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Mohammed al-Hajj ibn Abu Bakr Ad-Dila'i

1580 – 1665

Moroccan politician

Politician Shaykh
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About Mohammed al-Hajj ibn Abu Bakr Ad-Dila'i

Lived 1580 – 1665 (aged 84–85). Mohammed al-Hajj ibn Abu Bakr Ad-Dila'i was a politician and shaykh.

Mohammed al-Hajj ibn Mohammed ibn Abu Bakr al-Dila'i (; died 1662) was the head of the Zaouia of Dila and conquered Meknes and Fez in 1641.

Life Mohammed al-Hajj is the grandson of the founder of the zaouia Abu Bakr ibn Mohammed (1526–1612), the son of Sidi Mohammed (died 1636) and brother of the scholar Abu Abdallah Mohammed al-Murabit al-Dila'i (died 1678). Mohammed al-Hajj is from the Middle Atlas, where was located their seat the Zaouia of Dila. He is from the Aït Mejjat tribe (Ait Idrassen), of Sanhaja Amazigh origins.

Some historical chronicles confuse him to be the one who brought the doom of the Zaouia of Dila, stating Mohammed al-Hajj was overthrown in 1663 when its zawiyya lost Fes.

During Al Haj's occupation of Fes, antisemitism in the city grew. A Jewish chronicle of the time recounts that in 1646 he ordered synagogues to close, and these were subsequently desecrated, damaged, or destroyed.

Mohammed al-Hajj died in 1662. Prior to his death, in 1660, he defeated Khadir Ghaïlan on the battlefield. The two armies had clashed for delimitation of rural frontiers. While the battle was a victory for the Dilaites over Ghaïlan, the victorious party suffered considerable casualties.

The doom of the Zaouia of Dila was not caused by their own ill making, but rather due to the 1662 rebellion in Fez of Caid Abdallah Al Doraidi who took advantage of news Mohammed al-Hajj's death, and proclaimed himself Sultan of Fez. The rebel, one of their troops commander, purposefully acted in an unfavorable time for the Dilaites, they were still recovering from their previous battle and thus struggled to gain back their full forces. The deceased's son Abdallah ould Mohammed al-Hajj tried to gain back Fez in 1663 but failed. He came with Berber contingents, besieged the city and camped below Fes el Bali's walls. The fighting lasted for ten days but faced with the city's fortifications, the Dilaites retreated.

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Important facts

Born
1580
Birth century
Died
1665
Occupation
Positions held
Sultan of Morocco
Also known as
Hajj Dilai

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Mohammed al-Hajj ibn Abu Bakr Ad-Dila'i's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Mohammed al-Hajj ibn Abu Bakr Ad-Dila'i?

Moroccan politician

When was Mohammed al-Hajj ibn Abu Bakr Ad-Dila'i born?

Mohammed al-Hajj ibn Abu Bakr Ad-Dila'i was born in 1580.

When did Mohammed al-Hajj ibn Abu Bakr Ad-Dila'i die?

Mohammed al-Hajj ibn Abu Bakr Ad-Dila'i died in 1665.

What was Mohammed al-Hajj ibn Abu Bakr Ad-Dila'i's occupation?

Mohammed al-Hajj ibn Abu Bakr Ad-Dila'i was a politician and shaykh.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Mohammed al-Hajj ibn Abu Bakr Ad-Dila'i

· Wikidata: Q5217674

· DBpedia: Mohammed al-Hajj ibn Mohammed al-Dila'i

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Mohammed al-Hajj ibn Abu Bakr Ad-Dila'i. https://biography.guide/mohammed-al-hajj-ibn-abu-bakr-ad-dila-i/

MLA: "Mohammed al-Hajj ibn Abu Bakr Ad-Dila'i." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/mohammed-al-hajj-ibn-abu-bakr-ad-dila-i/.

Chicago: "Mohammed al-Hajj ibn Abu Bakr Ad-Dila'i." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/mohammed-al-hajj-ibn-abu-bakr-ad-dila-i/.

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