Mame Thierno Birahim Mbacké: Le bâtisseur !
Guardian of the heirs, founder of Darou Mouhty, and a key figure in the history of Mouridism, Mame Thierno Birahim remains an essential spiritual and social reference. Born on November 30, 1865, in Prokhane and better known as Borom Darou, he is the younger brother of Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba, founder of Mouridism. His story, little told in popular narratives, is nevertheless at the heart of Serigne Touba's spiritual and social trajectory.
As Mbaye Guèye Syll, a writer and expert on the life of Mame Thierno Birahim, recalls, the latter was entrusted to Serigne Touba at a very young age by their father. The Sheikh was not only his brother: he was also his master, his educator, and his role model. Always at his side, Mame Thierno lived in such close proximity to the Sheikh that some, unaware of their blood relationship, wrongly thought he was his servant.
According to the writer Mbaye Guèye Syll, Serigne Touba had made ardent prayers for a faithful, courageous and tireless companion in the path of God. God granted this prayer by giving him Mame Thierno Birahim. And the latter distinguished himself as a warrior, a worker and a builder, entirely devoted to his brother's mission.
It was Mame Thierno who founded most of the villages linked to the expansion of Mouridism. In December 1911, Serigne Touba sent him a letter instructing him to found Darou Mouhty, an order he diligently carried out. On May 25, 1912, Darou Mouhty was officially established. This village would later become a major center of Mouridism, almost a second center after Touba.
The relationship between Serigne Touba and Mame Thierno went beyond brotherhood. During the division of property after their father's death, Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba declared: "My share is Mame Thierno's. And Mame Thierno's share is me." A powerful statement, revealing the spiritual and emotional attachment between the two men.
The Sheikh's confidence in Borom Darou was so great that when he left for Saint-Louis, summoned by the colonial governor, it was to Mame Thierno that he entrusted his children, notably Serigne Mouhamadou Moustapha (future first Caliph General of the Mourides) and Serigne Fallou (second Caliph).
Beyond his religious stature, Mame Thierno Birahim was also a great breeder, a renowned farmer, and a generous man. In 1938, he was decorated by the French Republic, receiving the National Order of Agricultural Merit for having, during the colonial period, offered free seeds to populations facing a shortage. An act that marked his era.
Mame Thierno Birahim Mbacké died on August 26, 1943, leaving behind an immense legacy, a model of fidelity, service, and silence in the service of the grandeur of a divine project. The writer Mbaye Guèye Syll returns here to the life and work of Borom Darou.
Commentaires (2)
....et le village de Mbarakane, qui existait avant Darou Mousty....faut pas modier l'histoire, j'ai rien contre le guide maisl la verite toujours.....!
Mame Thierno Birahim Mbacké : Le silence qui bâtit l’éternité Dans l’histoire du Mouridisme, certaines figures brillent par leur lumière discrète mais puissante. Mame Thierno Birahim Mbacké, plus connu sous le nom de Borom Darou, est de celles-là. Gardien des héritiers, fondateur de Darou Mouhty, et compagnon indéfectible de Serigne Touba, il incarne la fidélité absolue, le service désintéressé et la grandeur dans l’humilité. Né en 1865 à Prokhane, il fut confié très jeune à Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba, son frère, son maître et son modèle. Leur lien transcendait le sang : “Ma part, c’est Mame Thierno. Et la part de Mame Thierno, c’est moi.” disait Serigne Touba. Une déclaration qui résume toute la profondeur de leur relation. En 1912, sur instruction du Cheikh, il fonde Darou Mouhty, qui deviendra un haut lieu du Mouridisme. Mais son œuvre dépasse les murs : il bâtit des villages, des âmes, et une tradition de loyauté et de travail. Agriculteur visionnaire, éleveur généreux, il fut décoré en 1938 par la République française pour avoir offert des semences aux populations en détresse. Un geste qui témoigne de son humanité, même en période coloniale. Le 26 août 1943, Mame Thierno s’éteint, laissant un héritage immense. Il est le symbole d’un engagement total, d’un silence fécond, et d’une vie dédiée à la grandeur d’un projet divin. Aujourd’hui, son nom reste une source d’inspiration pour tous ceux qui croient en la force du service, du sacrifice et de la foi. Borom Darou n’a pas seulement fondé un village : il a fondé une voie.
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