Ibrahima Fall

Ibrahima Fall
Ibrahima Fall

Sheikh Ibrahima Fall (18551930) was a disciple of Sheikh Aamadu Bàmba Mbàkke, founder of the Mouride Brotherhood movement in West Africa. Well known in the Mouride Brotherhood, Ibrahima Fall established the influential Baye Fall movement.

Neil Savishinsky (1994) contends that Sheikh Ibrahima Fall isone of the first and most illustrious of Ahmadu Bambas disciples”.[1] The Bimestriel Islamique (2000, December) claims that French West Africa called him the minister of economic affairs in the Mouridism.[2] Ibrahima Fall catalysed the Mouride 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 Dieulyou reap what you sow”.[2]

Serigne Bassirou Mbacké, son of Sheikh Aamadu Bàmba Mbàkke, claims that Ibrahima Fall renovated the Mouride Brotherhood.[3] According to Mbacké, Ibrahima Fall introduced giving money to Aamadu Bàmba.[3] Mourides follow this practice of giving money to their sheikh. Serigne Moussa understands thatFall initiated devoting ones life to his Sheikh in search of aura (Wolof tarbiya).[4] Sheikh Diop (1980) confirms the great importance of Ibrahima Fall to Mouridism, stating thatSheikh Ahmadou Bamba and Sheikh Ibrahima Fall realise the symbiosis of Mouride values, pray and work” .[5]

Contents

Origins

Scholars have some general agreements about Ibrahima Falls origins. Neil Savishinsky (1994) states that Fall was descendant of atyeddo (animistic) lineage”.[1] Another scholar confirms that Fall came out of an animistic tradition, but believes Falls family was prosperous and formerly powerful in Cayor. Other sources confirm that Falls grandfather, Damel Dethialaw, was a ruler of the Cayor 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.[2] Fall achieved major Arabic sciences such as theology, fiqh, tafsir, grammar and rhetoric. Savishinsky (1994) tells us that Ibrahima Fall hadreputation for ferocity and extraordinary strength[1](p212). Another scholar claims that Fall was viewed as a troubled man who seldom went with his peers and often remained alone in the bush.[2] However, all agree that the turning point of his life was Falls 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 Cayor, Jolof and Saloum. But after meeting Aamadu Bàmba Mbàkke in Mbacké Bari, Fall gave up business to become Bambas 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.[2]

Pact with Aamadu Bàmba Mbàkke

The encounter between Ibrahima Fall and Aamadu Bàmba Mbàkke defined the beginning of Mouridism.[2] Savishinsky claimsFal (Ibra Faal) performed his obeisance to Ahmadu Bamba in crown-slave style disrobing and falling forward to the ground."[1] 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 stars and the sky that Muhammad watched at, Im sure that I could attain my objective with my strong love of the prophet [...] Know that from this life, Ill neither protect you from sun nor provide you material goods. I accept you if you follow God recommendations”.[3]

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 Falls death.

Introduction of Mouride Values

Within this contract calledDiebelou”, Savishinsky claims that Ibrahima Fall displayed an absolute, slave-like devotion to his master.[1] Hispastef” (courage and devotion) served example for all Mourides. In fact, Fall startedgrowing food, cutting firewood, fetching water and building shelters and mosques” (p213). Likewise, Serigne Moussa tells us that Fall reshaped quickly the relation between a disciple and his guide. Ibrahima Fall instituted five rules of deference to the Sheikh:

  1. Never stand at the same level than Aamadu Bàmba Mbàkke
  2. Never greet the Shaikh with your hat on your head
  3. Never walk in front of him
  4. Always do thesudiot” (kiss his hands) with the Shaikh
  5. Always lower your voice in front of him

Ibrahima Fall himself supervised these rules.[4]

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 calledpone”. Moussa 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.[4]

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, Falls life changed. He moved to Saint-Louis, Senegal, to defend the innocence of his Shaikh. During Falls negotiations with the French, Paul Marty recognised that Fall hid great intelligence.[2] Another scholar cites the multiple Arabic poetries of Ibrahima Fall to prove Falls intellectualism. Fall wrote alsa an Arabic book, Jazbul Mouride.

Exile of Aamadu Bàmba Mbàkke

On 21 September 1895, the French exiled Aamadu Bàmba to Gabon.[6] Aamadu Bàmba ordered Ibrahima Fall to work for Sherif Hassan. He did so until 1901, when Sherif Hassan died. In this interval (18951901), Fall kept sending money (in WolofAdiya”) to the Shaikh until his return in 1902. On 11 November 1902, Aamadu Bàmba Mbàkke returned to Senegal 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, Diourbel.[7] Consequently, Sheikh Ibrahima Fall followed him to Diourbel. 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.

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 and Touba. Sheikh Ibrahima Fall died 9 June 1930 after helping the succession of Aamadu Bàmba. He lies in Touba.[8]

Recognition by the Mouride Brotherhood

Sheikh Ibrahima Fall obviously helped Shaikh Aamadu Bàmba Mbàkke to expand Mouridism, particularly with Falls establishment of the Baye Fall movement. For this contribution, Serigne Fallou (2nd Caliph after Aamadu Bàmba) named himLamp Fall" (the light of Mouridism).[9] In addition, Ibrahima Fall earned the title ofBabul Mouridina”, meaning "Gate of Mouridism".

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Savishinsky, J. N. (1994) The Bayed Fall of Senegambia: Muslim Rastas in the Promised Land? Africa: Journal International African Institute, 64, 211-219
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Les origines de Cheikh Ibra Fall (2000, December). Touba’, Bimestriel Islamique dInformations Générales. Retrieved May 25, 2007 from Cheikh Ibra Fall at www.metissacana.sn
  3. ^ a b c Mbacké, S. B. (1995) Intineraires du Bienfait (K. Mbacké, Trans.) Dakar, Senegal: Imprimerie Saint Paul
  4. ^ a b c , S. M. (1930) ﻓﺍ ﮬﯿﻡ ﺑﺮ ﺸﺍﺥ ﻣﺎ ﯘﻟﻔﻝ (the poetry of Cheikh Ibrahima Fall), Touba, Senegal : Imprimerie Serigne Issa Niang
  5. ^ Diop, M. C. (1980). La Confrérie mouride: organisation politique et mode dimplentation urbaine. Lyon
  6. ^ Hizbut (2006). Retrieved June 07, 2007 from http://www.htcom.sn/spip/article.php3?id_article=55
  7. ^ Mame Cheikh Ibrahima Fall(2006). Le travail voie royale d'acces au paradis. Retrieved June 07, 2007 from http://mapage.noos.fr/alkhidmat/ibra.html
  8. ^ Mouride, (2005). Cheikh Ibrahima Fall: lhomme du labeur Retrieved May 25, 2007 from http://www.mouride.com/cheikhibra.htm
  9. ^ Ngom, F.(2002) Linguistic Resistance in the Murid speech community. Retrieved June 14, 2007 from http://www.multilingual-matters.net/jmmd/023/0214/jmmd0230214.pdf

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