Szajch Mā’ al-‘Aynayn (1831–1910) – mauretański sufi i bojownik w historii i literaturze
Shaykh Mā’ al-‘Aynayn (1831–1910) – the Mauritanian Sufi and Warrior in History and Literature

Summary/Abstract: Shaykh Mā’ al-̒Aynayn al-Qalqamī is one of the most important figures in the modern history of Mauritania, Western Sahara (Rio de Oro and As-Sāqiya ǎl-Ḥamrā’), and Morocco. He was a mystic, founder of the ̒Ayniyya Sufi brotherhood, and a political activist who became famous for his fight against French colonialism and its symbol in his country. His action was supported by the sultans of Morocco, who were also threatened by French influence, Therefore, he is sometimes associated with that country, and his tomb in Tiznīt (Morocco) is a place of pilgrimage. As a Muslim scholar and politician, he represented a conservative outlook, and his eclectic views were oriented towards pan-Islamism. The purpose of this article is to provide a broader presentation of Mā’ al-̒Aynayn, a figure under-researched in Polish orientalist and historical literature, much like the history of Mauritania itself. The first part presents the sheikh’s biography and actions in the light of historical sources, primarily Arabic. The second part explores his reception in Moorish folk literature and in the work of the French writer JMG Le Clezio – in his novel Desert and in the travelogue Gens des nuages [“People in the Clouds”], written with his wife Jemia.

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