Episode 107 Descriptions of Er-Raisuni: His Personal, Moral, Ethical, and Religious Character
Beyond the battlefield, many contemporaries remembered Mulay Ahmed Er-Raisuni as a leader who inspired loyalty through both strength and personal generosity. Feared by his enemies yet approachable to the common people, he became a symbol of protection, dignity, and hope for many communities of northern Morocco.
- Physical Appearance, Moral, and Leadership Traits of Er-Raisuni
Descriptions of Er-Raisuni: His Personal, Moral, Ethical, and Religious Character
If you do not know Er-Raisuni, it will become clear to you through his glorious deeds. He was—may God have mercy on him—tall in stature, solid in limbs, strong in forearms, and magnificent in body, with a beard that reached his chest. Sometimes he dyed it with henna, and he did not shave his head. He was a man of great soul, high ambition, serious in his words and actions, far removed from trivialities and ignoble morals.
He possessed a fierce, resolute determination: whenever he spoke, he acted; he never broke promises, placed things precisely in their proper places, and weighed matters with correct measure. He was generous, brave, decisive, possessing sound opinion and management, firm against his enemies, and severe in striking them down, yet yielding to no terrifying horror. He was protective of God's rights whenever sanctities were violated, taking no blame from any critic for the sake of God.
He excelled in intellectual cunning, seeing outcomes before their premises, and knowing the negative from the positive. His intuition was so accurate that it scarcely ever erred, and he managed his enemies' plots even before they descended upon him. He had been subjected to a number of assassinations, yet his survival was always destined, astonishing people. It is said that the poisoned meal placed in his footwear was what affected him and slowed his movement—and those were the assassinations that he was subjected to, which made him more cautious than a crow. Hence, no one had his complete trust except men of proven loyalty through trials and tribulations.
He was deeply silent, profound in intention, heavy in self-reflection, barely uttering a reply in political matters—especially when among his family—fanatically devoted to his opinion, highly protective of his prestige so that no one would dare challenge his views. From his person radiated an awe that troubled the limbs of the brave. His character embodied patience, deliberation, and composure during grim situations.
Everyone who socialized with him felt psychological exhaustion due to those psychological bonds he imposed upon them, and he was intensely characterized by manly honor, loving the knowledge of men and eager to hear of them.
- Er-Raisuni’s Steadfastness in Battles, Miraculous Escapes, and Devotion
He enjoyed research, inquired about them, became acquainted with their affairs, and cared for their matters. He was unshakeable in battle, not moving from his council even when cannons and airplanes bombed his residence and village. He was in military battles riding his horse, firing bullets while standing, moving and roaming among the fighters without caring for the barrels aimed at him. People were astonished at his command, and some said he used cold cream, while others claimed scientists with him in prison made it for him.
The son of one of his servants, named Al-Riboudi, mentioned to me that he used to take charge of his region after returning from military battles, and bullets would fall from his clothing in great abundance—a verified and confirmed matter which I heard from the son of his brother, Sidi Muhyi al-Din, when I asked him about this affair. He answered what I heard from him, saying: "People say I have cold cream, and I have nothing of the sort, and whatever was left for you in the bag, keep it."
He would command his family and companions to hide during bombardment while he sat in his place, praising God Almighty and fearing no one. It is said that a bomb from airplanes fell on the house, penetrating the zinc roof and the ceiling of the house, landing softly beside him without exploding, and I stood at the exact spot myself as it happened.
After the departure of the airplanes, his guard called out to him, saying: "Let me carry this bomb to the expert to empty it of dynamite."
He was a memorizer of the Quran according to the recitation of Al-Sheikh Al-Basri, devout, maintaining prayers on time, chaste, devoted to the Book of God, persistent in remembrances transmitted through his ancestral Zawiya, reciting the Most Beautiful Names of God, performing night prayers according to his worldly and otherworldly needs. He used to say: "Whoever loves the world hurries towards it, and whoever loves the Hereafter hurries towards it." He added: "The best of worldly life is the abundance of throwing bullets in the faces of enemies, and the best of the Hereafter is the abundance of finger movement during the Tashahhud in prayer."
As for the political aspect, he would fluctuate with enemies like a chameleon, so no one could possibly know where his view stood. Everything he decided could not be known regarding his direction except by specialists, and he used to say: "The chests of the free are the graves of secrets."
(Note at bottom of page 832): "I happened to visit Tazarut on 20 Dhu al-Hijjah 1405 AH (August 8, 1985 CE) and stood at the exact spot where he was sitting when the bomb fell, pierced the ceiling, and landed near him. The fracture caused by the bomb in the ceiling is still visible to this day."
- Security Rigor, Military Planning, and Er-Raisuni's Closest Confidants
...none of his military and political planning was known before its execution, and even what he arranged was not disclosed except to the elite—like every authoritarian ruler whose nature is dominance, because the helpless person fears to tyrannize, and that is because what he knew of the multitude of ambitious traitors seeking his secrets made it impossible for him to reveal anything to anyone from his direction.
No one knew the truth except his special confidants who were informed of all his circumstances, among them Al-Sharif Ould Hamou Al-Harrar, Al-Qaid Al-Ayyashi Al-Zallal (one of the senior commanders at the very beginning of his circumstances), and his private secretary, whom he guarded closely out of fear that any secret from his direction would leak.
Mulay Ahmed Er-Raisuni's character, leadership, and legacy:
- A Complex and Imposing Persona: Er-Raisuni was a towering, formidable figure whose physical presence matched his unyielding determination, strategic cunning, and absolute seriousness. He commanded profound awe and terror among his adversaries, while demanding rigorous discipline and absolute loyalty from those around him.
- The Dual Nature of His Leadership: His life was defined by a striking blend of political and military astuteness—navigating shifting alliances like a chameleon and keeping his plans heavily guarded from potential traitors—paired with an unshakeable physical bravery on the battlefield that left contemporaries astonished by his survival through numerous assassination attempts.
- Deep Spiritual Devotion: Beneath his reputation as a fierce tribal leader of the Jebala, he maintained a strict religious discipline, balancing the harsh realities of armed struggle with constant Quranic recitation, night prayers, and ancestral spiritual remembrances (Dhikr).
Ultimately, Er-Raisuni emerges from the historical records as an authoritarian yet deeply pious master strategist who left an indelible mark on the resistance and history of northern Morocco.
See also the previous episodes linked below
المشرف على منصة "أرشيف شمال المغرب" للتوثيق والبحث التاريخي.
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