Abdallah ibn Yasin facts for kids

Abdallah ibn Yasin was an important religious and military leader from Morocco. He founded the Almoravid movement, which later became a powerful dynasty. He died on July 7, 1059, near a place called Krifla in Morocco.

Early Life and Learning

Abdallah ibn Yasin belonged to the Jazulah tribe, which was part of the Sanhaja people from the Sous region in Morocco. He was a Maliki theologian, meaning he studied and taught about Islamic law and beliefs.

He learned from a teacher named Waggag ibn Zallu al-Lamti. Abdallah ibn Yasin studied at his teacher's school, called "Dar al-Murabitin." This school was located in a village called Aglu, close to what is now Tiznit.

Starting a New Mission

Around the year 1046, a leader from the Gudala tribe, named Yahya Ibn Ibrahim, visited the school. He asked for someone to go and teach Islamic religious lessons to the Berber people in the Adrar region of Morocco.

Waggag ibn Zallu chose Abdallah ibn Yasin for this important task. At that time, many Sanhaja people were not very strict in their Islamic practices. They still followed some older traditions. So, Ibn Yasin taught them a very strict form of Sunni Islam.

Leading the Almoravid Movement

After some time, the Gudala tribe rebelled against Ibn Yasin's strict teachings. He had to leave with his followers. But he soon joined forces with Yahya ibn Umar, who was the leader of the Lamtuna tribe. Together, they were able to stop the rebellion.

Ibn Yasin then created the Almoravid alliance. This group included the Lamtuna, Masufa, and Gudala tribes. Abdallah ibn Yasin became the spiritual leader, guiding their religious beliefs. Yahya ibn Umar took charge of the military.

In 1054, the Almoravids conquered Sijilmasa, a city that was ruled by the Maghrawa people. Ibn Yasin brought in his strict rules there. For example, he banned wine and music. He also removed taxes that were not part of Islamic law. One-fifth of everything they gained from wars was given to religious experts. These very strict rules caused another rebellion in 1055.

Later Years and Death

In 1056, Yahya ibn Umar was killed during another rebellion by the Gudala in the Sahara desert. After this, Ibn Yasin chose Yahya's brother, Abu-Bakr Ibn-Umar, to be the new military leader.

Abu Bakr destroyed Sijilmasa, but he could not force the Gudala tribe to rejoin the Almoravid group. He continued to lead the Almoravid forces, capturing the Sūs region and its main city, Aghmat, in 1058. Aghmat is close to where the city of Marrakesh is today.

Abdallah ibn Yasin died in 1059 while trying to bring the Barghawata people under Almoravid rule. They lived along the Atlantic Ocean coast. After his death, Sulaiman ibn Haddu took his place, but he was also killed and was not replaced.

Abdallah ibn Yasin's grave is located about 33 kilometers south of Rabat, near Rommani. It overlooks the Krifla River. You can find it on maps as the "marabout" (a holy person's tomb) of Sidi Abdallah. A mosque and a special building (mausoleum) were built over his grave, and the site is still there today.

See also

In Spanish: Abdalá Ben Yasin para niños