Millions of faithful make pilgrimage to Senegal

Each year, millions of Muslims set out on a pilgrimage to Touba, in central Senegal. The annual event even surpasses the number of faithful who undertake the traditional hajj to Saudi Arabia. By Rene Wilbrandt

  • Members of the Mouride brotherhood recite prayers during the annual Muslim pilgrimage
    Praying around the clock: as many as 4 million Muslims, such as these members of the Mouride brotherhood, participate in each year's Grand Magal, as the traditional journey is called. In comparison, "only" about 2.5 million Muslims undertake the hajj to Mecca in Saudi Arabia each year
  • Members of the Mouride brotherhood sweep the floors of the Great Mosque of Touba
    Final preparations: before the faithful can be allowed to enter the Great Mosque of Touba, members of the Mouride brotherhood sweep its floors. The Mouride are part of a Sufi branch of Islam. They are economically and socially influential in both Senegal and Gambia
  • Faithful Muslims stand in lines waiting to enter the Great Mosque of Touba
    Waiting to get in: outside the mosque, the faithful gather for two days of festivities, sometimes creating chaos in and around Touba. According to official statistics at least 16 people were killed in traffic accidents in 2016, and at least 600 people were injured
  • Volunteers hand out coffee to pilgrims on the street near the mosque
    For body and soul: the Grand Magal is an important for the economy in Senegal, a country of 18 million residents. High demand for transportation, food, cellphone cards and festive clothing often leads to trade volumes that balloon to as much as three times the normal monthly average
  • A man from the Baye Fall sect of the Mouride brotherhood wearing dark sunglasses, dreadlocks and colorful clothing, balances a bowl for collecting alms on his right index finger
    Give and take: much food is traditionally given to pilgrims free of charge. This man from the Baye Fall sect of the Mouride brotherhood holds a bowl for collecting alms
  • Three men in the foreground look at posters of religious personalities, while others in the back look into their phones
    Stars of the scene: devotional items, such as posters of religious personalities, are popular keepsakes from the Grand Magal. For those who cannot get close enough to hear the speakers, they can always stream it online
  • Female pilgrims exit the Great Mosque of Touba
    State within a state: the city of Touba, practically a state within a state, enjoys special status in democratic Senegal. The sitting caliph – currently Serigne Mountakha Mbacke – lays down the law, based upon the Islamic concept of Sharia
  • Brightly dressed pilgrims stand in line outside the Grand Mosque
    City landmark: the Great Mosque of Touba is one of the largest mosques south of the Sahara, as well as the religious cornerstone of the city. The minaret, the emblem of the city, is more than 86 metres high, making it the tallest building in Touba
  • Members of the Mouride brotherhood read religious texts
    Remembering the founder: the annual pilgrimage recalls the journey of the founder of the Mouride brotherhood when he returned from exile under French colonial rulers. Amadou Bamba Mbacke, who lived from 1853 to 1927, is the grandfather of the current caliph. He was a thorn in the side of French occupiers, and legends abound about his life and deeds
  • A man prays beneath an improvised roof made out of tarp, as two other men sit on sacks next to a motorcycle behind a laundry line with bright clothes hanging from it
    Observing the pillars of Islam: prayer is one of the five pillars of Islam. Accordingly, each Muslim is instructed to pray five times every day. The faithful can also pray beyond that in their own time. The four further pillars of Islam are the profession of faith, fasting, giving alms and undertaking the pilgrimage to Mecca