Mourchid Ahmed Iyane Thiam, President of the National Concertation Commission on the Lunar Crescent (Conacoc), commonly called in Senegal Iyane Thiam, died on the night of Thursday 28 to Friday 29 January 2021 after a long illness. Known for her appearances on the national television channel, the RTS, in the run-up to Muslim holidays such as Ramadan, Koretia and Tabaski, Iyane Thiam, aged 84, was a calm, open man who listened to all Muslims in the performance of her duties.
In Senegal, a country where brotherhoods have a strong influence on the Muslim community, Iyane Thiam had the heavy task of federating positions. Settling the differences on the issue of the appearance of the lunar crescent which marked the beginning of Ramadan but also the end of this month of fasting and which also defined the date of the feast of the Tabaski, was one of its main priorities. Despite its work of rebalancing and union among the populations, the Muslim holidays have been commemorated several times in the division and on different dates for a community that must nevertheless be able to speak and act with one and the same voice. However, persevering, tenacious and conciliatory, Yane Thiam never changed his line of conduct, he continued to preach the pacification of the political-social and especially religious space.Its objective: to work for the unity of the Muslims of Senegal despite the diversity and position of the brotherhoods on certain issues.
Father of the current Minister of Microfinance and Social and Solidarity Economy, Zahra Iyane Thiam, the man of faith, with perfect mastery of the Arabic language, was at the head of Conacoc for about twenty years. He is the author of the book “Islam: Justice and Humanism”, a 350-page book, published in French and Arabic.
In December 2019, the Association des jeunes musulmans pour le développement du Sénégal (AJMDS) paid tribute during its lifetime to Mourchid Ahmed Iyane Thiam, for his tireless work for peace, stability and harmony among Muslims in the country.
