The presence of Arab populations in Morocco is closely connected to the history of the Islamic conquest and the political integration of the Maghreb into the Umayyad Caliphate. From the first century of the Hijra onward, successive waves of Arab migration reached the far western Maghreb.
These migrations did not occur at a single moment but unfolded gradually throughout the medieval period. Arab groups arrived for different reasons: military service, political exile, trade, religious scholarship, and later organized settlement policies carried out by ruling dynasties.
This article examines the major phases of Arab migration to Morocco from the Islamic conquest until the end of the Almohad period.
First Phase
From the Islamic Conquest to the 5th Century AH
This phase begins with the Muslim conquest of the Maghreb, when Morocco became administratively linked to the Umayyad Caliphate in the East. Arab groups arrived in the region as soldiers, administrators, and settlers.
Historians generally divide this period into two distinct stages.
First Stage: Early Arab Settlements After the Islamic Conquest
During the first years of Muslim rule, Arab soldiers and tribal groups were sent to the Maghreb by the caliphs to consolidate control over the newly conquered territories. These groups belonged to various Arab tribes.
Among the tribes that settled in northern Morocco were:
- Banu Hashim
- Banu Adi
- Banu Umayya
- Banu Asad
Historical sources mention that Salih ibn Mansur al-Himyari, originally from Yemen, was among the earliest Arab figures to establish himself in Morocco. According to historical accounts, the Umayyad caliph al-Walid ibn Abd al-Malik granted him the region of Nakūr in the year 91 AH.
This example illustrates that Arab settlement in Morocco began very early after the Islamic conquest.
Second Stage: Migration to Fez During the Idrisid Period
Another important migration occurred during the reign of Idris II (189 AH). At that time several Arab groups arrived in the city of Fez from Kairouan, particularly members of tribes such as:
- Qays
- al-Azd
- Yuhsub
- Madhhij
These migrants were dissatisfied with the rule of the Aghlabids in Ifriqiya and sought refuge in Idrisid Morocco. Historical sources estimate that around 300 households, including 500 horsemen, settled in Fez during this period.
During roughly the same years (around 193 AH), other migrants also arrived in Morocco. Among them were groups of Persians from Iraq, whom Idris II settled in the region of Ayn Alloun.
Another well-known migration involved Andalusian refugees from Córdoba, who fled the famous Revolt of the Suburb (Thawrat al-Rabad). These Andalusians settled in Fez in an area that later became known as the Andalusian Quarter (ʿAdwat al-Andalusiyyin).
According to the historian Ibn Abi Zarʿ, the number of Andalusian migrants who arrived around 202 AH reached approximately 8,000 households, making it one of the first large migrations recorded in Moroccan history.
Fez as a City of Migration
Since its foundation, Fez attracted migrants from different parts of the Islamic world. Andalusian artisans, scholars, and craftsmen played an important role in the city's development.
Historical sources record that Musa ibn Abi al-Afiya once requested skilled craftsmen from the Umayyad ruler al-Nasir li-Din Allah in Córdoba. The Andalusian ruler responded by sending a group of specialists including:
- architects
- builders
- carpenters
- excavators
- plaster workers
- metalworkers
These craftsmen contributed to the construction of fortifications and urban infrastructure in Morocco.
By the fourth century AH, eastern Arab merchants and scholars were also arriving in Moroccan cities such as Sijilmasa, where merchants from Basra settled and developed long-distance trade networks.
Second Phase
Arab Migration During the Almoravid Period
The rise of the Almoravid dynasty created conditions that encouraged further migration to Morocco.
The establishment of political stability and economic growth attracted many Andalusians, including skilled craftsmen and artisans. The Almoravids actively encouraged this migration in order to support urban development and specialized industries.
Fields that benefited from Andalusian expertise included:
- leather production
- sugar processing
- pottery
- construction and architecture
The Almoravid ruler Yusuf ibn Tashfin brought craftsmen from Córdoba to expand the city of Fez and improve its mosques, fountains, and public baths.
His successor Ali ibn Yusuf also recruited Andalusian workers for major infrastructure projects, including the construction of the Tensift bridge.
Historical works such as “Buyutat Fas al-Kubra” mention several Andalusian Arab families who settled permanently in Fez as well as in other cities such as Meknes and Ceuta.
Third Phase
Early Arrival of Banu Hilal During the Almoravid Era
The arrival of the Arab tribes Banu Hilal and Banu Sulaym in North Africa had dramatic consequences for the region.
After these tribes devastated parts of Ifriqiya, many inhabitants abandoned their towns and countryside. Merchants and refugees migrated westward toward Morocco, particularly to cities such as Aghmat and Fez.
Some members of the Hilalian tribes also entered Morocco during the Almoravid period, although their numbers appear to have been relatively small.
The historian Ibn Khaldun explains that Morocco had not been a traditional homeland for Arab tribes before the fifth century AH. According to him:
Arab groups from Banu Hilal and Banu Sulaym moved westward into the Maghreb during the middle of the fifth century AH.
Some of these Arabs joined the Almoravid army and participated in military campaigns in al-Andalus. However, their participation seems to have been voluntary rather than organized settlement.
Fourth Phase
The Almohad Relocation of Arab Tribes
The most significant Arab migration into Morocco occurred during the Almohad period.
Historians note that the relocation of Arab tribes during this era has not received sufficient attention in Moroccan historiography.
Following military victories in Ifriqiya, the Almohad ruler Abd al-Mu'min began transferring groups of Arab tribes westward into Morocco.
After defeating the Arab tribes near Kairouan in 551 AH, some tribes such as Banu Riyah joined the Almohad movement and accompanied the Almohad armies.
Later, in 555 AH, Abd al-Mu'min transferred approximately one thousand families from each tribe, including members of the Jusham tribe, to Morocco.
The Major Hilalian Migration Under Yaqub al-Mansur
The largest migration of Arab tribes occurred during the reign of Yaqub al-Mansur (580–595 AH).
This movement is sometimes described by historians as the “Great Arab Migration.”
Al-Mansur launched campaigns in Ifriqiya to suppress the rebellion of Banu Ghaniya, who had gathered support from Arab tribes and other groups.
After defeating them at the Battle of al-Hamma (583 AH), al-Mansur decided to relocate large numbers of Arab tribes to Morocco.
Unlike earlier relocations, this migration involved entire tribal groups with their families.
Many of these tribes were settled across the plains of Morocco:
- Jusham tribes in the region of Tamesna
- other Hilalian groups in various Moroccan plains
As a result, Morocco gradually became a region inhabited by both Arab-speaking and Berber-speaking populations.
Fifth Phase
Arrival of the Banu Maqil Tribes
The final important wave of Arab migration occurred with the arrival of the Banu Maqil tribes.
These tribes moved from Ifriqiya and central Maghreb toward southeastern Morocco, particularly the regions of Souss and Draa, during the late Almohad period.
By the end of the 7th century AH, these tribes had expanded further toward the southern and western parts of Morocco.
Arab migration to Morocco was not the result of a single historical event but rather a long process that unfolded over several centuries.
Beginning with the Islamic conquest, continuing through the Idrisid, Almoravid, and Almohad periods, different waves of Arab migrants contributed to the demographic and cultural transformation of the region.
Military service, political conflict, economic opportunity, and state-directed settlement policies all played roles in shaping these migrations.
By the end of the Almohad period, Arab tribes had become an important component of Morocco's social and cultural landscape.
Source
Lecture notes by Professor Hamid Ajmili
History of the Western Islamic World
Almoravids, Almohads, and Marinids
Ibn Tofail University – Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Kenitra
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