must be reported by critical biographers 5 and not only through pure legends 5 so as to ascertain if what the author related us from his e?periences was &ust pure literary fiction or the accurate description of a phenomenon he personally e?perienced. 1ndeed, nothing is easier than repeating wonderful ma?ims or reciting marvelous prayers. .hich is !uite different from producing them spontaneously prompted by a choice :Jivine; Grace., Reliable accounts on Bamba;s actions and doin#s could 4lay the same role as the hadiths did. in hel4in# to document the Pro4het;s teachin#s in many >uestions the /ur01n #a3e no e=4licit details" &cholars !ho attem4ted to study the Muridiyya. !ithout e=aminin# carefully these 3ital internal sources. chose instead to rely often on mis#uided Murid disci4les !ho ne3er recei3ed trainin# or instruction by the &heikh himself or ne3er li3ed intimately !ith him" 5hey chose also to content themsel3es !ith the tendentious official re4orts of the jealous nati3e colonial re4resentati3es. or the doubtful @scientific, studies of Paul Marty and the like" Indeed. all these e=am4les abo3e ha3e sho!n us ho! &heikh Ahmadou Bamba;s !ritin#s are crucial to a44reciate fully his 4hiloso4hy and the doctrinal foundations of the Muridiyya. and ho! the scholarly dearth noticed in this 4ur4ose may be critical" Most of the mistakes and misunderstandin#s con3eyed by 4re3ious !orks on the Muridiyya ori#inate often in their attem4ts to construe this or#anization basically from inter4retations of Murids; o44onents or of some Murids (e3en thou#h these ha44en to be i#norant or to ha3e misconce4tions of Bamba;s true !ritin#s and teachin#s . disre#ardin# so its fundamental ideolo#ical basis" 5his is ty4ically the same mistake made by some scholars !ho identified Islam !ith the misconducts or the misconstructions of some little0balanced Muslims:this is !hat !e call the @do!n0to4, 4ers4ecti3e"
    7B

    %ave Seve!
    S a!di!( u1 ."ra-$i!(0 S udies

    '3en 4ast occasional attem4ts to study Bamba;s !ritin#s focused essentially on the inter4retation of such !ritin#s by the 3urids themselves and ho! it affects their social beha3iors" But they ne3er endea3ored to construe the true meanin# of these !ritin#s. accordin# to Bamba himself" Most of the time. scholars content themsel3es !ith >uotin# occasionally some 3erses met !ith in the fe! e=istin# 6rench translations of the >asidas or taken from inter3ie!s !ith some Murid disci4les (!ho can distort many 4rimary meanin#s " 6urthermore. such 3erses and re4orts are often taken out of their initial conte=ts and !ithout the essential 4reliminary #round0le3el in3esti#ations and methodical studies on their ori#inal sources" Another 4roblem raised sometimes by the full reliance to Murid disci4les; isolated inter4retations. !ithout due cross0checkin# !ith the doctrinal basis of the Muridiyya. is the fact that the 4erce4tions of the Murids !ho are li3in# in different s4aces and times may be >uite different. !hile their theoretical reference basis is su44osed to be the same:&heikh Ahmadou Bamba;s teachin#s" 5hrou#h this ne! 4rism. !e are tem4ted to say that most of the scholarshi4 on the Muridiyya to date is rather crawling around the e4i4henomena of social facts" Because it has been too often da>>led by some strikin# distincti3e features of this or#anization and has been
    BD

    fre>uently confused by biases and intellectual short cuts" &o. !hat !e need no! is to hel4 this scholarshi4 back to its two feet:meanin#. ($ analyzin# carefully and thorou#hly its founder;s writings and everyday life and (+ confrontin# these !ith historical facts and their inter$retations throu#h Murids; 4ractices and beliefs" 9hat can e=4lain such a lack of research on &heikh Ahmadou Bamba;s !ritin#s. des4ite the substantial scholarshi4 on the MuridiyyaJ 9e found some main reasons. amon# others. !hich can #i3e us a fe! keys to the riddle" The 'ollateral -amages of Mar4 and Marty 6irst. many of the scholars !ho studied the Muridiyya. u4 to no!. are social scientists !ho !ere far more interested in the 3isible distincti3e features of the Murids:economic 3itality and 4sycholo#ical moti3ations. social beha3iors. 4olitical commitment. conser3ati3e tendencies alon# !ith ada4tability to modernity. immi#ration etc" Moreo3er. until no!. many scholars are. someho! or other. influenced by the 4re3ailin# and endurin# 4aradi#ms laid do!n by 6rench colonial literature on the Muridiyya led by Paul Marty. the influential colonial administrator" 5his is some!hat !hat Babou re4roached to this trend in sayin#? @*cholarly interpretations of the 3uridiyya reflect a general trend that, until recently, has mar0ed the literature on religion in general and on religion in the former Kuropean colonies in *outh <sia and <frica in particular. /ne defining characteristic of this trend is the importance ascribed to economic and political aspirations spurred by coloni>ation as the ma&or causative and e?planatory factors of religious social movements"erence Ganger observed that all reli#ious mo3ementsVha3e been treated as ne! and as e=4licable in terms of s4ecial 4ressures and transformations of colonialism", Indeed. this is just one of the se3eral @collateral dama#es, of the lastin# and dee4 influence of the Mar=ist methodolo#y in social
    B$

    sciences" 9e are con3inced that such a lack of concern about the real ideolo#ical and s4iritual basis of the Muridiyya are at the root of numerous misunderstandin#s and clichRs about the Murids. lar#ely 4ortrayed as i#norant. fanatic. credulous and heedless of Islamic orthodo=y" 5hese clichRs. based on the study of 4articular sam4les. !ere further le#itimated by the racist conce4t of @Islam noir, (so0 called form of Islam 4racticed s4ecifically by Black Africans theorized by Paul Marty and other orientalists. !ho considered it as less 4ure than @Arab Islam, and as more akin to 4a#anism" 5his e=4lains certainly !hy the re4uted 3ery serious #azetteer @Le <rand (ictionnaire du Monde, describes the Murids in such incredible !ords? @3urids have adapted 1slam to <frican specificityHso, when they perform their prayers, they turn towards the tomb of their great marabout, <madou Bamba, but not towards the 3ecca., 9e may also read in 9iki4edia (*anuary +DDB . and in many other internet resources about the Muridiyya. 3ery amazin# descri4tions? @Kvery year, millions of 3urids all over the world ma0e a pilgrimage to "ouba 83agal9, worshipping at the mos!ue and honoring the memory of *hei0h <hmadou Bamba. /n one occasion during the pilgrimage, 3urid believers pray facing the +tlantic 3cean, to commemorate Bambas legendary prayer on the water., 5his last re4ort (!idely taken u4 by a fe! #lobal media is all the more eccentric if one realize that 5ouba is situated in the heart of Baol and Aayor lands (central &ene#al . !here nobody could hardly locate !here the sea breeze is blo!in#Q Indeed. the lack of reliable information on the true doctrinal basis of the Muriddiya led often many scholars to content themsel3es and to make do !ith the (false conce4tions of the first Murid !ho comes alon#. !ithout due and minimum checkin#" Because. the fact is there are many Murids !ho claimed stron#ly their affiliation to
    B+

    Bamba;s doctrine !ithout ha3in# e3er studied seriously his authentic thinkin# and 4ractice. and !ho rely seldom on un3erified stories and 4o4ular misconce4tions" 5here are as !ell. as it is often the case in all communities. some Murids !ho act deliberately out of com4liance !ith Bamba;s teachin#s because of their indi3idual !orldly interests. thou#h 4erfectly conscious of their inconsistency" RenR Luc Moreau criticized this ill0oriented methodolo#y used to study the doctrine of the Muridiyya. in !ritin#? @Gegarding the 3urids, :scholars; have essentially made their en!uiries about 3urid doctrine from the great number, in other words from the peasants who were the least prepared to answer the inappropriate !uestions of the interviewers. :*cholars; were also as0ing information from the opponents of this organi>ation, who found their interests to misrepresent and to denigrate :the 3urids; to the local authorities. , &uch a subjecti3e methodolo#y may be likened to a Martian re4orter !ho relies essentially. once he #ot off his flyin# saucer. to his inter3ie! !ith the first %& citizen he met !ith 0 who is unfortunately member of the %u %lu? %lan O and !ho !rites. on this sin#le basis. his article on the racial conce4tion of all American 4eo4leQ 5his is as if !e rely on the !ild ima#inin#s of some British drunk hooli#ans or on the ramblin# of a neo0Cazi acti3ist to 4ortray the common beha3ior and frame of mind of all the %nited Kin#dom;s inhabitants" Indeed. like all human communities in history and around the !orld. all Murids are not e>ually clear0si#hted and !ell0#uided:for sure. they ha3e #ot their hooligans as !ell" But. in the same !ay clear0si#hted Muslims do not acce4t their reli#ion bein# im4ro4erly identified !ith 3iolence and intolerance. just o!in# to a handful of @terrorists,. so clear0 si#hted and #enuine Murids do not acce4t their doctrine bein# misjud#ed because of a fe! thou#htless indi3iduals" Makin# s!ee4in# #eneralizations has al!ays been. and is still. Achilles; heel of most of the scholarshi4 on the Muridiyya based alone on unchecked #round material or ill0tar#eted sur3eys" <oodness Q Is it not time. o (ear &cholar. to #et to the core of Bamba;s true ideolo#y. nowJ
    B-

    B2

    The %olof (oatman Another subtle 4remise !hich im4acted im4licitly on the underratin# of the full si#nificance of Bamba;s !ritin#s is. in our 3ie!. the !ei#ht of oral tradition for many scholars in construin# @illiterate, African societies; 4hiloso4hy" 5his led many scholars to #i3e relati3ely fe! im4ortance to Black nati3e !riters" Althou#h. !e ha3e to ackno!led#e that the case of a 4rolific !riter as assiduous as &heikh Ahmadou Bamba is >uite aty4ical in many African societies" 6urthermore. some scholars assumed that. since most 9olof nati3es !ere illiterate. they could not #et to the !ritin#s of the &heikh" Hence. there is no need to !aste time !ith. since Murid disci4les rather refer to mythical and fabulous stories to make u4 their o!n code of belief" 5his a44roach seems a little too hasty. insofar as it disre#ards the hi#h si#nificance of 9olof literature (called .olofal . !hich 4layed a key 4art in translatin#. 4oetically and in a fashion more familiar to the masses of that time. the essentials of &heikh Ahmadou Bamba;s !ritin#s" 9olofal ranked amon# the best @brid#es,. amon# others. !hich enabled 9olof illiterate 4eo4le to attain the @ocean, of Murid doctrine and 4rinci4les" Murid 4oets. like &heikh Moussa Ka. !ho re#arded themsel3es as @boatmen in char#e of makin# 9olof cross the lan#ua#e barrier,. !ere con3inced to be ins4ired by &heikh Ahmadou himself" As &heikh Moussa Ka 4ut it. in some of his admirable 4oems? @Bismil 1laahi, O&amee ngi deeti &oow pa0e ca bRl ba O&amee di mool biy ?uus ci gee&u Bamba, Ji ?otti mbee? ma, tay & lle gaaya pom ba , In the Came of <od. I am launchin# a#ain my boat As the ferryman in the heart of Bamba;s Kcean 5hrou#h the !a3es. I shall clea3e And make my 4eo4le cross the Brid#e" @"ay &ii ma wa? ba ne tareet,
    B8

    Ogir yaa ma def ntalpareet Ogir yaa fabi ?am5?am ne yareet ,i sama ?el ci 2arnu bi, 5oday. I shall shout TK BambaQU 6or you make of me thy inter4ret. Ins4irin# a kno!led#e 3ery fine 5o the mind of mine. today Another Murid 4oet. &heikh &amba (iaara Mbaye. de4icted his em4athy !ith Bamba in these most outstandin# 3erses? @Bu leen ma yPem, yPem leen 0o moom, Ju man di wa?, mooy 0a di wa?, .a?ande laa wum tR&i wa?, Bu ma ti&ee may l mmiYam, Mar3el not at my artistry. !onder ye at him instead 5hese !ords of him are not the !ords of mine I am just the bo= !here his !ords nestled 9hene3er he o4ens me. I shall be his !ords If Bamba chose to !rite in Arabic. it !as mainly because Arabic !as the scholar and scientific lan#ua#e of his milieu and time. and that the /ur01n and all te=tbook material African Muslims !ere usin# are !ritten in Arabic. !hich 4ortrays Islam official and sacred lan#ua#e" Murid 9olof !riters !ere dee4ly conscious of their mission to translate this messa#e" Bamba himself #a3e clear clues to their forerunners. !ho !ere his disci4les (like &eri#ne Mbaye (iakhatR. &eri#ne Mor KayrR and &heikh Moussa Ka . and encoura#e them to !rite in their nati3e lan#ua#e" 9olof 4oets !ere considerin# seriously their role to educate illiterate 4eo4le and to make them attain the most of &heikh Ahmadou BambaLs teachin#s. thou#h it !as throu#h the colorful 4rism of 9olof culture and touch" 5heir numerous alle#orical references to @Bamba0Kcean, (Bambaa di gPP& in their 4oems de3oted to ha#io#ra4hy. ethics. s4iritual education. admonitions. 4leas. 4raisin#. and so on. sho! that authors like &heikh Moussa Ka. &eri#ne
    BF

    Mbaye (iakhatR. &eri#ne Mor KayrR. &heikh &amba (iaara Mbaye. and others. !ere fully a!are of their educational role" 5hus. many of their !orks may be construed as a kind of N!olofizationN of the >asidas. Besides. much has been said about the 4o4ular e4ic and the @4ro4ensity to le#endary stories, re4roached to 9olofal literature" &ome scholars. !ith 9ahhabi leanin#s. ha3e also re4roached 9olof ha#io#ra4hy to fuel the cult of the saints" Kthers !ere 4rone to erect a !all bet!een 9olof literature. some!hat held as @4o4ulist, and desi#ned for the @4easantry,. and Bamba;s !ritin#s. re#arded as more si#nificant. intellectually s4eakin#" 5here is no doubt that 9olof 4oets. like many 4oets else!here. are often inclined to lay more stress on the fantastic element and on su4ernatural e3ents rational s4irits are tem4ted to hold as 4ure fancies" Ho!e3er. such stand4oints disre#ard the fact that. in addition to e4ics and ha#io#ra4hies. 9olof 4oets ha3e !ritten in many other 3aluable fields" A !riter like &eri#ne Mbaye (iakhatR is 4articularly !ell0kno!n for his numerous and 3i3id educational 4oems desi#ned to teach Murid disci4les the fundamentals of &ufism. and his harsh criticisms a#ainst the misbeha3iors of a 4art of the Murid leadershi4 and disci4les" Kther reasons !hich contributed to sha4e the form taken by many 9olofal are the intellectual le3el and cultural tendencies of their time and milieu. fa3ored by the 9est0African #riot0style of storytellin#. the alle#orical and lyric style im4osed by 4oetry. and the &ufi tradition of ha#io#ra4hic literature (manaa!ib " Moussa Ka;s !orks 4layed in 9olof society the same role as @5he Kdyssey, of Homer did in Ancient <reece. or @Kne 5housand and Kne Ci#hts, in Arab ima#inary. makin# due allo!ances" 6ollo!in# Babou;s rele3ant remarks. !e must also obser3e that the @immoderation, re4roached to 9olof 4oets ha3e 4layed a key 4art in counterbalancin# efficiently. in the 4o4ular Murid ima#ery. the
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    major sub3ersi3e effects of the 4olitically oriented colonial literature on the Muridiyya" Moussa Ka !as a kind of anti0Marty !riter" As for the re4roach to fuel the cult of the saints. it is a 3ery old contro3ersy bet!een differin# ideolo#ical tendencies in Islam" Ho!e3er. Bamba is not certainly held by the orthodo= Murids as their #od. neither as their 4ro4het. but he is the #ate throu#h !hich they reached the (i3ine li#ht and the #ate!ay to the 5reasures of the Pro4het (PBH and human di#nity" 5his is the reason !hy they are re3erin# him o3er all other human bein#s but they do not !orshi4 him. because all his recommendations corres4onds to !hat <od and His Pro4het (PBH ha3e ordered them" And !hate3er &4iritual 6a3ors he claimed. as outstandin# as they may be. are just considered as an e3idence of the Lord;s infinite <race and Mercy" Co one can find. in all Bamba;s !ritin#s. any fa3or he claimed ha3in# been #ranted outside his Lord;s Mercy or !hich runs counter to the Absolute Kin#shi4 of <od" 9ere it not their dee4 con3iction that &heikh Ahmadou Bamba is infinitely fa3ored by the Lord and His Pro4het (PBH . Murids !ould ha3e ne3er follo!ed him and lo3e him so much" Lo3in# someone the Lord himself and His Pro4het lo3e amounts to lo3in# <od and His Messen#er (PBH . in their 4ers4ecti3e" As re#ardin# the criticisms about too much tendency for miraculous stories. it is a #eneral re4roach common to many traditional ha#io#ra4hies" Ho!e3er. Muslim rationalists ha3e to recall that reli#ion is not made of rational (in the modern sense and Aartesian elements alone" Miracles ha3e al!ays been an inte#ral 4art of Islamic teachin#. throu#hout numerous stories related in the /ur0 1n. as sho!n by the miracles ( mu&i>4t !orked by the Pro4hets" Let us just remind the 4rodi#ious 4o!ers #ranted to the Pro4hets (a3id and &olomon. as told in the Book? @.e gave 8in the past9 0nowledge to Javid and *olomonD <nd they both saidD @6raise be to God, .ho has favoured us above many of his servants who believeEB <nd *olomon was Javid=s heir. -e saidD B/ ye peopleE .e have been taught the speech of birds, and on us has been
    B7

    bestowed 8a little9 of all thingsD this is indeed Grace manifest 8from God.9B<nd before *olomon were marshalled his hosts,5 of $inns and men and birds, and they were all 0ept in order and ran0s. <t length, when they came to a 8lowly9 valley of ants, one of the ants saidD @/ ye ants, get into your habitations, lest *olomon and his hosts crush you 8under foot9 without 0nowing it.B *o he smiled, amused at her speech@ and he saidD @/ my AordE so order me that I may be grateful for "hy favours, which thou hast bestowed on me and on my parents, and that 1 may wor0 the righteousness that will please "hee., (/ur01n ==3ii"$80$B Althou#h modern rationalist e=e#etes ha3e tried hard to #i3e more Aartesian and more alle#orical constructions to such 4assa#es they hold rationally @disturbin#,. >uite im4licitly. they are also bound to ackno!led#e that tellin# miracles or ha3in# faith in the su4ernatural 4o!ers of the saints (w4li are not at all in contradiction !ith the s4irit of authentic Islam and to return to 4ristine 4ro4hetic tradition" In our 3ie!. !hat they should rather em4hasize is educatin# the audience such stories are intended for. throu#h 4ro4er teachin# tools. so they may learn ho! to understand their symbolisms and the limits they should ne3er o3erste4" As outstandin# as (i3ine miracles and fa3ors may be. they must be just considered as e3idences of His infinite mercy and must 4rom4t men to sho! #ratefulness to their Areator" But they can ne3er be 3alid #rounds for trans#ressin# or assi#nin# 4artners to <od" &o. criticizin# the miracles of the &aints and 9olofal ha#io#ra4hies. on that 4oint. amounts to su##estin# to remo3e all @disturbin#, su4ernatural references of the /ur01n and of the Hadiths. so as to suit hard0liner rationalists" Indeed. discussin# in #reat detail all >uestions relatin# to the countless contro3ersies bet!een rationalist Muslims and &ufis !ould lead us beyond the sco4e of this study" @.hen it is said to themD @Believe as the others believeDB "hey sayD @*hall we believe as the fools believeQB Oay, of a surety they are the fools, but they do not 0now., (/ur01n ii"$-

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    Moreo3er. some scholars seem to be assumin# that 9olof !riters !ere not !ell03ersed in #enuine reli#ious kno!led#e and that the 4o4ular literature they founded do not reflect accurately &heikh Ahmadou Bamba;s teachin#s" Accordin# to such scholars. this contributes #reatly to distort the 4erce4tion many Murid ha3e of Bamba;s teachin#s" Indeed. one cannot deny the cultural im4act of 9olof ima#ery. traditions and collecti3e memory on the 4o4ular 4erce4tion of Murid doctrinal cor4us" Because reli#ion has al!ays to co4e !ith cultural dimensions !here3er it settled do!n" 5hen the stru##le has al!ays been to ne3er let corru4tin# traditions detrimental to !orshi4 su44lant reli#ious and moral 4rinci4les:such dynamics and unsteady e>uilibrium is the basis of reli#ious life in any society" Ho!e3er. assumin# that Murid 4oets !ere not !ell0learned does not s>uare !ith reality" In fact. &heikh Moussa Ka as !ell as &eri#ne Mbaye (iakhatR. and other Murid !riters. !ere trained by &heikh Ahmadou Bamba himself. and a thorou#h e=amination of their #reat 4oetic le#acy may sho! their hi#h commands of all the reli#ious sciences:e=e#esis of the /ur01n. Hadith. 5a!hMd. &ufism. history of Islam. 4oetry. and so on" 9hich is lar#ely demonstrated by the hi#h >uality of their 3ery !orks" 6urthermore. throu#h many ele#iacs. they ha3e just translated in 9olof cultural form the outstandin# s4iritual fa3ors the &heikh himself declared he !as #ranted by the Lord in his o!n !ritin#s. in accordance !ith &ufi old tradition of s4iritual disclosure" 5he beneficial and didactic effects of 9olofal on Murid disci4les are also 4ro3en" 9hile contributin# #reatly to foster Murids; African identity. 4oems in nati3e lan#ua#e 4layed an essential role to 4o4ularize many subtle Islamic conce4ts. to the common 9olof 4eo4le as to the u44er learned classes !ho could be not 3ery familiar !ith &ufi notions before" I can #i3e my 4ersonal e=am4le to sho! ho! 9olof 4oems can im4act on Murids; attitudes and beliefs" 9hene3er I am listenin# to mo3in# 9olofal ele#iacs of &heikh Ahmadou Bamba or one of his 3aliant com4anions. I can;t hel4 bein# touched by their 3irtues and their !orks. thou#h bein# >uite a!are of the sim4lifyin# 4o!er of 4oetry" 5his is assuredly a major 4sycholo#ical moti3ation !hich may 4rom4t to imitate them. to kee4 one;s di#nity and to
    $DD

    cherish ambitious s4iritual 4ur4oses" As &eri#ne Moussa Ka 4uts it in. in some >uite notable 3erses? @Bepp l 00 rafet na Buy gindi ci nit ?el ma, Ji yee ci &aam ngor nga, All lan#ua#es !ill kee4 u4 their beauties. As lon# as they li#ht the !ay for men. And rekindle their sense of di#nity Kn the 4oint of doin# somethin#. I ha44en sometimes to recall a 4articular 9olof 3erse relatin# to &heikh Ahmadou Bamba;s 4ractice and teachin# !hich dissuaded me or encoura#ed me to do it" 6or instance. !hene3er I feel sick or e=hausted so as to be tem4ted to cut short some daily acts of de3otion I am accustomed to. this 3erse of &heikh Moussa Ka comes often to my mindH @ Ju wopp ba ta? mu w YYi &aamu Y llaam, (@Bamba !as ne3er 4re3ented from 4erformin# his de3otional duties due to ill health or tiredness, " '3en thou#h this indul#ence is 4erfectly 4ermitted by Islamic la! ( *haria . such a determination to !orshi4 the Lord. in any circumstances. to one;s e=treme limits (-immah or 6astPef has dee4ly sha4ed Murid doctrine" The King and the 'leric 5he 4olitical commitment of the Murids and their relationshi4 !ith the &tate ha3e also aroused much >uestionin# and many analyses of the scholars. !hich fueled an endurin# 4icture of 4olitical clientelism of the Murids" Most of those scholars !ere dee4ly influenced by the 4aradi#m im4osed by 6rench colonial authors. !hich considers the Muridiyya as @an instrument used by the 9olof ethnic #rou4 to ada4t to 6rench colonial rule,. 5hese same scholars assume that. in the 4ostcolonial era. @the Murid order continued to 4erform its 4olitical function by hel4in# foster a ,social contract, !hich miti#ated the ne! rulers; lack of le#itimacy in the eyes of rural masses and 4ro3ided stability to the state,. %nder this contract of >uid 4ro >uo. @the Murid leaders. amon# other Muslim brokers. assured the loyalty of the
    $D$

    citizens and in return recei3ed reco#nition and material su44ort from the &tate", Besides indi3idual attitudes and 4olitical stances of some Murid leaders and disci4les !ho actually use their membershi4 of the Muridiyya as a 4olitical and 4olitickin# de3ice. !e contend that many !riters ha3e failed to #ras4 fully the com4le=ity of this >uestion and all its im4lications" As usual. 4assion and 4rejudice su44lanted careful and scientific study" As a colonial officer. Marty;s ob3ious !orries about 4otential nati3e forces liable to threaten the official authority;s full control o3er the masses are still 4erce4tible throu#h many a44roaches. until today" &uch a 3ision has been !orsened by the religious form taken by the 4olitical commitment of the Murids" 6or. in analyzin# this 4roblem. !e noticed a meanin#ful difference of a44roach re#ardin# this >uestion bet!een. schematically s4eakin#. the scholars ori#inatin# or influenced by the theories in 3o#ue in former colonial countries (mostly 6rance and scholars from nonim$erialist countries (like American researchers " 5hou#h it !ould be hi#hly sim4listic to reduce this 4roblem to just a 4roblem of nationalities. it is kno!n that. in these t!o areas. the 4erce4tion of reli#ion and the limits of its s4here of influence are historically different. on the !hole" And it is also kno!n that their research methodolo#ies and a44roaches are often different. 4articulary in social sciences. in s4ite of many common academic tools and standards" 5he 6rench Re3olution has set do!n endurin# 4olitical 4rinci4les re#ardin# secularity (6rincipe de laZcitP . the strict se4aration of the Ahurch and the &tate. and the containment of reli#ious life !ithin 4ri3ate s4ace" &uch a 3ision may be easily e=4lained by the feelin# of intellectual re3olt a#ainst the com4licity of the cler#y !ith the monarchy and their unfair domination o3er the 4eo4le for centuries" As for American scholars. the reli#ious historical back#round of their nation. their 4ast of former colonized 4eo4le and of anticolonialism. and their culture of communitarianism fa3ored by the outcomes of sla3ery and immi#ration. hel4 them #enerally to treat !ith less 4rejudice the >uestion of 4olitical commitment of a Black
    $D+

    reli#ious community" Reli#ious communities; 4olitical lobbyin#. !hich is !idely ackno!led#ed in American conte=t (and in other areas. des4ite ho!e3er real 4roblems sometimes . is officially re#arded as in o44osition to 6rench re4ublican 4rinci4les" Althou#h lobbies of the freemasons. of 3arious economic forces. of homose=uals. and of other 3isible minorities are an undeniable fact in this system" 5oday. in many countries in the modern !orld. homose=ual lobbyin# is !idely more acce4ted than reli#ious lobbyin#. due in 4art to the continuin# re3en#e of the 'nli#htenment (les Aumi[res on the Ahurch (and on other reli#ious beliefs " '3en &ene#alese scholars and intellectuals !ho ha3e been trained throu#h this system did not esca4e such a conce4tion of the Re4ublic they are defendin# !ith real con3iction. unlike An#lo0&a=on scholars !ho sho! often more detachment in analyzin# this >uestion (schematically s4eakin# " 5his analyzis of Allen Roberts (one American scholar amon# others . !hich is re4resentati3e of this tendency. is about the role of &ene#alese reli#ious forces in the stability of the country (in s4ite of serious 4roblems ? @3ouridism is one of the most distinctive aspects of contemporary *enegalese social life. 1ndeed, it would be impossible to understand how the republics Xbris0 and vigorous democracy; ma0es it Xa beacon of hope...in a troubled region; without fully appreciating its most economically and politically influential 1slamic movement. 3ouridism lin0s all secular and sacred activities. *enegal also has a long tradition of amicable and tolerant coe?istence between the 3uslim ma&ority and the ,hristian ... and other religious minorities ... the countrys stri0ing stability can be directly attributed to the unusual balance of power between the *enegalese government and the 3ourides and other religious orders., 5his ne! scholarly trend. !hich contrasts !ith all !hat ha3e been !ritten on this >uestion for decades. denotes clearly that the theme of Murid 4olitical commitment can be analyzed throu#h a different more com4le= 4rism" In fact there are a fe! im4ortant 4arameters !hich should be taken into account in studyin# the nature and the si#nificance of the 3ery lon#0discussed Murid 4olitical
    $D-

    commitment" 5hese factors ha3e been 3ery often i#nored by many authors !ho ha3e attem4ted to study this >uestion in the 4ast" Let us recall here some essential elements !hich !ill sho! the shallo!ness of most articles on this subject and the reason !hy those articles are often somethin# of heatedly o4inions rather than objecti3e critics" 6irst of all. Islamic o3erall conce4tion of life does not make fundamentally a tan#ible se4aration bet!een reli#ious and secular social acti3ities" @*ayD B"ruly, my prayer and my service of sacrifice, my life and my death, are 8all9 for God, the ,herisher of the .orlds , (/ur1n 3i"$F+ " In Islam. 4olitics is understood. in the broadest sense. as e3ery acti3ity and effort aimin# to 4romote social. economic. and s4iritual de3elo4ment of the Muslim community" 5hence. 4olitics is an inte#rated 4art of its ori#inal messa#e. as im4lied by this statement of the Pro4het (PBH H @.hoever does not care about his fellow 3uslims welfare is not a member of my community., 6rom the 3ery be#innin#. Islam claimed the 4olitical commitment of its leadershi4. symbolized by the &tate of Medina. desi#ned and led by the Pro4het himself (PBH " After the death of the Pro4het (PBH . this initial model of 4olitics suffered serious alterations 4roduced by endless internal dissensions and by the e=cesses of rulin# dynasties !hich turned to mere 4olitickin#" 5his de3iation contributed much to break u4 the homo#eneous initial 4olitico0reli#ious conce4tion in Islam. !hich s4lit in t!o distinct 4o!ers com4elled to interact throu#h unsteady relationshi4:tem4oral 4o!er and reli#ious 4o!er" 5his led some Muslim masters to ad3ocate return to the sober and ascetic lifestyle of the Pro4het (PBH and to theorize. throu#h a method called &ufism. the 4urification of the heart of all !orldly 4ur4ose. so as to #et nearer the Lord" Po!er and 4olitics became then sus4icious. and reli#ious leaders !ho !ere maintainin# close relationshi4 !ith the rulers !ere systematically blamed and accused of lo3in# this !orld and of dishonest com4romise" A more balanced &ufi a44roach (su44orted by Imam <hazali. amon# others ackno!led#ed the 4ossible collaboration !ith (unjust rulers under s4ecial and restricted circumstances" &uch conditions !ere about the moral 4erfection of the reli#ious leaders. the sco4e of this di4lomatic
    $D2

    coo4eration (maslaha !hich must not ste4 o3er the le#al limits im4osed by the res4ect of (i3ine 4rinci4les" Reli#ious leaders must then kee4 a!ay from the rulers; corru4tin# milieu and are allo!ed to coo4erate !ith them only in case of necessity" 5his &ufi tendency in3ites also Muslim subjects to abide by the la!s set do!n by the rulers as lon# as they hel4 them in their material needs and do not com4el them to #i3e u4 their faith" &uch 4rinci4les influenced dee4ly many brotherhoods. amon# !hich the /1diriyya. one of the most 4rominent tari!as to !hich belon# many &ene#alese clerical families. like &heikh Ahmadou Bamba;s family. the Mbacke" Althou#h the 4ossibility of 3iolent o44osition to unjust rulers and of reli#ious con>uest of the 4olitical 4o!er ha3e al!ays been re#ularly claimed by some &ene#alese clerics. accordin# to 4articular circumstances. the main trend of such a &ufi a44roach may !ell be summed u4 by this 4o4ular ma=im @Peace and tran>uility are better than anythin# else, (<s5*al4mun wal 4fiya 0hayrun min ghayrihima " Historically. in &ene#al. kin#s ha3e al!ays solicited clerics to mana#e their kin#doms or. other!ise. ha3e tried to contain their influence" &uch a tradition became the rule in 9olof society since the si=teenth century. notably after the colla4se of the *olof em4ire !hich had dominated the 4olitical landsca4e of &ene#al for o3er t!o centuries" 5he *olof em4ire #a3e birth to ne! 9olof states (*olof. 9alo. Aayor and Baol !hich rulers asked often Muslim clerics assistance about statecraft. mystical 4rotection and 4olitical su44ort" In return. influential clerics !ere #ranted land. administrati3e and cultural autonomy. as Babou described it !idely in his book? @"his policy of e?changing services became an enduring trait of the relationships between rulers and clerics in the .olof states, which the French colonial administration would try to replicate centuries later. "he association of 3uslim clerics with the business of government helped enhance the #restige of Islam and its e,#ansion among the commonersBecause of its increasing influence on the wider population, 1slam gradually became an important #olitical force From the seventeenth century on, it gradually became a refuge for the powerless, who were the primary victims of the violence and insecurity
    $D8

    spurred by the slave trade, dynastic wars, and French encroachment. *ome 3uslim clerics responded to the deleterious economic and political situations in the .olof states by waging &ihads and see0ing political autonomy. *ome remained involved with the rulers in various capacities. <nd many others pursued their laborious wor0 as educators at the grassroot levels and away from the centers of power, contributing to a gradual but steady implantation of the 1slamic religious culture among the .olof., 5hus. !e are allo!ed to contend that. des4ite numerous historical u4s and do!ns. the com4le= and 3ery old relationshi4 bet!een Islam and 4olitics in &ene#al !as decisi3e to realize !hat *ames &earin# termed @the >uiet Re3olution, of Islam in &ene#al" 5hat is to say. Islam has 4ro#ressed and has #ained its 4o!er in &ene#al due to com4le= social interactions" Amon# !hich the 4resence of Islam in the highest levels of $ower. allied !ith the laborious education of the masses at the #rassroot le3els. ha3e 4layed a crucial role" In other !ords. the fact that all rulin# systems. !hich dominated successi3ely the country. had 4assed a!ay. !hile Islam remains the sole growing force !hich has made steady 4ro#ress o3er se3eral centuries in the society. is e3idence that the reli#ion is the !innin# 4arty of this deal" 9ere it not the (acti3e or 4assi3e 4resence of Islam in the realm of 4olitics and education. !e are allo!ed to think that this reli#ion !ould not #ain such a force of 4enetration in &ene#alese society and that rulers !ould ha3e enforced o3er the 4eo4le detrimental ideas and beliefs (ceddo 3alues. animism. 9estern conce4tions and e=cesses etc" . !ithout any counterbalancin# s4iritual 4o!er. since Islamist &tate is not on the a#enda" Besides. it seems to us rele3ant. in order to #ras4 better this situation. to realize ho! the form taken by the modern &tate is artificial and theoretical in the dee4est 4sycholo#ical re4resentations of &ene#alese (and African 4eo4le" Indeed. !e are conscious that the thorou#h analysis of such a 4eculiar #a4 #oes beyond the sco4e of this study" Ho!e3er. if !e e=amine the com4le= 4sycholo#ical relationshi4 the broad mass of &ene#alese 4eo4le (or e3en Black African 4eo4le ha3e al!ays maintained some!hat !ith the modern
    $DF

    &tate and their 4articular conce4tion of 4ublic !ealth and assistance. !e !ould see that the case of the Murids must be considered. to many e=tents. !ith re#ard to the most #eneral case of the 4ro#ressi3e acclimatization of the 9estern model of &tate to the traditional African model of kin#dom" 9e could also ar#ue that the Re4ublican form (!hich is still translated in 9olof by nguur gi:kin#shi4 or enjoyment deri3in# from 4o!er has not taken yet its full meanin# in our society. as it !ould be the case !ith other 4eo4les !hose histories ha3e led them @naturally, to this system" Africa !as re#ularly forced by history to chan#e brutally its !ay of thinkin# and to ado4t o3erni#ht systems #enerated else!here" 5hus. &ene#alese (or African 4eo4le seem often to feel some modern forms of or#anizations as 9estern systems im4osed from outside and !ith !hich they are just com4elled to co4e and to ada4t to their most basic 4sycholo#ical leanin#s" Althou#h ne! tendencies are 4ro#ressi3ely de3elo4ed by #lobalization and media. this 4oses some!hat the more #eneral and crucial 4roblem of the 4sycholo#ical a44ro4riation or the adjustment of @e=ternal, systems to African 4eo4les to achie3e de3elo4ment" Tou)a is the %orld Bamba;s 4olitical a44roach and 4ractice. further 4er4etuated by his successi3e cali4hs (or by other &ene#alese clerics . are stron#ly influenced by the association of ideolo#ical &ufi 4rinci4les. tau#ht by Al <hazali and other masters. !ith old &ene#alese traditional model of relationshi4 bet!een reli#ion and 4olitics" Conetheless. there are a fe! interestin# 4articularities in the Murid a44roach !hich e=4lain. in our 3ie!. the scholarly attention it has dra!n hitherto" 5he s4ecial historical circumstances of the birth of the Murid order are characterized by tense relationshi4 and distrust of 6rench colonizers !ho later laid do!n a strate#y of @accommodation, !ith the Muslim 4o!er in #eneral. so as to contain it" &uch a strate#y of coo4eration 4a3ed the !ay to the modern @&ene#alese social contract@ !hich is a distincti3e feature of the current 4ost0inde4endence &tate" Kther s4ecial attributes of the Muridiyya are its e=tensi3e e=4ansion (com4ared to 4ast &ene#alese reli#ious or#anizations and
    $DE

    its centrifu#al 4o!er. symbolized by its 4yramidal or#anization headed u4 by the Murid <eneral Aali4h" 9ell0or#anized one0headed communities obeyin# to a central authority ha3e al!ays fascinated 4oliticians" 5here is another essential doctrinal element. relatin# to &heikh Ahmadou Bamba;s thinkin# and !hich is disre#arded or i#nored by most of the scholars" &uch an element is yet crucial and central to better understand the nature of Murid 4olitical commitment" 5his element consists in Murids; ambition to brin# about in Tou)a Bamba;s 4roject to build a holy city !hich !ill be #ranted all the facilities liable to hel4 Muslims to freely li3e out their faith in the most fa3orable conditions" In Bamba;s 3ision. 5ouba must be endo!ed !ith all reli#ious infrastructures (mos>ues. schools. 4ublic 4laces and so on as !ell as all material and social facilities (!ater. healthcare. roads. flourishin# economic acti3ities etc" " Murids consider this 4roject as the #reatest form of 0hidma (or ligPeyal *erigne "ouba they can 4erform and from !hich they are ho4in# the Retribution of the Lord. throu#h the satisfaction (ngRrRm of &heikh Ahmadou Bamba" Ho!e3er. as a social mo3ement 4rimarily based in the humble 4easantry. the Murids did not ha3e in their dis4osal all the necessary means (technical. administrati3e and others to carry out e=clusi3ely by their o!n this major 4roject" 5he reason !hy they re>uest 4ublic assistance" 5ouba has al!ays been at the core of the relationshi4 bet!een the Murid leadershi4 and 4ublic authorities" Because the different Aali4hs concei3e their fundamental mission as lookin# after the #eneral interest of the community they are (mystically entrusted by Bamba himself. and to carry out his 4rojects relatin# to 5ouba" &o. all 4ublic authorities !ho ha3e consented in the 4ast to hel4 them. in !hate3er form. in this sacred mission !ere conse>uentially #ranted the 4olitical su44ort of their community" And 4oliticians ha3e 3ery often taken ad3anta#e of this frame of mind in brin#in# their su44ort to Murids; 4rojects so as to benefit. in return. from the ndigRl (3otin# #uidance or from tacit su44ort of the cali4hs. !ho often focus essentially on 5ouba and on their 4articular mission out of other e=ternal considerations" 5he Murid cali4hs traditionally re#ard first themsel3es as the re4resentati3es of their community;s interests before e=ternal actors.
    $D7

    as just other &ene#alese communities; leaders" It seems also to us really meanin#ful that. des4ite the #reat means entrusted to them by the disci4les and the hel4 of the &tate. Murids Aali4hs ha3e al!ays li3ed >uite humbly and ha3e in3ested almost all their 4ro4erties in the #eneral interest" Althou#h this e=chan#e bet!een reli#ious and 4olitical leaders may remind. to some e=tent. An#lo0&a=on 4olitical lobby system. Murids; conce4tion differentiate itself from many models by their reliance on their o!n financial means and autonomy to carry out their 4rojects" Because Murids rarely a44eal to 4ublic hel4 !hene3er they think they can mana#e all by themsel3es. like foundin# schools. culti3atin# their fields. in3estin# ne! economic sectors. emi#ratin# etc" In this instance. it is interestin# to kno! that the first Murid Aali4h called for 4ublic hel4 only re#ardin# administrati3e lea3e and technical assistance !hen he undertook to e=tend 4ersonally the national railroad from (iourbel to 5ouba O an uni>ue 4ri3ate initiati3e in &ene#al;s history" &heikh Muhammad Musta4ha decided to fund himself all technical !ork 4ro3ided by 6rench en#ineers and the e>ui4ment as !ell" Murid sheikhs and disci4les 3olunteered for carryin# out manual !ork and for contributin# fully in buildin# the 8D kilometers of railroad (many of them died on the sites durin# the t!o years of !ork " 5ouba mos>ue !as also built thanks to Murid internal means and !orkforce essentially. and this is still the case in many current community 4rojects" &uch a tradition of self0financin#. des4ite occasional e=ternal contributions and hel4 of the &tate. has al!ays been an im4ortant feature of the Murids" Aontrary to !hat seems to be assumed by many !riters. Murids ha3e al!ays culti3ated a 4hiloso4hy of autonomy and of self0financin#:!hich is assuredly a rele3ant feature for African underde3elo44ed communities to re4licate" 5he &tate is mainly re#arded by Murids as a tool (sometimes at the hand of 4eo4le !ith differin# beliefs to achie3e &heikh Ahmadou Bamba;s 3ision in 5ouba and e3ery!here else" Besides. the ty4e of hel4 4ro3ided by the &tate. mostly limited to technical and administrati3e assistance. is all the more justified since Murids are amon# the most im4ortant &ene#alese ta=4ayers and since 5ouba is the second lar#est to!n of the country" 5he model of self0mana#ement
    $DB

    4ro4osed by 5ouba. !here most ser3ices are 4ro3ided by the community and !here !e count the least number of humanitarian aid or#anizations of the country. deser3es #reat interest for underde3elo4ed countries. des4ite the numerous challen#es and 4roblems it is still facin#" Moreo3er. it may be of a certain interest to kno! that the 4ublic hel4 is inter4reted by the Murids as a result of &heikh Ahmadou Bamba;s 4leas? @/ AordE "urn over the hearts of the coloni>ers and inspire them to help me instead :in my *ervice;. *ub&ugate in my favor every haughty tyrant. By virtue of "hy <bsolute Snity and "hy 6ower of *ub&ugation, prompt my enemies to wor0 for my Bliss., Ho!e3er. !e ha3e to ackno!led#e that there ha3e al!ays been some Murid leaders and disci4les !ho take ad3anta#e of this model of relationshi4 to consolidate their 4ersonal interests (administrati3e facilities and other ad3anta#es de3oid of any 4ublic interest in culti3atin# com4romisin# relationshi4 !ith 4oliticians" &uch a re4rehensible misuse of the ori#inal model (by elements !e label as @Murido4a#hous, or dundee yoonu murit in Murid jar#on has attracted far more interest of many intellectuals and local medias !ho are still identifyin# entirely the Muridiiya to this !ar4ed model far more suitable to their conce4tion of reli#ion as @the o4ium of the 4eo4le," Althou#h Murid traditional model of 4olitical commitment has 4roduced 4al4able results in the 4ro#ress of Islam in &ene#al. !e think that this model must no! e3ol3e accordin# to ne! realities and better ada4t to modernity" &heikh Ahmadou Bamba;s 3ision about 4ro#ress and ada4tability of methods accordin# to 4articular s4ace and time im4lies that Murids are not com4elled to du4licate literally the same a44roach a44lied by their 4redecessors. as 3alorous as they may be" &o. !e think that. thou#h 5ouba must remain the hub and the heart of the @Murid dream,. Murids must 4ro#ressi3ely e=tend this conce4t to all the nation. and 0 !hy notJ O to all the continent and to the rest of the !orld" 5ouba is more a 4roject of society and a 3ision of
    $$D

    life than a formal and delimited city. because e3ery!here a Murid is li3in#. e3ery 4lace a Muslim is li3in#. is some!hat a 4art of 5ouba" Let us just remember Bamba;s ans!ers to the 6rench <o3ernor 4re3iously mentioned? FCuestions ' and MD .hen was born :the initial founder of the 3uridiyya; and where was he born e?actlyQ +nswer1 .henever and wherever a 3uslim was born, this 6ath was born in such a place. Cuestion WD .hat are the cities this first founder of the tari!a was travelling throughQ +nswer1 Kvery country where 3uslims are living is among these cities., In fact. Murid disci4les are already used to namin# "ouba e3ery!here they settle in the !orld:"ouba 5hiSs. "ouba Abidjan. "ouba *ohannesbur#. "ouba Ce! )ork, "ouba London. "ouba Paris, "ouba Montreal. "ouba Roma" 5he strate#y of #eo#ra4hical e=4ansion initiated by the Murid 4ioneers. in foundin#. throu#hout the country. many ne! 3illa#es they !ere considerin# as 4arts of 5ouba. is another e3idence of the !ider meanin# of 5ouba conce4t" Modern Murid leadershi4 and disci4les. !hile securin# first their 4ersonal community 4rojects. must e=tend their 3ision of 5ouba and globali>e it" 5hey should realize that e3ery!here a Murid. e3ery!here a Muslim. e3ery!here a human bein# is li3in# can be a 4art of 5ouba" &o. in our 3ie!. Murid 4olitical commitment must no lon#er be e=clusi3ely based u4on 4ublic facilities and 4ublic aid 4ro3ided by the &tate in 5ouba or durin# community e3ents" But it has to be broadened to other !ider considerations. such as ri#ht conduct of national 4ublic affairs by 4oliticians. mana#ement abilities. moral 4ractice etc" Politicians !ho contented themsel3es in contributin# to Murid 4rojects. just for 4olitical #ain. must no lon#er be automatically #ranted electoral backin# as lon# as they are not reco#nized as able to mana#e the country for the #eneral interest" 5he Muridiyya is not assuredly the same today as it !as fifty years a#o and some considerations !hich !ere le#itimate and understandable for their
    $$$

    forefathers could no lon#er be the same for 4resent and u4comin# #enerations" Most Murids are no lon#er humble Bawol5Bawol 4easants ranked at the bottom of the social scale" 5hey ha3e #ot no! en#ineers. academics. lar#e business mana#ers. doctors. and e=4erts in all domains" 5his e=4ertise is just !aitin# for a suitable frame!ork to materialize the 3ision of &heikh Ahmadou Bamba and to better contribute to the de3elo4ment of the country" 5he Murid community must no lon#er be considered as a mere electoral tank for 4oliticians" Murids must no! be re#arded as 3aluable 4artners for de3elo4in# their country and #i3in# a better 4icture of Africa and Islam" Fernand -umont/s .reat ur$rise Another obstacle !hich 4re3ents most of the !estern0trained scholars from ha3in# full and easy access to &heikh Ahmadou Bamba;s !ritin#s is classical Arabic lan#ua#e the >asidas are !ritten in" Indeed 3ery fe! of these scholars can read and understand 4erfectly Arabic" And e3en if it !as the case. the allusi3e forms inherent to &ufi !riters; style and the &heikh;s fre>uent use of esoteric terms relatin# to his 4ersonal s4iritual e=4erience !ould still make it demandin# often to construe accurately his 3erses" Arabic0s4eakin# scholars (of the Arab0Islamic !orld !ho could be e=4ected to sho! more 4roficiency on this field 4ro3ed to be the least committed in stufyin# Bamba;s !orks. due to many reasons" Aurrently. the >asidas are !ritten in the Corth African form of Arabic. !hich is not easily readable in the lar#est 4art of the Arabic0s4eakin# !orld" Ho!e3er other decisi3e e=4lanations are to be found in the relati3e lack of kno!led#e of Arab0Islamic scholars about Black Muslims; history and !orks" 5hou#h Murids can be held as 4artly accountable for this lack of #lobal 4o4ularization of Bamba;s !orks. !e content that endurin# Arab 4sycholo#ical and cultural re4resentations of Black Muslims (as former sla3es ha3e also 4layed a key role in this situation" Another likely reason is the im4act of ideolo#ical dissensions amon# Islamic differin# 3isions (notably bet!een &ufi and Muslim rationalists . kno!in# that &ene#alese
    $$+

    a44roach of Islam. base on the brotherhoods. is lar#ely criticized in leadin# Muslim nations like &audi Arabia" In addition to masterin# 4erfectly classical Arabic (!hich can e3en be >uite incom4rehensible to many modern Arabic0s4eakin# 4eo4le . there are other 4rere>uisites most recommended before undertakin# the hermeneutics of &heikh Ahmadou Bamba;s >asidas fe! of the social scientists !ho studied the Muridiyya really meet . 5hese criteria are:kno!in# 4erfectly the ideolo#ical and s4iritual conce4ts and basis of Islam. the different notions at !ork in the /ur0 1n and in the Hadiths and their subtle e=istin# inter4retations by the different ideolo#ical schools. Islamic kno!led#e as con3eyed by reli#ious books of reference. the model of ascendin# ma!am4t (s4iritual de#rees of the &ufis and their 3arious h4l (s4iritual states . Bamba;s allusions to his o!n bio#ra4hical unkno!n e3ents. the &ufi terminolo#y used by the &heikh 0 thou#h sometimes re3ised and reinter4reted in his !ritin#s 0 etc" 5herethrou#h. the most ad3anced and e=tensi3e !orks de3oted to the doctrinal basis of the Muridiyya and to Bamba;s 4hiloso4hy !ere some!hat im4eded by these limits" &o !as the case !ith 6ernand (umont;s commendable efforts. synthesized in his book @La PensRe Reli#ieuse d;Amadou Bamba,. in !hich he tried to study some of Bamba;s !ritin#s" In s4ite of (umont;s real merit to e=4lore this so far ne#lected field and a certain 4roficiency in Islamic and &ufi history and conce4ts. one must ho!e3er confess that he often encountered se3eral difficulties to construe e=actly &heikh Ahmadou Bamba;s allusi3e and meta4horical style (umont !as not really familiar !ith" 5his led him often to construe >uite literally many 3erses and to distort. thou#h in3oluntarily. their true meanin#s" In s4ite of (umont;s broad kno!led#e of &ufism. !e also ha44en to notice here and there some confusions and his inability to unearth numerous allusions taken from the /ur01n. Hadith and other references" 5he 6rench scholar !as also a little im4eded by his absolute need to cate#orize Bamba;s thinkin# accordin# to some classical !ell0kno!n &ufi tendencies and authors he sa! the &heikh referred to in some of his earlier 4oems" 6urthermore. (umont !as
    $$-

    more interested to 4ro3e the 4erfect orthodo=y of &heikh Ahmadou Bamba;s thou#ht. contrary to the criticism of heterodo=y made by the u4holders of @Black Islam,. rather than studyin# Bamba;s thou#ht in itself and e=4lorin# all its intellectual 4otential" In a !ay. (umont !as on the defensi3e. just like many Murid scholars. !hen ar#uin# a#ainst anti0Murid attacks" Another serious limit of (umont;s research is the fe! number of !ritin#s he mana#ed to collect in com4arison !ith Bamba;s numerous >asidas" As he himself admitted. he #athered 2$ brochures of >asidas, containin# about -D.DDD 3erses and 2.DDD 4rose lines" 5hen he !as >uite con3inced of ha3in# in his 4ossession the main 4art of &heikh Ahmadou Bamba;s biblio#ra4hy and he undertook his research on this basis" Later. he !as com4elled to reconsider seriously his claim in 3isitin# some Murid traditional museums (called bayti . !here numerous trunks of >asidas !ere jealously ke4t. as sho!n by this anecdote related by Pr" Amar &amb. !ho tra3elled !ith him then (cf. &amb;s book @'ssai sur la contribution du &RnR#al [ la littRrature d;e=4ression arabe, ? @3r. F. Jumont, who thought he had in his possession the whole collection of <hmadou Bambas writings, with about M(,((( verses, couldnt hide his great surprise when we too0 him at some 3urid disciples houses where these latter too0 out of some trun0s numerous versified boo0s of *hei0h <hmadou Bamba Jumont never saw before. 1n *eptember L)W), we paid another visit to 3oustapha 3Bac0P, a great5son of the founder of the 3uridiyya, who told us@ @"his collection of !asidas is the famous 6ulk ul0mashun 8"he Full *hip9" *erigne -am>atou Jia0hatP hand5copied a part of it while another part is written by my grand5father himself :*hei0h <hmadou Bamba;. %now that all the poems which are in this :second; collection are composed in acrostic with verses of the Cur54n. <nd 1 hold at home seven and a half other similar trun0s full of my grand5fathers manuscripts.,

    $$2

    5hou#h held by other scholars. like Iincent Monteil. as the @#reatest reference re#ardin# scholarshi4 on Bamba;s !ritin#s,. (umont had then to confess the serious deficiencies of his incom4lete in3entory. !hich should be yet the first ste4 enablin# him to ha3e an o3erall 3ision of Bamba;s thou#ht" 6" (umont entrusted then to the comin# #enerations of Murid disci4les the mission to carry on this challen#in# task !hich seemed not to him insurmountable? @1t is necessary to underta0e special studies :of *hei0h <hmadou Bambas writings;, e?ternal and internal studies !uite similar to those carried out with the Cur54n, ma0ing due allowances.,. (umont 4ro4hesied"

    $$8

    $$F

    %ave Ei(h
    ,he Las of he %ri e! 'irac$es

    Indeed this task may seem so much enormous that it could dissuade some scholars. as ackno!led#ed it the late Pr" Amar &amb !ho !as in char#e of sho!in# &ene#alese authors; contribution to Arabic0 lan#ua#e literature by the Institut 6ondamental d;Afri>ue Coire (I6AC. (akar " (urin# a 4ublic lecture in $BEE. he em4hasized that &heikh Ahmadou Bamba is @the most prestigious 3uslim poet, and the most prolific author of all <rab51slamic literature," 5hen. he admitted 4lainly his feelin# of distress at the 4oint of undertakin# such a challen#in# !orkH @1 cannot hide my unrest at the face of such a challenging tas0, even if 1 am feeling greatly honored to be chosen for this purpose. 3y apprehension is all the more well5founded that it seems to me that the founder of the 3uridiyya has spent his whole lifetime in writing. .e would certainly need an entire lifetime to estimate accurately the writings of the founder of the 3uridiyya., heikh Ahmadou (am)a/s Treasure"Houses Ho!e3er. non0Murid scholars !ere not the only ones to face obstacles in analyzin# &heikh Ahmadou Bamba;s thinkin# throu#h his !ritin#s" Althou#h Murid disci4les hold in hi#h re#ard the >asidas, most of
    $$E

    them are rather used to focus more on their @mystical, dimensions and on strictly !orshi44in# concerns. in recitin# them re#ularly. than e=4lorin# their full ideolo#ical and intellectual 4otentials (thou#h such a recitin# is #reatly 4raise!orthy and s4iritually useful " 5here are ho!e3er some Murid scholars !ho ha3e tried to !ork in this field in the 4ast. but many attem4ts !ere im4eded by a certain lack of methodolo#y and too much concern about transcendental considerations. !hich 4re3ented them sometimes from takin# real interest in the intellectual si#nificance of the >asidas" 9est African societies; tendency to fa3or more laudatory as4ects. throu#h selecti3e oral tradition and ha#io#ra4hy. instead of methodical analysis contributed also to this situation" Ho!e3er one of the key factors. !hich hindered as !ell e=ternal scholars as Murids scholars. is the absence u4 to date of a ma2or scientific initiative 4lannin# to collect and to study thorou#hly &heikh Ahmadou Bamba;s !ritin#s" Presently most of the >asidas are 4ublished throu#h 4ri3ate and unor#anized initiati3es. and are 3ery sim4ly 4resented on ne!s4rint 4a4er 4rinted in the bi# &ene#alese cities or abroad" %nformal conditions of 4ublishin# ha3e also fa3ored clerical errors and the 4ublication of differents 3ersions of a same >asida or e3en a4ocry4hal 4oems" Im4ortant efforts ha3e been made in the 4ast. mainly by the third Murid cali4h. &heikh Abdoul Ahad. to make an in3entory of the >asidas and to assemble them in collections called d#w4n or ma&m+ha, ke4t at 5ouba 4ublic library and other traditional Murid museum. called bayti" Ho!e3er these collections ha3e not yet been subject to the substantial academic !orks !hich could facilitate their studies to most scholars" 5here is neither a !ell0or#anized and far0si#hted strate#y !ithin the Murid community to s4read &heikh Ahmadou Bamba;s teachin#s and !ritin#s throu#hout the !orld. as it is often the case !ith many modern reli#ious communities. e=ce4t isolated initiati3es of fe! Murid leaders or dahiras (Murid associations " Hence. a4art from the !orthy 6rench translations of Bamba;s main books de3oted to reli#ious kno!led#e. by the late &eri#ne &am Mbaye. !e can say that &heikh Ahmadou Bamba;s !ritin#s are not yet
    $$7

    translated to international lan#ua#es" 6urthermore. Murid disci4les are not used to set u4. until no!. cultural centers and institutes liable to 4romote international academic studies on the intellectual. ideolo#ical and s4iritual le#acies of &heikh Ahmadou Bamba" It is true that Murids ha3e founded numerous daaras (reli#ious schools in &ene#al. !here many !ere educated and tau#ht" 5his traditional educational system. in s4ite of the real efforts made to modernize it. is still e=4eriencin# 4roblems to inte#rate fully the ne! ad3ances in sciences and technolo#ies liable to de3elo4 conditions of e=tensi3e research" %nfortunately. seekin# and s4readin# kno!led#e. as constantly and stron#ly recommended by the &heikh. is often the parent pauvre of our initiati3es. in fa3or for lesser im4ortant social acti3ities in !hich too many financial and human resources are daily s4ent" &uch a situation is assuredly !orsened by the underde3elo4ed conditions of most African countries !hich 4rom4t often 4eo4le to seek for means rather than meanings" Kther likely reasons are the unfa3orable and difficult conditions for local research in &ene#al. characterized by lack of means and su44ort. and the @hy4er4oliticization, of &ene#alese 4ublic democratic life !hich 4resently 4rioritize 4olitical issues and judicial scandals on the media o3er scholarly issues" 5he lack of full commitment of a lar#e 4art of the Murid leadershi4 in this im4ortant field and their lack of keen a!areness of its true im4ortance are another major reason !hich e=4lains this situation. in our 3ie!" In s4ite of unfailin# -immah and commitment to %hidma. the Murid community. !hich are yet endo!ed !ith many 4otentials. often meet real difficulties to ada4t their methods of or#anization to modernity and to rationalize their means for the most im4ortant and most useful 4riorities" And yet. Murids !ould be the first to benefit directly from studies clarifyin# more the true thinkin# of their s4iritual leader" Because 4ractice often sho!s that many Murid disci4les cannot really tell a4art !hat. in the Muridiyya. belon#s truly to &heikh Ahmadou Bamba;s teachin#s and !hat ori#inates from 9olof tradition and folklore. or from ideolo#ical internal de3iations" 5his difficulty. !hich
    $$B

    is often increased by the lack of serious studies on Bamba;s !ritin#s and on his real history. entails many misconce4tions and drifts by some Murid disci4les and leaders (too much folklore. confusions. and misbeha3iors " (e3iations !hich ha3e nothin# to do !ith Bamba;s authentic teachin#s and !hich ha3e al!ays fueled clichRs on the Muridiyya" 5hus. studyin# methodically &heikh Ahmadou Bamba;s literary le#acy !ould hel4 Murids lay do!n clearly his accurate o4inion on many issues. and to 4ut for!ard a lesser @em4irical, a44roach to the doctrine of the Muridiyya. !hich o4ens u4 the !ay to any eccentric misconce4tion. as is often the case today" Moreo3er. since most eye0!itnesses of &heikh Ahmadou Bamba;s life ha3e 4assed a!ay. it is all the more im4ortant for Murids to a#ree on a more steady reference system. based on his !ritin#s and on other accredited sources" 5his is. relati3ely s4eakin#. the same case !ith the collectin# of the /ur01n into a final te=t initiated by the third !ell0#uided Muslim Aali4h. or !ith the in3entory of the hadiths and later necessary tasks carried out thereon by the meritorious imams Bukhari and Muslim" Murid scholars. and other students of the Muridiyya from all around the !orld. ha3e the hea3y burden to e=4lore the @treasures, be>ueathed by &heikh Ahmadou Bamba to humankind" &uch treasures he described in this 3erse? @3y treasures are the Cur54n, the -adiths and the Gules of Kthics@ but not at all hoarding money and gold., 6asaid &ro2ect 5his crucial mission !as 4rimarily entrusted to Murid disci4les by 6" (umont. !hen he realized the difficulty to study Bamba;s !ritin#s in s4ite of his 4ersonal efforts? @1t seems to me desirable that clear5sighted 3urids underta0e to carry out methodically a tas0 which is not truly impossibleHthe in entory of all the writings of their venerated *hei0h ... <fterward, they should try to ma0e a chronological classification :of those writings; which is the first step to analytical classification. "hey should as well
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    consider #ublishing a new standardi>ed and e?haustive edition of these writings. "his would not prevent, of course, other separated editions to be published, as it is presently the case, so as to permit to the masses to draw therefrom their fundamentals of religious education. <fter this first step, they could collect all stories reported by people who were living with the *hei0h, in order to write his true history. Aater, s#eciali4ed studies could be carried out and devoted to Bambas phenomenon@ because the social significance of his thought leads to the social importance of the (uridiyya., A major initiati3e. called /A&AI( Project TCasaid is the 4lural of >asidaU. is currently carried out on this 4ur4ose by Majalis Research Project (!!!"majalis"or# . !hich aims to 4a3e the !ay for future more e=tensi3e research" 5his im4ortant initiati3e. 4resently 4erformed at the Institut KHadimou 0Assoul (IKHRA in (akar (&ene#al . is di3ided into - main 4hases. and each 4hase is di3ided into se3eral sta#es" 5he - 4hases deal !ith ? 0 Phase $. de3oted to collectin# and to research on &heikh Ahmadou Bamba;s $ersonal )ooks (>asidas . 0 Phase +. de3oted to Bamba;s corres$ondence. to the !orld!ide works about the Muridiyya and to the authentication of historical re$orts relatin# to Bamba and to the Muridiyya. 0 Phase -. de3oted to collectin# and to research on the !orks of other Murid authors (9olofal and the like and of the other enegalese Muslim authors (/1dirM. 5ij1nM and others " 5he first 4hase is structured around E main sta#es? 1. <atherin# of &heikh Ahmadou Bamba;s 4ersonal books (>asidas from accredited d#w4ns. 2. (i#italization (scannin# and ty4e!ritin# . 3. Aorrection of clerical errors. 4. Analysis and Alassification in databases and soft!ares. 5. 5ranslation in international lan#ua#es. 6. Research !orks by a multidisci4linary team of researchers. 7. Publishin# in different modern formats"
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    5he first ste4 enabled already Majalis Project to #ather $.+-F 4oems (cf. !!!"majalis"or#Pchoi=>"4h4 from the first class of the E accredited d#w4n collected by the late &eri#ne Modou (ia#ne of 5ouba Public Library (!hich are com4lementary to the si= other official d#w4n collected by &heikh Abdoul Ahad. the third Aali4h " Aom4are these $.+-F >asidas !ith the 2$ brochures collected by 6ernand (umontQ 5he 4rocess of ty4e!ritin# is currently in 4ro#ress in IKHRA (*anuary +DDB and the com4lete methodolo#y of the /asaid Project is described in Majalis !ebsite" -ealing with Methodology 5he research !orks sta#e should in3ol3e a multidisci4linary team of researchers in char#e of elaboratin# methodolo#ies and a44roaches liable to better e=4lore &heikh Ahmadou Bamba;s thou#ht about many interestin# and to4ical issues" Many modern 4roblematics could then be reanalyzed in the li#ht of &heikh Ahmadou Bamba;s 4hiloso4hy and understandin# of Islam:features of 4erfect human society. human freedom. democracy. human relationshi4. #ender issues. jihad. non3iolence. 4eaceful coe=istence bet!een human ci3ilizations and communities. ethics. useful kno!led#e. !orshi4. !ork. !ealth. im4ortance of his !ork doctrine for 4oor African countries. etc" Lateral hermeneutics of terms and conce4ts used by the &heikh. throu#h thousands of 3erses #athered in databases and accessible instantly 3ia soft!are and !ebsites. !ould be of #reat interest" Ce! research methods on this field and a more e=hausti3e a44roach could certainly hel4 in a3oidin# the common mistake made by a fe! scholars in >uotin# some of Bamba;s 3erses alone to back u4 their ideas" Indeed. if !e recall that &heikh Ahmadou Bamba;s thou#ht !as 4ro#ressin# continuously. !e !ould realize that he ha44ened sometimes to chan#e notably his mind about a 4articular >uestion" His beliefs in the fundamental 4rinci4les and Pillars of Islam ha3e ne3er chan#ed. but his de#ree of certainty and the >uality of his s4iritual insi#ht 3aried throu#h time" 5hence. only a chronological classification of his !ritin#s could. in such instances. #i3es us an
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    accurate idea of his definiti3e thinkin# 0 thou#h the cases in !hich he chan#es radically his 3ie! are relati3ely fe!" 5his is ty4ically the same mistake made by many modern e=e#etes of the /ur01n !ho often content themsel3es in >uotin# some 4articular 3erses (out of their s4atiotem4oral conte=ts to u4hold their ideolo#ical 3ie!s !ithout takin# into account other 3erses !hich tone do!n their 4rimary meanin#s or !hich s4ecify their s4ecial circumstances and limits" All scholars !ho undertake to study the Holy Book or other s4iritual !ritin#s must bear in mind this dynamic dialectics" 5he interestin# case of the d#w4n collected by the late &eri#ne Modou (ia#ne of 5ouba Public Library is a #ood e=am4le sho!in# the im4ortance of makin# Bamba;s !ritin#s chronolo#ical classification" In fact &eri#ne Modou (ia#ne undertook to collect only the >asidas !ritten after $-++ h" ($BD+ . !hich is an im4ortant turnin# 4oint in &heikh Ahmadou Bamba;s s4iritual rise. as he attested himself" 5he reason !hy &eri#ne Modou (ia#ne chose 4articularly this moment is based on a te=t !here the &heikh asserted that his !ritin#s from that year are endo!ed !ith #reat benefits" As for !hat he had !ritten 4rior to that date. they are not a44ro3ed by the Lord (or is not intended to be read . the reason !hy &eri#ne Modou disre#arded them" Ho!e3er other Murid scholars em4hasized the limits of such reasonin#. because !hen the &heikh made such a statement. he !as in a certain le3el of his mystical journey" &o. !hen the Lord re3ealed him that He has a44ro3ed e3entually all his !ritin#s. durin# all his ser3ice for the Pro4het (!hich started in $-D$ h" . he !rote? @:/ AordE; "hou have approved all 1 have written, from LM(L to :this present year; LMM'. But "hou informed me thereof only in LMM( :in revealing me that "hou wilt approve henceforth all my services;., @"hou have dispelled all my hardships, o "hou that have approved all my ser icesE, It is note!orthy that Bamba undertook to re!rite or to re3ise many of his earlier books. due to his hi#her s4iritual de#ree and
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    insi#ht !hich conferred on them more mystical 3alue. accordin# to him" He !as e3en considerin# some of those old !ritin#s as sins for !hich he asked humbly <od;s for#i3eness" 5hou#h their >uite com4liance !ith 4erfect orthodo=y of the common !orshi44ers. the &heikh !as re#ardin# himself in the !ron# in considerin# some of his earlier !ritin#s. com4ared !ith his current de#ree of kno!led#e and certainty" As #oes the famous sayin#H @5he <ood (eeds of the Iirtuous are considered as sins by the Cei#hbourin# 'lite, ( -asanatul <br4r *ayyi4tul 3u!arrab#n " Another e=am4le sho!in# the im4ortance to date accurately Bamba;s !ritin#s (!hene3er 4ossible is his book entitled @5aza!udu Ai#h1r, (A Iiaticum for the Ahildren . de3oted to the fundamentals of reli#ious rituals" 5his book is commonly ranked by most of the scholars (e3en by Aheikh Babou amon# the first books !ritten by the &heikh durin# his youth (in Mbacke Aayor . due to its title and its theme !hich seem to im4ly it" Ho!e3er. a close e=amination of its content may sho! that this book. althou#h de3oted 4rimarily to the youth. !as !ritten after the e=ile to <abon" 6irst. the &heikh took the habit to introduce himself in almost all his earlier !ritin#s in such terms as @<s a disciple of my father, 1 say, (%h4la ibn shayhihi " 5his is not the case in this book !hich be#ins !ith? @"he one named <hmad who pays infinite tribute to his <B*/AS"K 3<*"KG and who regards himself as a sub&ect of G/J and the *ervant of the 6rophet, saysD, &econdly. all the s4ecialists of the >asidas kno! that the nature of Bamba;s !ritin# 4rior to his e=ile and after his return from <abon is >uite different" Because. one may feel in his after0e=ile !ritin#s (called ginaaw gee& gi. literally @after0ocean, more self0assurance in his s4iritual certainty and in the 6a3ors the Lord #ranted him throu#h the lon# years of ordeals" 9hich is not noticed in his first !ritin#s" 5he fact is !e can find many s4iritual fa3ors he claimed. here and there. in < Iiaticum for the ,hildren. thou#h its bein# an initiation book. 5his is. moreo3er. a 3aluable clue sho!in# the fact that attainin# hi#h s4iritual de#rees in mystical kno!led#e (ha!#!a or marifa did ne3er
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    4re3ent the &heikh from em4hasizin# the hi#h si#nificance to com4ly !ith the le#al rules of !orshi4 (*hari=a " &ufi history is rich of masters !hose hi#h mystical de#rees led to de4reciate formal rules of !orshi4 they held as less im4ortant than <nostic kno!led#e and desi#ned for the common run of belie3ers" Multidisci4linary teams of researchers !ould include as !ell Murid scholars as non0Murid scholars. Muslim scholars as !ell as non0Muslim scholars. !ho must all be skilled in a 4articular rele3ant field:Islamic 5heolo#y. &ufism. history of Islam. 4hiloso4hy. economy. sociolo#y. anthro4olo#y. 4olitical science. de3elo4in# strate#ies etc" 5his may be really interestin#. seein# that Murids; natural immersion in the cultural. s4iritual. social and literary milieu of the Muriddiya could be of #reat use to a3oid many 4re3ious common mistakes" 5hou#h this is commonly doubted by authoritati3e academic standards. the s4iritual e=4erience of belie3in# scholars may be of #reat hel4 inasmuch as s4iritual and mystical intuition are sometimes crucial to fathom the indi3idual mystical e=4erience and 4ers4ecti3e of a &ufi master" Because only a belie3er !ho has really 4racticed the same s4iritual e=ercises the &ufi !as 4racticin# (Jhi0r, recitin# and meditatin# on the /ur01n. 4rayers. s4endin# ni#hts in !orshi44in#. fastin#. 0hidma and other reli#ious 4ractices . those !ho ha3e really @tasted the fla3or, of (i3ine 6a3ors. can bear !itness to their reality" Ho! an unbelie3in# scholar could really 4enetrate mystical secrets of the /ur01n claimed by the &ufis (out of 4ure theoretical conjecture . if he e3en doubt in!ardly about the reality of the Re3elation and the truthfulness of MuhammadJ Academic norms of scientific objecti3ity. thou#h necessary and useful. can sometimes im4act seriously research on s4irituality !hich is. by nature. @subjecti3e,. in the sense of a 4henomenon 4ersonally e=4erienced and !hich can be communicated only to such a one !ho is sharin# the same beliefs" Actually this norm com4els all scholars aimin# to #et their Ph(s or to be !ell recei3ed in the scientific milieu to act ideolo#ical comedy and to !rite @as if," Presently. belie3in# researchers are often obli#ed. !hile dealin# !ith s4iritual issues. to think and to !rite as if they do not belie3e. if they really care about @academic objecti3ity," As for unbelie3in# scholars. they are also
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    forced to admit theoretically belie3in# 4remises and do#ma. !ere it just to better #ras4 their to4ics. !hile doubtin# in!ardly of all s4iritual material they are #i3en" (oubt can assuredly be of #reat use to a3oid biases. but faith does not im4ly subjecti3ity and unreliability" 5he #larin# differin# 4ers4ecti3es and inter4retations bet!een &heikh Ahmadou Bamba and the colonizers about the true nature of their relationshi4 and the dee4est meanin#s of historical e3ents ha3e caused endurin# misunderstandin#s. until today" As for the non0 Murid and non0Muslim scholars. less 4rone to admit some a44arent e3idences. they !ill hel4 the team in kee4in# the necessary distance and objecti3ity to academic research. if needed" 5his methodolo#y !ill contribute much in settin# out Bamba;s teachin#s in a more modern and more neutral form to many all around the !orld !ho could be really interested in the ne! and fertile 4ers4ecti3es they are offerin# to the !orld today" In fact. this !ill sol3e also. to some e=tent. the 4arado= of the 9olof form in !hich mi#rant Murid disci4les are tryin# currently to s4read Bamba;s teachin#s in their host societies" Because many of them often confuse Murid doctrine and 9olof social 3alues (as !e 4ut it often. @!e must not confuse Muridiyya !ith .olofity, as some ha3e confused Islam and <rabity, " 5his a44roach !ould also contribute to #et many Murid scholars out of @the defensi3e tra4, they are 4resently confined by the numerous #roundless and shallo! critics. durin# the 4ast decades of short0si#hted scholarshi4. and by harsh ideolo#ical anta#onisms of Muslim rationalists" 5hey could. in so doin#. 4ercei3e fully the richness and the modern a#enda of &heikh Ahmadou Bamba;s thinkin# !hich has no cause to be jealous of other thinkers in history. belon#in# to other ci3ilizations" 9ell. !e ha3e had enou#h of Marty and other outdated issuesQ It is no! hi#h time to e=4lore forthri#htly and !ithout any com4le= !hat Bamba offers to humankind for the comin# centuries. isn;t itJ Another im4ortant element !hich must be taken into account by Murids. !hile studyin# the !ritin#s of their &heikh. is to u4date his teachin# to modern circumstances he !as not li3in# in. !hene3er need be" &uch a 4rinci4le may assuredly seem @blas4hemous, to some
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    undiscernin# Murids" But any !ho really #ras4s the true meanin# of Bamba;s mission of rene!al (ta&d#d should be con3inced that. des4ite the e=ce4tional s4iritual de#rees of Bamba and of many of his successors. !e must al!ays differentiate immutable principles from s4ecific methods suitable to 4articular s4aces and times" Because methods must not be held as sacred as far as it is 4ro3en than others may be far more beneficial. as !ell in this !orld than in the Hereafter" Bamba himself seemed to be 3ery conscious of this necessity to constantly u4date our methods and tools. !hen. for instance. he 4rayed the Lord to #i3e him a (s4iritual offs4rin# in char#e of 4er4etuatin# his mission of ta&d#dD @:/ AordE; Grant me virtuous and persevering descendants who will renew the 6ath of the Klected 3essenger., 5hus. it is our contention that Murids should ree=amine in the future many as4ects of their traditional or#anization (!ithout fallin# into the tra4 of modern secularity. ho!e3er . the nature and the form of their 4olitical commitment. the acti3ities deser3in# first and foremost their financin#" 5hey should as !ell em4hasize scientific and secular teachin# in their educational system. !hile fastenin# on to their s4iritual 3alues" 5hey should modernize their methods of !orkin# !ithout any com4le=. if they really !ant to com4ly !ith the ideolo#y ad3ocated by their &heikh and kee4 u4 his s4iritual and intellectual le#acies" Murids must also 4rofessionalize many 4rojects and tasks" 9hile maintainin# the 4rinci4le of 3oluntary 0hidma. they should also learn to remunerate im4ortant internal and e=ternal e=4ertise liable to carry out Bamba;s 3ision in better conditions" Althou#h this lon# journey into @Bamba0/cean, may re3eal sometimes unforeseen ne! landsca4es to many. 4resent and comin# Murid #enerations must #et ready to make the tri4" Ho!e3er they should. in so doin#. be!are o3erste44in# the limits of @useful kno!led#e, ad3ised by their &heikh" 5hey must a3oid fallin# into the tra4s of hei#htened intellectual dissensions aroused. in some societies. in the 4ast. by too much tendency to ethereal and subjecti3e s4eculation" Murid scholars should as !ell learn to be #radually
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    familiar !ith the true history of their community and the true basis of their doctrine" Althou#h a lon# tradition of !ise @Pa= &ene#alensis, tau#ht their 4eo4le to handle !ith #reat care ra! historical material and scientific data. to learn self0censorshi4 (maslaa or sutura in 9olof and to @let by#ones be by#ones, so as to ensure the social stability of their nation and society" Iiolent clashes and old 3isceral hatred bet!een &hiite and &unni Muslims in the Arab !orld. fostered by lon# historical and 4olitical differin# 3ie!s and conce4tions. confirm assuredly ho! the 4rinci4le of @useful kno!led#e, claimed by &heikh Ahmadou Bamba may be of certain interest" @Sseful 0nowledge is not that which fills the heart with envy, resentment, arrogance and going astray. /r that which incites unto animosity, controversies and endless verbal sparring. /r that which prompts unto presumptuousness, self5praising and aggressiveness. /r that which leads unto !uarrelling, !uic05temperance, deceitfulness and struggling. Sseful 0nowledge is that which fills its bearer with Fear 85a>!19 of G/J, the ,GK<"/G of the servants. "hat which inspires humility, asceticism, Kthics 8Adab9, self5effacement and the awareness of one=s wea0ness :before G/J;. "hat which purifies the heart, helps in mastering the soul and prevents man from transgressing the /rders of the 3<%KG., (Mas1lik. 3" $F80$F7. $$20$$F In a !ord. !e are dee4ly con3inced that if !e mana#e to #ather the main 4art of &heikh Ahmadou Bamba;s !ritin#s and s4iritual le#acy. to carry out due studies thereon. to translate them in all !ides4read lan#ua#es. to 4romote their teachin#s throu#hout the !orld. !e could contribute si#nificantly to alter e=istin# biases a#ainst Islam. to a44ease tense relationshi4 in the !orld today and to remind to all humankind the true si#nificance of their stay on earth"

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    Bambaa di gee& Gu t bbi gee& Fe00 fa gee& Gu ne 0o ngii& 3u duy ca leer ya ba ne ngii& \ibbisi tooyal 2arnubi Bamba is an Kcean of Aights 9ho melted into the Kcean of the 6rophet And found therein the Kcean of God 9ho blended !ith Him Both loaded him !ith shinin# Li#hts 9hich 4oured do!n o3er humankind

    1n the poem 2arnubi by *hei0h 3oussa %a

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    'o$yright > Ma2alis 0esearch &ro2ect 9ebsite ? !!!"majalis"or# 'mail ? majalisUmajalis"or# *anuary +DDB

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