Thousands of followers of a Sufi Muslim brotherhood celebrate a sacred date in Senegal

Prayers and melodic chants reverberated across Dakar’s Yoff neighborhood as thousands of followers from the Layene brotherhood commemorated the first public appearance of their founder Seydina Limamou Laye in 1884. Dressed in white robes to symbolize purity and equality before God, worshippers filled the streets leading to Yoff’s beachside mosque on Friday. The gathering marked the 145th anniversary of Seydina Limamou Laye’s declaration as the prophet. The Layene brotherhood, while smaller than Senegal’s other Sufi orders, has gained attention for its distinctive beliefs, including the controversial claim that their founder was a reincarnation of the Prophet Muhammad.