Abdul Kader Kan (Arabic: عبد القادر; c. 1726 – 26 April 1806) was an 18th-century Islamic scholar and military leader, and the first Almaami of the Imamate of Futa Toro,[3] hailing from what is now Senegal.
[4] He came from a line of Islamic scholars; his grandfather Lamin had performed the pilgrimage to Mecca, and his father Hamady studied the Qur'an in Futa Jallon.
Robinson describes a “remarkable continuity with Denyanke installations and similarities with procedures adopted in the Muslim state of Futa Jallon”: Kan was kept in seclusion for a week as sacrifices of livestock were made on his behalf.
[6] In 1786, now allied with the Brakna, Kan defeated the Trarza Moors near Dagana, killing their emir Ali Kouri and freeing the population from their raids and extortion.
In 1796 Abdul Kader, allied with the Kingdom of Jolof, marched at the head of the largest army ever seen in Senegambia to avenge the defeat and re-assert his influence in Cayor.
[4] Based on the letters written by Thomas Clarkson, at least one scholar has made the argument that the reverend believed that Abdul Kader Kan had completely abolished the slave trade in Futa Toro.
"[2]: 116 A treaty had been signed which was meant to prevent the French from selling the people of Futa Toro into slavery,[2]: 127 and the Almaami's success against the Emirate of Trarza may have been due to his willingness to release their slaves upon defeat.
While there is no definitive proof that this lay behind the campaign's success, the promise of releasing slaves who fought against their masters was a common war strategy at this time.