Choice of the ideal
embodied in a project of society
Religious disobedience
T'he religious institution privileged formal knowledge. The acquisition of bookish religious knowledge gave advantages and social status as one could become an imam, a teacher, a Cadi (judge) or an adviser to the prince. The Sheikh, quite early, turned away from this system. He had more than the required knowledge to integrate the system and become one of the most eminent men of his society. Besides, the way had been traced for him by his father who was adviser to the King of Cayor.
But the Sheikh had another ideal. He broke away from the system of authority of knowledge in the religious institution and severed the prevailing custom of succession (based on heredity). He refused to succeed his father. He showed that God is a choice and to go to God and live the love of God is a choice of life. Thus he invited the companions to leave the religion of authority and to opt for a conscious and chosen spirituality, a spirituality of the heart whose ultimate goal is the meeting with God by the way of Love.
From the religion of authority to a conscious and chosen spirituality of the heart
Birth of the Mouridiyya or the choice of an ideal
In
1883, when he felt the call of God, he addressed the people around him in
these terms: -
"I
received from my Lord the order to lead Men to Him, the Almighty,
Those
who want to follow this way have but to follow me.
So go to whoever you want…",
(Extract from Exile in Mauritania (p5)- Sheikh Abdoulaye Dieye)
The Mouridiyya
was born with this call, on the basis of a free choice.
In fact, those who have followed the Sheikh did it by choice and from that moment, they committed themselves with a great sense of responsibility
to the ideal that they shared with the Sheikh. The ideal consists in seeking only, God's pleasure in everything, while being useful to others, in accordance with the hadith of the Prophet who said: -
"The whole of humanity consists of a family
for whom the Lord is responsible
and the most cherished one among all
is the one who makes himself
most useful to this family."
The Sheikh thus educated his disciples in this way of service for the Murid is "The one who does not possess anything and whom nothing possesses."
The community of those who want to go to God was thus born.
On
that way, the Sheikh had to undergo the ordeal of exile in Gabon for seven
years. Thus, he writes in Assirou
ma al abrari
that his family was dispersed, his daras dismantled, his houses destroyed
or made empty. On his return from exile, he found an active community at
work, improved by the same ideal that it had shared with him since the beginning.
This made the Sheikh say: "Had I been among you, I would not have done more
than you did during my absence." The Murid is therefore a determined being,
animated by an ideal that binds him to his guide.
The Murid,
is one who manifests his will in action,
one who does not possess anything and whom nothing possesses
The Mouridiyya
The community of those who want to go to God
Education of Men of Peace:
The education of the Murid is generally carried out within daaras, autonomous structures where one educates oneself to be constructive but also where one learns and consolidates behavioral ethics. The mission of the daraa is to forge men who love God and who are able to assume their responsibilities in the city. The educational Murid system formally comprises three stages: Tarbiya or basic education, Tarqiya or spiritual elevation and Tasfiya the quest for perfection.
The three steps leading to the Murid's education
Murid action rests on the Khidma,
which is service rendered to human beings for the Love of God. The fact that one puts oneself at the service of others to please God destroys all inclination for power or competition, which are the essential characteristics of human societies.
The Murid who is educated by the Sheikh is a man of peace who seeks only God's pleasure by putting himself at the service of his fellow human beings. It is this trained man, who is able to integrate a true culture of peace, who will live in the cities built by the Sheikh for only the glory of God.
