*Making ceebu jen. Oh yeah, I learned all the necessary skills in being a good Senegalese wife.
*In the Mosque at the Mausoleum.
Saturday, March 8, 2008
ME IN TOUBA!!!WALLABOK
*Making ceebu jen. Oh yeah, I learned all the necessary skills in being a good Senegalese wife.
*In the Mosque at the Mausoleum.
Touba: The Religious Awakening
I just spent last week in the most religious city of Senegal, Touba. It is the birthplace of the Mouride brotherhood and the home to one of the most beautiful mosques in Senegal. The purpose of my trip was to be a participant in the largest religious homage in Senegal, the Magal. As is evident by my previous discussions about life here, religion is a crucial aspect of life in this country. My experience staying with my friend Khassoum Ndiaye and his family was to say the least, magical. Religious learning experience aside, I was privy to an acceptance and addition to their family life at a level that I was not expecting. No matter how I try to explain what happened, I will never be able to capture the intense emotional whirlwind that I faced. I will store it in my memory and leave you all to your own devices in extracting what you can from my descriptions and photos. Therefore, seeing as how everyone reading this blog has probably the same level of knowledge about Islamic religion that I had before coming here (so next to nothing), I figure that this blog is as good a time as any to try and relay the small fraction of what I have learned.
Let me just start by saying that Senegal has a unique spin on Islam because of the integral brotherhoods which are the basis religious belief here. Their complicated system is based off of Sufism, which is the more mystical aspect of Islam, and is often associated with African societies because of its connection to original animistic beliefs. There are four brotherhoods of which probably over 90% of the Muslims here are members. The most common and largest membership base is the Mouride brotherhood. The three others are Qadrya, Layeen, and Tijanya. Each brotherhood follows the Islamic principles, but each has a slightly different interpretation of the Koran and therefore have different prayers; I like to make the analogy of the differences between Protestant churches. Each brotherhood is overseen by a Grand Marabout (Wolof: Xalif). In one of my previous blogs I talked about my friend’s dad who was a Marabout. There are multiple Marabouts within each brotherhood; this is like how there are archbishops/the Pope (Grand Marabouts) and then priests (regular Marabouts) guiding and leading the disciples. Marabouts are given way more respect here than a priest would be, but at least the analogy can give you an idea of how the hierarchy works. All of the brotherhoods believe in Muhammad as the last prophet and follow the 5 pillars of Islamic faith; pray to Mecca 5 times a day, there is one God and Muhammad is the last prophet (although they recognize people like Jesus and Moses as other great prophets as well), must fast during the month of Ramadan, give alms to the needy, [means permitting] go to Mecca on a pilgrimage at least once in your lifetime.
**Within the Mouride brotherhood a sub-sect has developed, called baayfalls. These are the guys who are considered the official “rastas” in Senegal. They have a certain style in both westernized stereotype but also in Senegalese clothing. They have some beliefs that are a bit more unusual, and are highly subject to multiple interpretations. As of late they have had a more “badass” rep because of their higher tendency to drink, be associated with smoking weed, and as a result-according to “good Muslims”-have more violent incidents. However, the ones who stay true to the original principles are more equivalent to hippies in the US (very peace-loving and “chill”).**
The town of Touba was founded by the father of the Mouride brotherhood, Cheikh Amadou Bamba Mbacke. During the French colonial period the amount of power that Cheikh Amadou Bamba had threatened the colonial rule, and so he was exiled to France. The Magal is the celebration of the day of his return to Senegal and Touba. Over a million people from all over Senegal (and even the world) flock to Touba for the week to pay homage to this man. Everyone tries to make at least one trip to the Grand Mosque during this time, and fortunately for me, is open to non-Muslims as well.
I went to the Mosque quite a few days before Magal and so avoided the bigger part of the crowds. In staying as inconspicuous as possible and following Muslim etiquette I wore my Tabaski dress with its long sleeves and long skirt and covered my head with the required scarf. Upon entering the Mosque I was left speechless. With marble flooring and columns and intricate colored tiling, I was blown away by its grandeur. What hit me hardest however was my utter sense of peace. Once through the gates I took off my shoes [required upon entering] and went with Khass to the Mausoleums which are sporadically connected or placed within the gates of the Mosque. Each Mausoleum houses a former Grand Marabout and normally each Mouride has a preferred “leader” to whom they pray (this is typically based on the types of works and philosophy he had embodied). As a non-Muslim I was not allowed into the inner parts of the Mosque where prayers where held, however I was able to kneel alongside everyone else at the Mausoleums and say my prayers. I have definitely had some spiritual moments in my lifetime, with Senegal surprisingly exponentially increasing these times. My experience in the Mosque was one of those times where something bigger than myself happened. How does one explain religious tolerance if not through a Christian and a Muslim kneeling side by side praying to the same God, in one of His Houses? As you can all imagine I spent a lot of time reflecting on my religious situation and only wish that everyone could participate in some part of what I experienced. I kept thinking about the distorted image of Islam that we as Americans have, through what the media portrays, as well as our own general ignorance. Muslims are founded on the principle of peace, and I was fully convinced of this after my first barefoot step onto the religious ground.
Heavy material, and to think this took place in the space of an hour and a half. Being in Senegal has forced me to think on a much more philosophical level; this is partially by default as a study abroad student, but also with my program being so much more involved in cultural life it becomes essential as a way to process everything that I come across.
“How wonderful it is, how pleasant, for God’s people to live together in harmony!”
Psalms 133:1
Laah y laha y lallah. Il n’y a que Dieu. There is only [one] God.
Jamm ak Jamm.
Let me just start by saying that Senegal has a unique spin on Islam because of the integral brotherhoods which are the basis religious belief here. Their complicated system is based off of Sufism, which is the more mystical aspect of Islam, and is often associated with African societies because of its connection to original animistic beliefs. There are four brotherhoods of which probably over 90% of the Muslims here are members. The most common and largest membership base is the Mouride brotherhood. The three others are Qadrya, Layeen, and Tijanya. Each brotherhood follows the Islamic principles, but each has a slightly different interpretation of the Koran and therefore have different prayers; I like to make the analogy of the differences between Protestant churches. Each brotherhood is overseen by a Grand Marabout (Wolof: Xalif). In one of my previous blogs I talked about my friend’s dad who was a Marabout. There are multiple Marabouts within each brotherhood; this is like how there are archbishops/the Pope (Grand Marabouts) and then priests (regular Marabouts) guiding and leading the disciples. Marabouts are given way more respect here than a priest would be, but at least the analogy can give you an idea of how the hierarchy works. All of the brotherhoods believe in Muhammad as the last prophet and follow the 5 pillars of Islamic faith; pray to Mecca 5 times a day, there is one God and Muhammad is the last prophet (although they recognize people like Jesus and Moses as other great prophets as well), must fast during the month of Ramadan, give alms to the needy, [means permitting] go to Mecca on a pilgrimage at least once in your lifetime.
**Within the Mouride brotherhood a sub-sect has developed, called baayfalls. These are the guys who are considered the official “rastas” in Senegal. They have a certain style in both westernized stereotype but also in Senegalese clothing. They have some beliefs that are a bit more unusual, and are highly subject to multiple interpretations. As of late they have had a more “badass” rep because of their higher tendency to drink, be associated with smoking weed, and as a result-according to “good Muslims”-have more violent incidents. However, the ones who stay true to the original principles are more equivalent to hippies in the US (very peace-loving and “chill”).**
The town of Touba was founded by the father of the Mouride brotherhood, Cheikh Amadou Bamba Mbacke. During the French colonial period the amount of power that Cheikh Amadou Bamba had threatened the colonial rule, and so he was exiled to France. The Magal is the celebration of the day of his return to Senegal and Touba. Over a million people from all over Senegal (and even the world) flock to Touba for the week to pay homage to this man. Everyone tries to make at least one trip to the Grand Mosque during this time, and fortunately for me, is open to non-Muslims as well.
I went to the Mosque quite a few days before Magal and so avoided the bigger part of the crowds. In staying as inconspicuous as possible and following Muslim etiquette I wore my Tabaski dress with its long sleeves and long skirt and covered my head with the required scarf. Upon entering the Mosque I was left speechless. With marble flooring and columns and intricate colored tiling, I was blown away by its grandeur. What hit me hardest however was my utter sense of peace. Once through the gates I took off my shoes [required upon entering] and went with Khass to the Mausoleums which are sporadically connected or placed within the gates of the Mosque. Each Mausoleum houses a former Grand Marabout and normally each Mouride has a preferred “leader” to whom they pray (this is typically based on the types of works and philosophy he had embodied). As a non-Muslim I was not allowed into the inner parts of the Mosque where prayers where held, however I was able to kneel alongside everyone else at the Mausoleums and say my prayers. I have definitely had some spiritual moments in my lifetime, with Senegal surprisingly exponentially increasing these times. My experience in the Mosque was one of those times where something bigger than myself happened. How does one explain religious tolerance if not through a Christian and a Muslim kneeling side by side praying to the same God, in one of His Houses? As you can all imagine I spent a lot of time reflecting on my religious situation and only wish that everyone could participate in some part of what I experienced. I kept thinking about the distorted image of Islam that we as Americans have, through what the media portrays, as well as our own general ignorance. Muslims are founded on the principle of peace, and I was fully convinced of this after my first barefoot step onto the religious ground.
Heavy material, and to think this took place in the space of an hour and a half. Being in Senegal has forced me to think on a much more philosophical level; this is partially by default as a study abroad student, but also with my program being so much more involved in cultural life it becomes essential as a way to process everything that I come across.
“How wonderful it is, how pleasant, for God’s people to live together in harmony!”
Psalms 133:1
Laah y laha y lallah. Il n’y a que Dieu. There is only [one] God.
Jamm ak Jamm.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
