ABSTRACT
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
Appointment by the previous governor — e.g. ‘Abdul’azīz b. Mūsā was appointed by his father.2
Appointment directly by the caliph, as in the case of al-Samḥ b. Mālik al-Khawlānī, who was appointed by ‘Umar II.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
Appointment imposed by the Muslims of Spain themselves. Two groups were appointed in this way:
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
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
