page_title: Karamokho Alfa
section_title: Jihad
hierarchical_section_title: Karamokho Alfa / Jihad
caption_attribution_description: English: Map showing Timbo and the surrounding area in what is now Guinea, West Africa
context_page_description: Karamokho Alfa was a Fula religious leader who led a jihad that created the Imamate of Futa Jallon in what is now Guinea. This was one of the first of the Fulbe jihads that established Muslim states in West Africa.
  Alfa Ba, Karamoko Alfa's father, formed a coalition of Muslim Fulbe and called for the jihad in 1725, but died before the struggle began. The jihad was launched around 1726-1727. After a crucial, concluding victory at Talansan, the state was established at a meeting of nine Fulbe ulama who each represented one of the Futa Jallon provinces. Ibrahima Sambeghu, who became known as Karamokho Alfa, was the hereditary ruler of Timbo and one of the nine ulama. He was elected leader of the jihad. Under his leadership, Futa Jallon became the first Muslim state to be founded by the Fulbe. Despite this, Karamokho Alfa was constrained by the other eight ulama. Some of the other Ulama had more secular power than Karamokho Alfa, who directly ruled only the diwal of Timbo; for this reason the new state was always a tenuous confederation.
context_section_description: The jihad was launched around 1726 or 1727.
  The movement was primarily religious, and its leaders included both Mandé and Fulbe marabouts.  
  The jihad also attracted some formerly non-Muslim Fulbe, who associated it not just with Islam but with freedom of the Fulbe from subordination to the Mandé peoples.
  It was opposed by other non-Muslim Fulbe and by non-Muslim Yalunka leaders.
  According to tradition, Ibrahim Sori symbolically launched the war in 1727 by destroying the great ceremonial drum of the Yalunka people with his sword.
  The jihadists then won a major victory at Talansan.
  A force of 99 Muslims defeated a non-Muslim force ten times greater, killing many of their opponents. 
  After this victory the state was established at a meeting of nine Fulbe ulama who each represented one of the Futa Jallon provinces. 
  Ibrahima Sambeghu, who became known as Karamokho Alfa, was the hereditary ruler of Timbo and one of the nine ulama. He was elected leader of the jihad.
  He took the title almami, or "the Imam".
  Under his leadership Futa Jallon became the first Muslim state to be founded by the Fulbe.
  Karamoko Alfa managed to enlist disadvantaged groups such as gangs of young men, outlaws and slaves.
  Karamokho Alfa's maternal cousin was Maka Jiba, the ruler of Bundu, and both men studied in Fugumba under the famous scholar Tierno Samba. However, there are no records of Bundu participation in the Futa Jallon jihad, perhaps because of the internal troubles in Bundu at that time, or perhaps because Maka Jiba was not greatly interested in the cause.
  Although he was an inspired religious leader, Karamoko Alfa was not qualified as a military leader.  Ibrahim Sori took this role. 
  Some of the population resisted conversion for many years, particularly the nomadic Fulbe herders. They rightly feared that the marabouts would abuse their authority.
caption: Timbo and the sources of the Bafino - Fougumba to the northwest of the map, Timbo to the right of center.
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