Description: (West African Islamic Scholar Who Founded the Short-Lived Toucouleur Empire)
ʿUmar Tal was a Senegalese Tijani sufi Islamic scholar and military commander who established the Toucouleur Empire. He governed territories in modern-day Senegal, Mauritania, Guinea, and Mali. Tal was renowned for his dual roles as a military leader and religious scholar, integrating his academic endeavors with military conquests to enlarge his realm. His influence was profound in the local history, shaping the Islamic and political realms of West Africa in the 19th century.