IUM Celebrates Graduation of Its Fourth Cohort in Senegal

• Sada Al-Jamiah - Dakar

The capital city of Dakar, Senegal, witnessed a grand celebration on September 13, 2025, marking the graduation of the fourth cohort of students from the Islamic University of Minnesota’s branch in Senegal. The ceremony was attended by the university’s president, Prof. Shaikh Waleed bin Idrees Al-Maneese, along with a distinguished gathering of scholars, academic leaders, and religious figures from Senegal and neighboring countries.

A total of seventy students-male and female-graduated in this cohort, in the presence of prominent scholars and dignitaries, including Dr. Bab Mukhtar Kebe, Shaikh Mamour Mbacké Murtada, President of Sheikh Ahmad Bamba University, Imam Ismail Dème, Director of the Muslim World League in Senegal, and Mr. Fathi Eid, Director of the World Assembly of Muslim Youth in Dakar. Representatives from the Ministry of Education and Culture, as well as several universities and institutes, also attended.

In his address, Prof. Al-Maneese emphasized that this graduation represents a significant milestone in the university’s educational and missionary journey in Africa, praising the efforts of the faculty and students in advancing Islamic knowledge and promoting the Arabic language. He also highlighted the university’s commitment to strengthening its academic and religious partnerships across the continent.

The university president’s visit to Senegal also included a series of official meetings and field visits. On September 14, he visited the city of Mbour, where he met Sheikh Mohamed Al-Habib Kan, President of the Union of Imams, along with several local religious leaders. He reviewed their educational and missionary needs and toured a Qur’an memorization school and the city’s grand mosque, which is in need of renovation and development.

On September 15, Prof. Al-Maneese visited Sheikh Ahmad Bamba University in the city of Touba, as well as its branches in Dakar and Bambey, where he learned about the university’s experience as one of the largest in Senegal, hosting tens of thousands of students and serving graduates of Arabic and Azhar-affiliated schools.

He also met on September 16 with senior officials from the University of Dakar, including the Dean of the Faculty of Science and Education, the Head of the Arabic Department, and the Director of Public Relations, to discuss prospects for academic cooperation between the two institutions. Additionally, he visited the headquarters of the World Assembly of Muslim Youth in Senegal and discussed potential avenues for collaboration with its director, Dr. Fathi Eid.

This visit reflects the Islamic University of Minnesota’s commitment to strengthening its ties with academic and missionary institutions in Africa, expanding its educational outreach, and advancing its mission to promote Islamic education and the Arabic language-building a generation of knowledgeable, conscious graduates who contribute to the progress of their communities.