He who has no sons, with Abu Abdullah, is boastful or reverent.

Ibn al-Qattan mentioned that in his youth, while he was studying in the kuttab, he was nicknamed "Asfu".

The meaning of Asfu in Berber is "light" due to his constant lighting of the lamp in the mosque for reading and prayer.

As for the title "Al-Mahdi" for which he became famous, it was not given to him until he declared Mahdism and people pledged allegiance to him. At that time, he was also given the title "Imam". His followers and supporters, after him, used in their writings, letters, and communications the phrase "The Infallible Imam, Al-Mahdi, the Known".

Historians who wrote biographies of Ibn Tumart agree that he belonged to the tribe of **Wargha**, which is a branch of the great Berber tribe **Masmuda**. However, there was a great dispute regarding his lineage, whether it was purely Berber or traced back to the Prophet (peace be upon him).

A prophetic lineage was attributed to him, which has been transmitted in some historical books through various paths and different methods. After comparing them and overlooking minor differences, they can be summarized into four paths, which are as follows: The first: Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Abd al-Rahman bin Hud bin Khalid bin Tamam bin Adnan bin Sufyan bin Safwan bin Jabir bin Atta bin Rabah bin Muhammad bin Al-Hasan bin Ali bin Abi Talib. Ibn al-Qattan mentioned this.

The second: It agrees with the first up to Adnan, then it traces back to Safwan bin Jabir bin Yahya. Ibn al-Qattan mentioned this in "Nathm al-Juman". Ibn Khaldun also mentioned it in "Al-Ibar".