Let's Talk Religion

Tijaniyya and the Ziyara Bogal - A Modern Sufi Pilgrimage

Let's Talk Religion

Summary

UnitedHealth Group is implementing significant changes to streamline healthcare access for children and rural hospitals. The company is expediting over 60% of children's procedures that previously required pre-approval, aiming to ensure timely care. Additionally, it is accelerating payment processes for more than 1,500 rural hospitals, allowing them to concentrate on serving their communities effectively.

A recent pilgrimage to Bogal, Senegal, highlights the cultural and spiritual significance of the Tijania Sufi Brotherhood. This annual event draws Tijanis from around the world to meet their spiritual leader, Sheikh Abdul Rahman Bari. The pilgrimage emphasizes community, charity, and the deep-rooted connection between politics and religion in the region. Participants engage in rituals such as the Friday prayer and Hadra meetings, which foster a strong sense of belonging and mutual support among attendees.

The experience in Bogal showcases the warmth and hospitality of the local population, contrasting with common misconceptions about Islam. Many attendees express that the pilgrimage embodies the true essence of Islam—community, kindness, and peace. This gathering serves as a reminder of the importance of personal connections in overcoming stereotypes and fostering understanding among diverse cultures.

Show Notes

In this documentary we explore the annual pilgrimage of "Ziyara Bogal", performed by the Tijaniyya Sufi-brotherhood.It presents an image of Islam that isn't perhaps what most people are used to, and how diverse a religious tradition can be.I would like to thank everyone that helped me along the way, and the wonderful people of Bogal for welcoming me. A very special thanks to Sait Mbai and Abdulrahman Barry.Written, shot and presented by Filip HolmEdited by Filip Holm and Aiat AlmansourLet's Talk Religion facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/letstalkreligionchannel/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

More from Let's Talk Religion

Oct 23, 2026

As we continue our series on some of the less known (and sometimes controversial) Sufis of the Middle Ages, we reach the Andalusian poet Abu-l Hasan al-Shushtari. He was a student of Ibn Sab'in but is also famous as a master-poet and Sufi master in his own right.Sources/Suggested Reading:Alvarez, Lourdes Maria (2009). "Abu-l Hasan al-Shushtari: Songs of Love and Devotion". In the "Classics of Western Spirituality" series. Paulist Press.Alvarez, Lourdes Maria (2005). "The Mystical Language of Everyday Life": Vernacular Sufi Poetry and the Songs of Abu Al-Hasan Al-Shustari". Exemplaria. 17:1, 1-32, DOI: 10.1179/exm.2005.17.1.1.Johnson. N. Scott (1995). "Ocean and Pearls: Ibn Sab'in, Shustari and the Doctrine of Absolute Unity". In "Sufi: Journal of Sufism" Issue 25.#Andalusia #Poetry #Sufism Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oct 23, 2026

This is a poem often attributed to Meister Eckhart (d. 1328), the famous Christian mystic/theologian/philosopher.Music: Tomaso Albinoni - Adagio in G minorTranslation taken from "German Mystical Writings: Hildegard of Bingen, Meister Eckhart, Jacob Boehme, and others", Edited by Karen J. Campbell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oct 23, 2026

Nicholas of Cusa was a 15th-century philosopher, theologian, and mathematician whose ideas anticipated modern science and philosophy. In this video, we explore his life, key works, and radical concept of “learned ignorance,” as well as his views on infinity, knowledge and religious diversity. Discover why this forgotten medieval thinker still matters today.Find me and my music here:https://linktr.ee/filipholmSupport Let's Talk Religion on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/letstalkreligion Or through a one-time donation: https://paypal.me/talkreligiondonateAlso check out the Let's Talk Religion Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/0ih4sqtWv0wRIhS6HFgerb?si=95b07d83d0254bSources/Recommended Reading:Bond. H. Lawrence (edited and translated by) (1997). "Nicholas of Cusa: Selected Spiritual Writings". Classics of Western Spirituality Series. Paulist Press.Hopkins, Jasper (translated by) (1986). "NICHOLAS OF CUSA’S DE PACEFIDEI AND CRIBRATIO ALKORANI". Second edition. THE ARTHUR J. BANNING PRESS MINNEAPOLIS.McGinn, Bernard. "The Presence of God" Series, in several volumes. Perhaps the best and most comprehensive introduction to Christian mysticism. Published by Crossroad Publishing Co.Valkenberg, Pim (2011). "Sifting the Qur’an: Two Forms of Interreligious Hermeneutics in Nicholas of Cusa". In "Interreligious Hermeneutics in Pluralistic Europe", Currents of Encounter Online, Volume: 40. Brill.Chapters:0:00 Intro1:14 Life & Times13:03 Works15:10 On Learned Ignorance & God as Maximum20:05 The Coincidence of Opposites23:57 Learned Ignorance & Apophaticism28:00 Creation as Contraction32:40 Christ & The Trinity37:40 (Un)Naming God46:01 Mysticism & The Vision of God52:33 Dialogue with Islam & Ecumenism1:00:07 Quran Commentary1:06:09 Legacy & Afterlife1:10:13 Conclusion#christianity #mysticism #cusanus Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oct 23, 2026

Link to my Patreon page:https://www.patreon.com/letstalkreligion Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oct 23, 2026

Discover the mysteries of Picatrix (Ghayat al-Hakim), one of the most influential books of magic ever written. This ancient Arabic text has fascinated mystics, scholars, and occultists for centuries with its unique blend of astrology, alchemy, and Hermetic philosophy. In this episode, we explore its origins, history, and the themes it contains.Thank you to Dr. Saif for appearing in, and helping out with, this video. Check out her excellent work (some of which is listed in the sources below).Find me and my music here:https://linktr.ee/filipholmSupport Let's Talk Religion on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/letstalkreligion Or through a one-time donation: https://paypal.me/talkreligiondonateAlso check out the Let's Talk Religion Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/0ih4sqtWv0wRIhS6HFgerb?si=95b07d83d0254bMusic by:Filip HolmSources/Recomended Reading:Attrell, Dan & David Porreca (translated by) (2019). “Picatrix: A Medieval Treatise on Astral Magic”. Pennsylvania State University Press. Fierro, Maribel (1996). “Batinism in al-Andalus: Maslama b. Qasim al-Qurtubi, author of the Rutbat al-Hakim and the Ghayat al-Hakim (Picatrix)”. In “Studia Islamica, 1996/2, 84”. Brill.Melvin-Koushki, Matthew & Noah Gardner (2017). "Islamicate Occultism: New Perspectives". Brill.Pingree, David (1981). “Between the Ghaya and the Pixatrix”. In “Journal of the Warburg and Courtauld Institutes, Volume 44, 1981”. University of Chicago Press.Saif, Liana (2015). "The Arabic Influences on Early Modern Occult Philosophy". Palgrave Macmillan.Saif, Liana; Francesca Leoni; Matthew Melvin-Koushki & Farouk Yahya (2021). "Islamicate Occult Sciences in Theory and Practice". Brill.Savage-Smith, Emily (ed.) (2004). "Magic & Divination in Early Islam". Ashgate Publishing.#Picatrix #magic #occultism Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

See all episodes →