Tuesday, February 25, 2014

The Almoravids?

If you visit many of the Islamist pro-Al-Aqsa sites, like this one, who can read slogans like this:


مجموعة من القنابل التي ألقيت على المرابطين في المسجد الاقصى المباركA set of bombs dropped on the Almoravids in Al-Aqsa Mosque(Translated by Bing)

Al-Moravids?

Who are they?


The term "Almoravid" comes from the Arabic "al-Murabitun" (المرابطون), which is the plural form of "al-Murabit" - literally meaning "one who is tying" but figuratively meaning "one who is ready for battle at a fortress"... the name was suggested by Ibn Yasin in the "persevering in the fight" sense, to boost morale... Ibn Yasin certainly had the ardor of a puritan zealot; his creed was mainly characterized by a rigid formalism and a strict adherence to the dictates of the Qur'an, and the Orthodox tradition...

And did they achieve anything?

The Almoravids were a Berber dynasty of Morocco, who formed an empire in the 11th century that stretched over the western Maghreb and Al-Andalus. Their capital was Marrakesh, a city they founded in 1062...The Almoravids were crucial in preventing a fall of Al-Andalus to the Iberian Christian kingdoms, when they decisively beat a coalition of the Castilian and Aragonese armies at the Battle of Sagrajas. This enabled them to control an empire that stretched 3,000 kilometers north to south. However, the rule of the dynasty was relatively short-lived. The Almoravids fell - at the height of their power - when they failed to quell the Masmuda-led rebellion initiated by Ibn Tumart. As a result, their last king Ishaq ibn Ali was killed in Marrakesh in April 1147 by the Almohads, 

So, can we presume these are not peace-loving, seekers of coexistence people?





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