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`Abd al-Qādir al-Jazā'irī (عبد القادر الجزائري)
(1808—1883)

`Abd al-Qādir al-Jazā'irī was an Algerian Islamic scholar, Sufi, political and military leader who led a struggle against the French invasion in the mid-nineteenth century, for which he is seen by the Algerians as their national hero.

He is often referred to only as `Abd al-Qādir, since al-Jazā'iri simply means "the Algerian". His name can be variously transliterated as Abd al-Kadir, Abdel Kader, Abdelkader, etc.

He is also often given the titles amir, prince, and shaykh, sheik.

He was born in the town of Muaskar in the area of Oran. His father Muhyi al-Din al-Hasani was a shaykh in the Qadiri sufi order of Islam. He said, he is member of Banu Ifran berber. In his childhood he learned to memorize the Qur'an and was well trained in horsemanship, theologycal and linguistic studies, having an education far better than that of his peers. In 1825, he set out for the Muslim pilgrimage, hajj, with his father. While in Mecca, he encountered Imam Shamil; the two spoke at length on different topics. He also traveled to Damascus and Baghdad, and visited the graves of noted Muslims, such as Shaykh Ibn Arabi and Sidi Abd-el-Kader El Jalili. This experience cemented his religious enthusiasm. On his way back to Algeria, he was impressed by the reforms carried out by Muḩammad `Ali in Egypt. He returned to his homeland a few months before the arrival of the French.

In 1830, Algeria was invaded by France; French colonial domination over Algeria supplanted what had been domination in name only by the Ottoman Empire. Within two years, `Abd al-Qādir was made an amir and with the loyalty of a number of tribes began a rebellion against the French. He was effective at using guerrilla warfare and for a decade, up until 1842, scored many victories. He often signed tactical truces with the French, but these did not last. His power base was in the western part of Algeria, where he was successful in uniting the tribes against the French. He was noted for his chivalry; at one occasion released his French captives simply because he had insufficient food to feed them.

To the beginning of 1842 the contest went in favour of the amir; thereafter he found in Marshal Bugeaud an opponent who proved, in the end, his master. Bugeaud used violent methods, including scorched earth policy. Throughout this period Abd-el-Kader showed himself a born leader of men, a great soldier, a capable administrator, a persuasive orator, a chivalrous opponent. His fervent faith in the doctrines of Islam was unquestioned, and his ultimate failure was due in considerable measure to the refusal of the Kabyles, Berber mountain tribes whose Islam is somewhat loosely held, to make common cause with the Arabs against the French.

In 1837, Abd al-Qadir signed the treaty of Tafna with Marshall Bugeaud, in which al-Qadir recognized France's sovereignty in Oran and Algiers, while himself officially controlled in exchange the two-thirds of the country (mainly the interior). But King Louis-Philippe broke the treaty two years later, leading al-Qadir to declare again jihad on October 15, 1839.

However, `Abd al-Qādir was eventually forced to surrender. The French armies grew large, and brutally suppressed the native population and practiced a scorched-earth policy. `Abd al-Qādir's failure to get support from eastern tribes, apart from the Berbers of western Kabylie, also contributed to the quelling of the rebellion. On December 21, 1847, after being denied refuge in Morocco (strangely parallelling Jugurtha's career two thousand years earlier), `Abd al-Qādir was forced to surrender. Two days later, his surrender was made official to the French Governor-General of Algeria, Henri d'Orléans, duc d'Aumale. `Abd al-Qādir was exiled to France, in violation of the promise that he would be allowed to go to Alexandria or Acre, on the faith of which he had surrendered.

`Abd al-Qādir and his family were detained in France, first at Toulon, then at Pau, being in November 1848 transferred to the château of Amboise. There he remained until October 1852, when he was released by Napoleon III on taking an oath never again to disturb Algeria. The amir then took up his residence in Brusa, moving in 1855 to Damascus. He devoted himself anew to theology and philosophy, and composed a philosophical treatise, of which a French translation was published in 1858 under the title of Rappel à l'intelligent. Avis à l'indifférent. He also wrote a book on the Arab horse.

While in Damascus he befriended Lady Jane Digby and Richard and Isabel Burton. In July 1860, conflict between the Druze and Maronites of Mount Lebanon spread to Damascus, and local Druze attacked the Christian quarter, killing over 3,000 persons. `Abd al-Qādir and his personal guard saved large numbers of Christians, bringing them to safety in his house and in the citadel. For this action the French government, which granted the amir a pension of 4000 Louis, bestowed on him the Grand Cross of the Légion d'honneur. He was also honoured by Abraham Lincoln for this gesture towards Christians with several guns that are now on display in the Algiers museum.

In 1864 Abd al-Qādir became a Freemason being initiated at the Lodge of Pyramids as a courtesy for the Lodge Henri IV, in Paris. Abd al-Qader died at Damascus on 26 May 1883 and was buried near the great sufi Ibn Arabi in Damascus.

Algeria, 2005, Saddel of Abd el-Kader

Algeria, 2005, Boots of Abd el-Kader

Algeria, 2005, Jacket of Abd el-Kader

Algeria, 2005, Seal of Abd el-Kader

Algeria, 2008, Abd el-Kader

France, 2008, Abd el-Kader

Mozambique, 2012, The president of Republic-Prince frees Abd el Kader

France, 2008.02.20, Paris. Abd el-Kader

France, 2008, Stamp with Abd el-Kader