Serigne Sam Mbaye (1922-1998): The preacher of Mame Cheikh Mbaye’s family

A great scholar and major figure of Islam in Senegal, Serigne Sam Mbaye remains a spiritual and intellectual reference whose teaching continues to enlighten generations. Elder brother of El Hadj Djily Mbaye, he rests today in the mausoleum of the Louga palace.

Serigne Sam Mbaye, older brother of El Hadj Djily Mbaye, is one of the greatest Islamic scholars in Senegal. These sermons are still relevant today and are reminders of what should be the relationship between the Muslim and the Almighty. This, from his birth until his death. He addressed several themes in these sermons and conferences in Wolof. It is in the space of the Djiy Mbaye Palace that there is also the mausoleum of this wise and great scholar who is Serigne Sam Mbaye. On the steps of the palace on the right. It is also a place of contemplation for all visitors. Serigne Sam Mbaye shares this mausoleum with his brother El Hadj Djily Mbaye who has also been buried there since his death in 1991. El Hadj Djily Mbaye’s mother, Sokhna Khary Samba Touré, is also buried in the palace mausoleum as are three of the billionaire’s wives: Sokhna Ndeye Diop, Sokhna Aminata Sourang and Sokhna Ndeye Sokhna Camara.

Serigne Sam Mbaye is one of the big brothers of El Hadj Djily Mbaye with whom he has the same father. His mother’s name is Sokhna Fatou Thiam. He was born in 1922, 4 years before El Hadj Djily Mbaye. He was called back to God in 1998. He learned the Quran in the house from Serigne Mbaye Touré, according to Baye Mbaye, nephew of El Hadj Djily Mbaye. Their father Mame Cheikh Mbaye created the Daara de Koki in 1939. According to Baye Mbaye, he entrusted this training center to his friend Ahmadou Sakhir Mbaye. To prove that he was very keen on this Koranic school with a national vocation, Mame Cheikh Mbaye sent his children El Hadj Djily Mbaye and Serigne Sam Mbaye to Koki. The latter are part of the first promotion of Koki where Serigne Sam Mbaye was the first to master the Koran, according to Baye Mbaye and Mamadou Gaye Sam, teacher-researcher and close to the family.

After his time at Koki, Serigne Sam continued his training in Algeria then in Tunisia. He also decided, after his religious training, to begin a course in French at the Cheikh Anta Diop University of Dakar (Ucad) where he graduated with a master’s degree in Arabic with knowledge of French literature. Later, he will obtain his doctorate in Arabic, informs teacher Mamadou Gaye. “Baye Djily had built this establishment to make it a Franco-Arab school. Subsequently, the young people of Louga demanded a high school. This is how El Hadj Djily Mbaye suggested they transform it into a high school. Serigne Sam was assigned to Dakar as director of the Franco-Arab school now called the Serigne Fallou Mbacké group. Afterwards, he was assigned to Louga at the request of El Hadj Djily Mbaye to be the first principal of the Malick Sall high school in Louga with a faithful friend of Mame Cheikh Mbaye as godfather,” informs the nephew of El Hadj Djily Mbaye.

In the name of the father

The father of El Hadj Djily Mbaye and Serigne Sam Mbaye, Mame Cheikh Mbaye, was also a scholar who always wishes to remain anonymous. He made no distinction between brotherhoods. When the Koki Koranic school was created, he asked the managers to train the children of all the brotherhoods (Mourides, Tidiane, Khadre, Ibadou etc.). “He is one of the “Fardaniya”, that is to say very discreet Muslim scholars who do not like to draw light to themselves,” insists Baye Mbaye, one of his grandsons, during our interview. Mame Cheikh Mbaye was born in 1864 and was called to God in 1946. He had a special relationship with Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba Mbacké. He was also a friend to all the leaders of the country’s brotherhoods. Mame Cheikh Mbaye never highlighted brotherhood membership, but just Islam. This means that we cannot say which brotherhood he belonged to. Mame Cheikh Mbaye was also a Muslim judge (Cadi) in Yang-Yang.

El Hadj Djily Mbaye and Serigne Sam Mbaye were the most famous children of Mame Cheikh Mbaye. However, he had other sons like Serigne Mor Mbaye who was his first caliph after the disappearance of Mame Cheikh Mbaye; Serigne Ibra Mbaye, father of our interlocutor (Baye Mbaye) was also caliph; their younger brother is called Serigne Abdou Salam Mbaye. Currently, the caliphate of Mame Cheikh Mbaye is ensured by the grandsons and Serigne Saer Mbaye is the current caliph of the family. He succeeded the first Khalife grandson of Mame Cheikh Mbaye, Serigne Youssoupha Mbaye.

Omar KANDE