This study revolves around the emergence and spread of the "Community of the Divine

Flood," established in 1929 by Ibrahim Niasse, a leader of the Tijaniyya Sufi order
from Senegal. Based on a wide variety of written sources, mostly in Arabic, and
encounters with leaders and ordinary members of the movement, the book analyzes the
teachings and practices of this community, most notably those concerned with
mystical knowledge of God. It presents an intimate portrait of the community's
formation in Senegal and its subsequent transformation into a transnational
movement in West Africa and beyond. The book exposes the intellectual roots of
Niasse's Sufi revival by examining the religious ideas and writings of scholars
associated with the Tijaniyya. Tracing Niasse's ascension as the widely acclaimed
"Supreme Saint of His Era," the study shows how the stages of his career intersect
with the development of his mystical teachings, as well as with the historical
context of late colonial West Africa. Against the widely held view that Sufism is
not compatible with modernity, the book demonstrates how Sufis have managed to
adapt to changing environments. Through a combination of textual analysis with
empirical research, the book bridges the divide between the anthropological study
of popular religion at the expense of the intellectual side, on the one hand, and
the philological focus on the intellectual and contempt of the popular, on the
other, thus making a compelling case for studying Sufis and their literary
production in their social and historical contexts.. Seesemann, Ruediger. (2011).
The Divine Flood: Ibrahim Niasse and the Roots of a Twentieth-Century Sufi Revival.
10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195384321.001.0001. This study revolves around the emergence
and spread of the "Community of the Divine Flood," established in 1929 by Ibrahim
Niasse, a leader of the Tijaniyya Sufi order from Senegal. Based on a wide variety
of written sources, mostly in Arabic, and encounters with leaders and ordinary
members of the movement, the book analyzes the teachings and practices of this
community, most notably those concerned with mystical knowledge of God. It presents
an intimate portrait of the community's formation in Senegal and its subsequent
transformation into a transnational movement in West Africa and beyond. The book
exposes the intellectual roots of Niasse's Sufi revival by examining the religious
ideas and writings of scholars associated with the Tijaniyya. Tracing Niasse's
ascension as the widely acclaimed "Supreme Saint of His Era," the study shows how
the stages of his career intersect with the development of his mystical teachings,
as well as with the historical context of late colonial West Africa. Against the
widely held view that Sufism is not compatible with modernity, the book
demonstrates how Sufis have managed to adapt to changing environments. Through a
combination of textual analysis with empirical research, the book bridges the
divide between the anthropological study of popular religion at the expense of the
intellectual side, on the one hand, and the philological focus on the intellectual
and contempt of the popular, on the other, thus making a compelling case for
studying Sufis and their literary production in their social and historical
contexts.