Followers of the Mouride Brotherhood leave the mausoleum of the brotherhood's founder, Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba, inside the Grand Mosque of Touba during the Grand Magal, an annual religious pilgrimage commemorating his departure into exile, in Touba on August 2, 2026. Millions of followers traveled to the holy city of Touba for what is considered one of the world's largest religious gatherings, commemorating the exile of the founder of Mouridism, Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba, also known as Serigne Touba. In 1895, French colonial authorities exiled Serigne Touba to Gabon, concerned about his growing influence. He briefly returned to Senegal in 1902 before being exiled again to Mauritania from 1903 to 1907. He then returned to Senegal, where he remained until his death in 1927. The number of pilgrims increases every year, with more than 6.5 million attending in 2025. A recent study by Cheikh Ahmadoul Khadim University (UCAK) and Alioune Diop University of Bambey (UADB) estimated that the Grand Magal generates 629.6 billion CFA francs (about USD 1.11 billion) for the Senegalese economy. (Photo by PATRICK MEINHARDT / AFP via Getty Images)