Abu Abdallah al-Qaim
Encyclopedia
Abu Abdallah al-Qaim bi Amrillah of Tagmadert
in the Draa River
valley was the ancestor of the Saadi Dynasty
of Morocco
. The Sharifian movement
on which the Saadi Dynasty was to be built began when Abu Abdallah, during a visit to Medina
, dreamed of two lions entering a tower with a crowd of people close behind. Taking his vision to a Sufi sheikh
, he was told that his two sons would have an important future in his country. Upon returning to Morocco he began to broadcast the vision among his people, who believed him, according to An-Nasiri, because of his reputation for honesty, and he adopted the Mahdist
title "al-Qaim bi Amrillah" (the one called by God).
After meeting with the leaders of the Masmuda
Berbers at Tidsi near the town of Taroudant
, Abu Abdallah al-Qaim agreed to lead the jihad
against the Portuguese at Agadir
and other towns along the southern coast. He then sent his two sons Ahmad al-Araj
and Mohammed Amghar (later called Mohammed ash-Sheikh
) to Fez
, where they established themselves as teachers of religion and literature and exhorted the sultan to raise a full jihad in the south. The Wattasid
sultan Abu Abdallah al Burtugali gave them full permission to carry out their jihad in the Sous
. This enabled the Saadians to transform their moral authority into a military authority. After they had forced the Portuguese
out of their coastal positions, they took the power in Marrakech
.
Tagmadert
Tagmadert is a famous place in the Draa River valley. It is the place of origin of the members of the Saadi Dynasty. Despite the fact that Tagmadert is indicated on most older European maps, there is some uncertainty about its exact location...
in the Draa River
Draa River
The Draa is Morocco's longest river . It is formed by the confluence of the Dadès River and Imini River. It flows from the High Atlas mountains south-ward to Tagounit and from Tagounit mostly westwards to the Atlantic Ocean somewhat north of Tan-Tan...
valley was the ancestor of the Saadi Dynasty
Saadi Dynasty
The Saadi dynasty of Morocco , began with the reign of Sultan Mohammed ash-Sheikh in 1554, when he vanquished the last Wattasids at the Battle of Tadla....
of Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
. The Sharifian movement
Sharifian Caliphate
The Sharifian Caliphate is the term used to describe the unsuccessful attempts at the beginning of the 20th century to establish an Arab caliphate headed by the Sharifs of Mecca in replacement of the Ottoman Caliphate. The idea had been floating around since at least the 15th century...
on which the Saadi Dynasty was to be built began when Abu Abdallah, during a visit to Medina
Medina
Medina , or ; also transliterated as Madinah, or madinat al-nabi "the city of the prophet") is a city in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia, and serves as the capital of the Al Madinah Province. It is the second holiest city in Islam, and the burial place of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad, and...
, dreamed of two lions entering a tower with a crowd of people close behind. Taking his vision to a Sufi sheikh
Sheikh
Not to be confused with sikhSheikh — also spelled Sheik or Shaikh, or transliterated as Shaykh — is an honorific in the Arabic language that literally means "elder" and carries the meaning "leader and/or governor"...
, he was told that his two sons would have an important future in his country. Upon returning to Morocco he began to broadcast the vision among his people, who believed him, according to An-Nasiri, because of his reputation for honesty, and he adopted the Mahdist
Mahdi
In Islamic eschatology, the Mahdi is the prophesied redeemer of Islam who will stay on Earth for seven, nine or nineteen years- before the Day of Judgment and, alongside Jesus, will rid the world of wrongdoing, injustice and tyranny.In Shia Islam, the belief in the Mahdi is a "central religious...
title "al-Qaim bi Amrillah" (the one called by God).
After meeting with the leaders of the Masmuda
Masmuda
The Masmuda were a Berber tribal confederacy of Morocco and one of the largest in the Maghreb, along with the Zanata and the Sanhaja. They were composed of several sub-tribes: The Berghouatas, Ghumaras , Hintatas , Tinmelel, Hergha, Genfisa, Seksiwa, Gedmiwa, Hezerdja, Urika, Guerouanes, Bni...
Berbers at Tidsi near the town of Taroudant
Taroudant
Taroudant is a Moroccan city located in the Sous Valley in the southern part of the country. It is situated east of Agadir on the road to Ouarzazate and the Sahara desert and south of Marrakech. It is called the "Grandmother of Marrakech" because it looks like a smaller Marrakech with its...
, Abu Abdallah al-Qaim agreed to lead the jihad
Jihad
Jihad , an Islamic term, is a religious duty of Muslims. In Arabic, the word jihād translates as a noun meaning "struggle". Jihad appears 41 times in the Quran and frequently in the idiomatic expression "striving in the way of God ". A person engaged in jihad is called a mujahid; the plural is...
against the Portuguese at Agadir
Agadir
Agadir is a major city in southwest Morocco, capital of the Agadir province and the Sous-Massa-Draa economic region .-Etymology:...
and other towns along the southern coast. He then sent his two sons Ahmad al-Araj
Ahmad al-Araj
Ahmad al-Araj was a member of the Saadi Dynasty, son of Abu Abdallah al-Qaim bi Amrillah and brother of his successor Mawlay Mohammed ash-Sheikh ash Sharif al-Hassani al-Drawi at-Tagmadert, the first Saadi sultan of Morocco....
and Mohammed Amghar (later called Mohammed ash-Sheikh
Mohammed ash-Sheikh
Mawlay Mohammed ash-Sheikh ash Sharif al-Hassani al-Drawi at-Tagmadert was the first sultan of the Saadi dynasty ruling over Morocco . "Al-Drawi at-Tagmadert" means: the man from the Draa river valley, from Tagmadert. He was particularly successful in expelling the Portuguese from most of their...
) to Fez
Fes, Morocco
Fes or Fez is the second largest city of Morocco, after Casablanca, with a population of approximately 1 million . It is the capital of the Fès-Boulemane region....
, where they established themselves as teachers of religion and literature and exhorted the sultan to raise a full jihad in the south. The Wattasid
Wattasid
The Wattassids or Banû Watâs were a Berber dynasty of Morocco.Like the Marinids, they were of Berber Zenata descent. The two families were related, and the Marinids recruited many viziers from the Wattasids...
sultan Abu Abdallah al Burtugali gave them full permission to carry out their jihad in the Sous
Sous
The Sous or Souss is a region in southern Morocco. Geologically, it is the alluvial basin of the Oued Sous , separated from the Sahara by the Anti-Atlas Mountains...
. This enabled the Saadians to transform their moral authority into a military authority. After they had forced the Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
out of their coastal positions, they took the power in Marrakech
Marrakech
Marrakech or Marrakesh , known as the "Ochre city", is the most important former imperial city in Morocco's history...
.