For over a century, Tivaouane, under the leadership of Maodo, has been a focal point for the faithful. On the occasion of Gamou, the holy city becomes the scene of a veritable purification ceremony where believers, bathed in love for the Prophet, revive the spiritual energies of their souls. In a fervor comparable to the mystical vibrations among Buddhists, they forge an intimate relationship with the spiritual masters of the place.

Moments of fervor like these also provide a good pretext to revisit the immense work of the founding father El Hadji Malick SY, as a viaticum in a rapidly changing world. In this sense, we are free to focus on the protean dimension of the holy man, in particular his mastery of the social art but also his perception of autonomy (development), taking into account the assets that surround him as a societal dynamic that had to be organized in a logic of development at the base, both in theological poles and incubators of local development.

The Ndiardé Seminar or the development of Human Capital

Maodo invested himself very early in training for the development of human capital by erecting in Ndiardé and then in Tivaouane a center of theological impetus where future imams were trained. In his perspective of popularizing Islam and Tijaniya, he very early anticipated the need to train executives (Moqadams) in order to prepare them to replace him in their countries of origin.

He himself provided the spiritual and intellectual training of more than two hundred Moqadams who later became imams but also essential relays responsible for the teaching and dissemination of the Quran. The establishment of the life and work of the Prophet as a reference, the supervision of the development of trade, the implementation of agricultural policy and the pacification of relations with local authorities were the primary essence of his social involvement.

El Hadji Malick SY was a rigorous and research-oriented teacher. At the time, he was already developing the notion of scientific rigor with the early integration of intertextuality and co-textuality in his writings. The open-mindedness and acceptance of contradiction or continuity of argument in exegetical texts were the charm of the holy man.

Fernand Quesnot, French overseas attaché, said: " The high culture of El Hadj Malick SY, the renown of his studies, his exemplary life and his selflessness explain the influence exerted by this marabout from 1902 to 1922 and the veneration he is still held in by all Senegalese Muslims. Through his teaching, El Hadj Malick SY was to contribute, to a large extent, to the dissemination of Koranic science in Senegal.

From the Zawiya of Tivaouane, in fact, from 1902 onwards, many Koranic schoolmasters would emerge who would spread Tidjanism throughout the country and do more for the establishment of this doctrine than the sabers and rifles of El Hadj Oumar Tall. By his death in 1922, Tidjanism had conquered the upper classes of the population and exerted a preponderant influence not only on the Muslims of the large cities but also on the villagers of the interior .

El Hadji Malick SY is thus the most accomplished version of the modern marabout, who understood the challenges of his time by drawing on the life of the Prophet as a model. Islam cannot be done in an autarkic manner: it needs its framework (sociological, political and even environmental) to be more efficient and reach all layers of Senegalese society. He had already integrated social balance into his strategy for implementing Islam, but also sought to homogenize society as a preponderant factor in raising awareness in the fight against decolonization.

Social Equity and Inclusion, Maodo for a Society of Balance

In a highly stratified Senegalese society where social inequity is striking, it is essential to rethink a highly disparate social structure. El Hadji Malick SY understood very early on that the success of his mission depended heavily on mastering social dynamics. Senegal presents many disparities on the societal scale: society is based on a very unequal social pyramid.

Our society, heir to a monarchical past, presents a social corpus marked by inequalities perceptible through the organization of castes. Like a reformer, El Hadji Malick SY emerged to reestablish social order by restoring dialogue, respect for authority and the common will to live together for a homogeneous society.

In his quest for a just society, Maodo firmly opposed all forms of social exclusion and rejected the notion of caste as it was expressed in Senegalese society. The selection of Moqadams to join the seminary was based solely on skills, love of science, intellectual curiosity, and devotion to the Prophet. Origin or social background were not taken into account.

He firmly believed that cohesion came through respect for diversity and the faith of others. Thus, many Moqadams from lower classes gained the support of the masses thanks to their erudition and knowledge.

For Maodo, a just and prosperous society is based on values inspired by the Prophet: active and educated youth, equitable justice, a sense of forgiveness, the cult of work and tolerance.

David Robinson, analyzing the attitudes of some marabouts during the colonial era, wrote: " One might be tempted to introduce the Gramscian notion of the organic intellectual. He argues that marabouts such as El Hadj Malick SY forged their careers amidst the nascent colonial order. They developed social capital for their fiefdom through their ability to solve problems and interpret solutions. But they were also careful to develop and protect symbolic capital that was completely autonomous from the colonial regime, which the latter in turn eventually accepted. "

El Hadji Malick SY, in his vision, opted for a unifying Islam which constitutes the bond through which a diverse society can come together, where meritocracy is the foundation, and where success, the fruit of effort, comes through knowledge and discipline.

Decentralization through Islam and socio-anthropology of development according to El Hadji Malick SY

The arrival of Islam in Senegal from the 11th century, precisely in 1020, was slow due to resistance, explained by several factors: cultural, religious and linked to the weight of traditions. The context of domination continued in a climate of surveillance and repression. At that time, the expression of faith had to be done with tact and strategy to reach the masses.

El Hadji Malick SY, endowed with a fine social intelligence and a pragmatic situational analysis, knew how to establish a mutual framework of respect, trust and esteem with the colonizer. Like a "Senegalese Rousseau", he was a nonconformist (Societal) who always acted in the direction of the pre-established order while fighting against what he considered unjust. Rousseau, in The Social Contract , stated: "Obeying a law that one has prescribed for oneself is synonymous with freedom."

For the holy man, respect for administrative rules was a prerequisite in the policy of spreading Islam. It also constituted a guarantee of socio-political dialogue, allowing for a calming context conducive to the training of leaders and the acceleration of territorial networking. Thanks to this approach, theological relays were established.

These spiritual leaders had a mission that went beyond the imamate and spiritual education: they were also responsible, in a logic of decentralization, for relaying its action. Visionary and perceptive, Maodo, a true socio-anthropologist before his time, relied on local roots as the best way to free the masses from their complexes and promote their emancipation.

He built, through the seminary of Ndiardé and then at the university of Tivaouane, a solid network of executives (theologians) who, in addition to educational tools, had exemplary probity and solid knowledge allowing them to raise awareness among the masses about the cult of work, the development of trade and the exploitation of agricultural estates.

If "decentralization refers to the transfer of state powers to lower-level territorial authorities (regions, departments, municipalities, etc.), Maodo's practice presented similarities: the trained Moqadams were deployed throughout the territory to train, educate, and raise awareness among the masses. They were involved in agriculture, supported trade, and served as a link between Maodo and the colonial administration.

El Hadji Malick SY achieved the feat of peaceful decolonization by deconstructing social acceptance. He relied on training to raise awareness. A man of his time and infinitely wise, he knew how to start from the social substratum to initiate the decolonization of minds. A fearless patriot and champion of open sovereignty, he made work a means of social integration and, through agriculture, a vector of autonomy and freedom. He also advocated local consumption and organic farming as an effective remedy for preventing disease.

A strategist and social entrepreneur, Maodo knew how to theorize and design a model of a just society, where merit confers status and where knowledge remains the main vector of development.

Baye Dame MBENGUE

Graduate in Political Science