Senegal’s growing enthusiasm for the Ziarra of Fez

Sunday 24 August 2025 - 15:20

By: Sahili Aya

Senegal’s growing enthusiasm for the Ziarra of Fez

The annual “Ziarra” pilgrimage to the mausoleum of Cheikh Ahmad al-Tijânî in Fez has been gaining momentum in Senegal, attracting an ever-wider circle of devotees beyond the traditional Sufi brotherhoods, according to the Senegalese daily Le Soleil.

Once considered the preserve of a religious elite, the practice began to democratize in the 1980s and expanded significantly after 2012. This growth has been fueled by increased air connections between Dakar and Morocco as well as the rise of spiritual tourism.

Travel agencies in Senegal now offer organized one-week trips, often scheduled to coincide with major religious celebrations such as the Mawlid or Gamou.

The tradition of the Ziarra dates back to 1922 and became more structured after World War II, when the late HM King Mohammed V of Morocco offered Senegalese pilgrims the Dar Kettani residence — a symbolic gesture reflecting the depth of spiritual ties between the two nations.

“Beyond devotion, the Ziarra embodies the vitality of a centuries-old spiritual diplomacy, inherited from the Almoravid era and strengthened by figures such as El Hadj Malick Sy and Cheikh Ibrahim Niass,” notes Mouhamed El Moctar Dièye of the Islamic Institute of Dakar.

The training of Senegalese scholars at Al Quaraouiyine University, participation in the Dourous Hassaniya lectures, and the creation of the HM Mohammed VI Foundation of African Ulema all illustrate this exemplary cooperation, of which the Ziarra of Fez remains one of the most powerful symbols.