Maaden El-Irvane is an oasis and an intentional community close to Nouakchott in northern Mauritania. It was founded in1975, by Sheikh Mohamed Saleck Ould Mohamed Lemine who established aa tolerant Sufi community where men and women work together, mostly in agricultural activities.
This settlement notable because it is contradiction to traditional Sharia law, that is applied in much of Mauritania and most Islamic states. Direct contact between men and women from different families is strictly regulated by most Muslims and women are likely to be excluded from certain activities.
This community ethos of this oasis is based on a particular understanding of fitra which embraces fraternity, tolerance and hard work. In 2004, Zeinab Mintou Boubou, then president of the women's farming cooperative noted that"In Maaden, a woman can farm, put on boots, do manual work and wave to a man. It's different from other villages,"[1]
in 2018 Pierre Rabhi, a Moslem convert to Christianity, introduced the concept of agroecosystems into the oasis which promoted organic farming[2]
Residents first built a small dam to retain water, then laid out fields, founded a school and set up a community clinic and visitor centre, health and hospitality being a central tenet of the community, which provides accommodation and food for all who pass through the settlement regardless of race or religion.