Abstract:

Although the political front of Islam covered Northwest Africa in the 7th century and the Iberian peninsula in the 8th century, the fact that our knowledge about Islamic history is oriented between Damascus-Baghdad led us to think of Islam in the eastern- centered. The spread of Islam in North Africa and the Iberian peninsula paved the way for political and scientific interaction between East and West. Although the activities of Islam in the East are better known, its activities are undeniably important in the Maghreb. For example The Seljuks (1040-1157), who organized the Islamic political life in the East for Islam, played a similar role to the Almoravids (1056-1147) in the Maghreb. Because the both states showed similar activities in establishing Islamic unity and targeting the Christian world. The chief of the Judala clan of the Sanhaja tribe Yahya b. Ibrahim, one of the Berbers who converted to Islam in the 10th century, asked Abu Imran al-Fasi to send one of his students so that he and his tribe can learn about Islam. As a result, in order to fulfill this duty, Abdullah b. Yasin went to the region. In the beginning, that was only for the purpose of teaching Islam but as a result of Abdullah b. Yasin's efforts, a state emerged that dominated both Maghreb and al-Andalus. With the title of Amir al-Muslimin, Yusuf b. Tashfin's period was regarded as the rising era of the Almoravid State. The fact that he defeated the Christian forces led by Alfonso in the Battle of Zallaqa in 1086 and gathered the Muluk al-Tawaif emirates in Andalusia under his power showed that Tashfin had the title deservedly. In short, this period was the timespan when the lands of the Western Islamic world were gathered in the same hands for the first time. Even if Ali b. Yusuf b. Tashfin, the successor of Yusuf b. Tashfin, continued jihad activities in Andalusia, he withdrew from the political scene in 1147 as a result of both the Almohad rebellion in the Maghreb and especially following turmoil in al-Andalus.

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