Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Habibullah better known as Ahmadou Bamba Mbacké and known to his followers as Khadim al-Rasul - خادِم الرسول - “The Servant of the Messenger” was a Muslim saint and religious leader in Senegal and the founder of the Mouride Brotherhood (Muridiyyah).

born in 1853 Mbacké, Kingdom of Bawol (modern day Senegal) and passed away on 1927 Touba, French Senegal, French West Africa (modern Diourbel Region, Senegal) and his remains rest in the Grand Mosque of Touba.

Ahmadou Bamba was born in the village of Mbacké in Bawol, the son of Muhammad ibn Habibullah Bousso and Maryam (Diarra) Bousso in Senegal.

Ahmadou Bamba founded the Mouride (Muridiyyah) brotherhood in 1883, with its capital in Touba, Senegal. Today, Touba serves as the location of the sub-Saharan Africa’s largest mosque, which was built by the Mourides.

His teachings emphasized the virtues of pacifism, hard work through what is commonly known as Jihad al-Nafs (self struggle).

Facing colonial rule and exile:

As Bamba’s fame and influence spread, the French colonial government worried about his growing power and potential to wage war against them. He converted a number of traditional kings and their followers and could have raised a huge military force, as Muslim leaders like Shaykh Umar ibn Sa’id Tall and Shaykh Samori ibn Lanfia Touré had done before him. During this time, the French army and colonial government were weary of Muslim leaders inciting revolts as they finished taking over Senegal.

Shaykh Ahmadou Bamba was transferred to the office of the Governor of the colonial administration in Saint-Louis (Senegal). On Thursday September 5, 1895, he appeared before the Privy Council of Saint-Louis to rule on his case. Ahmadou Bamba prayed two rakat in the Governor’s office before addressing the council, declaring his firm intention to be subjected to Allah alone. With this prayer and stance in the sanctuary of the deniers of Islam, Bamba came to embody a new form of non-violent resistance against colonialism. Proof of Ahmadou Bamba having recited these prayers is based on the testimonies of his disciples.

As a result of Bamba’s prayers, the Privy Council decided to deport him to “a place where its fanatic preachings would not have any effect”. and exiled him to the equatorial forest of Gabon, where he remained for seven years and nine months. While in Gabon, he composed prayers and poems celebrating Allah.

From the beginning of the 19th century, the imperialist policy of France ended with the defeat of all the armed resistance movements in Senegal and the installation of a policy of christianization and assimilation of the new colony to the cultural values of the metropolis. This led to a policy of exile or systematic elimination of the Muslim spiritual guides who openly spoke out against the colonial government.

Ahmadou Bamba was subjected to all manners of deprivation and trials. Exiled for seven years to Gabon and five years to Mauritania and placed under house arrest in Diourbel.

As Bamba gathered followers, he taught that salvation comes through complete submission to Allah and hard work.

Fearing his influence, the French sentenced him to exile in Gabon (1895–1902) and later in Mauritania (1903–1907). these exiles inspired stories and legends of Bamba’s miraculous survival of torture, deprivation, and attempted executions, and thousands more flocked to his organization.

After his death in 1927, he was buried in Touba at a site he had chosen, adjacent to the future location of The Grand Mosque of Touba. He was succeeded by his descendants as hereditary leaders of the Mouride brotherhood.

Legends and Miracles:

Shaykh Amadou Bamba was in chains in transit on a ship to Gabon. When requesting to pray, he was denied. He seeing that the hour of prayer was almost ending, he broke through his chains, and jumped off the ship to find a prayer mat floating on the water. Then began praying on it and returned to the ship when he finished.

He was said to survive being thrown in a furnace by the French, and drank tea with the Prophet (SAWS) in it.

–May all of you have a nice day or night 👍🏼 and may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon you.