Conclusion

The conclusion synthesizes the foregoing chapters to elucidate the unsuspected role of ʿAjamī in the success story of the Murīdiyya, specifically in conveying effectively to the people the moving memories of the virtuous lived and mystical odyssey of Bamba, his sacrifice and teachings on equality between all human beings, nonviolence, morality, self-confidence, and perseverance and optimism—all which have made his movement tenacious and appealing. It discusses the downsides of the linguistic paradox in the study of Africa that treats sources in Arabic and European languages as primary and ʿAjamī sources as secondary, and the insights missed as a result. Finally, it offers reflections on some key processes involved in the localization of Islam and the spread of the Murīdiyya in Senegal, the place of ʿAjamī in the intellectual traditions of Africa, and the interdisciplinary field of “ʿAjamī Studies.”

Political science · African Studies and Geopolitics · Global Maritime and Colonial Histories · Hispanic-African Historical Relations