Muridism
We have noticed that some people still wonder whether the Muridiya can be considered as one
of the Islamic creeds based on the Holy Book and the Sunna of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH),
or like others take it, just as an innovatory branch away from the Prophet Muhammad’s
Message. Such a situation brings us to investigate the issue to shed light on the concept. Right
at the beginning, we can say that the expression “Muridiya” derives from the Arab word “Al
Muriid.” Al Muriid is the person who longs for “God’s Holy Face” (i.e. get close to Him) by
means of personal commitment to follow the Shari’a’s teachings and to keep himself away from
any violation of the latter whether the concept, expression or daily actions.
In other words, it is a neologism, which symbolizes the revival move initiated by Sheikh
Ahmadou Bamba in the late 19th century advocating a return to basic Islamic principles. In the
light of such a definition, Muridiya reveals itself, first and foremost, as a call for, all Muslims to
refer to the Holy Qur’an and to the Prophet’s Sunna. Sheikh Ahmadou Bamba (founder of the
Muridiya) believes in fact that a host of his co-religious has deviated far away from the original
line defined by Muhammad (Peace be upon him). Deploring the loss of the Prophet’s saintly
tracks, as well as those of the pious pioneers among the companions and Muslims, Imam
Sheikh Ahmadou Bamba states: “The biography of the Model (Muhammad, peace be upon
him), for great ignorance of people, escapes them, as well as the life-style of the companions
people of righteousness, clear-sightedness and success and last fades the Sheik’s straight line
with their virtue and knowledge.” So, he implores the Lord Almighty to help him come over all
hindering factors in the purpose of taking up the great challenge of updating the prophet’s way
of life and that of the former virtuous pioneers, as an example for Muslims. “Send your
everlasting blessings on (Muhammad), His posterity and his companions as well. And, through
my person, do renew the Straight Way dismissing enemies and without the pain.” As to point
out that his mission just aims at the achievement of such a goal, he declares: “For the sake of
Mustapha (the Prophet), I, Ahmad, intend to rebirth to his excellent Sunna. No religion save his
Islam is acknowledged by Allah, thereof.
Sheikh Ahmadou Bamba’s contribution to the ideal of peace, justice, and non-violence is highly
appreciable. His life was an exaltation of these virtues. Everything in this exceptional man’s life
expresses and explains his attachment to these values. He was known for his complete and
painless devotion to God and his disregard towards material life. Therefore, he became the
unique reference of thousands and thousands of people bewildered by the multidimensional
crisis that characterized Senegal in the twentieth century. The country was under the rule of
three major groups: Islamic clergy, traditional aristocrats, and French colonial administration.
Each of these three actors aspired to gain and preserve particular privileges and was ready for
such a goal to use any means necessary including violence and misuse of power and authority.
Consequently the whole country fell a pray to continuous instability and economic bankruptcy.
Realizing from this experience that violence and conflicts always give birth to desperation,
Sheikh Ahmadou Bamba decided to set up a new project of society based on faith, peaceful
coexistence, justice, and freedom, where Muridism was born
Its rapid and effective success was enough to attract crowds from all social layers, oppressed
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Muridism
citizens as well as former warriors in search of a new protecting wing. It therefore became the
main source of anxiety for local French authorities. To sum up the history, let us remember that
Sheikh Ahmadou Bamba was arrested in 1895, unfairly sentenced, jailed and exiled to Gabon
where he spent more than seven years subjected to the most ill treatment one can ever
imagine, whilst his family, relatives, and disciples were undergoing the same kinds of arrests,
straight tortures, and oppression. Such a situation naturally would fully justify defensive action.
Sheikh Ahmadou Bamba instead was convinced that the solution was in Islam and its virtues of
peace, tolerance, and non-violence with the preservation of one’s dignity. "War will only create
death and destruction, which are loss for Islam. So God, I am asking you to let me renovate
Islam in a way that will protect people so that they can be safe, and that nothing that will be
destructive to the society.(O My Lord) revive the Message (of Islam) throughout my person
without any adversity or pain,” he expressed as a prayer to God showing his will to establish an
Islamic society based on peace and concord. To achieve his ambition he was aware of the
necessity to expend a lot of effort, to fight. But his struggle was not a Jihad under the form of an
armed resistance against injustice. “I make Jihad (particular effort for the safeguard of the
religion) by means of knowledge (Instruction) and godliness, remaining exclusively the slave of
God and server of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and my Lord witnesses,” he declared to
shed light on the controversy about his possible preparation for saintly war. To set definitely
people’s mind at rest he claimed in his usual style of prayer addressing to God: “By
consideration for him (Muhammad) preserve us until (we go to) paradise against the necessity
to make war and against dishonor By consideration for him (the Prophet pbuh) pacify the times
for us and please accept our service.” His Jihad is through teaching and compiling all the
science that can be useful to human kind. The second Jihad is to show people the right way to
behave among one another which is to teach people to respect one another and the laws
established by God on earth. As such, he also conveiled to his followers to use this simple line
of conduct to be non violent as well. “Who ever wants to have a peaceful mind and a
comfortable life you have to have four things: 1- Always wish in your heart good things for
people 2- Always what ever you say should be things that will not harm people 3- Always what
ever you act upon should be things that does not harm people 4- Always do not be in the
company of people that harm people. “And fear 'fitnah' (affliction and trial, etc.) which affects
not only those of you who do wrong (it may afflict all the good and the bad people), and know
that Allah is Severe in punishment”). (Qur'an 8:25) The aspiration was something permanent
for him since he knew that only with peace and harmony man can achieve something durable
on earth. “Turn the enemies' mind to my favor preserving them against any sorrow on my
behalf. Through my example guide adults as well as the youth,” he stated as a prayer. If need
would be again, the upright attitude and behavior of Murids during the exile of Sheikh Ahmadou
Bamba when they were subjected to oppression (harvests injuries to them, their houses looted,
etc) would be enough to illustrate the pacifism of Muridism. In spite of their considerable
number and their extreme love and devotion to Sheikh Ahmadou Bamba, the Murids never
reacted to the ill treatment they were undergoing and to the injustice their leader was submitted
to. Not even the smallest upheaval or demonstration has ever been reported against them.
their exemplary respect of the discipline of group places Muridism as a universal model for
peaceful coexistence as wall as public security and order. He prays for Allah to change their
heart (the enemies) to be his allies "because most likely they do not know that I am only
working for the good of humanity. And at the same time please protect them for any arm that
may come from me or from my follower. Please save them and other of their elder and
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Muridism
youngster." "To be in peace with your neighbor, you should not provoke him, do not have
hatred towards him, do not under estimate or ignore him or think that you are better than him
(Do not have a superior complex)." When he came back from his trip, he was asked if he was
mad at the colonial authorities, he said that he forgave them all their deeds, for the sake of God
even though they mistreated him and took part of his life. Satan, who is the number one
enemy of people, comes to them in different forms: - Through discussions that become over
heated. In that case ,to extinguish this fire that is raging in your heart, use silence as your
extinguisher, - Discussions that become nasty, you should shake one another's hands, - If
some one does not like you, whenever you see him make him feel like he is your brother or
sister and put him at ease. These teachings are being applied by the followers and to
showcase that we will bring you two examples: - The first followers of the Sheikh suffered a lot
in many forms of violence. But they never reposted - After his exile, they heard that the sheikh
was suffering. However, they did not repost. Even though they were hurt within and were living
with the enemy. History did not write any event of the followers reposting. In conclusion, Sheikh
Ahmadou Bamba is not even comparable to other leaders of non-violence, because those
leaders either started with violence, or did not start with violence but when attacked reposted,
or one did not do any of these but their followers could not support the treatment and reposted.
Muridism and violence - Did not repost to provocation - Did not start with violence - His
followers did not repost to provocation neither. He asked to be a renovator of Islam and wanted
to work for Allah alone. He opted to direct his Jihad towards the heart and the mind. The
Sheikh believed that one could fight against oppression without violence, but through the use of
science and knowledge. For him violence would cause death and destruction which will stop
development. Islam to show that it does not favor extremism, God said to the Prophet: “you do
not have to impose religion on the people.” In conclusion, we can see that the notion of peace
and non-violence turns out to be a resource as well as a goal in Sheikh Ahmadou Bamba’s
project of good peaceful society. He announces by himself the success he has met with such a
strategy as follows: “He (reffering to himself) has successfully revalorized the religion (Islam)
and clarified the Straight and Narrow, taking away every thing that may cause damages.” To
conclude the statement of his success in his mission he adds, “The Lord helped me and the
creatures that followed me on dry land as well as on sea for I am useful to them without any
harm.” In short, Sheikh Ahmadou Bamba distinguished himself by a constant and exceptional
humanism characterized by two principles: to find out an excuse for any human mistake in any
case and to consider in his interaction with other human beings the Right and Majesty of the
Creator (God) who deserves respect. His non-violence was neither an occasional strategy nor
a political pet theme. That was a virtue, a feeling that grew deep from his heart.
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