The advent of the Mahdi was expected my the whole Muslim community in the world for it was announced by the Prophet Sayidina Muhammad (P.B.O.H.) in authentic hadiths. Therefore when Sayidina Limamu Lahi (P.B.O.H.)sent his call people came form every place in the country to respond to it. Some of these were notorious scholars, exegetes of the Holy Quran and experts of Islamic Law. They submitted to his doctrine and became his faithful companions. They were seduced by his righteousness , his generosity and the miracles he performed under their eyes , in short his spiritual and moral forces.
Some of his close relatives were the first to believe in him such as Saint Mame Fatima Mbengue Sayiduna Issa’s mother who was his first convert. Then came some of his Lebu relatives and many others who abandoned their villages in Walo leaving behind their fields and cattle and parents to join the Saint Master and stay with him. They founded and settled in new villages in the vicinity of Yoff: Camberene, Malika and Yeumbeul.
Some of these disciples became notorious because of the important part that they took in enforcing and illustrating the Mahdi’s actions. Two well known chroniclers Cheikh Doun Pate Ndoye and Cheikh Modou Mboup have mentioned them in their writings.
Thierno Ababacar Sylla
Son of Mahtar Sylla and Aissatou Ndoye Ababacar Sylla or Mame Mbaye Sylla was born in Dakar in 1827. He studied the Quran in a village called Kundja. When he was only 7 years old, he had a vision which was to reveal him later the identity of the Mahdi. He also studied Islamic sciences in Mbao with his uncle. In 1861 at the age of 34 he was appointed Imam and judge in the Islamic court .
In 1876 he met Sayidina Limamu Lahi (P.B.O.H.) and became his friend. Their friendship lasted for the rest of their lives. Seven years after their meeting Sayyidina Limamu Lahi (P.B.O.H.) announced his divine message. Two months later one Friday, which was Korite day, Ababacar told his people: « God has let me know that the Mahdi that we were all waiting for has appeared and whoever hastens to answer to his call will gain great favours in the next world . »
He set off to Yoff followed by Makhtar Ndoye Jr , Makhtar Ndoye Sr Baye Abdulahi Sylla and Ousseynou Paye and to give allegiance to Sayyidina Limamu (P.B.O.H).
Before his friend’s allegiance Sayidina Limamu used to say : « Ababacar who had confirmed my first mission is coming again to confirm this one. ».
Because of the hostility of the Lebu notabilities in Dakar, he gave up his functions as judge and Imam of the big mosque of Dakar . He said: « I prefer the honours of the next world to those of the present life...Each of you has a friend among the unbeliever white men and you want to prevent me from being the friend of a man of God . Go to your friends and let me join mine. ».
Mame Mbaye Sylla had been judge and Imam for 22 years. He had a perfect knowledge of Arabic and Muslim Law , but he preferred to abandon his privileges and pay allegiance to Sayidina Limamu (P.B.O.H.). He knew very well the benefits that he would gain by submitting to the doctrine of the Mahdi . This allegiance did not happen by mere chance, for when he was only 7 years old he had a dream in which he saw the Prophet Muhammad (P.B.O.H.) talking to him under a tree. Then later on, when he was judge, before Sayiduna Limamu began his mission he had met him during one of the court sessions which he attended with some of his relatives from Yoff . When he looked at him in the court- room he had a vision of his prophetic signs. He saw written on his body the words La Ilaha Illa Lahu Muhammadu Rasulu Lahi .But he could not see his head and his feet, as they sank into the sky and the earth .
There were many similarities between Mame Mbaye Sylla and Ababacar Sadikh the Prophet Muhammad’s companion. Both were the first important personalities to believe in their friend’s prophetic missions. Both gave them their daughters in marriage. Ababacar Sylla gave his daughter Mame Touty Sylla in marriage to his friend . As Ababacar Saddikh he never left his friend till his death in 1909. Their friendship was so strong that when Ababacar’s death was first announced to Sayidina Limamu (P.B.O.H.) his reaction was unusual. He said: « With God’s leave I shall bring him back to life, Baye Dangu cannot leave this world before talking to me . He immediately set off to Dakar to see his friend. When he arrived he called three times and Ababacar rose up and they had a long conversation before he left him and returned to Yoff. It was a week later that Ababacar died again for good. The people who witnessed the miracle were stupefied; that was the undeniable proof that Almighty God subhanahu) had given Sayidina Limamu the power to resuscitate the dead.
Tafsir Ndicke Wade
He was son of Masamba Fambaye Wade and Masal Yatara Mbaye. He was one of the most respected saints of his time. He educated many well-known scholars in Senegal and other countries. Men came
from every place to consult him on religious questions. When he came to Yoff to respond to the Mahdi’s call many of his disciples followed him. Cheikh Libasse Mboup said that it was Tafsir Ndicke’s predictions, seven years before the Mahdi’s call, that made his father Biram Sall Mboup join Sayidina Limamu (P.B.O.H). He died in 1906. Sayiduna Issa Ruhulahi recommended to visit his tomb to benefit from his grace.
Tafsir Abdulahi Diallo
He was born in 1841. He was an exegete of the Quran of great reputation. He was also an interpreter for the French colonial administration; In 1887 he was arrested with Sayiduna Limamu (P.B.O.H.) and they were jailed together in Goree Island for three months . He married the Mahdi’s daughter Sokhna Manatou Lahi. He died in 1914 and was buried in Sumbudiun cemetery in Dakar.
Baye Mamour Diakhate
He was born in 1870. He was son of Muhammadu Diakhate and Aminata Cisse. He came from Kaolack and . arrived in Ngakham at the age of 7. When he was 18 he joined Sayidina Limamu (P.B.O.H.) But unlike the other new disciples he did not settle with him. Sayiduna Limamu (P.B.O.H.) told him to return to Ngakham for he had the mission to welcome and give hospitality to Sayidina Issa Ruhu Lahi . The latter spent 3 years in his house from 1906 to 1909 when he succeeded to his father.
Sayiduna Limamu had told him: “You must consider Issa as your brother for you are Musa and Haruna”
With him Ngakham had become a cultural center where all the neighbouring village sent their children to learn the Quran and Islamic sciences.
He died in 1971 and was buried in Ngakham. Every year hundreds of people go on pilgrimage to Ngakham to visit his tomb. Ngakham has become one of the holy places of the Layene community.
Tafsir Ibrahima Mbengue
He was born in 1846 in Rufisque; son of Gane Mbengue and Tabena Seck. He learnt the Quran in Yoff with Tafsir Ndiaga Gueye .
When he was 15 years old he saw something extraordinary happen to Sayidina Limamu Lahi (P.B.O.H). He said that his teacher had sent him with other students to his farm to scare away birds that ate his crops. On their way back home they saw four angels coming down to them from the sky . they caught Sayidina Limamu who was then 18 years old. His companions ran away frightened but he could not run, he was unable to move from the spot ,so he stood and watched . He saw the angels open Limamu’s chest and put something into it then closed it. When later Sayiduna Limamu (P.B.O.H.) announced his prophetic mission he was among the first to believe in him and to defend his doctrine.
He used to organise religious assemblies in which he made a lot of testimony on Sayidina Limamu (P.B.O.H.). The Mahdi had predicted that there would be so many people at his funerals that his corpse would be lifted overhead . He died in Rufisque in 1951 and was buried there Sayiduna Limamu’s prediction became true
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