Ibn Tumart

Ibn Tumart

Abu Abd Allah Muhammad Ibn Tumart (Berber: Amghar ibn Tumert, Arabic: أبو عبد الله محمد ابن تومرت, c.1080–1130 or 1128) was a Muslim Berber religious scholar, teacher and political leader from southern Morocco. He was the founder and spiritual leader of the Almohad movement, a puritanical reform movement launched among the Masmuda Berbers of the Atlas Mountains. Ibn Tumart launched the open revolt against the ruling Almoravids during the 1120s. After his death, his followers, the Almohads, went on to conquer much of North Africa and Spain. He is also known as El-Mahdi (المهدي) in reference to his prophesied redeeming.