Serigne Bassirou Mbacké: Son, Scholar and Biographer of Serigne Touba (1895–1966)
A light in the service of others
Cheikh Mouhamadoul Bachir Mbacké, known to all as Serigne Bassirou Mbacké, was one of the unforgettable guides of the Mouride community. He spent his whole life in the service of others. Like the sun that drives away the darkness, he brought light to everyone who came to him.
Birth: born while his father was in exile
Serigne Bassirou was born in 1895 in Coki, in the region of Louga, about two months after his father, Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba, had been deported to Gabon. He was the fourth son of Serigne Touba.
His mother, Sokhna Faty Modou Mame Diop, came from the Diop family of Coki, a lineage connected to the royal family of Cayor.
Even before his birth, Mame Cheikh Ibrahima Fall, the greatest disciple of Serigne Touba, had chosen his name, after his own son, Serigne Bassirou Fall. Mame Cheikh Ibrahima Fall’s affection for him never faded, and he later gave him his daughter, Sokhna Astou Fall, in marriage.
Always at his father’s side
At the age of seven, Serigne Bassirou began studying the Holy Quran under Serigne Ndame Abdourahmane Lô, the same master who taught his brothers. He continued his studies with Serigne Ibrahima Binta and Serigne Mbaye Diakhaté, then deepened his knowledge under his father’s direct guidance in Diourbel.
Of all the children of Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba, he is the one who spent the most time at his father’s side. He followed him through his journeys and trials, in Mauritania, in Thiéyène Djolof and in Diourbel. This closeness made him a privileged witness to the life of Serigne Touba.
He had a deep thirst for knowledge. He even ordered books from Egypt, which led the colonial authorities, suspicious of his studies, to detain him for seven days.
A pillar beside the first Khalife
After Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba returned to God in 1927, Serigne Bassirou stood firmly beside his elder brother, Cheikh Mouhamadou Moustapha Mbacké, the first Khalife, in a very difficult period for the community. He supported him with both his wealth and his knowledge.
He represented the Khalife during the great works of the time, including the Diourbel–Touba railway and the construction of the Great Mosque, and at many important ceremonies. He continued in the same role under Serigne Fallou Mbacké.
The keeper of his father’s memory
His best-known work is the biography of his father, Minan al-Bāqī al-Qadīm (often written Minanoul Bakhil Khadim). In it, he recounts the life of Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba, his spiritual journey, his moral teachings, his trials and his companions. Written by a son who lived beside him, it remains one of the main references on the history of the Mouride path.
He also composed several khassaïdes (religious poems), including works dedicated to Serigne Fallou Mbacké.
A builder of villages and places of prayer
Serigne Bassirou founded many villages and Quranic schools, especially in the Saloum region, including Darou Minam, Touba Saloum, Touba Mbil, Touba Mboul and Nasrou. These villages helped spread Mouride teaching and agriculture across the region.
He also built the house of Serigne Touba in Colobane, Dakar, and the Résidence Khadimou Rassoul in Touba.
In 1953, he restored the village of Porokhane and built the mausoleum of Sokhna Mame Diarra Bousso, the mother of Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba. He started the yearly pilgrimage (Magal) of Porokhane, which still brings thousands of pilgrims together every year.
A heart as wide as the ocean
Words fall short in describing Serigne Bassirou Mbacké. His wisdom was deeper than the ocean, and his love wider than the earth. Dignity was his only weapon, and his life was a mercy for all people. He was an ocean of calm, carrying every boat that crossed it safely and peacefully.
Return to God and legacy
Serigne Bassirou Mbacké returned to God in 1966, at his home in Darou Minam, where he rests today.
His family has continued his mission. His son, Serigne Modou Moustapha Bassirou Mbacké, led the family after him. Another of his sons, Serigne Mouhamadou Mountakha Mbacké, is today the Khalife général of the Mourides.