As any recent visitor to Rome can report, Italy's urban landscape has a new feature, as common as cafés selling delicious cappuccino. Take the Via della Conciliazione, the avenue leading to the Vatican: much of the pavement is dotted with traders from Africa, hawking “ethnic” carvings or bags, belts and sunglasses with fake brand names. Watch for a while and you see the cat-and-mouse games the traders play: every so often, they get warning of a police raid, and they bundle their wares into a sack and flee. If they fail to escape, it will instead be the police who bundle up and remove their goods. In some Italian cities, like Venice, signs tell visitors not to buy from street traders on pain of a stiff fine. Clearly the owners of pricey local boutiques hate the competition. But most locals shrug their shoulders as they step past the traders, or else they make fun of the peddlers' habit of speaking Italian laced with French.   Read More...

Santa Barbara, California

Amidst the heightened state of turmoil in the world today, associated with the apparent clash between Islamic and Western cultures, the life of one Muslim peacemeaker warrants recognition – a Muslim saint who led a successful and completely nonviolent struggle for peace within the last century. His life of teaching, amidst 33 years of imprisonment was spent in western Africa, but his profound message is global and continues today in the vibrant tradition he transmitted. Sheikh Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Habiballah, commonly known as Sheikh Ahmadou Bamba (1854–1927) left an impressive collection of litanies, poems and rich texts of spiritual and religious instruction. Bamba’s writings can be placed in 7 categories, most of which are in rhyming meter: poetic verse and adab (spiritual etiquette); reminders of practices and Islamic orthodox principles; writings from exile; writings glorifying God and in praise of the Prophet*; initiatic orisons, chants, and mystical chants; teaching lessons; and invocations. Bamba writes, “I came to teach, to infuse knowledge in the spirits of all desirous of avoiding the darkness (of ignorance).” 1 “The Saint’s texts are both outwardly instructional and deeply esoteric. Attentive study is required to penetrate their secrets,” as his followers aver and European scholars, such as Louis Massignon, have concluded.2   Read More...

The benefits of the month of fasting are too many to be counted. If one does recognize them and realize their importance, he wishes to have the month of Ramadan to be throughout the whole year. These blessings are given by Allah to the fasting Muslims, who are to fast with full faith and expectation. These blessings and benefits of the month of fasting during Ramadan have been grouped and summarized into different categories. They are summarized here without commentary. It should be remembered that all of these blessings were taken directly from Qur'an and Hadith. The following is a partial list for the blessings and benefits of the month of fasting during Ramadan:   Read More...

On September 18, 2007, the General Caliph (Sheikh Saliou Mbacke) recommends for all those who can to recite (313 times) a formula of prayers (Salatu Alan Nabi) dedicated to Prophet Muhammad, pbuh. Any formula (Salatu Alan Nabi) is good as long as it is dedicated to the Prophet, pbuh. The Intents of these prayers are: To beseech the Lord, The Almighty One, to dwell peace in Senegal; To pray for him (Serigne Saliou) so that God grants him longevity and good health in order to enable him accomplish all his projects for Touba and his service to Khadimou Rassoul.   Read More...

Serigne Shouaibou Mbacke (Abu Madiyana as Murids nicknamed him) can be classified among the great saints and servants of God that Sheikh Ahmadou Bamba was referring to in these terms: “O pain! This sorrow that strikes my heart by the loss of eminent saints who left this world to return to their Lord that called them for the delights (paradise).” The nights as well as the months cry for them just as the evenings and the mornings do with pain. “Huqqal- Buka” or “We must cry for them.” (A book written by Sheikh Ahmadou) None can doubt the fact that Serigne Shouaibou Mbacke was a part of those valiant paladins of Islam that both the earth and skies will cry for, because they will not shelter his acts of devotion to the Creator anymore.   Read More...