Origins & Early Life

Hadji Oumarûl Foutiyou Tall (ʿUmar ibn Saʿīd al-Fūtī Ṭaʿl, Arabic: حاج عمر بن سعيد الفوتي طعل, c. 1794 – 1864 CE), born in Futa Tooro, present-day Senegal, was a Senegalese Tijani sufi Toucouleur Islamic scholar and military commander who founded the short-lived Tukulor Empire, which encompassed much of what is now Senegal, Mauritania, Guinea and Mali. Omar Tall’s name is spelt variously: in particular, his first name is commonly transliterated in French as Omar, although some sources prefer Umar; the patronymic, ibn Saʿīd, is often omitted; and the final element of his name, Tall (Arabic: طعل), is spelt variously as Tall, Taal or Tal. The honorific El Hadj (also al-Hajj or el-Hadj), reserved for a Muslim who has successfully made the Hajj to Mecca, precedes Omar Tall's name in many texts, especially those in Arabic.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Later he also took on the honorifics Amir al-Mu'minin, Khalifa, Qutb (pole of the universe), vizier of the Mahdi, Khalifat Khatim al-Awliya (successor of the seal of saints), and Almami (Imam). Omar Tall was born about 1794 in Halwar in the Imamate of Futa Toro (present-day Senegal), the tenth of twelve children. His father was Saidou Tall,...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

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