Thousands of followers of a Sufi Muslim brotherhood celebrate a sacred date in Senegal

Dressed in white robes to symbolize purity and equality before... — Dressed in white robes to symbolize purity and equality before God, followers from the Layene brotherhood commemorate the first public appearance of their founder Seydina Limamou Laye in 1884 at Yoff's beachside mosque in Dakar, Senegal, Friday, Jan. 31, 2025. Credit: AP/Annika Hammerschlag

By The Associated PressUpdated February 4, 2025 10:59 am

Prayers and melodic chants reverberated across Dakar’s Yoff neighborhood as thousands of Sufi Muslim followers from the Layene brotherhood commemorated the first public appearance of their founder Seydina Limamou Laye in 1884.

Dressed in pristine white robes to symbolize purity and equality before God, worshippers filled the streets leading to Yoff’s beachside mosque on Friday. The gathering, known as “L’Appel," ("The Call"), marked the 145th anniversary of Seydina Limamou Laye’s controversial declaration as the prophet.

The Layene brotherhood, while smaller than Senegal’s other Sufi orders such as the Mouride or Tijan, has gained attention for its distinctive beliefs, including the claim that their founder was a reincarnation of the Prophet Muhammad.

“I’ve never seen any Sufi order where the idea of reincarnation is so central as it is with the Layene,” said Cheikh Babou, a history professor at the University of Pennsylvania who specializes in Sufism in West Africa. “It’s not like anything else in Senegal or elsewhere in the Muslim world.”

As part of the celebrations, worshippers made a pilgrimage to the sacred grotto where Seydina Limamou Laye first retreated for meditation and — according to believers — received divine inspiration. The site remains a powerful symbol of his spiritual awakening and a place of connection between the Layene community and their founder.

His message emphasized that the Prophet Muhammad had returned in his form as a Black man to restore justice and correct societal wrongs, including those caused by slavery. This message of racial equality and spiritual unity continues to resonate with followers today.

“It is a pride for both Black and white people because Seydina Limamou Laye is not the prophet of Black people; he is a universal prophet,” said Moussa Lahi, a Layene who attended this year’s events. “So, there are white people, Black people, yellow people – everyone. He brought equality among the races.”