Ibrahima Fall

Sheikh Ibrahima Fall (1855-1930) was a disciple of Sheikh Ahmadou Bamba, 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 is “one of the first and most illustrious of Ahmadu Bamba’s disciples” . The Bimestriel Islamique (2000, December) claims that French West Africa called him the minister of economic affairs in the Mouridism . 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, Ahmadou Bamba. 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 Ahmadou Bamba, claims that Ibrahima Fall renovated the Mouride Brotherhood . According to Mbacké, Ibrahima Fall introduced giving money to Ahmadou Bamba . Mourides follow this practice of giving money to their Sheikh. Serigne Moussa Kâ understands that “Fall initiated devoting ones life to his Sheikh in search of aura (in Wolof, “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 Cayor. Other sources confirm that Fall’s grandfather, Damel Dethialaw, was a powerful figure in the Cayor society.

Family and education

Ibrahima Fall was born around 1855 in a North village Ndiaby Fall from Cayor. His original tyeddo name was Yapsa Khanth Fall. Sheikh Ahmadou Bamba gave him later the name Ibrahima Fall. Ibrahima Fall was a son of Ahmadou Rokhaya Fall and Seynabou Ndiaye. At an early age, Ibrahima Fall learned the Qur’an in a neighbour village Ndiaré . Fall achieved major Arabic sciences such as theology, fiqh, tafsir, grammar, 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 . But all agree that the turning point of his life was Fall’s search for Sheikh Ahmadou Bamba.

Search of Ahmadou Bamba

One major study of Ibrahima Fall reports that two versions exist of his search for Sheikh Ahmadou Bamba. In the first version, Fall is rich merchant who travelled in Cayor, Jolof and Saloum. But after meeting Sheikh Ahmadou Bamba in Mbacké Bari, Fall gave up business to become Bamba’s disciple. In the second version more commonly believed in Senegal, Ibrahima Fall in 1882 went on looking to Ahmadou Bamba. Scholars state that Ibrahima Fall knew that his destiny dictated him to search Bamba. Without any knowledge of Bamba, Ibrahima Fall went on looking at the best Islam teachers. Ibrahima Fall tested Serigne Massamba Syll and after Serigne Adama Gueye. Adama Gueye conducted Ibrahima Fall through mystic ways to Ahmadou Bamba in 1883 .

Pact with Ahmadou Bamba

The encounter between Ibrahima Fall and Sheikh Ahmadou Bamba defined the real starting of Mouridism . Savishinsky claims “Fal (Ibra Faal) performed his obeisance to Amadu 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 stars and the sky that Muhammad (pbuh) 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 Ahmadou Bamba. Ibrahima Fall became the 40th disciple of Ahmadou Bamba. From this moment, Fall followed the “Ndiguel” (orders) of Sheikh Ahmadou Bamba 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:

1. Never stand at the same level than Sheikh Ahmadou Bamba
2. Never great the Sheikh with your hat on your head
3. Never walk in front of him
4. Always do the “sudiot” movement (kind of kneeling) with the Sheikh
5. 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 .

Contribution in Bamba's mission

In 1890, Sheikh Ahmadou Bamba nominated Fall the number 3 responsible in the Mouride Brotherhood. Fall had to supervise all manual works. But in the exile of Sheikh Ahmadou Bamba, Fall’s life changed. He moved to Saint Louis, Senegal, to defend the innocence of Ahmadou Bamba. 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 Ahmadou Bamba

On 21st September 1895, the French exiled Ahmadou Bamba to Gabon . Ahmadou Bamba ordered Ibrahima Fall to work for Sherif Hassan. He did so until 1901 when Sherif Hassan died. In this interval (1895-1901), Fall kept sending money (in Wolof “Adiya”) to Ahmadou Bamba until his return in 1902. On 11 November 1902, Ahmadou Bamba returned to Senegal and awarded Ibrahima Fall the degree of Sheikh.

Return of Ahmadou Bamba

In June 1912, the French kept Sheikh Ahmadou Bamba under house arrest in Ndjarèem, Diourbel. 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 animists (tyeddos) converted and became his disciples. In 1925, the French banned construction of 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 Ahmadou Bamba, Sheikh Ibrahima Fall performed among the first obeisance to the son of Ahmadou Bamba, Serigne Moustapha Mbacké. Sheikh Ibrahima Fall participated in the difficult creation of the railroads between Diourbel and Touba. Sheikh Ibrahima Fall died the 9 June 1930 after helping the succession of Ahmadou Bamba. He lies in Touba.

Recognition by the Mouride Brotherhood

Sheikh Ibrahima Fall obviously helped Sheikh Ahmadou Bamba to expand Mouridism, particularly with Fall’s establishment of the Baye Fall movement. For this contribution, Serigne Fallou (2nd Caliph after Ahmadou Bamba) named him “Lamp Fall" (the light of Mouridism). In addition, Ibrahima Fall earned the title of “Babul Mouridina”, meaning the entrance in Mouridism.