The Muridi Experience in the Service of the Arabic Language: An Analytical Review of the Factors and Manifestations

Abstract

This study examines the pioneering role of the Muridi order in serving the Arabic language in Senegal, highlighting the factors that have made Arabic an integral component of the Murids’ spiritual and scholarly identity. Since its establishment by Cheikh Aḥmad Bamba Mbakke, Arabic has become a principal medium for carrying his reformist project and a central means for renewing the understanding of religion and disseminating its teachings. The founding cheikh’s concern for Arabic was grounded in a profound religious and civilizational vision, through which he linked the learning of Arabic to the very revival of religion itself. This vision was manifested in his linguistic choices, his abundant poetic and prose production, and his establishment of educational institutions in which the Arabic sciences constituted a core part of the curriculum. His influence was further reflected in his disciples, who preserved and promoted Arabic through authorship, commentary, teaching, and literary creativity. Employing a descriptive methodology, the study concludes that the Muridi order has offered a distinctive model in transforming Arabic into a comprehensive civilizational project that goes beyond education and preaching to encompass the construction of cultural and spiritual identity. It also affirms that supporting Muridi efforts contributes to consolidating the status of Arabic in Senegal and across Africa and forms part of a broader project aimed at safeguarding the Arabic language and enhancing its role in religious and intellectual revival.