Page "Touba, Senegal" Paragraph 6

For Mourides, Touba is a sacred place.

Forbidden in the holy city are all illicit and frivolous pursuits, such as the consumption of alcohol and tobacco, the playing of games, music and dancing.

The Mouride order maintains absolute control over its " capital " to the exclusion of usual state-run civil and administrative services.

The city constitutes an administratively autonomous zone with special legal status within Senegal.

Every aspect of its city ’ s life and growth is managed by the order independently of the state, including education, health, supply of drinking water, public works, administration of markets, land tenure, and real estate development.