The Lion of Morocco: Muhammad Ibn Abdulkarim al-Khattabi

The awakened lion

The night was silent, save for the distant rustle of the wind blowing from the Rif Mountains. The air was filled with the scent of gunpowder and determination. Muhammad Ibn Abdulkarim al-Khattabi stood on the edge of a rocky hill, looking down into the valley below, where the colonial troops were massing. Although he knew that the enemy forces were superior in numbers and weapons, he was certain of one thing: he would never surrender. His homeland was not a commodity to be sold or negotiated, it would be defended with blood and steel!

A man who went from scientist to warrior

Born into a turbulent and dangerous era, Muhammad Ibn Abdulkarim al-Khattabi was destined to become a living legend in Morocco. He was born in Ajdir in 1882 to the respected judge Abdulkarim al-Khattabi of the Aïs Youssef clan. From an early age, he studied the Quran deeply and was extremely intelligent, a trait that later turned into a natural leadership talent that made him one of Morocco's most powerful resistance leaders.

His knowledge and thought were both deep and broad. He first learned Arabic and the Quran from his father, and then studied hadith and jurisprudence at the University of Al-Qarawiyyin in Fez. Al-Khattabi also received higher education in Spain, where he studied law and journalism. This unique combination of traditional Islamic education and Western learning not only sharpened his strategic thinking, but also established him as a true intellectual genius. He even taught at a local school, inspiring many young Moroccans with his meticulous knowledge and commitment to justice. His unique talent earned him international recognition - The Times once featured his photo on its front page.

At that time, the Islamic Maghreb was in an unimaginable state of chaos. The colonial powers had realized that Morocco had been a breeding ground for heroes throughout history. For this reason, 12 European countries decided to put an end to the new Islamic threat by organizing and participating in the Algeciras Conference in 1906. For the first time in history, the United States of America appeared on the playing field, violating the Monroe Doctrine (a policy that prohibited the United States from interfering in international politics). All these countries gathered to put an end to the eternal Islamic terror, and at this conference they agreed to divide the Islamic Maghreb!

Interestingly, these countries did not content themselves with simply dividing the Maghreb Kingdom, but did so in an unprecedented and damaging way to ensure its permanent disintegration: France took the southern part of the Kingdom, namely Mauritania. Spain occupied the neighboring part to the north, the Western Sahara of Morocco. Then France again occupied the northern part of the Sahara, which is now the center of Morocco. Spain again occupied the northern coast of Morocco, the Moroccan Rif, to the north, while Germany and Britain occupied cities in various regions. With this, everyone thought that they had ended the Islamic presence in the Maghreb forever. But Sheikh Abdulkarim Khattab and his son Muhammad did not think so.

They united the rival tribes under the banner of Islam and began sending telegrams to the Ottoman Caliph. After these attempts, the Spanish killed the Mujahideen Sheikh Abdulkarim Al-Khattabi, captured his son, and threw him into a prison on a mountaintop in Morocco. Amazingly, our hero made a rope out of a sheet and managed to free himself by jumping out of the prison window. Unfortunately, the rope was too short for Al-Khattabi to reach the ground, so he was forced to jump from a height onto a rocky cliff. The hard fall broke his legs and knocked him unconscious. Then the guards realized that he had escaped and took him back to prison.

The fight for freedom and revolutionary tactics

Muhammad ibn Abdulkarim Al-Khattabi was released from prison after a period of captivity. Later, he formed an army of only three thousand warriors from the tribes of the Moroccan Rif; he was the first in the history of warfare to create and use a new military art called "guerrilla warfare". This military method, based on sharp strike and escape tactics, was later used by all revolutionaries of the world. In addition, Muhammad established another resistance system, which consisted of digging underground tunnels that reached the enemy base. Vietnamese leader Ho Chi Minh admitted a few years later that he had used the same tactic against the Americans, and attributed this to Al-Khattabi.

Thanks to this, the Islamic hero was able to teach the Spanish army a new lesson through daily battles. When the Spanish losses in the Islamic Reef increased, King Alfonso XIII sent an entire army from Madrid under the command of his friend General Manuel Fernandez Silvestre. The two armies clashed on the eternal battlefield of the "Annual". The formed Spanish army consisted of 60 thousand soldiers, as well as aircraft and tanks. Al-Khattabi's army, on the contrary, had only 3 thousand Muslim mujahideen armed with simple rifles.

However, these two sides were also enemies in faith; one group was fighting for the cause of Allah, the other for the land and the cross. Therefore, Allah's support for the believers was inevitable. Indeed, 3 thousand mujahideen under the command of the legendary Khattabii achieved a real victory over the entire army of 60 thousand crusaders. The entire army was crushed to the ground.

The Muslims killed 18,000 Spaniards and captured tens of thousands of the invaders. Only 600 Spanish soldiers managed to escape, retreating to Spain and telling their king of the horrors they had witnessed on the Moroccan Rif.

Islamic Emirate

Al-Khattabi later established the Islamic Emirate of Rif in the northern Maghreb. He spent five years teaching the people of his emirate the true religion of Islam. He then organized scholarly expeditions to the countries of the world, uniting warring tribes under the banner of Islam.

As expected after any Islamic revival, the Christian countries, which had only united to fight Muslims, came together again, sensing the danger posed by this newly born Islamic state. If this state had survived, it could have completely changed the course of history. So they formed an alliance of half a million European soldiers to fight against only 20,000 Mujahideen, with countless tanks, planes, and warships. Then the greatest surprise happened!

Under the leadership of Mujahid Muhammad ibn Abdulkarim al-Khattabi, the Mujahids won all battles and struck back at the invaders. This forced the European Union to bribe some Arab sheikhs. These traitors fought against al-Khattabi and issued fatwas forbidding them from fighting with him. In addition, French and Spanish aircraft bombed civilians with chemical weapons and poison gas, and the British fleet blockaded the Moroccan coast.

Then Al-Khattabi fought against the peoples of the world, traitors and crusaders, even though he had only 200 warriors under his command who had sworn to be martyrs in the way of Allah at the behest of Al-Khattabi. These men fought like lions, until even the crusaders lost hope of defeating them. It was at this time that the crusaders resorted to the old/modern method and signed a peace and reconciliation agreement with Muhammad. According to this agreement, the safety of all the mujahideen was guaranteed and a decent, free and independent life was promised for the Moroccans.

As usual, the Crusaders did not keep their promises. They kidnapped the legendary Mujahideen prince Muhammad ibn Abdulkarim al-Khattabi and exiled him not for a year or two, but for twenty years to Madagascar, an island in the Indian Ocean.

Steadfast in Faith: Life in Exile

After being captured by the French in 1926, al-Khattabi lived in isolation on the remote island of Madagascar for more than two decades, far from the homeland he had fiercely defended. The colonial powers thought that time and distance would break his will, but on the contrary, those years only strengthened his spiritual strength. He spent his days in prayer, contemplation, and a firm belief in God's divine plan.

News of his legendary defiance spread far beyond Morocco, throughout the Arab world. Among those captivated by his story was King Farouk of Egypt, who revered al-Khattabi as a symbol of the struggle against colonial rule. In 1947, the French, fearing his influence even in exile, decided to move him to the south of France. But fate had other plans.

The ship carrying him, while sailing along the Suez Canal, was forced by fate to stop at Port Said. News of his arrival spread like wildfire. Egyptian nationalists, who held the Lion of the Rif in such high regard, immediately sprang into action. With the king's unquestioning consent and the will of a determined people, al-Khattabi was "liberated" from French control. He was granted political asylum and welcomed as a hero in Egypt.

Abdulkarim was known throughout the world as a symbol of the struggle against imperialism.

The Moroccan lion is celebrated in many countries around the world, including Mexico, China, Peru, and India, for its resistance to European colonialism.

He lived in Egypt under the rule of Gamal Nasser until 1963.

Although he lived long enough to see Morocco gain independence in 1956, he refused to return to his homeland until French forces had left all of North Africa.

Abdulkarim al-Khattabi did not achieve freedom, but he was able to show that the invincibility of the European empires was a lie.

A living legacy

Even after his death, Khattab's influence continued to grow. His teachings, strategies, and unyielding will continue to inspire new generations. To this day, his name is spoken with reverence among those who believe in the fight for justice. Che Guevara's words serve as an eternal tribute to his unwavering commitment:

"You are like a fire that refuses to go out. History never forgets those who don't give up."

In the fateful meeting between these two revolutionary figures, Che acknowledged Khattab's determination and leadership, saying:

"Dear Prince, I came to Cairo specifically to learn from you."

This is evidence that Khattab was among the greatest revolutionaries of his time.