Hamahullah bin Muhammad bin Umar
Encyclopedia
Shaykh Hamahullah bin Muhammad bin Umar (1886–1943) was a Sufi Muslim
religious leader, born in French Soudan (modern Mali
) and died in France
after being arrested and sent into exile in 1933 by the colonial government of French West Africa
. While not the founder, he was the spiritual leader of a militant reform movement of the powerful Tijaniyyah
sufi ṭarīqah
(order, path, brotherhood), which has popularly taken his name, as Hamallayya
or Hamallism.
. It first took root amongst Wolof
traders living in Nioro
, but soon spread to servile caste Muslims in Mauretania
and Mali.
(Mali
) to Mauretania
in 1933 following clashes between his followers and local leaders, then to Côte d'Ivoire
and finally France, but the movement survived his death in exile. The movement was eventually made illegal in French West Africa
, but has continued, especially among the rural poor. Hamahullah's most prominent desciples included Tierno Bokar Salif Tall in Mali and Yacouba Sylla
in Mauretania, with the movement continuing as a small but prosperous religious faction across contemporary West Africa.
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
religious leader, born in French Soudan (modern Mali
Mali
Mali , officially the Republic of Mali , is a landlocked country in Western Africa. Mali borders Algeria on the north, Niger on the east, Burkina Faso and the Côte d'Ivoire on the south, Guinea on the south-west, and Senegal and Mauritania on the west. Its size is just over 1,240,000 km² with...
) and died in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
after being arrested and sent into exile in 1933 by the colonial government of French West Africa
French West Africa
French West Africa was a federation of eight French colonial territories in Africa: Mauritania, Senegal, French Sudan , French Guinea , Côte d'Ivoire , Upper Volta , Dahomey and Niger...
. While not the founder, he was the spiritual leader of a militant reform movement of the powerful Tijaniyyah
Tijaniyyah
The Tijāniyyah is a sufi tariqa originating in North Africa but now more widespread in West Africa, particularly in Senegal, The Gambia, Mauritania, Mali, Guinea, and Northern Nigeria and Sudan...
sufi ṭarīqah
Tarika
Tarika may refer to:*Tarika , musical group from Madagascar*Tariqah, school of Sufism...
(order, path, brotherhood), which has popularly taken his name, as Hamallayya
Hamallayya
Hamallayya or Hamallism is a sufi ṭarīqah originating in West Africa as an outgrowth from and reaction against the Tijaniyyah brotherhood. It was founded at the beginning of the 20th century by a mystic Muhammad ben Amadu of Maure and Fulani background, as reform movement of Tijaniyyah practice...
or Hamallism.
Desciple
Hamahullah was the first desciple of a Tijaniyyah reformer and mystic Muhammad ben Amadu (d. 1909), who along with doctrinal and ritual changes, stressed opposition to hierarchy and downplayed the importance of formal education. Led by Hamahullah, the movement spread in the 1920s in what was then French Soudan, modern MaliMali
Mali , officially the Republic of Mali , is a landlocked country in Western Africa. Mali borders Algeria on the north, Niger on the east, Burkina Faso and the Côte d'Ivoire on the south, Guinea on the south-west, and Senegal and Mauritania on the west. Its size is just over 1,240,000 km² with...
. It first took root amongst Wolof
Wolof people
The Wolof are an ethnic group found in Senegal, The Gambia, and Mauritania.In Senegal, the Wolof form an ethnic plurality with about 43.3% of the population are Wolofs...
traders living in Nioro
Nioro du Sahel
Nioro du Sahel often referred to as simply Nioro is a town and commune in the Kayes Region of western Mali, 241 km from the city of Kayes. It is located 275 miles north-west of the capital Bamako...
, but soon spread to servile caste Muslims in Mauretania
Mauretania
Mauretania is a part of the historical Ancient Libyan land in North Africa. It corresponds to present day Morocco and a part of western Algeria...
and Mali.
Exile
Hamahullah bin Muhammad bin Umar was exiled by French authorities from his home in Nioro du SahelNioro du Sahel
Nioro du Sahel often referred to as simply Nioro is a town and commune in the Kayes Region of western Mali, 241 km from the city of Kayes. It is located 275 miles north-west of the capital Bamako...
(Mali
Mali
Mali , officially the Republic of Mali , is a landlocked country in Western Africa. Mali borders Algeria on the north, Niger on the east, Burkina Faso and the Côte d'Ivoire on the south, Guinea on the south-west, and Senegal and Mauritania on the west. Its size is just over 1,240,000 km² with...
) to Mauretania
Mauretania
Mauretania is a part of the historical Ancient Libyan land in North Africa. It corresponds to present day Morocco and a part of western Algeria...
in 1933 following clashes between his followers and local leaders, then to Côte d'Ivoire
Côte d'Ivoire
The Republic of Côte d'Ivoire or Ivory Coast is a country in West Africa. It has an area of , and borders the countries Liberia, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso and Ghana; its southern boundary is along the Gulf of Guinea. The country's population was 15,366,672 in 1998 and was estimated to be...
and finally France, but the movement survived his death in exile. The movement was eventually made illegal in French West Africa
French West Africa
French West Africa was a federation of eight French colonial territories in Africa: Mauritania, Senegal, French Sudan , French Guinea , Côte d'Ivoire , Upper Volta , Dahomey and Niger...
, but has continued, especially among the rural poor. Hamahullah's most prominent desciples included Tierno Bokar Salif Tall in Mali and Yacouba Sylla
Yacouba Sylla
Yacouba Sylla is a French football player who plays for French club Clermont Foot in Ligue 2. He plays as a defensive midfielder and joined his current club in 2009 after a year's stint with first division club SM Caen...
in Mauretania, with the movement continuing as a small but prosperous religious faction across contemporary West Africa.