Publisher's Synopsis
Now in order to learn what it means to be a talibe, I reflected on the words that our beloved Serigne Saliou Mbacke spoke to his beloved talibe, Cheikh Bethio Thioune... Serigne Saliou Mbacke asked Cheikh Bethio Thioune, "Do you know why I tell you about Serigne Touba and Cheikh Ibra Fall?" He (Cheikh Bethio) said, "No Mbacke..." Serigne Saliou said, "It is because I want you to know about our relationship...." This conversation allowed me to approach the concept that Cheikh Ibrahima Fall, Baboul Mouridine, was the prototype of what is known as the 'Murid Sadikh'.It dawned upon me that Serigne Saliou Mbacke wanted to make sure that Cheikh Bethio and his talibe did not get distracted or lose his focus on Allah. A distraction could cause a talibe to go astray and miss their objective. So Serigne Saliou let him know that he should focus on him in the same manner that Cheikh Ibra Fall focused on Serigne Touba. As to those who believe not in the Hereafter, We have made their deeds pleasing in their eyes; and so they wander about in distraction. [Sura 27:4]To lose focus on the most important aspect by focusing on something less important and missing the primary objective would be a great distraction and an untimely loss. Some people are distracted by creation and the creatures that inhabit it and can not focus single mindedly on the Creator. For example, a person aiming at a target gets distracted by a fly. And, as he focuses on the fly he misses the target which he originally wanted to hit. The objective was missed because the attention was diverted by something other than the target. The Divine Reality is transcendent (beyond shape and form) but in essence is immanent in creation. This means that the entire physical, mental and spiritual system of existence is completely interwoven and dependent; in reality there is no separation in it. The purpose of existence is to know Allah; Know Me before you worship Me - He is the First, He is the Last; He is the Outwardly Manifest and the Inwardly Hidden.
