Muslims beyond the Arab world : the odyssey of Ajami and the Muridiyya

337 Pages·2016·10.21 MB·English

by  Ngom

Muslims beyond the Arab World
RELIGION, CULTURE, AND HISTORY
SERIES EDITOR
ROBERT A. YELLE, LUDWIG- MAXIMILIANS- UNIVERSITÄT MÜNCHEN
A Publication Series of
The American Academy of Religion
and
Oxford University Press
ANTI- JUDAISM IN FEMINIST RELIGIOUS ASCETICISM AND ITS CRITICS
WRITINGS Historical Accounts and Comparative Perspectives
Katharina von Kellenbach Edited by Oliver Freiberger
CROSS- CULTURAL CONVERSATION VIRTUOUS BODIES
(Initiation) The Physical Dimensions of Morality
Edited by Anindita Niyogi Balslev in Buddhist Ethics
Susanne Mrozik
ON DECONSTRUCTING LIFE- WORLDS
Buddhism, Christianity, Culture IMAGINING THE FETUS
Robert Magliola The Unborn in Myth, Religion, and Culture
Edited by Vanessa R. Sasson
THE GREAT WHITE FLOOD
and Jane Marie Law
Racism in Australia
Anne Pattel- Gray VICTORIAN REFORMATION
The Fight over Idolatry in the Church
IMAG(IN)ING OTHERNESS
of England, 1840- 1860
Filmic Visions of Living Together
Dominic Janes
Edited by S. Brent Plate and David Jasper
SCHLEIERMACHER ON RELIGION
CULTURAL OTHERNESS
AND THE NATURAL ORDER
Correspondence with Richard Rorty,
Andrew C. Dole
Second Edition
Anindita Niyogi Balslev
MUSLIMS AND OTHERS IN
FEMINIST POETICS OF THE SACRED SACRED SPACE
Edited by Margaret Cormack
Creative Suspicions
Edited by Frances Devlin- Glass
LITTLE BUDDHAS
and Lyn McCredden
Children and Childhoods in Buddhist
PARABLES FOR OUR TIME Texts and Traditions
Rereading New Testament Scholarship Edited by Vanessa R. Sasson
after the Holocaust
Tania Oldenhage HINDU CHRISTIAN FAQIR
Modern Monks, Global Christianity,
MOSES IN AMERICA and Indian Sainthood
The Cultural Uses of Biblical Narrative Timothy S. Dobe
Melanie Jane Wright
MUSLIMS BEYOND THE ARAB WORLD
INTERSECTING PATHWAYS The Odyssey of ʿAjamī and the Murīdiyya
Modern Jewish Theologians in Conversation Fallou Ngom
with Christianity
Marc A. Krell
Muslims beyond
the Arab World
The Odyssey of ʿAjamī and the Murīdiyya
FALLOU NGOM
1
1
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CIP data is on file at the Library of Congress
ISBN 978–0–19–027986–8
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Printed by Sheridan, USA
For Mame- Diarra Ngom, Marieme Ngom, Stephanie Ngom, Khady Gningue,
Peggy Sebrowsky, Joy Jourdonnais, Cheryl Sauve, Sira Ngom, and Astou Ngom

CONTENTS
Acknowledgments ix
Abbreviations xiii
Note on Sources xvii
Chronology of Ahmadu Bamba’s Odyssey in Hagiographic Murīd Sources xix
About the Companion Website xxiii
Introduction 1
1. Exceptionality and Equality 41
2. Ethics over Ritual 70
3. Odyssey by Sea: Sanctity of Suffering I 115
4. Odyssey by Land: Sanctity of Suffering II 153
5. Service for Salvation 199
Conclusion 233
Notes 253
Sources and Bibliography 279
Index 297
vii

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Several institutions, colleagues, family members, and friends have contributed
directly and indirectly to make this book possible. I am grateful to the follow-
ing institutions for supporting my research on ʿAjamī traditions of Africa: ACLS
(American Council of Learned Societies), Boston University (College of Arts and
Sciences and African Studies Center), The John Simon Memorial Guggenheim
Foundation, WARA (West African Research Association) and its overseas branch
in Dakar, WARC (West African Research Center), and the Fulbright Program.
As the Wolof maxim says, ku lim juum (whoever lists names will forget some).
To those whose names I forgot to include here, I ask your forgiveness. I extend my
gratitude to you and, in alphabetical order by first name, to Abiola Irele, Abdoul
Aziz Mbacké, Ablaye Diakité (Ablaay Jakite), Alamin Mazrui, Alex Zito, Allen
Roberts, Babacar Dieng, Babacar Mbaye, Barbara Brown, Beth Restrick, Beverly
Mack, Birane Gassama (Biraan Gasama), Carol Neidle, Catherine O’Connor,
Charles Lindholm, Charles Riley, Cheikh Anta Babou, Christopher Wise, Cynthia
Becker, Daivi Rodima- Taylor, Dana Robert, David Anthony III, David Robinson,
David Westley, Debra Egan, Diana Wylie, Djiby Diagne (Jibi Jaañ), Douglas
Kibbee, Dovi Abbey, Edouard Bustin, Emily Pollokoff, Eyamba Bokamba,
Frank Korom, Ibra Sène, Ibrahima Ndoye, Jackie Knight, James McCann, James
Pritchett, Jeanne Koopman, Jeffrey Henderson, Jemadari Kamara, Jennifer
Lee Johnson, Jennifer Yanco, Jenny White, Joanna Davidson, Joanne Hart,
John Harris, John Hutchison, John Mugane, John Thornton, Jon Barnes, Joyce
Hope Scott, Karl Haas, Kathy Kwasnica, Kazimierz Koczkodan, Kheireddine
Bekkai, Kimberly Arkin, Kwasi Konadu, Lamine Diallo, Laurence Breiner, Linda
Heywood, Lori DeLucia, Maguèye Seck, Mamadou Diouf, Mark Palmer, Martin
Wraga, Matt Cartmill, Maureen Curnow, Mbaye Ngom, Merry White, Michael
DiBlasi, Mouhamed Abdoulaye Diallo, Moussa Balla Fall, Moussa Sow, Nancy
Smith- Hefner, Nikky Agba, Odile Cazenave, Ousmane Oumar Kane, Ousmane
Sène, Ousseina Alidou, Parker Shipton, Peter Quella, Raphael Ndiaye, Richard
ix