Encyclopedia of Islam

Further reading: George Makdisi, “Ibn Taimiya: A 

Sufi of the Qadiriya Order,” American Journal of Arabic 

Studies 1 (1974): 118–129; Abd al-Hakim ibn Ibrahim 

Matroudi, The Hanbali School of Law and Ibn Taymiyyah: 

Conflict or Conciliation (London: Routledge, 2006); 

Muhammad Umar Memon, Ibn Taymiya’s Struggle 

against Popular Religion (The Hague: Mouton, 1976).

Ibn Tumart, Muhammad

 

(ca. 1078–

1130)  12th-century religious reformer, self-

proclaimed mahdi (messianic figure), and founder of 

the North African Almohad dynasty

Born in the Anti-Atlas Mountains in southern 

m

orocco

, Ibn Tumart left for an extended trip to 

the Muslim East in 1106. While there he studied 

fiqh

 (Islamic jurisprudence) and became con-

vinced that the dominant m

aliki

  l

egal

  s

chool

of Morocco was leading Muslims astray through 

its elaborate rules based upon human reason-

ing. Instead, Ibn Tumart emphasized the original 

Islamic sources of the q

Uran

 and 

hadith

 and 

taught a strict doctrine based on the Muslim doc-

trine of 

tawhid

 (unity). On his way home in 1117, 

Ibn Tumart created a stir in a number of locations 

through his preaching and aggressive treatment of 

those he considered to be unbelievers.

K  340