His grandfather, Abu Isa Kathir, the eponymous of the family, was a Masmuda Berber soldier and a mawla of the Banu Layth of Kinana, thus the nisba al-Laythi.

As a member of the shura (the advisory board that the emir and judges had to consult), he had an enormous influence on the nomination of legal positions.

In his role as member of the shura he became close to the ruler of Al-Andalus, who was apparently impressed with his intelligence and authority on Islamic matters.

At one point he was accused of taking part in a rising, after which he fled Cordoba to live amongst the Masmuda tribes near Toledo.

However, it was great for the princes of the sons of Umayya in Andalusia, he stated Ibn Bashkuwal that he answered the invitation, and that the Prince of Andalusia did not When the jurists came out, they asked him: "you didn't miss it with the test", and he said: "If we opened this door on it, it was easy for him to step on every day and free a neck, but I carried him on the most difficult things so that he would not return."