Dakar serves as Senegal's capital and a major center of Islamic culture in West Africa, with over 95% of its population being Muslim. The city features numerous historic mosques including the iconic Grand Mosque of Dakar, built in 1964, which showcases beautiful Islamic architecture with its towering minaret and dome. As the seat of Islamic scholarship and Sufi orders, particularly the Tijaniyya and Muridiyya brotherhoods, Dakar plays a crucial role in spreading Islamic knowledge throughout the region.