Ahl Taleb al-Mukhtar (in Arabic: أهل طالب المختار) is a Moorish tribe of Sharifian descent, through Idris I. Originating from Morocco and extending to Mauritania. It is the family of the renowned Ma al-'Aynayn.
History and Origins.
The family of Ahl Taleb al-Mukhtar came in the 17th century from Tafilalt in Morocco to Mauritania. This family holds a prestigious status due to its Sharifian lineage. They descend from Ali ibn Abi Talib through his great-great-grandson: Idris I, founder of Morocco.
Other family traditions claim they came much earlier into the Sahara from Morocco, not necessarily from Tafilalt. It is said that Yahya al-Kebir, known as "Qalqam", was the one who reached "Touart".
The patriarch, Taleb Al-Mukhtar, a distinguished scholar, was sought out by the emir of Tagant, Amar ben Muhammad, who was looking for a true Sharif to benefit from his "barakah" (“blessing”)
They are also known for their resistance against colonization. A significant number of the sons of Ma al-'Aynayn, along with himself, resisted the French and Spanish colonizers. Among them, Ahmed al-Hiba succeeded in becoming “sultan” in southern Morocco, especially in the Sous region, where several tribes pledged allegiance to him. Among these tribes were: Chtouka, Ida Ou Tanan, Mesguina, and the Huwara.
Religious Order.
The Ahl Taleb al-Mukhtar family is largely Sufi, belonging to the Qadiriyya order. One of the family patriarchs, Muhammad Fâdil ben Mâmîn, founded one of its branches, called the "Fadiliyya". It spread across much of Mauritania and West Africa, mainly in Senegal, through his two sons, Cheikh Saad Bouh and Ma al-'Aynayn
Lineage.
The lineage (nassab) of the "Ahl Taleb al-Mukhtar" is as follows:
"Al-Talib Abi Al-Anwar Muhammad" (Founder) bin Al-Jih Al-Mukhtar bin Al-Habib bin Ali bin Sidi Muhammad bin Sidi Yahya bin Ali bin Muhammad Shams Al-Din bin Yahya known as “Qalqam,” bin Sidi Muhammad bin Sidi Othman bin Abi Bakr bin Sidi Yahya bin Abdul Rahman bin Aran bin Atlan bin Ajmalan bin Ibrahim bin Masoud bin Issa bin Othman bin Ismail bin Abdul Wahhab bin Yusuf bin Omar bin Yahya bin Abdullah bin Ahmed bin Yahia III bin Al-Qasim bin Idris II bin Idris I bin Abdullah Al-Kamil bin Al-Hassan Al-Muthanna bin Hassan Al-Sabt bin Ali bin Abi Talib bin Abd al-Muttalib bin Hashim bin Abd Manaf bin Qussay.
Genealogy.
Here is the partial family tree of the descendants of the "Ahl Taleb al-Mukhtar." They are numerous. The men of the family had many sons, who spread the lineage of the Ahl Taleb al-Mukhtar throughout Morocco and Mauritania. Their lineage is divided into two: the descendants of Taleb [Abu al-Anwar] Mohamed ben [Ould] Jih al-Mokhtar and Fadel ben [Ould] Jih al-Mukhtar.