Ibrahima Fall
Encyclopedia
Sheikh
Not to be confused with sikhSheikh — also spelled Sheik or Shaikh, or transliterated as Shaykh — is an honorific in the Arabic language that literally means "elder" and carries the meaning "leader and/or governor"...
Ibrahima Fall (1855–1930) was a disciple of Sheikh Aamadu Bàmba Mbàkke
Amadou Bamba
Ahmadou Bamba, Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba Mbacké , was a Muslim Sufi religious leader in Senegal and the founder of the large Mouride Brotherhood Ahmadou Bamba, Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba Mbacké (1853-1927) (Aamadu Bamba Mbàkke in Wolof, Shaykh Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad ibn Ḥabīb Allāh also known as Khadīmu...
, founder of the Mouride
Mouride
The Mouride brotherhood is a large Islamic Sufi order most prominent in Senegal and The Gambia, with headquarters in the holy city of Touba, Senegal...
Brotherhood movement in West Africa
West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:-Flags of West Africa:...
. Well known in the Mouride Brotherhood, Ibrahima Fall established the influential Baye Fall movement.
Neil Savishinsky (1994) contends that Sheikh Ibrahima Fall is “one of the first and most illustrious of Ahmadu Bamba’s disciples”. The Bimestriel Islamique (2000, December) claims that French West Africa
French West Africa
French West Africa was a federation of eight French colonial territories in Africa: Mauritania, Senegal, French Sudan , French Guinea , Côte d'Ivoire , Upper Volta , Dahomey and Niger...
called him the minister of economic affairs in the Mouridism. Ibrahima Fall catalysed the Mouride
Mouride
The Mouride brotherhood is a large Islamic Sufi order most prominent in Senegal and The Gambia, with headquarters in the holy city of Touba, Senegal...
movement. Fall led all the labour work in the Mouride brotherhood. Fall reshaped the relation between Mouride Talibes (Mouride disciples) and their guide, Aamadu Bàmba Mbàkke. Fall instituted the culture of work among Mourides with his concept of Dieuf Dieul “you reap what you sow”.
Serigne Bassirou Mbacké, son of Sheikh Aamadu Bàmba Mbàkke, claims that Ibrahima Fall renovated the Mouride Brotherhood. According to Mbacké, Ibrahima Fall introduced giving money to Aamadu Bàmba. Mourides follow this practice of giving money to their sheikh. Serigne Moussa Kâ understands that “Fall initiated devoting ones life to his Sheikh
Sheikh
Not to be confused with sikhSheikh — also spelled Sheik or Shaikh, or transliterated as Shaykh — is an honorific in the Arabic language that literally means "elder" and carries the meaning "leader and/or governor"...
in search of aura (Wolof
Wolof language
Wolof is a language spoken in Senegal, The Gambia, and Mauritania, and is the native language of the Wolof people. Like the neighbouring languages Serer and Fula, it belongs to the Atlantic branch of the Niger–Congo language family...
tarbiya). Sheikh Diop (1980) confirms the great importance of Ibrahima Fall to Mouridism, stating that “Sheikh Ahmadou Bamba and Sheikh Ibrahima Fall realise the symbiosis of Mouride values, pray and work” .
Origins
Scholars have some general agreements about Ibrahima Fall’s origins. Neil Savishinsky (1994) states that Fall was descendant of a “tyeddo (animistic) lineage”. Another scholar confirms that Fall came out of an animistic tradition, but believes Fall’s family was prosperous and formerly powerful in CayorCayor
The Kingdom of Cayor was the largest and most powerful kingdom that split off from the Empire of Jolof , in what is now Senegal. Cayor was located in north and central Senegal, southeast of Waalo, west of the kingdom of Jolof and north of Baol and the Kingdom of Sine.In 1549, the king, or...
. Other sources confirm that Fall’s grandfather, Damel
Damel
Damel was the title of the ruler of the Wolof kingdom of Cayor in what is now northwest Senegal, West Africa.The most well-known damel is probably Lat Dior Diop who died in battle during the final French drive to capture his territory, which was one of the strongest areas of resistance...
Dethialaw, was a ruler of the Cayor
Cayor
The Kingdom of Cayor was the largest and most powerful kingdom that split off from the Empire of Jolof , in what is now Senegal. Cayor was located in north and central Senegal, southeast of Waalo, west of the kingdom of Jolof and north of Baol and the Kingdom of Sine.In 1549, the king, or...
state.
Family and education
Ibrahima Fall was born around 1855 in a northern village, Ndiaby Fall, Cayor. His original tyeddo name was Yapsa Khanth Fall. Aamadu Bàmba Mbàkke gave him later the name Ibrahima Fall. Ibrahima Fall was a son of Amadou Rokhaya Fall and Seynabou Ndiaye. At an early age, Ibrahima Fall learned the Qur'an in a neighbouring village, Ndiaré.Fall achieved major Arabic sciences such as theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
, fiqh
Fiqh
Fiqh is Islamic jurisprudence. Fiqh is an expansion of the code of conduct expounded in the Quran, often supplemented by tradition and implemented by the rulings and interpretations of Islamic jurists....
, tafsir
Tafsir
Tafseer is the Arabic word for exegesis or commentary, usually of the Qur'an. Ta'wīl is a subset of tafsir and refers to esoteric or mystical interpretation. An author of tafsir is a mufassir .- Etymology :...
, grammar and rhetoric. Savishinsky (1994) tells us that Ibrahima Fall had “reputation for ferocity and extraordinary strength” (p. 212). Another scholar claims that Fall was viewed as a troubled man who seldom went with his peers and often remained alone in the bush. However, all agree that the turning point of his life was Fall’s search for Shaikh Aamadu Bàmba Mbàkke.
In Search of Aamadu Bàmba
One major study of Ibrahima Fall reports that two versions exist of his search for Shaikh Aamadu Bàmba. In the first version, Fall is rich merchant who travelled in CayorCayor
The Kingdom of Cayor was the largest and most powerful kingdom that split off from the Empire of Jolof , in what is now Senegal. Cayor was located in north and central Senegal, southeast of Waalo, west of the kingdom of Jolof and north of Baol and the Kingdom of Sine.In 1549, the king, or...
, Jolof and Saloum
Saloum
The Kingdom of Saloum in Senegal is a traditional kingdom which was renamed Saloum in the late 15th century by the son of a Serer and a Guelowar from the kingdom of Kaabu to the south. The ancient and present capital of the Kingdom of Saloum is the city of Kahone. Previous to that, it was known...
. But after meeting Aamadu Bàmba Mbàkke in Mbacké
Mbacké
Mbacké is a city in central Senegal, located east of Dakar. It is the capital of an administrative department in the Diourbel region. Along with the near-by city of Touba, Mbacké forms an urban conurbation whose population currently stands at about 500,000, making it Senegal's second largest...
Bari, Fall gave up business to become Bamba’s disciple.
In the second version, which is more commonly believed in Senegal, Ibrahima Fall in 1882 went on looking to Aamadu Bàmba Mbàkke. Scholars state that Ibrahima Fall knew that his destiny dictated him to search for him. Without any knowledge of him, Ibrahima Fall went on looking for the best Muslim teachers. Ibrahima Fall tested Serigne Massamba Syll and after Serigne Adama Gueye. Adama Gueye conducted Ibrahima Fall through mystic ways to Aamadu Bàmba Mbàkke in 1883.
Pact with Aamadu Bàmba Mbàkke
The encounter between Ibrahima Fall and Aamadu Bàmba Mbàkke defined the beginning of Mouridism. Savishinsky claims “Fal (Ibra Faal) performed his obeisance to Ahmadu Bamba in crown-slave style disrobing and falling forward to the ground." Serigne Bassirou (1995) narrates the famous speech that Ibrahima Fall and Ahmadou Bamba exchanged:Ibrahima Fall: “If I found only your gravestone, be aware that the force of my intention would satisfy my objective”
Sheikh Ahmadou Bamba: “If I found only the star
Star
A star is a massive, luminous sphere of plasma held together by gravity. At the end of its lifetime, a star can also contain a proportion of degenerate matter. The nearest star to Earth is the Sun, which is the source of most of the energy on Earth...
s and the sky that Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
watched at, I’m sure that I could attain my objective with my strong love of the prophet [...] Know that from this life, I’ll neither protect you from sun nor provide you material goods. I accept you if you follow God recommendations”.
In this way, the contract started between Fall and Aamadu Bàmba Mbàkke. Ibrahima Fall became his 40th disciple. From this moment, Fall followed the Ndiguel "orders" of the Shaikh until Fall’s death.
Introduction of Mouride Values
Within this contract called “Diebelou”, Savishinsky claims that Ibrahima Fall displayed an absolute, slave-like devotion to his master. His “pastef” (courage and devotion) served example for all Mourides. In fact, Fall started “growing food, cutting firewood, fetching water and building shelters and mosques” (p. 213). Likewise, Serigne Moussa Kâ tells us that Fall reshaped quickly the relation between a disciple and his guide. Ibrahima Fall instituted five rules of deference to the Sheikh:- Never stand at the same level than Aamadu Bàmba Mbàkke
- Never greet the Shaikh with your hat on your head
- Never walk in front of him
- Always do the “sudiot” (kiss his hands) with the Shaikh
- Always lower your voice in front of him
Ibrahima Fall himself supervised these rules.
Physical Description
In appearance, Ibrahima Fall had matted locks. Fall carried a black cudgel especially for making people respecting these rules. Fall also smoke a Western African plant called “pone”. Moussa Kâ claims that Fall often begged in neighbour villages with a wood bowl, which was an unorthodox practice.When Mame Chiekh Ibra Fall was taking a haircut, S.Touba told him not to take a haircut today, because it is not a day to take a haircut and he didn't take a haircat because he didnt have permission.Contribution to Aamadu Bàmba's mission
In 1890, Shaikh Aamadu Bàmba nominated Fall the third responsible in the Mouride Brotherhood. Fall had to supervise all manual works. With the exile of Aamadu Bàmba Mbàkke, Fall’s life changed. He moved to Saint-Louis, SenegalSaint-Louis, Senegal
Saint-Louis, or Ndar as it is called in Wolof, is the capital of Senegal's Saint-Louis Region. Located in the northwest of Senegal, near the mouth of the Senegal River, and 320 km north of Senegal's capital city Dakar, it has a population officially estimated at 176,000 in 2005. Saint-Louis...
, to defend the innocence of his Shaikh. During Fall’s negotiations with the French, Paul Marty recognised that Fall hid great intelligence. Another scholar cites the multiple Arabic poetries of Ibrahima Fall to prove Fall’s intellectualism. Fall wrote alsa an Arabic book, Jazbul Mouride.
Exile of Aamadu Bàmba Mbàkke
On 21 September 1895, the French exiled Aamadu Bàmba to GabonGabon
Gabon , officially the Gabonese Republic is a state in west central Africa sharing borders with Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, Cameroon to the north, and with the Republic of the Congo curving around the east and south. The Gulf of Guinea, an arm of the Atlantic Ocean is to the west...
. Aamadu Bàmba ordered Ibrahima Fall to work for Sherif
Sherif
Sherif or Sherifa is someone who is descended from Muhammad by way of his daughter Fatimah. The word comes from Arabic sharif meaning "noble", from sharafa meaning "to be highborn". It is also commonly known as Ashraf, and also sharif...
Hassan. He did so until 1901, when Sherif Hassan died. In this interval (1895–1901), Fall kept sending money (in Wolof
Wolof language
Wolof is a language spoken in Senegal, The Gambia, and Mauritania, and is the native language of the Wolof people. Like the neighbouring languages Serer and Fula, it belongs to the Atlantic branch of the Niger–Congo language family...
“Adiya”) to the Shaikh until his return in 1902. On 11 November 1902, Aamadu Bàmba Mbàkke returned to Senegal
Senegal
Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
and awarded Ibrahima Fall the degree of Sheikh.
Return of Aamadu Bàmba
In June 1912, the French kept Aamadu Bàmba under house arrest in Ndjarèem, DiourbelDiourbel
Diourbel is a town in Senegal lying east of Thiès. It is known for its mosque and local groundnut industry. It is the capital of the Diourbel Region. Estimated population 2007: 100,445- Transport :...
. Consequently, Sheikh Ibrahima Fall followed him to Diourbel
Diourbel
Diourbel is a town in Senegal lying east of Thiès. It is known for its mosque and local groundnut industry. It is the capital of the Diourbel Region. Estimated population 2007: 100,445- Transport :...
. In Diourbel, Fall created a famous district, Keur Sheikh. In Keur Sheikh, the Baye Fall movement consolidated and expanded very quickly. Many tyeddos became his disciples. In 1925, the French banned construction of the Touba Mosque. Sheikh Ibrahima Fall enclosed the area of the mosque with timbers Fall carried from Ndjarèem to Touba
Touba
Touba may refer to:*Touba, Côte d'Ivoire*Touba, Boké -Guinea*Touba, Labé -Guinea*Touba, Mali*Touba, Senegal...
.
In 1927, at the death of Aamadu Bàmba Mbàkke, Sheikh Ibrahima Fall performed among the first obeisance to the Shaikh's son, Serigne Moustapha Mbacké. Sheikh Ibrahima Fall participated in the difficult creation of the railroads between Diourbel
Diourbel
Diourbel is a town in Senegal lying east of Thiès. It is known for its mosque and local groundnut industry. It is the capital of the Diourbel Region. Estimated population 2007: 100,445- Transport :...
and Touba
Touba
Touba may refer to:*Touba, Côte d'Ivoire*Touba, Boké -Guinea*Touba, Labé -Guinea*Touba, Mali*Touba, Senegal...
. Sheikh Ibrahima Fall died 9 June 1930 after helping the succession of Aamadu Bàmba. He lies in Touba.
Recognition by the Mouride Brotherhood
Sheikh Ibrahima Fall obviously helped Shaikh Aamadu Bàmba Mbàkke to expand Mouridism, particularly with Fall’s establishment of the Baye Fall movement. For this contribution, Serigne Fallou (2nd CaliphCaliph
The Caliph is the head of state in a Caliphate, and the title for the ruler of the Islamic Ummah, an Islamic community ruled by the Shari'ah. It is a transcribed version of the Arabic word which means "successor" or "representative"...
after Aamadu Bàmba) named him “Lamp Fall" (the light of Mouridism). In addition, Ibrahima Fall earned the title of “Babul Mouridina”, meaning "Gate of Mouridism".