Council of Ten (Almohad)

The Council of Ten (Arabic: مجلس العشرة or أهل الجماعة) or The Companions of the Mahdi (Arabic: اصحاب المهدي) was a group of Ibn Tumart's earliest and closest disciples, at the top of the hierarchy of the Almohad movement.^{[1]: 68 [2]} It was composed of members of mostly Masmuda tribes including the tribal chief Abu Hafs 'Umar al-Hintati of the Masmuda^[1] and two who got adopted into the Masmuda including 'Abd al-Mu'min al-Qaysi and who got adopted into Hargha. The Council of Ten evoked the image of the Prophet Muhammad's ten companions,^[1]: 68 though sources indicate that, for the Almohad council, ten was more of a name than a fixed number of members.^[3]: 32

The status of members of the Council of Ten was based, not on tribal origin, but on adherence to Almohad doctrine and proximity to Ibn Tumart.^[1]: 68 Members of the Council of Ten were appointed as governors and given military responsibilities from the conquest of Marrakesh in 1147 until 1157, when 'Abd al-Mu'min started appointing his heirs.^[3]: 133

Sources

Of the few primary sources on the matter there are the anonymous Kitāb al-Ansāb (كتاب الأنساب في معرفة الأصحاب)^[4] and Ibn al-Qattan's Nuẓm al-Jumān (نظم الجمان لترتيب ما سلف من أخبار الزمان).^[5]

Members of the council

The Almohad chronichler al-Baydhaq wrote in his book: Al-Muqtabas min Kitab al-Ansab fi Ma'arifat al-Ashab the members of the council and information about them.^[6]

• Abu Muhamed Abd al-Mu'min ibn Ali al-Qaysi

he got adopted into the Masmouda tribal confederation Hargha by Ibn Tumart^[6] and became the first Almohad caliph.

• Abu Hafs Omar ibn Ali al-Senhaji

From the Masmuda tribal confederation of Ahl Tinmel from the Senahja / Iznagen faction. He is known by the Almohads as Omar Aznag. His first name is Ymluk and he was one the first to support Ibn Tumart and spread his message and one of the ten who hastened to pledge allegiance to him. He was thus one of the council of ten. He was appointed as a minister by ibn Tumart and when he died he was one of the three who pledged allegiance to Abd al-Mumin ibn Ali as his successor. Abd al-Mumin removed him from the ministry to honor him because he was of a higher status among the Almohads. He died in the year 536 AH, and his sons had a great positions under Abd al-Mumin. They were the first to pass through the public parade of the Almohads.

• Abu Al Rabi' Sulayman ibn Makhlouf al-Hadari

He was known as ibn Baqal and ibn Ta'thembiybt among the people of Aghmat and as Sulayman Ahari among the Almohads.

• Abu Ibrahim Ismail ibn Yslal al-Hazraji

From the Masmuda tribal confederation Hazraja. He was also known as Ismail Igig, he was a student of Mahdi ibn Tumert in Aghmat Ourika, then he hastened to pledge allegiance to him when he began to organize his movement and was thus one of the council ten. Al-Mahdi appointed him as a judge and made him the commander of Hargha in his fourth campaign. He was one of those who pledge of allegiance to Abd al-Mumin ibn Ali after the death of Al-Mahdi in the year 524. He participated in undermining the Almoravid state and securing the Almohad state. He was the one who took charge of suppressing the rebellion in Sefrou which was against Abd al-Mumin. He is considered a first-class fedayeen, as he saved Al-Mahdi ibn Tumart from a plot to assassinate him. He saved Abd al-Mumin when Ismail Igig suggested to spend the night in his tent instead of Abd al-Mumin, than he got killed by those who conspired against Abd al-Mumin because they thought that Ismail Igig was him.

• Abu Imran Moussa ibn Temara al-Gedmiwi

From the Masmuda tribal confederation Gedmiwa. One of the council of ten and the trustee of the group, especially Al-Mahdi. He died in the Battle of al-Buhayrah in the year 1130 AD, and two of his brothers were in the council of the fifty (Almohad shaykhs).

• Abu Yahya Abubaker ibn Yiggit al-Hintati

From the Masmuda tribal confederation Hintata He was one of the council of ten, he died in the Battle of Buhayrah in the year 1130 AD. He had a son whom Abd Al-Mumin appointed as the governor of Cordoba^{[disambiguation needed]} in the year 549 AH.

• Abu Abdellah Muhamed ibn Sliman al-Meskali al-Tinmellali

From the Masmouda tribal confederation Ahl Tinmel of the Meskala fraction. He was one of the council of ten, he died in the Battle of al-Buhayrah in 1130 AD.

• Abdullah ibn Ya'la al-Zenati

Abdullah ibn Ya'la or Ya'laten al-Tazi al-Zenati, known as ibn Moulouya. He was one of the council of ten. He was a scholar in the third Mehdi's expedition and a leader of the Genfisa tribe. Then he abandoned his message (Almohad doctrine of Ibn Tumart) after his death and he joined Ali bin Yusuf the Sultan of the Almoravids. The Masmuda tribe of Genfisa killed him (Abdullah ibn Yaala Zenati) and crucified him in Tinmel. Abd Al-Mumin thanked them (Genfisa) for their action and it was the first time he was affected by a rebellion against the Almohads.

• Abu Muhamed Abdullah ibn Muhsin al-Wansharisi

He got adopted into the Masmuda tribal confederation Hargha by Ibn Tumart^[6] he died in the Battle of al-Buhayrah in 1130 AD.

• Abu Hafs Omar ibn Yahya al-Hintati

From the Masmouda tribal confederation Hintata. He is also known as Omar Ynti, also called Omar u Mzal whose original name was Faska, then al-Mahdi Ibn Tumart named him Omar. His original name is Faska u Mzal Ynti. He was the Shaykh of the Hintata tribe and the grandfather of the Banu Hafs, the kings of the Almohads in Tunisia (Hafsids) and he was one of the council of ten. He was one of the closest aides of al-Mahdi ibn Tumart and one of those who pledged allegiance to Abd al-Mumin. He (Abu Hafs) was a great leader of the Almohad leaders. He conquered many lands in Andalusia, such as Algeciras, Ronda, Seville, Cordoba, and Granada. He participated in suppressing the revolution of Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Hud Al-Masi. He died in the sweeping plague that struck Morocco and Andalusia in the year 571 AH.

• Abu Moussa Isa ibn Moussa al-Mzoudi

From the Masmuda tribal confederation of Gedmiwa from the Mzouda fraction.

• Abu Muhamed Abdelaziz al-Ghighayi

From the Masmuda tribal confederation of Hintata from the Ghighaya fraction. He was also in the Ahl Dar of al-Mahdi ibn Tumart. In the year 529 AH, Abd al-Mumin sent him to the Banu Yighaz a clan of the Hintata to spread a message, but they killed him treacherously. When the news of his death reached Abd Al-Mumin, he moved to Ashfshad, the town of the Banu Yighaz. They plotted to assassinate him (Abd al-Mumin), but he escaped due to his vigilance and caution. Abd al-Mumen stayed in their town for forty days until they were defeated by the Almohads, then he returned to Tinmel.