Chinguetti, a holy city of Islam in the middle of the desert

In the middle of the desert, the village of Chinguetti, in Mauritania, is like a mirage. Yet it is the seventh holy city of Islam. A city used by many Muslims on pilgrimage to Mecca (Saudi Arabia) in the past, but now in retreat. In Chinguetti, fervor for Islam is still present among the population, which follows the laws of the Sharia. Koranic schools are full, where recitations of the Koran are daily. One of the oldest minarets in the world is in the village, dating from the 13th century. Almost 300 years ago, Chinguetti was at its peak, as Sidi Mohamed Baha, a resident of the town, recounts: “There were more than 20,000 inhabitants, 12 mosques, 15 Koranic universities”.

The municipality of Chinguetti has many sacred scrolls, brought back by pilgrims and dating from various and varied periods. The subjects covered are religion, but also philosophy and mathematics. “The library is very important, a lot of Islamic law students come to do research there”, explains Abdel Karim Habbot, curator of the library. A sacred city and a treasure threatened by the sand, while UNESCO acts to protect them.