Abd al-Wahid

Abu Muhammad Abd al-Wahid ibn Abu Hafs, or Abd al-Wahid ( Arabic. أبو محمد عبد الواحد , d. 1222) - the first ruler (wadi) of the Hafsids in Ifricia in 1207 - 1222 .

Abd al-Wahid was the grandson of Sheikh Abu Hafs Umar from the Khintat of the Sanhaji tribe. Nevertheless, he abandoned his Berber origin, considering it not noble enough, and impersonated a native of Yemen and a descendant of the caliph Umar ibn al-Khattab.

Abd al-Wahid accompanied Caliph Almohad Muhammad al-Nasir on his expedition to Ifricia in 1205. In February 1206, the Caliph entered Tunisia, previously abandoned by the enemy. Before leaving for Morocco, the caliph entrusted the administration of the province of Abd al-Wahid, one of his trusted lieutenants. This strengthened the authority of Abd al-Wahid to such an extent that his successors ceased to consider themselves governors and freed themselves from the rule of Almohad in 1229. The new kingdom soon extended its power to Bejaia and a number of neighboring regions.

Abd al-Wahid was succeeded by his eldest son Abdullah ibn Abd al-Wahid, but he had barely declared independence when he was overthrown by his brother Abu Zakaria Yahya I, who strengthened his throne and forced his brother to agree to the title of Sheikh and devote himself to religious life.