Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba

C – Celestial charm, you resurrected Ibn Hanbal
H – Humble and so calm, rejoices us during Magal
E – Elevated divinely to the loftiest pinnacle
I – Indicated in An Nahli, you're God's true miracle
K – Knight of Gabon, a soldier standing in the dawn
H – Haste towards The One, faithful to Sunnah and Quran

A – Absolute charisma, teacher of Jinnati wa Nassi
H – Hope-giving, courageous, please draw us to firdawsi
M – Manacles of sweet virtue, you're the innovator of our Iman
A - Annointed in Islam, we mercifully now know Ihsaan
D - Delighted servant of Allah, you never fought with a sword
O – Offering peace without cowardice, knowledge served your Jihad
U – Unique in this world, you’re the joy in our mind

B – Beneath our heart resides, Allah’s gift for mankind
A – Africa’s delight, you’re the noblest of guides
M – Marvelous path to paradise, we walk there at your side
B- Bowed to Allah daily, always praised his favorite Rusli
A – Appreciated deeply, wonderous Ahmadou Bamba, lead me!

By Cheikh Ahmadou Mbacke
Editor-in-Chief, AlazharTouba.Com

Slave Of God - Servant To The Prophet -

Sheikh Ahmadou Bamba

Slave of God, Servant of the Prophet

  Construction of the city of peace : Touba

God( Allah) at the centre of all

Muhammad as model for man of peace  

Sheikh Ahmadou Bamba, source of inspiration

Sheikh Ahmadou Bamba recognized but one authority and but one truth, that of his Lord. He adhered strictly to this authority and truth. His reference in thought and in act was the Prophet Sayidinna Mohammad (PBUH) and the model was based on service rendered to the whole of humanity. This is in accordance with the Lord’s saying that Mohammad (PBUH) has been sent as Mercy for the whole of Humanity.

The whole process of the establishment of the colonial administration was effected under heavy military constraint. The colonizer knew only the language of force and imposed itself only by using this force. This culture of physical and moral violence was therefore its favourite and usual way of operating. Since the Sheikh recognized only God’s authority, the colonial administration considered this declaration as an offence and sought to drive him to use its strategy – the use of force, violence to bring about annihilation. In conformity with a culture and practice of peace embedded in his very being, Sheikh did not react to provocations and humiliations. During his transfer to Dakar, soon after his trial in 1895, which marked a long period of exile triggered by the relentless attitude of the Governor of the colony, it happened that one night he was detained in inhuman conditions in a dark, narrow cell. It was strewn with metal bars and pointed spearheads, which prevented him from either lying down or sitting. This made him write :

« Each time I recall this night, this Governor and the ignominy (of the conditions of this detention), I felt like having recourse to arms, but Al-Mahi, the Eraser (of sins and pains), the Prophet (PBUH) forbade me ». Extract from Jaza’u Shakur

Non violence is therefore the basis of active dynamic and merciful faith of the Sheikh and this extract truly confirms that God and His Messenger, Prophet Mohammad (PBUH), were the sources of inspiration for all the action he undertook.

God and Muhammad suffice me,

I have no need of minor kings and auxiliairies

POEM WRITTEN BY Sheikh Ahmadou Bamba.

A Khassaides A Day -

My Khassaides (Poems) Are Like A Bird Flying Towards The Paradise, The Singers Are Like The Wings, And The Listeners Are The Feathers .....  Serign Touba

"Khassidas" are the lights of life and death. They produce rising lights for light. Whoever reads them day or night will never walk in lightless midnight. They are the highest levels of illumination which lighting through a powering light with an unconquerable light to an everlasting light.

CAFE TOUBA 

notes on Cafe Touba my favorite drink

One of my mentors once told me the daughters of Shaykh Ahmad Bamba told him that his job was to read qasidah of Cheikh Bamba and drink Cafe Touba

The Café’ Touba has a very important place in Muridism...It is said that when Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba was in Gabon, in another attempt to eliminate his life, the colonizers offered him coffee to drink. In that coffee there was some poison. 

When the Cheikh was about to drink it, Allah had sent the Archangel Jibril (Gabriel)to inform him not to drink the coffee. Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba told the Archangel to tell Allah that he would drink the coffee as He is his protector. As result of his faith, Allah said to him that He will bless this coffee forever with His compassion, His guidance and His support.

“…He drunk it and all that was empty had become full and all that had been full was empty…”

Café’ Touba is the gift of Cheikh Ahmadu Bamba to the entire Human community. 

The making of the coffee is a prayer of gratitude.

The ceremonial of Café Touba consists of roasting coffee beans,mixed with a spice know in wolof jar or xylophia Aethiopica(botanical name). The spice known for its medicinal values creates the balance in the Café’ Touba: the ying and the yang. The Cheikh says about it:” Inani Shifa’I min kulli da’I, “It is a remedy against all unbalances”, Once roasted, it will be then grinted, filtered and served. This multi-sensory ceremonial awakens all senses: sight, smell, sound and taste, in an ambiance which will take those involved to another dimension.

The history of the spice trade is above all the history of pepper, the "King of Spices". In classical times "tributes" were paid in pepper, ancient Rome itself was spared sacking by invading tribes with a tribute of 3,000 pounds of African Black Pepper. This aromatic, fiery, and very pungent spice combined with Clove inspired our CAFÉ TOUBA. African Black Pepper, also known as Djar in Wolof, has been used medicinally to improve digestion and treat stomach upsets and because it makes the internal body temperature rise, it is highly valued as an aphrodisiac.

Cloves are the mature unopened flower buds of a tropical tree. The Chinese wrote of cloves as early as 400 BCE and there is a record from 200 BCE of courtiers keeping cloves in their mouths to avoid offending the emperor while addressing him. Our Certified Organic Clove is imported from Sri Lanka and combined with our Organic African Black Pepper in our exotic and popular CAFÉ TOUBA.

Cloves contain up to 20% of the essential oil Eugenol, a strong stimulant used in the treating of nausea, indigestion and other stomach ailments. Clove is also a nutrient-dense spice that offers an excellent source for manganese, dietary fiber, vitamin C, calcium, magnesium and omega-3 fatty acids. There is a lovely tradition wherever Clove is grown that parents celebrate the birth of a child by planting a Clove tree.