Today is the 144th anniversary marking the departure from this world of the mother of Sheikh Ahmadu Bamba the founder of Muridiyya. Many of us especially young followers of Muridiyya and specially sisters know a little about her short but successful life and achievements. Her spirit since then is hovering above us all, for once we think she brought into this world one of the most prolific poet- writer,thinker and chanter of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) of his times and the most eloquent intercessor for his people that history has ever witnessed. Dear reader we are happy to bring you the translated version of the life story of such un inimitable woman whose life’s and love for God, and the Qur’an has had an influence upon the future leader of the largest Sufi order and reformist of Islam in Senegal .

Who Was Sokhna Diarra Bousso

Of her real name Mariama Bousso, she was born in 1833 in Gollore, a small town located in Fouta, northern part of Senegal.
He is the daughter of Muhammadu Bousso, son of Ahmad, son of Aliou Bousso. She descended from a lineage whose cherifian origin can be traced back to Imam Hassan, son of Ali, son of Abu Talib (May God honor him).
From this ascendance, she inherited a piety of such purity that she was nicknamed Jaaratul-Lahi, that is to say the neighbour of God. She owes to her mother Soxna Asta Waalo, her solid scholarship in religious sciences like (Tawheed, theology ...) and a profound mastery of Sufi practices, that most Muslims from this part of Africa ignored back then.

Religious Pedigree and Training

Soxna Diarra inherited a strong erudition tradition in Koranic sciences, coupled with a profound piety, from her maternal as well as paternal ascendency. Under the supervision of her venerable mother Soxna Asta Walo, she wrote her first copy of the Qur’an from memorization or Mushaf at age 14.She lived a short life (she passed away at 33). Though, she was credited with writing more than 40 copies of the Sacred Book, a personal achievement, for she later became a master in calligraphy.
In following a family tradition, she strictly observed the perpetuation of the meritorious practices such as vitalizing religious education centres, Qur’an memorization, the teaching of religious sciences and Sufi practices. In so doing, she has perfectly mastered theology, Islamic law and Sufism.
One knows that when God mentions men, we must understand it through its broad sense that relate to the specie, which means man and woman. Let’s remind here that the same duties and obligations are mandatory to both men and women, to who God promise the same rewards and gifts or in reverse the same punishments for the same acts without discrimination. However, God in His unfathomable mysteries Has placed man as the leader over woman. Thus, whatever her age, a woman is always under tutelage, either of her parents or her husband, and she will seek first her husband’s satisfaction before achieving God’s satisfaction.
Apart from this disposal, no other distinction exists between man and woman. Besides, as mentioned above, God speaks quite often to both men and women (Muminina wal Muminati,Muslimina wal Muslimati) in His promises as in His warnings, in His recommendations as in His prohibitions.
In true believer, deeply rooted in her religious duties towards God, and totally submitted to His will, Soxna cultivated the resolution of living, way before joining her marital home vis-a-vis her future spouse, whoever he could be, in perfect conformity with the spirit of the Holy Qur’an.

Apology of the Virtuous Examples of Soxna Diarra

A.Her Piety

It is well accepted that religious practices will not be accepted if they are not rooted in good knowledge. Besides Shaykh Ahmadu Bamba said:” A person, who has knowledge, and who cannot conform his behaviours and manners to his knowledge, is like a donkey flexing under the heavy load of knowledge books (and who obviously would not take advantage from such knowledge”) Tazawuddu-sh-Shubban: Verse 585
As such, we can say that Soxna Diarra is the perfect example of an immeasurable piety enriched by an unfathomable scholarship of religious sciences.
Never has she missed a prayer. Better, she never performed her prayers without scrupulously performing her ablutions .As well; she performed her prayer at the nick of the time according to the rules, topped of invariably by a wird (remembrance of Allah (SWT)) session.
Besides the blessed month of Ramadan, she often indulged herself into praiseworthy fasting.Whereas women usually distinguish themselves in chattering and gossiping, Soxna Diarra, while fetching water or doing her daily house chores, would recite Dala-ilul-Khayrati of Imam Jazuli (a famous collection of poems dedicated to the Prophet Muhammad PBUH).
Besides, she was known to spend most of her time reading or reciting the Qur’an, or formulate prayers for the Prophet (Salãt Alan Nabĩ).
She never failed to her social duty throughout alms she generously gave out, without ostentation or disdain for the receiver. Through such constancy in worshipping God, she acquired the precious title of Jaaratul-Lahi (The neighbour of God).

B.The Quest of God’s Consent Through the Service For her Master Serigne Mor Mbacke

It is part of the customs that before departing for the marital home, the young bride receives advice and recommendations of praiseworthy good attitude in order to have a happy and blessed marriage, but above all to receive God’s favours via the good treatment of her spouse she is going to live with.
So when got married, Soxna Diarra politely and patiently listened to all the speeches that she considered, deep down, to be below the level of her own resolutions. Thus searching, as usual, divine inspiration from the Holy Scriptures, she opened the Qur’an she always carried with her. She fell upon the verse testifying Muhammad (PBUH) as the last the Prophets. She made her resolution. Through her good actions towards that spouse God chose for her, she undertook to gain such high divine graces, had it not been that divine word that put an end to line of the Prophets, she would have, without a doubt, gotten one among her offspring. Nevertheless one of her children, at least, has thanks to his service to the Best of Humans (PBUH), such an immense renown that, wherever is glorified the primacy of the Seydina Muhammad (PBUH) among other Prophets at the relevancy of his mission of the Chosen (PBUH), one will testify of his pre-eminence amongst the servants of the Last Messenger(PBUH).
Thus, Soxna Diarra, only concern to conform herself to the recommendations of God, took the decision to dedicate herself body and soul to her husband, solely to gain the satisfaction of the Creator. Expecting anything in return, she always fulfilled her duty in scrupulous respect and total submission to the will of her husband.
For instance, she happened to spend a night outside under a heavy rain, for not receiving a counter-order, holding the flank of a fence. Though, her husband who asked her to had long gone to his nightly worshipping inside his room, leaving her behind.
Another time, instead of derogating to the order to get water for her husband, she instead attempted to get water directly from the water table to please her husband. She didn’t fine the cord to pull the precious liquid. This resounding episode remained engraved in the collective memory of believers from this country. It has later been sung and magnified by all murid exegetes, who quoted it quite often to teach our sisters about their duties towards their husbands.
It was with good spirit, and without back thought for all her well mannered attitude towards her parents and husband’s guests, that she took care of her house chores and the maintenance of her household. Given the hostile environment of Prokhane back then, particularly with a dry and hot weather year round, one can imagine how difficult it to perform any chore under such conditions. After all, Soxna Diarra never complained, or backed down, for the only glory of God and His Prophet (PBUH).

C.Her Excellent Social Networking Skills

Sokhna Diarra had the reputation of a woman who was very sensitive to the plagues of others, and according to circumstances, she knew how to proceed in helping, and always in a way useful to them:
Blankets for the elderly during winter; Fresh water in profusion in the summer etc. as put in a song by Shaykh Samba Diarra Mbaye
She devoted herself into shaping a climate of serenity and peace with her in-laws. She knew how to create perfect understanding with her co-spouses. An exquisite friendliness and a profound respect have always guided relationships with her parents and husband’s guests. Her neighbours have always been satisfied with her incomparable kindness, of her good advice, and flawless helpfulness. She never spared her help to the needy who often seek her help to solve their problems.
What’s most important is that Soxna Diarra was a care-giver. That means never did ostentation in her acts of giving has stained his actions, nor ruined the sensitivity or the honor of people who benefitted from her kindness. And those who sought her advice are ensured of her total discretion equal to that of a sepulchre.

Her Role as an Educator

In his book The Favours of the Everlasting Serigne Bassirou Mbacke wrote that, in spite of the heavy burden of house chores and taking care of her husband, Soxna Diarra was able to find time to supervise the education and training of her children. She loved to tell them stories of Saints and ancient pious, to draw inspiration from their life stories and loo them up role models. Such pedagogic methods were so successful that as a testimony, we can evoke, as described, one of the sites we can visit, during a ziarra, in Prokhane.
Nowadays one can still see the remains of the tree under which shade Serigne Touba, the founder of Muridiyya used to sit under with his Koranic board when he was 12. That served him as a refuge place, with his prayer beads, to exercise in meditation and spiritual retreat following the fashion of the virtuous elders in Islam’s history; his Holy Mother used to tell him their epic stories. It was in the year 1864
Besides, regarding her teaching skills and the relevance of her teaching methods, one can formulate a better opinion when we refer to the writings of Serigne Mbaye Diakhate and Serigne Mussa Ka who are Wolof poets who both praised Jaratul-Lah’s virtues

By S. Djiby Diagne

Editor-in-Chief, ToubaUSA

Source: toubausa.com