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Periodical article Periodical article Leiden University catalogue Leiden University catalogue WorldCat catalogue WorldCat
Title:'The Chronicle of the Succession': An Important Document for the Umarian State
Author:Robinson, DavidISNI
Year:1990
Periodical:The Journal of African History
Volume:31
Issue:2
Pages:245-262
Language:English
Geographic term:West Africa
Subjects:jihads
Tukolor polity
historical sources
History and Exploration
Religion and Witchcraft
Peoples of Africa (Ethnic Groups)
External link:https://www.jstor.org/stable/182767
Abstract:The Arabic text which is translated here describes a ceremony in which al-.h¯ajj 'Umar Tal, founder of a jih¯ad and State in the western Sudan in the mid-nineteenth century, sought to transmit his temporal and spiritual authority to his oldest son, A.hmad al-Kab¯ir. The ceremony occurred in 1860, just as the Umarian armies were about to embark upon a campaign against the 'pagan' Bambara kingdom of Segu. While the transfer of power to A.hmad is very clearly stated in the text, the ceremony did not resolve the issue or the conflict among the sons of 'Umar, which continued until the French conquest at the end of the century. The explanation for the continuing conflict lies partly in the loose structure of the original Umarian jih¯ad against 'paganism' and partly in divisions among the faithful over the jih¯ad against alleged 'apostasy' which 'Umar undertook at the end of his life against the Muslim Fulbe of Masina. The text, which was written by Mu.hammad ibn Ibr¯ah¯im ibn 'Umar ibn Mu.hammad ibn M¯usa, also shows the close links between the Umarian movement and the Tijaniyya order and the ways in which important political statements can be couched in Sufi language. Notes, ref.
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