Cheikh Anta Mbacké

Founded the Murid Islamic Sufi movement, transforming Senegalese society.

Cheikh Amadou Bamba Mbacké (1853–1927), known as Sérigne Touba, was a Senegalese religious leader who founded the Mouride brotherhood, one of West Africa's largest Islamic Sufi movements. Born in the Thiès region, Bamba's teachings emphasized hard work and self-reliance through his doctrine of "Travail, prière, abstinence" (Work, prayer, abstinence). Despite French colonial persecution—including exile to Gabon and Mauritania—he built the holy city of Touba into a center of Islamic scholarship and agricultural innovation. His emphasis on economic self-sufficiency transformed Senegal's peanut industry, creating wealth for followers. Bamba's nonviolent resistance strategy preserved traditional values while adapting Islam to modernity. The brotherhood's global network today funds schools, mosques, and businesses, shaping Senegal's economy and culture. His seminal works like Risâlat al-Jalâl remain core texts. His legacy is immortalized in Touba's Grand Mosque and annual Magal de Touba festival, attended by millions. Scholarly studies include academic analyses of his socio-economic impact.