Muhammad al-Kattani

[3] He was born in 1873 in Fes to the illustrious al-Kattani literary family claiming Idrisid ancestry and known for its independent stance in relation to the Makhzen.

[5] He studied hadith, biographies of the prophets, fiqh, and kalām under his maternal uncle Ja'afar bin Idriss al-Kattani.

"[8] According to the hagiography al-Madhāhir (المظاهر السامية في النسبة الشريفة الكتانية), al-Kattani veiled his face, as Abu Yaaza and, in the Islamic tradition, Moses did.

[3] He was summoned to Marrakesh in 1896/1897 to clarify his position to Sultan Abdelaziz after a rumor spread of his ideological deviancy and his plotting of an overthrow of power.

[5] He also traveled through the Mashriq, visiting the Hijaz, the Levant, and Egypt, where he came into contact with important leaders and scholars, including Khedive Abbas Pasha I in Cairo and the Sharif Awn ar-Rafiq in Mecca, and called for reform in the region.

[5] al-Kattani taught many Egyptian scholars at Al-Azhar University,[5] and met Khedive Isma'il Pasha for long talks, attempting to coordinate with him, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Morocco to counter French imperialism.

[5] In the period of Sheikh Muhammad Bin Abdul-Kabir Al-Kattani, a number of ulama from the Mashreq joined the Kattaniya Sufi order, including Ali ibn Tahir al-Watri, Abd al-Karim Murad, and Khayreddin at-Tunsi.

[5] After visiting Marseille, which produced the sugarloaves imported by Morocco, he forbade his followers from drinking Moroccan tea, and encouraged them to oppose its consumption at gatherings and parties.

[12] Particularly after Wadii' Karam (وديع كرم), a Maronite man from Greater Syria, was appointed editor-in-chief in 1906, the Arabic newspaper es-Saada, published by the French Legation in Tangier to advance French colonial interests, led a defamation campaign against al-Kattani and the Ulama of Fes, describing them as "renegade revolutionary heretics.

[15]"المخزن كان نافرا من الكتاني تيقنا منه أن الرجل لا يقصد من وراء ورده الأمور الدينية وإنما له غاية أخرى يجللها بثوب الدين، ولذلك لم يحتفل به المخزن كما ينبغي ولا راعى شأنه كما يستحق.

"[15]"The Makhzen turned away from al-Kettani, understanding that the man's intention is not to bring up religious matters but that he has an ulterior motive that he dresses in religion.

[17] al-Katani repeatedly requested that Sultan Abdelhafid abide by the terms of the bay'ah, writing to him about this over and over, warning him of the risks of Morocco's descending into gorge of colonialism.

He also released a fatwa ordaining a campaign of jihad against the colonialists, calling for an armed blockade of the French army at Tariq Za'ir outside of Rabat.