She was the daughter of Ali Mahli el-Bettuyi.[2] Her family came from the Mahalli branch of the Boutouïa[1] which was one of the main families of the Boutouïa tribe who had been confederates and allies of the Marinid family of Hammamma-Ibn-Mohammed.[3]
Illustration of Oum El-Youmn
When she was a young girl, she had a dream of the moon rising from her bosom and ascending to the sky, from where it shed its light over all the earth.[4] She immediately told this dream to her father who hastened to go to Sheikh Abu Othman el-Ouaragly. He replied: “If you are telling the truth, this young girl’s dream means that she will give birth to a great king, a righteous saint, who will cover his subjects with benefits and prosperity”.[2] The son of Oum el-Iman, Emir Abu Yusuf Yaqub ibn Abd al-Haqq, would indeed become a very successful and highly regarded Moroccan sultan. [2]
Around 1210, she married the emir Abu Mohammed Abd al-Haqq.[2] During the marriage ceremony, her father said to his future son-in-law: “My daughter is blessed, and she will make you happy by giving you a son who will be a great king who will cover your nation with glory until the last centuries”.[2] The couple had at least one child, the emir Abu Yusuf Yaqub who was born between 1210 and 1212.[2] All the relatives of Oum el-Iman enjoyed high favour with her son Sultan Abu Yusuf Yaqub,[3] because of the affinity that existed between them and him, and because of the great influence they exercised in their tribe.[3]
A woman of great piety, Oum el-Youmn made the pilgrimage to Mecca (the Hajj) in the year 643 AH (1245-6)[3] and returned to the Maghreb in the year 647.[3] Five years later, she left for the east a second time and made a pilgrimage of supererogation (Umra).[3] After returning home, she died in Cairo the following year.[3]
Tomb
The grave of "Lalla Mimouna", Oum el-Youmn, is located at Busekkur in the tribe of the Ibeqquyen (Central Rif).
