Mouhamadou Taha Abdoulaye Ibrahim Niass, extraits des poemes de Cheikh al Islam

If you have spent any time in West Africa, you have likely seen this picture of El Hadj Ibrahim Niass.  Perhaps painted on the back of an 18-wheel truck, or framed and hanging on the wall of a dry goods store.  He is the founder of the Ibrāhīmiyyah branch of the Tijānī order (outsiders often refer to his disciples as Ñaseen, which in Wolof means "of or pertaining to the Ñas family").  Cheikh Ibrahim Niass is estimated to have about 250-300 million followers today.  The 'Niassene' are the largest Tijani order in West Africa, with important branches in northern Nigeria and Mauritania.

El Hadj Ibrahim Niass was born in 1900, into a family of religious scholars, in the Senegalese village of Taiba Niassene, between the trading town of Koalack and the Gambian border.  He spent his youth studying Quran and Hadith with his father, and opened his first zawiya (religious school) in 1930, in the town of Medina Baay, close to Kaolack.  Medina Baay remains the spiritual capital of the Ibrāhīmiyyah, with thousands of his followers visiting each year, from throughout the world, to pray at El Hadj Ibrahim's impressive mosque.

 Mouhamadou Taha Niass and El Hadj Ibrahim Niass

El Hadj Ibrahim Niass was a charismatic and powerful speaker who travelled extensively throughout the muslim world, sharing his knowledge.  In 1971, he was given the title of Cheikh al-Islam by the director of the al-Azhar institute of Cairo, after El Hadj Ibrahim led the prayer at the al-Azhar mosque.  He was the fist West African to be invited to lead the prayer at al-Azhar.  A prolific author, El Hadj Ibrahim Niass published 75 books in his lifetime, including several volumes of sufi poetry.  He passed away on July 26, 1975, in London.

This post features a recording of Mouhamadou Taha Niass, one of El Hadj Ibrahim's grandsons, reciting the poetry of Cheik al-Islam. Mouhamadou Taha is the son of El Hadj Abdoulaye Niass, an esteemed islamic scholar in his own right.  Mouhamadou Taha studied the coran with his paternal uncle Mouhamadou Nazir Ibrahim Niass, and quickly distinguished himself by the beauty of his recitation.  Today, Mouhamadou Taha travels the world, visiting Ibrāhīmiyyah groups in the United States, Italy, France, the United Kingdom, Nigeria, and throughout West Africa, strengthening the bonds between El Hadj Ibrahim's followers.

 Mouhamadou Taha Abdoulaye Ibrahim Niass

I don't know anything about the circumstances of this beautiful recording.  It is the most unusual Senegalese sufi recording I have.  The cassette is titled 'Saïr el Qalb', which can be translated as 'Soothe Your Heart'.  Mouhamadou Taha's stirring recitation is punctuated by the responses of a vocal choir and guided by the steady beat of a frame drum--not typically used in Senegalese sufi music.  I wouldn't be surprised if this recording was not made in Senegal.  I also don't know if Mouhamadou Taha has made any other studio recordings.  If you know anything about more this recording, please share.

Download Mouhamadou Taha Abdoulaye Ibrahim Niasse

 Enjoy!

 The pictures of Mouhamadou Taha Niass are taken from his official Facebook page.