View source for Cherif Mohamed Aly Aidara

{{Short description|Senegalese-Mauritanian Shia religious leader}}
{{Infobox person
| name          = Chérif Mohamed Aly Aïdara
| image         = Mozdahir-a-propos.jpg
| caption       = Portrait of Chérif Mohamed Aly Aïdara
| birth_name    =
| birth_date    = 1959
| birth_place   = [[Darou Hidjiratou]], [[Kolda Region]], [[Senegal]]
| death_date    =
| death_place   =
| mother             = Maimouna Diao
| father             = [[Cherif Al-Hassane Aidara]]
| relatives          = [[Cherif Habib Aidara]] (brother)
| citizenship   = Senegalese and Mauritanian
| spouse        =
| children      =
| occupation    = Shi'i religious leader and [[international development]] specialist
| known_for     = Founder of [[Mozdahir]]
}}
'''[[Sharif|Cherif]] Mohamed Aly Aidara''' is a [[Shia Islam in Senegal|Senegalese]]-Mauritanian Shia religious leader who is known for his work on [[international development]] in [[West Africa]]. He is one of the primary Shia religious figures in [[Senegal]] and West Africa.<ref>Leichtman, Mara A. and Mamadou Diouf. (2009). ''New Perspectives on Islam in Senegal: Conversion, Migration, Wealth, Power and Femininity''. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.</ref>
==Early life and family==
Of mixed [[Mauritanian people|Mauritanian]] and [[Fulani]] descent, Cherif Mohamed Aly Aidara was born in 1959 in [[Darou Hidjiratou]], a village in [[Bonconto (commune)|Bonconto Commune]], [[Kolda Region]], southern Senegal that was founded by his father. His father is [[Cherif Al-Hassane Aidara]], a Mauritanian man from the Al Lakhal branch of the Laghlal tribe of Mauritania who claims descent from [[Idris I of Morocco|Moulay Idriss]] of the [[Idrisid dynasty]], while his mother is Maimouna Diao, a Senegalese Peul (Fulani) woman from the Diao clan.<ref>[https://www.scribd.com/document/49609394/Qui-est-Cherif-Mohamed-Aly-Aidara-1 Qui est Cherif Mohamed Aly Aidara].</ref> As a Senegalese ''[[sharif]]'', Aidara claims direct descent from Muhammad (see [[silsila]]).<ref>Leichtman, Mara A. (2015). ''[http://www.iupress.indiana.edu/product_info.php?cPath=1037_3130_3698&products_id=807558  Shi‘i Cosmopolitanisms in Africa: Lebanese Migration and Religious Conversion in Senegal] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191215083316/http://www.iupress.indiana.edu/product_info.php?cPath=1037_3130_3698&products_id=807558 |date=2019-12-15 }}''. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, Public Cultures of the Middle East and North Africa series.</ref>
After completing traditional Islamic education in Senegal, much of which was taught by his father, Aidara continued his education at the [[Alliance française]] in [[Paris]], France. He is fluent in Arabic, English, French, Pulaar ([[Fulfulde]]), and [[Wolof language|Wolof]].<ref name="Mozdahir">[https://mozdahir.sn/biographie/ Portrait de Cherif Mohamad Aly Aïdara] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191205181037/https://mozdahir.sn/biographie/ |date=2019-12-05 }}. Institut International Mozdahir.</ref>
His brother [[Cherif Habib Aidara]] is the leader of [[Bonconto (commune)|Bonconto Commune]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://habibaidara.blogspot.com/p/propos-de-cherif-habib-aidara.html |title=Présentation de Chérif Habib AÏDARA |accessdate=Feb 21, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://senenet.net/index.php/2019/05/07/sortie-du-maire-de-bonkontou-les-precisions-de-cherif-habibou-aidara/ |title=SORTIE DU MAIRE DE BONKONTOU : Les précisions de Chérif Habibou Aïdara |accessdate=Feb 21, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200221153226/http://senenet.net/index.php/2019/05/07/sortie-du-maire-de-bonkontou-les-precisions-de-cherif-habibou-aidara/ |archive-date=February 21, 2020 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
==Career==
In 2000, Cherif Mohamed Aly Aidara founded the NGO [[Mozdahir]] International Institute in Senegal.<ref name="Diop">Diop, Macoumba (2013). [https://www.cairn.info/revue-histoire-monde-et-cultures-religieuses-2013-4-page-63.htm L'introduction du chiisme au Sénégal]. In ''Histoire, monde et cultures religieuses'' 2013/4 (n° 28), pages 63-77.</ref> Aidara has focused on education and development, such as managing social development projects, promoting the use of Islamic [[microfinance]],<ref>[https://politique221.com/finance-islamique-cest-un-moyen-de-lutte-contre-la-pauvrete-cherif-mohamed-aly-aidara-president-de-linstitut-mozdahir-international/ Finance Islamique : « C'est un moyen de lutte contre la pauvreté » (Chérif Mohamed Aly Aïdara, Président de l'Institut Mozdahir International)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200201050232/https://politique221.com/finance-islamique-cest-un-moyen-de-lutte-contre-la-pauvrete-cherif-mohamed-aly-aidara-president-de-linstitut-mozdahir-international/ |date=2020-02-01 }}. ''Politique221''.</ref> and increasing awareness of Shi'i Islam in Senegal.<ref>[https://fr.shafaqna.com/senegal-127-jeunes-de-velingara-sinforment-sur-lislam-chiite/ Sénégal : 127 jeunes de Vélingara s'informent sur l'islam chiite]. ''Shafaqna''.</ref>
During his early career, Aidara focused his development and educational projects mostly in the [[Casamance]] region ([[Fouladou]]) of southern Senegal, but has since expanded beyond Senegal into other parts of West Africa, including [[Mali]], [[Guinea Bissau]], [[Burkina Faso]], [[Ivory Coast]], and other African countries.<ref>Leichtman, Mara A. (2017). [https://nomadit.co.uk/conference/ecas7/paper/37391 The NGO-ization of Shi'i Islam in Senegal: Bridging the Urban-Rural Divide]. ECAS7: 7th European Conference on African Studies. Basel, 29 June - 1 July 2017.</ref> He frequently travels internationally and collaborates with major international NGOs such as the [[World Food Programme]].<ref name="Diop"/>
He has built and expanded the [[Mozdahir]] community across Senegalese cities such as [[Dakar]], [[Dahra]] Djoloff, [[Kolda]], [[Ziguinchor]], [[Saloum]], and [[Vélingara]]. He also founded the Mozdahir community village of [[Nadjaf Al Ashraf (Senegal)|Nadjaf Al Achraf]] and helped develop Teyel and Foulamori villages, with schools and mosques constructed in each of those villages.<ref>[http://www.shiafrica.com/archive/91/Le-chiisme-au-S%C3%A9n%C3%A9gal-Mozdahir Le chiisme au Sénégal Mozdahir]. ''Shia Africa''.</ref>
Aidara also directs the radio stations Radio Mozdahir FM in [[Dakar]], and Radio Zahra FM in [[Kolda]] (see also [[list of radio stations in Senegal]]).<ref name="Mozdahir"/>
==Works==
Books in French:<ref name="Mozdahir"/>
*''Les Vérités de La Succession du Prophète''
*''Sayyidda [[Zaynab bint Ali|Zaynab]] (pslf) l’héroïne de [[Battle of Karbala|Karbala]]''
*''La prière du Prophète Mouhammad (pslf) selon les membres de sa famille''
*''[[Event of Ghadir Khumm|Ghadir Khoum]] : Qui relate l’évènement de Ghadir et le fameux discours du prophète (pslf) ce jour-là.''
*''[[Ashura|Achoura]] jour de deuil ou jour de fête ?''
*''Principes de la finance islamique''
==See also==
{{portal|Senegal|Shia Islam}}
*[[Shia Islam in Senegal]]
*[[Mozdahir]]
*[[Darou Hidjiratou]]
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{Islam in Senegal}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Aidara, Cherif Mohamed Aly}}
[[Category:1959 births]]
[[Category:Senegalese religious leaders]]
[[Category:People in international development]]
[[Category:Living people]]