Serigne Abdou Khadre Mbacké: The Fourth Khalife, Imam of Touba (1914–1990)
Birth: a son of Serigne Touba born at Ndame
Cheikh Abdou Khadre Mbacké was born on a Friday night in 1914 (3 Muharram 1333 AH) at Ndame, in the village of Daroul Alimoul Khabir. He was a son of Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba.
His mother, Sokhna Aminata Bousso, came from the respected Bousso family. She was the daughter of Serigne Mboussobé.
A childhood devoted to God
From his earliest years, he showed unusual gifts. He was drawn to solitude, meditation and love of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Those who met him spoke of the faith that lived in him and of the light that seemed to shine from his person.
A deep education
At the age of seven, he began his studies with Serigne Ndame Abdourahmane Lô, the master who taught the Holy Quran to so many of Serigne Touba’s sons. He then perfected his knowledge of the Quran with his uncle, Serigne Mbacké Bousso, and studied the religious sciences with Serigne Birahim Ndiaye at Guédé.
In Diourbel, close to his father, he deepened his learning with Serigne Mamadou Dème, known as Alimu Soudaan (“the scholar of the Sudan”). With him, he studied Islamic law, grammar and philosophy.
Imam of the Great Mosque of Touba
For 55 years, he led the prayers of his own family. Then in 1968, when Serigne Abdoul Ahad Mbacké became Khalife, he chose his brother Serigne Abdou Khadre as the Imam of the Great Mosque of Touba.
He held this role for 21 years. He almost never missed a Friday prayer, except during his pilgrimage to Mecca in 1976. From the pulpit, he always called on the faithful to work, pray and live righteously.
A humble and detached man
Serigne Abdou Khadre was deeply pious, humble and self-denying. He never took part in quarrels or disputes, and he showed no interest in wealth or worldly possessions. He remains one of the purest examples of the Mouride ideal of detachment from the world and devotion to God.
Khalife of the Mourides
When Serigne Abdoul Ahad returned to God on June 19, 1989, Serigne Abdou Khadre became the fourth Khalife général of the Mourides. His khalifate was the shortest in the history of the Mouride path, lasting only eleven months. Yet in that short time, he led the community with the same gentleness, wisdom and faith that had marked his whole life.
Return to God and legacy
Serigne Abdou Khadre Mbacké returned to God in Touba in May 1990, at the age of about 75. He rests east of the Great Mosque of Touba, near the mosque where he led the prayers for so many years. He left about twenty children.
His younger brother, Serigne Saliou Mbacké, succeeded him as the fifth Khalife général.
Every year, the Mouride community gathers for the Magal of Serigne Abdou Khadre to honor the memory of the Imam of Touba, a guide remembered for his faith, his humility and his righteousness.