The cornerstone of El Hadj Oumar Tall’s thought August 23, 2026
Ar-Rimah Hizb al-Rahim ‘ala Nuhur Hizb al-Rajim (The spears of the party of the Merciful on the throats of the party of the stoned), composed by El Hadj Oumar Foutiyou Tall and completed in 1261 AH (1845), is considered by specialists as a cornerstone of Sufi literature and Tijâniyya. Designed on the structure of the Jawahir al-Ma’ani following a recommendation received in Mecca in 1827 by his master Sidi Muhammad al-Ghali, the book serves as an annotation and in-depth explanation of the teachings of the path.
The work Ar-Rimah Hizb al-Rahim ‘ala Nuhur Hizb al-Rajim (The spears of the party of the Merciful on the throats of the party of the stoned), written by El Hadj Oumar Foutiyou Tall, is considered a true cornerstone of Sufi thought and Tijâniyya.
According to Oustaz Ibrahima Amadou Ly, religion specialist and imam in Bambey, this work goes beyond the framework of a simple theoretical or polemical defense: it is an encyclopedia of Tidiane literature.
The book notably contains a detailed biography of the founder of the tariqa, Sheikh Ahmed al-Tijân, retracing his birth, his spiritual openings and the range of his knowledge.
On his return to the country after a long stay in the holy places of Islam, the native of Halwar (Fouta) had to face double opposition: on the one hand, the Wahhabis and, on the other hand, the rigors, surprised by the emergence of Tijâniyya and the speed of its expansion.
Conversely, many scholars and disciples of the path welcomed this masterpiece with enthusiasm, finding in it elite sciences and knowledge of great finesse, never collected in a single volume before.
When El Hadj Oumar Tall completed the writing of his book, on 3 Ramadan 1261 AH, he discovered that the alphanumeric value (Abjad calculation) of the title Ar-Rimah Hizb al-Rahim ‘ala Nuhur Hizb al-Rajim corresponded exactly to the year of completion (1261).
The Sheikh saw this as a blessed sign and expressed the wish that God would also grant him material spears to make the Truth triumph.
Despite his vast mastery of the Arabic language, jurisprudence, hadith and Sufism, the author demonstrated exemplary humility.
He apologized in advance to his readers for any typos or imperfections, inviting them to be fair and to correct errors scientifically, modestly affirming that he did not consider himself an absolute master of these disciplines.
A work to elucidate his teachings
On an academic level, Oustaz Ly underlines the major interest given by the author to the sciences of hadith, with more than 800 traditions cited both marfou’ (going back directly to the Prophet) and mawqouf (stopping at the Companions).
Finally, the Sheikh dwelt extensively on jurisprudence: far from limiting himself to the Maliki rite alone, he referred to the sources of the four Sunni legal schools to analyze the judgments, fatwas and cases of contemporary jurisprudence (Nawazil).
“Ar-Rimah is a work entirely devoted to Sufism, in which the author refers to more than 120 titles,” testifies the imam.
The interlocutor is convinced that El Hadj Oumar Foutiyou Tall built this monumental work on the very structure of Jawahir al-Ma’ani (The Jewels of the Senses).
Conceived as an annotation, an explanation and an elucidation of his teachings, this work concretized the recommendation received by the Sheikh in 1242 AH (1827 AD) at Maqam Ibrahim (in the sanctuary of Mecca).
It was there that his master, Sidi Muhammad al-Ghali Boutaleb, enjoined him to take great care of this blessed book.
In this work, explains Mr. Ly, El Hadj Oumar Tall elevates the reader towards the mastery of authentic spiritual behavior.
This journey takes place through several fundamental stages: attachment to the saints and the quest for absolute sincerity, association with followers of the path and the spiritual journey under the direction of masters holding special authorizations (Ijazah), warning against the traps of spiritual unveiling (Kashf), the right understanding of the reality of renunciation (Zuhd) and the lifting of the veils and obstacles which come between the servant and the knowledge of his Lord (Ma’rifah).
The Sheikh also deals with major behavioral and jurisprudential rules, notably the merits of the remembrance of God (Zikr) in assembly, the primacy of the chain of transmission (Sanad), as well as legal flexibility through equitable respect for the four Sunni schools.
Finally, the author devotes significant developments to the litanies of the path, to the spiritual station of Sheikh Ahmed al-Tijani, as well as to the presentation of his companions and great representatives (muqaddams).
By Souleymane Diam SY
