From the time of Mūsā’s departure in 95/714 until the year 138/756, 21 successive wālīs (Governors) exercised power on behalf of the caliph and the Governor of North Africa. The methods adopted in the appointing of these governors can be classified as follows.¹ 1

Appointment by the previous governor — e.g. ‘Abdul’azīz b. Mūsā was appointed by his father.²

2

Appointment directly by the caliph, as in the case of al-Samḥ b. Mālik al-Khawlānī, who was appointed by ‘Umar II.³

3

Appointment by the Governors of North Africa, as in the case of al-Hurr b. ‘Abdilraḥmān al-Thaqafī, ‘Anbasa b. Suḥaym al-Kalbī, Yaḥyā b. Salama al-Kalbī, Ḥudhayfa b. al-Aḥwaṣ al-Ashja’ī, ‘Uthmān b. Abī Nis’a al-Khath’amī, al-Haytham b. ‘Ubayd al-Kinānī, and ‘Uqba b. al-Ḥajjāj al-Salūlī.⁴

4

Appointment imposed by the Muslims of Spain themselves. Two groups were appointed in this way: a

The first was selected by only one section of the people, e.g. Balj b. Bishr, Tha’laba b. Salāma al-’Āmilī, and Thawāba b. Salāma al-Judhāmī were selected by the Syrians.⁵

b

The second group was chosen according to the will of the majority of the Muslims, examples being Ayyūb b. Habīb al-Lakhmī, ‘Abdulraḥmān al-Ghāfiqī (in his first governorship), ‘Udhra b. ‘Abdillāh al-Fihrī, Muḥammad b. ‘Abdillāh al-Ashja’ī, and Yūsuf b. ‘Abdilraḥmān al-Fihrī.⁶