Chapter Three: Awlad Muhammad "Bahmed" 1 – Historical Overview This tribe is called Awlad Muhammad, but their neighbors call them "Bahmed" and they themselves often call themselves Awlad Muhammad, and they reject the word "Bahmed" due to the slight difference between Muhammad and "Bahmed". We have considered this to be the name of Awlad Muhammad, as they claim, and as the narrative that makes them sons of Muhammad bin Imran tells. Furthermore, regardless of the name given to them, what is worth noting is not to confuse them with the people of Sidi Mahmoud, a Zawiya tribe residing on the borders of Mauritania and the Sahel. Awlad Muhammad "Bahmed" are of Arab origin, and their self-narrative supports this. They also hold a prestigious position in the general narrative of the Hassani Arab world in the Western Sahara. They descend from Muhammad bin Imran bin Mu'affar bin Audi bin Hassan (1). As we have seen, they are cousins of Awlad Mubarak, who also descend from the aforementioned Muhammad, but through one of his younger sons: Al-Dheeb, as we will see later. Awlad Muhammad descend from the five great fathers of the aforementioned Muhammad. Their arrival in Hod dates back to approximately the 17th century. However, they are not the earliest Arab inhabitants of the region. The first migration, as we have seen, was composed of the descendants of Dawud, Muhammad, and 'Uruq, in the 15th and 16th centuries. Awlad Muhammad arrived shortly thereafter, and established their leadership in place of the leadership of Awlad 'Uruq (around 1650). They were then forced to relinquish their position to their cousins, Awlad Mubarak (around 1750), leaving them their followers and marabouts. They were even forced to support them financially. A century later, those dependent factions were forced to join the Mashthuf al-Din, who became the masters of Hod, where we found the covenant from them upon our arrival. Many of them were linked by excellent relations with their former masters, Awlad Muhammad, who knew how to benefit from general disturbances, perhaps returning to their fold. We also found that the connection of Awlad Muhammad with Mashthuf was translated by the payment of 22 "bisa" of indigo (2), which was reduced by half in 1913 through the efforts of the chief Matjou. It was completely abolished in 1916 when Awlad Muhammad moved to the Kouth-Nouara district.

(1) The two famous Imrans are Dawud and Hadaj, the ancestors of Brakna and Traiza. Salih bin Abd al-Wahhab did not mention anything in Al-Haswa on the subject. As for Awlad Muhammad [Bahmed], they attribute themselves to Muhammad bin Uthman bin Mu'affar, making them brothers of Awlad Mubarak and Awlad Dawud. See the genealogy of the Mu'affar on page 12. (2) – A corruption of the French word "pièce", which is fifteen meters.