Abderrahman El Majdoub


Sidi Abderrahman el Majdoub, also transcribed as Mejdub, full name al-Shaykh Abu Zayd Abderrahman al-Majdoub Ibn Ayyad Ibn Yaacub Ibn Salama Ibn Khashan al-Sanhaji al-Dukkali, was a Moroccan poet, Sufi and mystic. He was born into a Berber family. Many lines of his poems are known throughout the Maghreb, and his work is the source of many proverbs.
El Majdoub was born in Tit a village near Azemmour, in Morocco, in 1508 and moved to Meknes after his wedding with his cousin Fatima, whose father was the brother of Abderrahman's father. He mentions his birthplace and origins in many of his Quaterns. He memorized the entire Quran and the 10 different ways of recitation. He lived during the rise of the Saadi dynasty under the reign of Mohammed ash-Sheikh and Abdallah al-Ghalib. This period also saw the rise of the Othoman Empire in Algeria and Tunisia.

His poetry

El majdoub poetry was about political, moral and social issues, all his poems were collected in a Diwan that provided his mystical views on love, death, emotions, woman, science, education, religion and more. His poetry has become a part of the daily proverbs of Moroccan society
El Majdoub died in 1568 in Meknès, in Morocco. His tomb is in Meknes, near gate Aissa, where later the mausoleum of Moulay Ismail was built. The tomb attracts many visitors every day.