WA KEUR MAM MAMUT YASSIN

Mam mamut yassin

بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

Mamut Yassin was a son of Sait Hincha Njomeh. He was born with a complete set of teeth; that was the reason why his mother used to cover him whenever she was going outside with him. His place of birth has not yet been known. He originally came from Senegal, even though there may not be Senegal and The Gambia at that time because the border that divides these two countries was drawn in 1889. He settled in a place called Ngallambo in Ndakharr, Senegal with Sait Kani, who was the son of Bakary Kura Gai. They lived there for a period of time.

When Mamut Yassin left Ndakharr, he came and settled in a place called Nguncaldi. This was a place found in the eastern side of Koudeh village, between Panchang Madi Fanna and Panchang Serigne Sait; almost on the borderline of The Gambia and Senegal. There was a lot of Baobab trees in that area. Mamut Yassin stayed there for a while digging a Well. They did their level best, but it was hard for them to reach the water table of the well. They used to get water from Panchang Madi Fanna while the digging of the well continued. During that time Musa Chendou Ndufeh who was a representative of Maba Jehu Bah and a grandson of Mam Madi Bakar, had fought the enemies in Sanchi Taba. He founded Panchang Sanchi Taba. Both Musa Chendou and Maba were Muslim. Enemies did whatever they could but couldn’t kill Musa Chendou because he was having so many Charms that was preventing the bullets from hitting him. They were able to succeed in killing him when all his charms were removed. When Musa Chendou was killed and buried behind Oggo Cham's compound in Sanchi Taba, the village was deserted.

The Alkali of Panchang Madi Fanna at that time was either Mamut Gai or Mamut Samba Ngibaye. He sympathized them for the lack of water and called mamut Yassin to come and stayed with him in Panchang Madi Fanna. Mamut Yassin did not agree for the simple fact that Mamut Gai’s place was not a favorable place for the teaching and learning of the Quran at that time. The place was so noisy due to the drums from wrestling contest and the occasional music played by the youths. Mamut Yassin told the Alkali that his students might be changed by the flamboyant life in Panchang Madi Fanna. He chose to relocate to Panchang Sanchi Taba where he would be rebuilding the demolished village of Musa Chendou. He was spiritually told a specific well there of which he was searching for. The Alkali was having so many able young men and promised him that whenever he discovered the said Well, his able men would dig it for him. The well is known as “Gauge” which is a Wolof word meaning, Sea. This Well is still seen as a sacred place and that is why during wedding ceremonies in Panchang Madi Fanna and Panchang Wharf Town, brides are usually accompanied to visit the well in Panchang Sanchi Taba. This Well, at times its water level used to rise above normal. When that happened Mam Madi Huma used to write certain verses from the Quran and sent either Alhagie Ebou Ceesay of Talinding or Mamut Kumba Ceesay to go and drop it in the well. They were students at that time. As soon as they dropped it in the well, its water level would go back to normal.

Vast majority of people believed that Mamut Yassin lived in Fass Alhagie Bassin village in Upper Saloum when he was constructing a mosque there; while others said he was staying in Panchang Sanchi Taba and frequently travelled to and from Fass during the construction. It was unanimously agreed that he constructed a Mosque that village; and that was why Mam Madi Huma used to say, Allah has given Sait Fatim the crowd, Gibel Adam the wealth but has given me this big Mosque in Sanchi Taba. Madi Huma said the mosque in Sanchi Taba was a compensation of the one his father built in Fass Alhagie Bassin.

Mamut Yassin was a religious leader with many disciples, he was well respected for his religious and spiritual knowledge. He lived peacefully with Sawallo Fanna Mbass who was the chief of Upper Saloum, based in Njau village, because they were all practicing the same Islamic principles. He was well respected in the region and was having so many disciples. He was widely believed to be so closed to the Almighty Allah that many people needed his prayers. Usually whatever he prayed for; it would come into being. That was the reason why the family of Mam Narr Mbenda wanted the great Marabout to pray for her because she was seriously ill. The family of Mam Narr Mbenda knew Mam Mamut Yassin before. Let's connect the dots here. These five people were from the same mother: Famta Bob, Jah Bob, Fatim Bob, Khoja Bob and Jay Bob.

Famta Bob was the mother of Mam Bakary and Mam Mbenda Ndurr, but Mam Narr Mbenda was the daughter of Mam Mbenda Ndurr and Mam Madi Maram Sallah Ceesay. Fatim Bob Mbye was a wife of Mam Mamut Yassin. She had a speedy recovery after being attended by Mamut Yassin and eventually her family requested the Marabout to marry her because they really admired his piousness, simplicity and religious belief. This lady later became the mother of Ousainou Narr who was one of the youngest son of Mam Mamut Yassin.

Mam Mamut Yassin used to go with Ousainou Narr to Kerr Mamut Fanna during the night and left him to squat under an old tree and went for his nightly routine affairs. Few hours before Fajr prayer, he would come and picked up Ousainou Narr and come to Panchang Sanchi Taba to lead the Fajr Prayer. Therefore, we see that there is no way an ordinary man could do that because the distance between these two villages was not a working distant. (Taken from our grandfather Bai Cheikh Ceesay who was in Ndakharr, Senegal)

There was another incident, after completing his Fajr prayer in the Mosque, he asked the congregation not to let their family members go the river (Daybantang) for fishing. Daybantang, is the name of the river on the eastern side of Panchang Sanchi Taba. Some people obeyed while others paid no attention to his advice. They went for fishing. As soon as they entered the river, a big, fierce crocodile jumped on one of the men and killed him. Other fishermen did their level best and captured the crocodile. They brought both the body of the man and the dead crocodile home. At the Janasa prayer, in front of the mosque, mamut Yassin asked the people to respect the command of their leaders. He told them that suppose everyone respected his command, that man may have not died.

All or most of Mam Mamut Yassin's children were born in his village- Panchang Sanchi Taba. He was having a big Islamic school ‘Dara’ where all his children started their basic education. His first son Madi Bakar did not live long so everyone of his family was loyal to Mam Sait Fatim; the younger brother of Madi Bakar. There was a time when his children left home to further their education in another place. Each December or January one or some of them would come home to visit him. One fine year, Mam Gibel Hadam came. He found the compound so dilapidated; the fence was fallen down so sheep, goats and donkeys were entering from every corner. As a hardworking young man, Mam Gibel dislike the condition of the compound and went to the forest to fetch the necessary materials to reconstruct the compound. He eventually did a magnificent job which his father, appreciated a lot. He wrote a letter to Mam Sait Fatim telling him that he wouldn’t let Gibel Hadam to come to the school again. He stated in the letter that Gibel was highly need in the compound for he (Mamut Yassin) was old and would need someone beside him who would be doing the required maintenance of the compound. He told Sait Fatim that he interrupted Gibel’s education but would guarantee that Gibel would be a wealthy man whom all of his relatives would be seeking financial assistance from. Mam Sait Fatim and other children could not agree with their father’s statement, saying that Gibel couldn’t be more prosperous than them.

After so many years, Mam Sait Fatim wrote a book and wanted to sell it. This book was given to each of his younger brothers to sell, but none of them could sell it. One-day Mam Gibel Hadam came to visit his brother Mam Sait Fatim; unfortunately, he arrived late at night and waited until the following morning before trying to see his brother. Mam Gibel came to Mam Sait’s room early in the morning and greeted him. “When did you come Gibel”? Asked Sait Fatim. “Last night, it was too late for me to visit you as a result I waited until this morning”, replied Gibel Hadam. After the usual conversation, Sait Fatim told him that he wrote a book which he wanted to sell; unfortunately, he gave it to everyone, but none could sell it. He wanted Gibel to go and sell it for him. As soon as Gibel step out of the compound, one Senegalese man arrived with a horse. The man asked if that was the compound of Serigne Sait Fatim and told them he needed one of his handwritten books. “This is the compound, and here is one of his written books for sale”, Replied Gibel. The bought the book with a double price and returned. When Gibel returned to Sait Fatim and told him that he had sold the book within that short moment, Sait could not believe it. He called all the other brothers and asked if that book was not given to each of them and none could sell it; they replied in positive. Sait Fatim took out the letter which was written by their father Mamut Yassin and shown it to them again. This shows that we are more educated than Gibel but he is luckier and more prosperous than us. He reminded them the work Gibel Hadam had done for their father.

There was another incident when Sheriff Yonus of Bangherr visited Mamut Yassin in Panchang Sancha Taba. Sheriff Yonus came and found him reading one Sura from the Quran called Suratu Yonus, and few minutes later one of his wives Mam Huma Kalla gave birth to a baby boy. Mamut Yassin said, wow! I’m reading Sura Yonus, Sheriff Yonus is here, and my wife has delivered a baby boy. He named the baby after the Sheriff. Soon after, it was time for them to pray one of the five daily prayers. Mamut Yassin took the kettle and started performing his ablution. He poured water in his right hand and put it in his mouth and rinsed it while the Sheriff was watching. He threw out the water and started washing his hands. “That’s not the way an ablution is performed”, the Sheriff said to Mam Mamut Yassin. He was trying to correct him.” Ablution doesn’t start from rinsing a mouth; you need to wash your hands before rinsing your mouth”, said the Sheriff. Mamut Yassin didn’t say a word, but just continued his ablution. He finished, it’s now the Sheriff’s turn. He demanded more water and Mam Mamut Yassin went to the small jar and put some water in the kettle for the Sheriff to do his ablution. The water in that jar was not suitable for ablution because it had some taste. Either bitter kola nuts or Kola nut was in the jar. People used to put these nuts in their jars so that they would not dry and could be easily chewed. In this case, the water is suitable for drinking but not ablution. The Sheriff started his ablution, washed his hands three time and started rinsing his mouth. He then realized that the water had some taste in it which disqualified it from being suitable for ablution. “Mamut Yassin didn’t you know that the water that can be used for ablution is the water that has no taste, this water has a taste”, said the Sheriff. “If you had tasted the water before starting your ablution, you would have known whether it was good or not before wasting the water; and that was the reason why I started putting it in my mouth to taste it first”, said Mamut Yassin. “I now agree, you have a point again”, said the Sheriff. He was a great teacher and always convey his messages properly.

Mam Mamut Yassin lived in the same generation with Mam Seringe Touba who was born 1852 and passed away in July 19,1927 and Mam Maudo Malick Sey who was born around 1855 and passed away in June 27,1922. This is the period that Mamut Yassin was living. Some people believed he passed away three years before Mam Serigne Touba. He had taught the Islamic religion to so many people, built a strong, united and righteous family. His mission was completed when all or most of his children were highly qualified to do the job. He felt sick and the sickness was not improving. His family were doing their level best to retain him in this world, but to no avail. Tamsir Amadou Jay was his trusted and chosen Imam; they love each other for the sake of Allah, but separation must come. After a tough medical battle, Mamut Yassin passed away in Panchang Sancha Taba. It was a very sad day, darkness and silence rule over everywhere. Some were crying, some were drawing water from the well he dug called Gauge for his spiritual bath while the rest were very confused. The sad news had been relayed to all over the region. What a large crowd! people were coming from everywhere; the village became overcrowded. His body was finally prepared and brought to the mosque in front of the large crowd. Imam Tamsir Amadou Jay, his favorite Imam delivered a very loaded speech which ended, 'Mamut Yassin's body is gone but spiritually he would ever remain in our hearts.' He finally led the ‘Janasa’ prayer and they laid him to rest in Panchang Sancha Taba.

Tamsir Amadou Jay could no longer enjoy his stay in Sancha Taba without the Khalifa, after a while, he returned to Mabo in Senegal. Among the family of Tamsir Amadou Jay were Alhagie Mot Jay in Mbirkiland, Senegal, Babou Jay and Dam Fanna in Dakar.

In 1963 Mam Madi Huma started the annual recitation of the Holy Quran for his father Mamut Yassin and his brother Sait Fatim. In 1979 Mam Babou Jay left Kungel, Senegal to Panchang Sancha Taba via Kerr Mamut Fanna. He met Mamut Jay, Chendou Kura and Mamut Hincha there. They asked him to spend the night there so that they could go together to Panchang Sancha and visit the grave of their grandfather-Mamut Yassin. The following day they boarded a boat from Niamina heading to Panchang. When they reached the North Bank of the river, they told the captain of the boat to wait to for them because they would not spend the night in Panchang. They came and met Mam Madi Huma in Panchang who welcome them nicely. They read the Quran, recited so many "Salatu Alanabi" and other useful chatting pertaining to the great marabout until lunch time, then Awa Sarr, a wife of Mam Madi Huma brought the lunch. After eating their lunch, Mam Madi Huma gave them the permission to return since the captain was waiting for them at riverbank. They dispersed after their Zohr prayer, which is the 2 pm prayer. Therefore, the official starting date of Mamut Yassin’s annual “Ciyareh” was in 1979.

The annual "Ciyareh" of Panchang Sanchi Taba is the last Sunday in March.