Early Life
Abd el-Krim was born in Ajdir, Morocco, the son of Abd al-Karim al-Khattabi, a qadi (Islamic judge) of the Aith Yusuf clan of the Aith Uriaghel (or Waryaghar) tribe. Abd el-Krim received a traditional education at a mosque school in Ajdir, followed by a period at a religious institute at Tetouan. At the age of twenty, it appears he studied for two years in Fez at the Attarine and Seffarine medersas, in order to prepare to enter the famous Qaraouiyine university. His brother, M'Hammad received a Spanish education, studying mine engineering in Malaga and Madrid. Both spoke fluent Spanish and Arabic. After his studies, in 1906, Abd el-Krim was sent to Melilla by his father. He worked there as a teacher and translator (until 1913), working for the OCTAI - the Spanish 'native affairs' office - and became a journalist for the Spanish newspaper Telegrama del Rif (1906–1915).
Read more about this topic: Muhammad Ibn 'Abd Al-Karim Al-Khattabi
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