Marabout
A marabout is a personal spiritual leader in the Islam faith as practiced in West Africa, and still to a limited extent in the Maghreb. The marabout is often a scholar of the Qur'an, and many make amulets for good luck, preside at various ceremonies, and in some cases actively guide the life of the follower. In the Muslim brotherhoods of Senegal, the marabouts are organized in elaborate hierarchies; the highest marabout of the Mourides, for example, has been elevated to the status of a ruler, almost a demigod, by the faithful. Marabouts rely on donations to live. Often there is an obligation to support the marabout that has accumulated over generations within a family. Marabouts normally dress in traditional West African robes.
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