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English Version MAME MOR DIARRA MBACKE: OR / SERIGNE MOMAR DIARRA MBACKE « BOROM SAM » This article, which is attempting to give a quick glance at the work and life of Mame More Diarra Mbacke, is first of all the summary of a presentation by Serigne Modou Mamoun Niang about Mame Mor Diarra. Serigne Modou Mamoun Niang is no longer to be introduced in the cultural world of Mouridism. As a close companion and cultural adviser of Serigne Abdoul Ahad, Serigne Modou Mamoun is an expert and a researcher. He is the author of various works among which “Jaar Jaari Borom Tuubaa”, a short story in Wolof about Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba’s journey.

THE ORIGINS Mame Mor Diarra MBACKE was born on Monday the 15th of shawaal: (Korite) the month following the month of Ramadan, Corresponding to September 3, 1849 in Mbacké Baol Senegal, a borough that Damel Amary Ngone offered to Mame Maharam MBACKE who settled there in 1789 Gregorian calendar, according to Hijri calendar is (1194.H) along with his son Ahmadou Farimata MBACKE. Mame Maharam is the grandfather of Mame Mor Anta Sali, who is the father of Mame Mor Diarra and Serigne TOUBA Khadimou Rassoul. Thus, Cheikh Ahmadou Diarra MBACKE or Mame Mor Diarra is the son of Mame Mor Anta Sali MBACKE who is the son of Mame Balla Aissa MBACKE, who is the son of Mame Maharam, who is the son of Abiboulahi Ibn Ahmadou Khayry, originators of the Mbacke-Mbacke lineage. His mother’s name was Jaratoul lah, "Mame Diarra BOUSSO", the daughter of Cheikh Mouhamadou BOUSSO, who is the son of Matabara BOUSSO, whose roots go back to the twins of Fatoumata Zahra, daughter of the Prophete Mouhamad (Peace be Upon Him). Therefore the BOUSSO family tree is composed of “Cherifs” straightly linked to the Prophete (Peace be upon Him). Still in the maternal side, it’s been concluded that Mame Diarra BOUSSO is the daughter of Mame Asta Walo, a woman who mastered the Coran and all other religious sciences. She was also known as someone who taught and practiced her knowledge. THE SCHOOLING OF MAME MOR DIARRA Mame Mor Diarra Mbacke studied and mastered the Coran with the help of his father Mame Mor Anta Sali, whose extent of science knowledge was known to everybody. Therefore, he saw to it that his elder sons received all appropriate trainings: studies, the “tarbiya” (spiritual perfection), “tarqiya” (spiritual rise) and the deepening in “fiq” (jurisprudence). He also put the emphasis on “tawhid” (science of divine uniqueness), “nahwu” (grammar), and various other sciences. This comprehensive education was achieved with the assistance of his maternal uncle, Serigne Mboussobé Bousso. As a reminder, both Mame Mor Anta Sali and Serigne Mboussobé were prominent and undisputed references in the field of education in that whole district. At around age 15 years, Mame Mor Diarra accompanied his father and his uncle in their exodus towards the Rip in order to join Maba Diakhou Ba who, at that time, was fighting colonizers on behalf of Islam. THE FOUNDATION OF MBACKE KHEWAR In 1891, Mame Mor Diarra founded Mbacké Khewar along with other neighboring boroughs. During that period in Mbacke, his uncles and grandparents had also founded other wards such as Mbacke Dimb and Mbacke Bari. Mame Mor Diarra first built his house next to a tree called “khewar”, thus naming that location Mbacké Khewar. PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND MORALS OF MAME MOR DIARRA He was a man with a remarkable elegance, very generous, and unable to turn down any solicitation. With a striking serenity and friendly appearance, Mame Mor was also known to be a philanthropist always ready and eager to help. He was so humble that in spite of his status of being the older of elders (“magi mag”), he lowered himself to the level of his audience, no matter who they are. He was so coolheaded, thoughtful, and wise that everybody admired his serenity during that troublesome and turbid period when the Cheikh was the target of all kinds of harassments and persecutions from “tieddos” (local aristocracies) and colonial invaders. However, armed with an unshakable courage, he would not allow anybody to intimidate him. Mame Mor Diarra was also clairvoyant and well instructed about the realities of this shot-lived world. Therefore, Cheikh Ahmadou Diarra was a genuine religious guide. His first and foremost preoccupation was to learn then teach and train his disciples in order to make them acquire peace in this life and in the afterlife. As a true scholar in “Charia” (Islamic law) and “haqiqa”, Mame Mor Diarra was – like the Prophete Muhammad (Peace be upon Him), Khadimou Rassoul, and other elected officials of God- a being whose innate perfection did not need any training. That sentence of Khadimou Rassoul was perfectly applicable to Mame More Diarra: “Our single concern is the faith towards the MASTER OF CREATURES, the observance of the “Sunna” of the Best of creatures (Peace be upon Him) And a constant attention towards the needs of creatures, and this, without any worries about the bad behavior or spiteful comments of others.” Cheikh Ahmadou Diarra was surely a refuge for those who were lost, thirsty, and the worried.

MAME MOR DIARRA AND THE SHEIK “CHEIKH AHMADOU BAMBA” He was the elder brother of the Sheikh, however, he also acknowledged to him the whole extent of his status. He was very close and devoted to him. The relationships between Mame Mor Diarra and Serigne TOUBA were very special, solid, and long ever since. They are reminiscent of those of Prophete Moussa (Moïse) and Harouna (Aaron): the former prayed to God that the latter be granted the status a Messenger, so that, together, they could worship Him. It was as if Serigne TOUBA requested the same thing for Mame Mor Diarra and was granted that request with satisfaction. Mame More Diarra was the advisor of the Sheikh in multiple fields. The following letter is evidence of that relationship. The Sheikh wrote it to him during his exodus in Gabon: “This is a letter I am writing to my relative in order to reaffirm him that, in spite of my status as a prisoner in the hands of strangers, the only preoccupation to which I am inviting you to keep on is the faith of God and the observance of the “sunna” of the Prophete (Peace be upon Him). I exhort you to stay together, yourself, Ibrahima Faty (Mame Thierno Birahim), Sidy Moctar (Mame Cheikh Anta), and everybody else. I call upon you to be lenient toward them -your brothers-; and they will, as they should, acknowledge your status.” To close the letter, the Sheikh made the same conclusion that the Prophet (Peace be upon Him), made when he addressed Seydina Ababacar when they were in the predicament of being fugitives to Medina: “inna lâha mahanâ” (God is indeed with us). At that time, they were all persecuted: the Sheikh by colonial authorities; his brothers by the “Tieddos” (local aristocracies). There are other evidences that can support the exclusivity of their relationships. When the Sheikh came back in 1902, he stayed in Darou Marnaan for two months before his second exile in Mauritania. It has been reported that Mame Mor Diarra, accompanied by other “Sheikhs” settled in the vicinities of his brother’s residence thus constituting a kind of shield preventing any attack against his brother. Mame Mor Diarra even volunteered to help the Sheikh in case he needed more hands for the armed struggle against the enemies of Islam. One could easily predict the Sheikh’s answer: “I don’t fight, I don’t recommend fighting; I have not received the instruction to do so. But you can be sure of one thing, you will never be harmed.” During all the stages of the Sheikh’s exile in Mauritania and Thieyene (1902 thru 1912), Mame Mor Diarra never stopped paying pious visits (“ziarras”) to his brother and spiritual guide Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba. The following excerpts are some instances provided by colonial archives during the time the Sheikh was in Thieyene. On September 16th, 1907, Mame Mor Diarra paid a visit to Serigne TOUBA along with twenty knights, accompanied by twenty one marching people, and a large amount of On October 21st, 1908, he sent his elder son: Serigne Mor Sokhna MBACKE to the Sheikh along with various gifts “Adiya” (gifts from his congregation). and considerable amount of cash money. Such “Ziarras” were constantly going on up to the period of his house arrest in Diourbel, where Mame Mor Diarra ended up building a house in order to be closer to the Sheikh. He was never separated from his brother nor be unaware of things pertaining to him until that day of Monday the 10th of Shawwal, 1340 H. (Corresponding to June 6th 1922) when Mame Mor Diarra passed away in Mbacke Baol. He was 75 years old. There were astonishing similarities between Mame Mor Diarra and the Sheikh:  Their names: Ahmadou Diarra – Ahmadou Bamba  Their birthdays: Mame Mor Diarra was born on the 15th of Shawwal: (Korite) 1265 H. The month following the month of Ramadan, (Corresponding to September 3, 1849) and the Sheikh was born on the 15th of shahbaan: (Baraxlu) 1270 H. The month preceding the month of Ramadan, (Corresponding to May 13, 1854) and He passed away on a Monday the 19th of Muharram 1346 H. (Corresponding to July 19th 1927)  Both of them were born in Mbacke Baol.  Both were 75 years old when they passed away.  They passed away on the same day: on a Monday. May divine Light shine more upon them and may we always benefit from it, Amine. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ SOURCE From: (1)TOUHFATOUL ANAM FISIRATI MAME BOROM SAHM, Book written by Serigne Abdou Karim MBACKE son of Serigne Makhtar MBACKE-AWA GUEUYE (son of MAME MOR DIARRA BOROM SAM). (2)MINANU BAKHIL KHADIM, Book written by Serigne Bassirou Mbacke Ibn Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba Mbacke Khadimou Rassoul. (3)Wolofal: poetic collection written by Serigne Mbaye DIAKHATE (4)Summary of a presentation by Serigne Modou Mamoun Niang about Mame Mor Diarra Mbacke.