Aḥmad Al-Tijānī

Ahmad al-Tijani (1737–1815) was a Sufi mystic who founded the Tijaniyyah order of Islamic mystics around 1781 in Fez, Morocco. The Tijaniyyah order is known for being especially proselytizing and is widespread in northern and western Africa, as well as the Sudan region. This order places significant emphasis on good intentions and actions, rather than on elaborate or extreme rituals. Sufi orders, like the Tijaniyyah, played a crucial role in bringing together spiritually interested community members and often engaged in missionary and political activities. The Tijaniyyah order, for instance, extended Islam's reach into Senegal and Nigeria and established significant kingdoms in West Africa.12