Religion

Mauritania is completely Muslim. The people are Sunni Muslims from the Khadria and Thiyania brotherhoods. Religion is a blend of Islam and traditional African beliefs. People believe in supernatural spirits because they believe that everything and everyone has life and is dangerous. Taboos are respected, and protection charms and amulets are utilized.

Each brotherhood has a founder who serves as a spiritual medium and is revered for his healing abilities. Through spiritual touch with these spiritual gurus, people can obtain a blessing. The power of the founders grows with their age. Traditional spiritual medicine practitioners have authority based on their local experience and value system.

Rituals are frequently tied to Islamic prayers. Tombs and graveyards are revered as sacred sites. People avoid going to those locations at specific times of the day, and they avoid cutting wood near a cemetery. Certain forests and trees are regarded as sacred, and they are used for healing. Every day, religious ceremonies are held in mosques or open fields. Prayers are held in open fields or in larger mosques in metropolitan areas during more important weekly festivities.