The Wolof society is organized into family units. The family, including extended family, is sacred. Also important, but perhaps to a lesser degree, is the father's lineage. The importance of the father's lineage has been reinforced by the introduction of Islam into the Wolof culture. It is the mother's lineage, which provides the flesh, the character, the intelligence and magic power, while the father's lineage provides the bones, nerves, courage, and a less powerful form of magical power.
Islamic law permits polygamy, and many chiefs and village heads have more than one wife.
There is often a great deal of jealousy between the co-wives, and divorce is fairly common. Marriage with a first cousin is seen by many Wolof as the way to increase the chances of having a harmonious marriage. The heads of households make the major decisions for the family, but usually does so in consultation with peers and family members. The marabout is believed to have the power to discern if the conditions in the unseen, spiritual world are favorable for the inquirer. If they are not favorable, the proper ritual or act will be prescribed in order to manipulate the unseen world to be favorably disposed toward the inquirer.