Assahafa.com
The annual tradition of the “Ziarra” to the mausoleum of Sheikh Ahmad al-Tijani in Fez is witnessing growing enthusiasm in Senegal, attracting an ever-increasing number of devotees beyond the traditional confraternity circles, reported the Senegalese daily Le Soleil on Sunday.
Long regarded as the preserve of a religious elite, this pious practice became widely democratized from the 1980s onward, before experiencing significant expansion beginning in 2012, driven in particular by the increase in Dakar-Morocco air connections and the dynamism of spiritual tourism, the newspaper noted.
Similarly, Senegalese travel agencies now offer one-week organized trips, specifically designed to coincide with the celebrations of Maouloud, Gamou, or other major spiritual occasions, the publication added.
Le Soleil also recalled that the tradition of the Ziarra, whose roots date back to 1922, became institutionalized after the Second World War, noting in this regard that the late His Majesty Mohammed V had offered Senegalese pilgrims the Dar Kettani residence, a highly symbolic gesture illustrating the depth and long-standing nature of the spiritual ties between Senegal and Morocco.
The training of Senegalese scholars at Al Quaraouiyine University, participation in the Dourous Hassaniya, and the creation of the Mohammed VI Foundation of African Ulema confirm this exemplary cooperation, of which the Ziarra of Fez remains one of the most eloquent symbols, according to the same source.
Source: map
