The Murīdūn ("disciples") were a
Sufi order
A tariqa (or ''tariqah''; ar, طريقة ') is a school or order of Sufism, or specifically a concept for the mystical teaching and spiritual practices of such an order with the aim of seeking ''haqiqa'', which translates as "ultimate truth".
...
in
al-Andalus that rebelled against the authority of the
Almoravid dynasty in 1141 and ruled
a ''taifa'' based on Mértola in the
al-Gharb
Gharb al-Andalus ( ar, غرب الأندلس, trans. ''gharb al-ʼandalus''; "west of al-Andalus"), or just al-Gharb ( ar, الغرب, trans. ''al-gharb''; "the west"), was the name given by the Muslims of Iberia to the region of southern moder ...
from 1144 until 1151.
The founder and leader of the Murīdūn was
Abūʾl-Qāsim Aḥmad ibn al-Ḥusayn ibn Qasī, a convert from Christianity from the city of
Silves Silves may refer to :
Europe
* Silves, Portugal, municipality and former bishopric in Algarve, southern Portugal
** Silves (parish), a civil parish in the municipality of Silves
** Castle of Silves, a medieval castle in civil parish of Silves
...
in the far west of al-Andalus. Among his followers were Muḥammad ibn ʿUmar ibn al-Mundhir, a correspondent of the esteemed Sufi teacher
Ibn al-ʿArīf from
Almería on the eastern coast of al-Andalus. In 1141, threatened by the rise of Sufi teaching in Almería, the Almoravid authorities arrested Ibn al-ʿArīf and his colleague
Ibn Barrajān, after which the latter was imprisoned and the former set free. Ibn Barrajān, however, soon died in prison and Ibn al-ʿArīf died suddenly, poisoned it was said, in Almería. The sudden loss of the leaders of the Sufi movement in Almería, presumably at the hands of the authorities, convinced Ibn Qasī to act. He proclaimed himself
imam
Imam (; ar, إمام '; plural: ') is an Islamic leadership position. For Sunni Muslims, Imam is most commonly used as the title of a worship leader of a mosque. In this context, imams may lead Islamic worship services, lead prayers, ser ...
and led his followers, the Murīdūn, into open revolt.
In the early days of the rebellion, Ibn al-Mundhir seized the city of Silves and Sīdray ibn Wazīr, the governor of
Beja, went over to the rebels. Joining forces, Ibn al-Mundhir and Ibn Wazīr captured the fort of
Monchique and slaughtered the Almoravid garrison. The high point of the rebellion occurred on 12 August 1144, when a force of seventy Murīdūn captured the town of
Mértola, which Ibn Qasī made the capital. Yūsuf ibn Aḥmad al-Biṭrūjī, the governor of
Niebla, then joined the rebels.
Now controlling Silves, Mértola, Beja and Niebla, the confident Murīdūn marched on
Seville, but were defeated by the Almoravid general Yaḥyā ibn ʿAlī ibn Ghānīya. The Almoravid counter-attack was cut short by the rebellion of
Ibn Ḥamdīn in
Córdoba, but not before it has caused a split in the Murīdūn movement. On one side were Ibn Qasī and Ibn al-Mundhir and on the other Ibn Wazīr. In September 1145, Ibn Qasī went to
Marrakesh
Marrakesh or Marrakech ( or ; ar, مراكش, murrākuš, ; ber, ⵎⵕⵕⴰⴽⵛ, translit=mṛṛakc}) is the fourth largest city in the Kingdom of Morocco. It is one of the four Imperial cities of Morocco and is the capital of the Marrakes ...
to request support from the
Almohad Caliph, a staunch enemy of the Almoravids. He returned to the Algarve in the summer of 1146 with Almohad support but refused to submit the Murīdūn to Almohad control. In order to escape his overbearing allies, he negotiated the handover of Silves to the Christians. This provoked the inhabitants of Silves, who assassinated him in his palace in August or September 1151. Ibn al-Mundhir relented and placed the city under Almohad control.
References
Sources
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*{{cite journal , first=Vincent , last=Lagardère , title=La tariqa et la révolte des Murîdûn en 539 H / 1144 en Andalus , journal=Revue des mondes musulmans et de la Méditerranée , year=1983 , volume=35 , pages=157–70 , url=https://www.persee.fr/doc/remmm_0035-1474_1983_num_35_1_1987
Sufi orders
Conflicts in 1144