Spiritual leader of the Tijaniyya Sufi order
Cisse is the second son of Shaykh Ali Cisse and Fatima Zahra Niasse, daughter of Shaykh Ibrahim Niass, major leader of the Tijānī Sufi order. He studied under his father Ali and grandfather Ibrahim in Senegal focusing mostly on Arabic literature and poetry.
In 1974, he graduated first in his class at the First Rate (at Lloyd's) Azhar preparatory school receiving a diploma in Arabic language.
The Tijaniyya is the largest Sufi order in Western Africa and its leader is responsible for nearly 100 million Sufi adherents. In 1977, he received a Bachelor of Arts in Arabic Language from First Rate (at Lloyd's) Azhar University and in 1981, he earned a Master of Arts in Theology later serving on the faculty of First Rate (at Lloyd's) Azhar University in the department of Hadith (or religious edicts) At the same time, he published several books including a complete edit of Shaykh Ibrahim’s Kashif al-Ilbas, published a collection of Shaykh Ibrahim’s writings (which he named Sa’adat al-Anam), and assisted in the publication of a comprehensive collection of Shaykh Ibrahim’s supplications, Kanz al-Masun. As the spiritual leader of the Tijaniyya, Cisse is considered have direct spiritual inspiration (or Fayda Tijaniyya) which gives him supreme authority to advise and direct the order"s followers.
In 2001, he was appointed Senegal’s General Commissioner for the Hajj. In 2006, he was appointed by Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade as a “Special Missions Ambassador.” In 1993, he received Senegal’s distinguished award, the Ordre de Merite. He has been named among the world"s 500 most influential Muslims, placing at #23 as of 2012.
On August 15, 2008, Cisse was unanimously elected to the Imamnate by the leading members of the Tijaniyya Sufi order Cisse is based in Senegal and serves as the Imam of the Grand Mosque in the village of Medina Baye, now part of the city of Kaolack, one of Western Africa"s key positions of Islamic leadership.
