Author: Obaidullah Nimruzi
The Guardian of al-Andalus (Spain): Sultan Yusuf ibn Tashfin [MABH] (Part 29)
Deviant Ideologies under the Shadow of a Senile Government
At the time, Hajib Saqut was a very old man—nearing ninety years of age. Nevertheless, he commanded a large army and had amassed considerable power. Despite that, corrupt thoughts and deviant ideologies had taken deep root within his administration. Yusuf ibn Tashfin, who saw himself as a defender of Islam against such deviations, resolved to confront this threat and bring the governance back to the path of Islam.
The Almoravid state had, by then, grown so vast and powerful that it encircled the deviant sects like a necklace wraps around the neck, spreading like health replacing disease across Arab and non-Arab lands. His method was to replace injustice with justice, like rain overtaking drought. He was swifter than a sword, completing the mission before blame could arise. He pursued every last one of the deviants; their leaders and followers alike were brought down one by one—until the time came for Saqut himself.
The Great Battle Begins near Tangier
Yusuf ibn Tashfin gave the order to launch an offensive against Saqut. He dispatched a commander named Ṣāliḥ ibn ‘Imrān with twelve thousand Almoravid cavalrymen and twenty thousand infantry from allied tribes.
When the Almoravid forces neared Tangier, Hajib Saqut marched out with his army. The two armies clashed in the region of Wadi Mina, near Tangier. A fierce battle ensued, during which Hajib Saqut was killed and his army scattered. Following this victory, the Almoravids entered the city of Tangier and, in the year 471 AH, gained full control over it. Tangier then became a fortified strategic base for launching reinforcements to al-Andalus, where Muslims were in dire need of assistance against the Crusader onslaught.
The Fall of Mu‘izz ibn Saqut, Governor of Ceuta
After Hajib Saqut’s death, governance passed to his son, al-Mu‘izz ibn Saqut. However, he was a pleasure-seeker, immersed in worldly enjoyments, indifferent to political matters and public affairs. He remained occupied with his luxuries in Ceuta. Ibn Bassām wrote of him:
“He was a man who sought help through evil and lived a life of heedlessness. He earned nothing except through treachery and had no army save for the riffraff. At sea, especially, his wickedness burned bright—like a raging storm he attacked ships, seizing them by force, spreading terror and fear. Both land and sky were fed up with him, and complaints rose from every corner. At that point, the Almighty aided the Commander of the Faithful, Yusuf ibn Tashfin, and decreed Mu‘izz’s downfall amidst his evil and turmoil.”
The Conquest of Strategic Ceuta – The Gateway to al-Andalus
It should be noted that while the Almoravids were preparing to take control of Tangier and Ceuta, delegations from al-Andalus arrived requesting help and reinforcements for their war against the Christians. However, Yusuf ibn Tashfin, due to his engagement in the war against the Saqut regime and the existence of Berghwata’s fortresses and naval fleets that blocked passage to al-Andalus, apologized and promised assistance after crushing the Berghwata government and opening Ceuta—the main gateway to al-Andalus.
But the people of al-Andalus, under the brutal assaults of the Crusaders and the tyranny of Alfonso VI, king of Castile—whose savage forces looted Muslim lands and captured their people—continued to send formal and popular envoys to Yusuf ibn Tashfin, seeking his help. Although Yusuf had valid excuses due to his engagements in the Maghreb and the siege of Berghwata-controlled Ceuta, his excuses no longer sufficed.
Thus, he had no choice but to double his efforts, working day and night to remove all barriers that hindered aid to his Andalusian brothers. He began preparing an army to conquer Ceuta—a city with strong fortresses and a navy that had long terrorized coastal dwellers, merchants, and sailors.
It seems that al-Mu‘tamid ibn ‘Abbad, the ruler of al-Andalus, offered naval assistance to the Almoravids. Or perhaps Yusuf ibn Tashfin himself, upon seeing one of Ibn ‘Abbad’s warships docked at Tangier under Almoravid control, requested this support. Ibn Bassām narrates:
“One of the astonishing events was that al-Mu‘tamid built a ship that rivaled the craftsmanship of victorious kings and sent it to Tangier for trade… When the Commander of the Muslims and Defender of the Faith saw it, he corresponded with al-Mu‘tamid. The ship then rained death upon Ceuta and stood like a fortress before its walls. On Thursday, in the month of Ṣafar, 476 AH, the Commander of the Muslims launched a massive fleet to besiege Ceuta, pelting the rebellious devils there with stones…”
The Conquest of Ceuta and Elimination of Mu‘izz ibn Saqut
With naval reinforcements ready, Yusuf ibn Tashfin finalized preparations for the conquest of Ceuta—this fortress city whose ships had made coasts unsafe and instilled fear in the hearts of the people. The Almoravid army, led by Mu‘izz ibn Yusuf ibn Tashfin, marched towards Ceuta and besieged it from both land and sea.
The naval battle against the enemy’s fleet was no easy task, but the Almoravid leadership was determined to eliminate all obstacles to jihad. Ibn Bassām writes:
“At the beginning of the battle, the Almoravid fleet suffered a setback—a large ship carrying guards and soldiers was captured by the enemy. This defeat struck fear into the Almoravid camp, and they considered retreating. But the Commander of the Muslims, may Allah have mercy on him, displayed one of his famed bursts of righteous anger and ordered the ship to advance. It reached the walls of the city…”
After an intense and exhausting battle, during which the Almoravids showed steadfast faith and hoped for divine victory, Ceuta was conquered. The Almoravid forces stormed the fortresses and defeated the Berghwata troops. Mu‘izz ibn Saqut, the ruler of Ceuta, attempted to escape by sea but failed. He then tried to hide in a house called Dar Shuwayr, but Almoravid forces raided it.
After a skirmish, his guards and companions abandoned him, and he was captured by the Almoravid army. He was brought before Mu‘izz ibn Yusuf, who demanded the surrender of state property. Mu‘izz ibn Saqut not only refused but showed no remorse and responded defiantly. Thus, Mu‘izz ibn Yusuf ordered him to be executed sabran (by a torturous death).
A letter announcing the conquest of Ceuta and the good news of victory was then sent to Yusuf ibn Tashfin, who was in Fez overseeing the campaign. He rejoiced greatly, for this victory lifted a major burden from his shoulders—one that had delayed his aid to al-Andalus and had led to numerous calamities for the Muslims there, including the fall of their borders, the captivity of their men, and the occupation of their cities.
Now, with the conquest of Ceuta, the path was open for the mujahideen to cross into al-Andalus—to confront the spiteful Crusaders in the lands of Islam.
The Final Brick in the Foundation of the Maghrebi State
With this victory, Yusuf ibn Tashfin laid the final brick in the structure of the Maghrebi state—a state he built through jihad, patience, and sacrifice. Since assuming leadership in 435 AH, he had worked tirelessly for unity, reform, and the implementation of Islamic Shariah across society: among the public, the army, the economy, and even in political and diplomatic relations with both friend and foe.
Now, everyone had come to believe in the truth of the Almoravid mission and Yusuf ibn Tashfin’s unwavering faith in it—a mission that brought hearts together, eliminated divisions, unified ranks, and built an army grounded in firm belief. Sects disappeared, law replaced chaos, peace supplanted fear, and friendship overcame enmity.
The people rejoiced in this new era, and the Andalusians became hopeful for victory. The breeze of triumph reached their cities and revived the spirit of resistance in their souls.
Indeed, through his faith, perseverance, and jihad, Yusuf ibn Tashfin established the state of unity in his land. And now, with his own hand, he was overseeing every necessary step to answer the call of Islamic brotherhood—the call that Allah (SWT) said in the Holy Qur’an: «إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ إِخْوَةٌ» Translation: “In fact, the believers are brothers to one another.”
Continues…
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References:
[1] Ibn Bassam, Al-Dhakhīrah, Part Two, Vol. 2, p. 660.
[2] Ibn Abi Zarʿ, Rawḍ al-Qirṭās, p. 91.
[3] Ibid., Al-Dhakhīrah, Vol. 2, p. 660.
[4] Ibn Abi Zarʿ, Rawḍ al-Qirṭās, p. 91.
[5] Ibn Bassam, Al-Dhakhīrah, Vol. 2, Part 2, p. 662.
[6] Ibid.
[7] Sūrat al-Ḥujurāt, Verse 10.
