The
spread of Islam in Morocco 62 - 89 A.H / 681 - 708
There
is no doubt that Morocco is an extension of Al-Maghrib
al-Arabi which includes: Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Libya
and Mauritania. Therefore, when the name al-Maghrib al-Islaamee
is mentioned, it is refereed to the above five countries.
Our forefathers from the companions and their followers
had endeavored to spread Islam in this area, and establish
its pillars and principles till it gained a foothold in
the souls of the people. However, the responsibility was
not that easy. Muslims had gone through the worst and
were exposed to greatest hardships. This was because of
various factors:
1-
The Berbers, the original people of the area, were used
to disorder and rebellion.
2- The difficult terrain of North Africa because of mountains,
rivers and forests.
3- The difficulty of sending sufficient armies with their
equipment and provisions from Madina to North Africa.
These were the main factors which delayed the spread of
Islam in Morocco. So, how was Islam spread in Morocco?
1-
Uqba Ibnu Naafi' the leader of the first conquest: Amru
Ibnu al-Aas was the leader who conquered Egypt in 20 A.H/642.
He became the administrator of Egypt during the reign
of Umar Ibnu al-Khattab. He was visited by a delegation
from Barqah (in Libya) who accepted Islam and asked him
to help them get rid of the Romans and the Byzantine who
were occupying their lands. Amru Ibnu al-Aas dispatched
their request to Umar Ibnu al-Khattab who accepted it.
Amru Ibnu al-Aas then chose his aunt's son, Uqba Ibnu
Naafi' to lead the army for liberating Barqah. Uqba managed
to conquer it in 21 A.H/643 along with the coastal areas
and the internal oases.
2- AbduAllah Bnu Sa'd Bnu Abee Sarh the leader of the
second conquest: After a year since liberating Barqa,
Umar Ibnu al-Khattab was killed, and was replaced by the
third khalif Uthman Bnu Affan. This latter appointed a
new leader, AbduAllah Bnu Abee Sarh who had to confront
the Byzantine who massed an army of about one hundred
thousands soldiers (120000). However, Muslims defeated
them in an easy battle which boosted their morals and
which resulted in a huge number of Berbers to embrace
Islam willingly and voluntarily. The leader AbduAllah
Bnu Abee Sarh preferred to return to Egypt after fifteen
months of absent, but without appointing an administrator
for the country (Libya). This, was indeed, a serious mistake.
3- Mua'wiya Bnu Hadeej the leader of the third conquest:
After the killing of Uthman Bnu Affan, may Allah be pleased
with him, and after the dispute that occurred between
Ali Bnu Abee Taalib and Mua'wiya Bnu Abee Sufyaan, the
Khilafa settled at the end with Mua'wiya Bnu Abee Sufyaan
who sent the army to free North Africa. For this assignment,
he put in charge Mua'wiya Bnu Hadeej in 46 A.H/666. This
latter succeeded in his duty and surrounded Susah (Tunisia)
and Jalawlah. However, after the conquest, he returned
to Egypt and committed the same mistake as Bnu Abee Sarh.
He did not appoint an administrator for the country, which,
eventually exposed it to more disorder and rebellion.
