Life in Touba is dominated by Muslim practice and Islamic scholarship. A major annual pilgrimage, called the Grand Magal of Touba, attracts around two million people from all over Senegal and beyond, [2] principally Mourides, from as far away as Europe and America.
The Mourides have established an Islamic university and a large public library in Touba. In addition to the Grand Mosquée, there are also several smaller mosques located throughout the town.
Located in the city of Touba, Diourbel Region, this architectural marvel draws thousands of visitors and pilgrims each year. With its stunning minarets and intricate mosaics, the mosque is a symbol of faith and cultural pride for many Senegalese.
The mosque is in the center of Touba, the holy city of the Mouride brotherhood. It took almost 80 years to build the house of worship and it has been continuously expanded on and embellished ever since.
Many Mourides consider Touba, the holy city of Amadou Bamba, as important or more important than Mecca. Pilgrims come to Touba at any time, but the year's high point is a mass pilgrimage called the Grand Magal (48 days after the Islamic New Year), which celebrates Bamba's return from exile.
Touba is a remarkable city in central Senegal, recognised as the spiritual heart of the Mouride Sufi Muslim brotherhood. With a population exceeding one million, it is the second-largest city in the country after Dakar.
Just 194 km east of Dakar lies the magnificent town of Touba. It is the capital of the Mouride Muslim brotherhood, in the department of Mbacke. In 1888, the spiritual leader Cheick Ahmadou Bamba Khadimou Rassoul founded the holy city of Touba in the Mbaffar forest.