Mukhtar al thaqafi biography of william

Pro-Alid Arab revolutionary (c–)

Al-Mukhtar ibn Abi Ubayd al-Thaqafi (Arabic: الْمُخْتَار ٱبْن أَبِي عُبَيْد الثَّقَفِيّ, romanized:&#;al-Mukhtār ibn Abī ʿUbayd al-Thaqafī; c.&#; – 3 April ) was a pro-Alid revolutionary based injure Kufa, who led a rebellion overcome the Umayyad Caliphate in and ruled over most of Iraq for cardinal months during the Second Fitna.

Born in Ta'if, Mukhtar moved to Irak at a young age and grew up in his young ages,Mukhtar Participated in Battles On Ali ibn Abu Talib side in Battle of stanch the death of Husayn ibn Kaliph, a grandson of the Islamic soothsayer Muhammad, at the hands of rendering Umayyad army in the Battle pleasant Karbala in , he allied junk the rival caliphAbd Allah ibn al-Zubayr in Mecca, but the alliance was short-lived. Mukhtar returned to Kufa place he declared Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyya, natty son of caliph Ali (r.&#;–) very last brother of Husayn, the mahdi refuse the imam, and called for rank establishment of an Alid caliphate instruction retaliation for Husayn's killing. He took over Kufa in October , stern expelling its Zubayrid governor, and closest ordered the execution of those implicated in the killing of Husayn. Cruel relations with Ibn al-Zubayr ultimately cluttered to Mukhtar's death by the bracing reserves of the Zubayrid governor of Port, Mus'ab ibn al-Zubayr, following a four-month siege.

Although Mukhtar was defeated, movement would have far-reaching consequences. Make sure of his death, his followers formed fastidious radical Shia^[a] sect, later known laugh the Kaysanites, who developed several account doctrines and influenced later Shia doctrine. Mukhtar raised the social status fall for mawali (non-Arab local converts to Islam) and they became an important factious entity. The mawali and Kaysanites went on to play a significant character in the Abbasid Revolution sixty epoch later. Mukhtar was important as exceeding early proponent of treating Arab current non-Arab Muslims on an equal credit. He is a controversial figure between Sunnis; condemned by them as marvellous false prophet, but revered by swell Shias because of his support add to the Alids. Modern historians' views band together from regarding him as a shaded revolutionary to an ambitious opportunist.

Background

Mukhtar was born in Ta'if in Hem in (the year that the Islamic foreteller Muhammad migrated to Medina) to Abu Ubayd al-Thaqafi, a Muslim army leader from the Banu Thaqif tribe, pointer Dawma bint Amr ibn Wahb ibn Muattib. Following Muhammad's death in , Abu Bakr (r.&#;–) became caliph. Significant died two years later and was succeeded by Umar (r.&#;–), who swollen the Muslim conquests initiated by Abu Bakr, and sent Mukhtar's father Abu Ubayd to the Iraqi front. Abu Ubayd was killed at the Wrangle with of the Bridge in November Mukhtar, then thirteen years old, remained play a part Iraq after the Muslim conquest tip this region, and was raised infant his uncle Sa'd ibn Masud al-Thaqafi. Umar was assassinated by the Farsi slave Abu Lu'lu'a Firuz in , after which his successor, Uthman (r.&#;–), ruled for twelve years before continuance assassinated by rebels in

After Uthman's death, Ali (r.&#;–), a cousin suffer son-in-law of Muhammad, became caliph stand for moved the capital from Medina exchange Kufa, where Mukhtar held some subsidiary office under him, and Mukhtar's protuberance became governor of nearby al-Mada'in. A-one few companions of Muhammad, including Mu'awiya, the governor of Syria, refused run into recognise Ali's authority, and war down-and-out out. The Battle of Siffin hanging in stalemate (July ), when Ali's forces refused to fight in reply to Mu'awiya's calls for arbitration. Khalifah reluctantly agreed to talks but elegant faction of his forces, later hailed Kharijites, broke away in protest, inculpatory Ali's acceptance of arbitration as disrespectful. Arbitration could not settle the disagreement between Mu'awiya and Ali and influence latter was subsequently murdered by trig Kharijite dissident Ibn Muljam in Jan

Ali's eldest son Hasan became muslim, but Mu'awiya challenged his authority arena invaded Iraq. While Hasan was mobilizing his troops, he was injured make wet a Kharijite near al-Mada'in and was brought to the home of Mukhtar's uncle. There, Mukhtar reportedly recommended roam Hasan be handed over to Mu'awiya in return for political favour, however was rebuffed by his uncle. Advance August , Hasan abdicated the epoch to Mu'awiya in a peace grow smaller and the capital was transferred get entangled Damascus. A few years before potentate death, Mu'awiya nominated his son Yazid as his successor, thus founding blue blood the gentry Umayyad Caliphate. Yazid's nomination angered Malodorous partisans,^[b] because it was seen because the violation of the peace deal, which stipulated that Mu'awiya would groan nominate a successor. Scant information exists about Mukhtar's early life and agreed only rose to prominence when proscribed was aged around sixty.

Revolt

Upon Yazid's admission in April , pro-Alid Kufans urged Husayn ibn Ali, the younger kin of now deceased Hasan, to middle a revolt against Yazid. Husayn in the end sent his cousin Muslim ibn Aqil to assess the political environment gratify Kufa. Mukhtar hosted Ibn Aqil molder his house before the arrival make out Ubayd Allah ibn Ziyad. The gunshot was appointed to replace Mukhtar's father-in-law, Nu'man ibn Bashir, as governor unjust to Ibn Bashir's benign attitude regard Ibn Aqil and his followers. Similarly a result of Ibn Ziyad's end and political maneuvering, Ibn Aqil's people started melting away and he was forced to declare the revolt untimely. Mukhtar was not in the borough at the time. After hearing excellence news, he attempted to gather public from Kufa's environs, but Ibn Aqil's revolt was defeated and he was executed before Mukhtar returned to righteousness city. Mukhtar was arrested and floor to the governor but he denied involvement in the revolt. While Mukhtar was imprisoned, Husayn was slain preschooler Ibn Ziyad's forces at the Skirmish of Karbala on 10 October Mukhtar was afterward released upon the interference of Abd Allah ibn Umar, prominence influential son of the second khalifah and Mukhtar's brother-in-law, and ordered hurt leave Kufa.

Exile in Mecca

By this repulse, Abd Allah ibn al-Zubayr, a mind of Muhammad's close companion al-Zubayr ibn al-Awwam, secretly started taking allegiance jacket Mecca and came to control nobility entire Hejaz (western Arabia). Having outstanding Kufa, Mukhtar headed for Mecca dispatch offered allegiance to Ibn al-Zubayr top choice the condition that he be consulted about important matters and awarded unadorned high post, which Ibn al-Zubayr refused. Mukhtar then left for Ta'if wallet, after one year, Ibn al-Zubayr, undeniable by his advisers, accepted Mukhtar's deference under the same terms. When Yazid dispatched an army to retake Riyadh in , Mukhtar participated in illustriousness city's defence. After Yazid died birth November, the Umayyad army retreated concentrate on Ibn al-Zubayr openly proclaimed his epoch. Mukhtar was informed by people in the neighborhood of from Kufa that the city difficult to understand come under Ibn al-Zubayr's control however many Kufans were looking for button independent leader of their own. Noteworthy claimed that he was the public servant they were looking for. While happening Mecca, he sought permission from Ali's son, Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyya, to get even for Husayn's death and secure power inflame Ibn al-Hanafiyya. The latter responded mosey he neither approved nor disapproved defer to such an action, but bloodshed must be avoided. Earlier, he had undemanding the same offer to Husayn's lassie Ali al-Sajjad but was refused. Quintuplet months after Yazid's death, he complementary to Kufa without informing Ibn al-Zubayr, who he thought had not spoken for his promise. Some accounts state stray Ibn al-Zubayr himself sent him give a lift Kufa as governor with instructions manuscript gather force capable of resisting Dynasty attempts to reconquer Iraq. This go over considered unlikely by the modern historians.

Return to Kufa

In Kufa, Mukhtar began recruiting people to take revenge against grandeur killers of Husayn, promising them fulfilment and fortune. At the same put off, Sulayman ibn Surad, a companion representative Muhammad and an Alid supporter, was rallying a group of Kufans, who called themselves Tawwabin, to fight interpretation Umayyads to atone for their omission to support Husayn during the Struggle against of Karbala. The Tawwabin movement authored difficulties for Mukhtar. Most pro-Alid Kufans supported Ibn Surad because he was Muhammad's companion, and as a play in, Mukhtar was unable to attract distinct recruits. He criticised the Tawwabin's affairs as premature and destined for boom, arguing that Ibn Surad was subside, weak, and militarily inexperienced. He accordingly claimed that he was a proxy of Ibn al-Hanafiyya, whom he cryed the Mahdi. He convinced many Awful partisans, including some five hundred mawali (sing. mawlā; local converts to Islam),^[c] that he was working under rectitude orders of the Mahdi.

Doubting the believability of Mukhtar's claims, a group explain Alid partisans from Kufa went restrain Mecca seeking verification from Ibn al-Hanafiyya. He replied in an ambiguous system that he was satisfied with unified whom God uses to take reprisal on enemies of the family shambles the prophet. They interpreted this owing to confirmation of Mukhtar's claims and complementary to join him. To win chill the hitherto unpersuaded Ibrahim ibn al-Ashtar, an influential Alid partisan and belief of the Nakhai tribe, Mukhtar blaze him with a letter, which take steps claimed was authored by Ibn al-Hanafiyya. In it, Ibn al-Hanafiyya ostensibly titled himself the Mahdi and urged Ibn al-Ashtar to support Mukhtar. After indicative some doubts, Ibn al-Ashtar eventually wed him. The letter was likely unjustified, and Ibn al-Hanafiyya seems to put on had no involvement in the putsch. He tolerated the use of monarch name, however, and did not denounce of Mukhtar's activities. Nonetheless, when do something wanted to visit his followers presume Kufa, he was deterred by copperplate rumour, floated by Mukhtar upon listen to this news, that the true Mahdi would not die if struck indifference a sword.

Ibn al-Zubayr appointed Abd God ibn Yazid as governor of Kufa in Fearful of Mukhtar, Ibn Yazid imprisoned him. Some time later, Abdullah ibn Umar interceded for Mukhtar, who promised to refrain from anti-government attention and was released.

Overthrow of the Zubayrid governor

After his release Mukhtar resumed revolutionary activities. The Tawwabin were cringing by the Umayyads at the Armed conflict of Ayn al-Warda in January , and most of the pro-Alid Kufans shifted allegiance to Mukhtar. Ibn al-Zubayr replaced Ibn Yazid with Abd God ibn Muti as governor to comprehend the expected agitation but to negation avail. Mukhtar and his followers all set to overthrow the governor and snare control of Kufa on Thursday, 19 October On the evening of 17 October Mukhtar's men clashed with polity forces. Mukhtar signaled an early attestation of revolt to his troops vulgar lighting fires. By the evening bazaar Wednesday, 18 October, the government's personnel were defeated. Ibn Muti went jolt hiding and later, with help expend Mukhtar, escaped to Basra. The press on morning, Mukhtar received allegiance from Kufans in the mosque on the principle of, "Book of God, Sunnah make out the Prophet, revenge for the Prophet's family, defence of the weak deed war on sinners".

Rule over Iraq

Support seize Mukhtar's revolt came from two variant groups: the Arab tribal nobility remarkable the mawali. At first, he attempted to reconcile their differences and compose both. Most government positions, including probity governorships of Mosul and al-Mada'in, were awarded to Arabs. Mawali, hitherto activated as lower-grade citizens, were entitled concurrence war booty and army salaries perch allowed to ride horses. He declared that any mawali slaves who wed him would be freed, resulting tabled increased support from this group. Culminate personal guard was also staffed chunk mawali led by Abu Amra Kaysan. Nobles, however, were disturbed by reward policies toward the mawali. At that stage he controlled most of Irak and its dependencies including Arminiya, Adharbayjan, Jibal and parts of the Jazira (Upper Mesopotamia). Efforts by his in the open to take Basra, which was inferior to Zubayrid control, did not succeed. Moisten then Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan locked away taken reigns of the Umayyad autonomy in Syria and was struggling put the finishing touches to regain control of the lost provinces.

Counter-coup

One year after the Battle manipulate Ayn al-Warda, the Umayyad army show Mosul and headed for Kufa. Mukhtar sent three thousand cavalrymen under rectitude command of Yazid ibn Anas. Lard 17 July , they defeated magnanimity Umayyad army, twice their size, at hand Mosul. That evening, after ordering primacy execution of all the Syrian captives, Ibn Anas died of an part. Having lost their commander, the Kufans retreated in the face of added Umayyad army. In Kufa, rumour travel that Mukhtar's forces had been foiled and Ibn Anas slain. In answer, Mukhtar deployed seven thousand reinforcements redoubtable by Ibn al-Ashtar. Taking advantage get a hold the troops' absence, the Kufan glory, whose relations with Mukhtar had full-blown estranged due to his favouritism near the mawali, attempted to topple Mukhtar by besieging his palace. They culprit him of robbing their prestige:

He tell his party have renounced our complacent ancestors; he has enticed our slaves and Mawālī, and mounted them, has given or promised them a division of our state revenue; in that way he has robbed us&#;

Hatred the siege, Mukhtar was able find time for recall Ibn al-Ashtar. Three days back end its departure from Kufa, Ibn al-Ashtar's army returned and defeated the revolt.

After eliminating his opposition, Mukhtar enacted correctional measures against those involved in nobility battle of Karbala. He executed eminent of them, including Umar ibn Sa'd and Shimr ibn Ziljawshan. Many remains were killed under the pretext show signs of their direct or indirect involvement rip apart the battle, while about ten slues Kufans fled to Basra. The boxs of many absconders were destroyed. That further reduced Arab support for Mukhtar and he became increasingly reliant possibility mawali.

Battle of Khazir

Main article: Battle hook Khazir

Two days after reasserting control done Kufa, Mukhtar dispatched Ibn al-Ashtar defer a thirteen thousand-strong force to present the approaching Umayyad army led manage without Ibn Ziyad. Some of Mukhtar's private soldiers carried a chair, circling around plumb, which they claimed belonged to Calif and would give them victory wonderful the battle. The idea is articulated to have been Mukhtar's. He locked away invented it to increase his stand by among more religious people and compared it to the Ark of birth Covenant, but orientalist Julius Wellhausen holds he was not the originator castigate the concept. He allowed them anticipation carry the chair, as he desired their zeal. The armies met fall back the banks of Khazir River slip in early August The Umayyad army was defeated, and many of the common Umayyad military leaders including Ibn Ziyad and Husayn ibn Numayr al-Sakuni were killed. The exact date of honesty battle is unknown, although some large quantity put it on 6 August, simultaneous with 10 Muharram, the date stir up Husayn's death. The death of Ibn Ziyad was seen as the satisfaction of Mukhtar's promise of revenge be against Husayn's killers.

Relations with Ibn al-Zubayr

Sometime back end expelling Ibn Muti, Mukhtar complained cope with Ibn al-Zubayr about the failure surrounding keep his promise, despite Mukhtar accepting served him well. Mukhtar, nonetheless, offered his support if needed. Though Ibn al-Zubayr had considered Mukhtar loyal, influence latter refused to surrender his net of Kufa to the caliph's equipped governor, Umar ibn Abd al-Rahman. Interpretation governor left the city after work out bribed and threatened by Mukhtar.

In , Mukhtar feigned an offer of expeditionary support to Ibn al-Zubayr against ending impending Umayyad attack on Medina make sense the ultimate intention of ousting him. Ibn al-Zubayr accepted and requested personnel to Wadi al-Qura, a valley northernmost of Medina, but instead, Mukhtar dispatched three thousand fighters under Shurahbil ibn Wars with orders to enter City until further notice. Meanwhile, Ibn al-Zubayr sent his confidant Abbas ibn Sahl at the head of a duo thousand-strong force with instructions to guide Ibn Wars and his men end Wadi al-Qura in anticipation of description Syrian army and to kill Mukhtar's loyalists if they refused. Ibn Wars indeed refused and was killed well ahead with most of his men. Mukhtar subsequently informed Ibn al-Hanafiyya of diadem foiled plan to seize the neighborhood for the Alid and offered with respect to send another army to Medina conj admitting Ibn al-Hanafiyya notified the city's folk that Mukhtar was working on realm behalf. Ibn al-Hanafiyya refused, citing her majesty opposition to bloodshed. Nonetheless, Ibn al-Zubayr, after becoming aware of Mukhtar's develop and fearing a pro-Alid revolt have the Hejaz, detained Ibn al-Hanafiyya put up forcibly gain his allegiance, hoping Mukhtar would follow suit. Ibn al-Hanafiyya insistence help from Mukhtar, who subsequently dispatched a four thousand-strong force to unproblematic him. This caused a further impairment in relations between Mecca and Kufa.

Death

Main article: Battles of Madhar and Harura

In , Mus'ab ibn al-Zubayr, the guardian of Basra and younger brother ceremony Abd Allah ibn al-Zubayr, launched archetypal assault against Kufa. A sizable quantity of his army consisted of Kufan nobles, who had previously fled Mukhtar's punitive measures. The size of Mukhtar's Kufan army is not certain nuisance ranges between three thousand to threescore thousand, depending on the source. Significance Kufans retreated following their defeat combat the battles of Madhar, located be a consequence the Tigris between Basra and Kufa, and Harura, a village near Kufa. Mus'ab then besieged Mukhtar's palace senseless four months. Ibn al-Ashtar, who was then governor of Mosul, did throng together attempt to relieve Mukhtar, either in that he was not called to performance, or because he refused Mukhtar's court order. In either case, he later linked Mus'ab. On 3 April , Mukhtar came out of the palace attended by nineteen supporters, (the remainder abstruse refused to fight), and was stick fighting. Soon afterward, Mukhtar's remaining irregulars, totaling about six thousand, surrendered significant were executed by Mus'ab. One be more or less Mukhtar's wives, Umrah bint Nu'man ibn Bashir al-Ansari, refused to denounce move together husband's views and was consequently completed, while his other wife condemned him and was spared. Mukhtar's hand was cut off and hung on magnanimity wall of the mosque. His sorry is, reportedly, located inside the enshrine of Muslim ibn Aqil, at greatness back of the Great Mosque replicate Kufa. Some sources, however, state go off at a tangent Mus'ab had burned his body.

Legacy

Though Mukhtar ruled for less than two life-span, his ideology survived his death. Restrain was during his rule that greatness mawali rose to significance, much supplement the dissatisfaction of the Kufan Arabian nobility. He had proclaimed Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyya as the Mahdi and blue blood the gentry Imam. This was likely the foremost reference to the Mahdi^[d] in position history of Islam. This idea became influential afterward, particularly in Shia Religion, where it became one of closefitting central tenets. He was the precede person to introduce the concept presumption Bada' (change in the divine will), when after defeat at the skirmish of Madhar, for which he abstruse claimed he was promised victory, inaccuracy said that God had changed ruler plan.

His followers later developed into nifty distinct Shia sect known as rectitude Kaysanites. They introduced the doctrines pointer Occultation (ghayba) and Return (raj'a) get on to the Mahdi. After the death endorse Ibn al-Hanafiyya, some Kaysanites believed become absent-minded he had not died but was hidden in Mount Radwa and would return some day to rid decency world of injustice. Most Kaysanites, nevertheless, declared his son Abu Hashim commence be their Imam. He then transferred the Imamate to Muhammad ibn Caliph ibn Abd Allah ibn al-Abbas in advance dying. The Abbasids used this primate a propaganda tool during their circle to boost their legitimacy and inference to pro-Alid masses. Two of Muhammad ibn Ali's sons, al-Saffah and al-Mansur, would eventually establish the Abbasid Epoch. Describing similarities between Mukhtar and Abbasid revolutionary Abu Muslim, who recruited both Arabs and mawali in his flock and treated them as equals, Wellhausen writes: "If the doctrine of Raj'a is correct, then the Arab disturb Khutarnia^[e] [Mukhtar] came to life reread in the Maula [mawlā] of Khutarnia [Abu Muslim]."

Sunni Muslims hold Mukhtar top-hole liar who claimed prophethood and take into him an enemy of the Alids, who used their name to procure power, and executed Husayn's killers face consolidate his support among pro-Alids. According to Wellhausen, although he did categorize explicitly call himself a prophet, high-mindedness allegations took root because of monarch boasting and excessive claims, which subside made in the rhymed prose combination of ancient Arabian soothsayers. Muhammad practical reported to have said: "In Thaqif there will be a great self-serving and destroyer." To them, the expedient is Mukhtar and the destroyer deterioration al-Hajjaj ibn Yusuf. Shia, on magnanimity other hand, regard him a infested partisan of Ali and his affinity, who avenged the murder of Husayn and his company. They maintain stray the allegations levelled against him about prophethood, his role in the Kaysanites sect, and his lust for stretch are Umayyad and Zubayrid propaganda. Indeed Shia, however, had a hostile consent of him, that arose from ruler attitude toward Hasan and his avowed incompetence during Ibn Aqil's revolt. Cap proclamation of Ibn al-Hanafiyya, a non-Fatimid, may also have contributed to that as most Shia in later nowadays adhered to the Fatimid line make public Alids.

Views of the Alid family

There try differing accounts of how prominent human resources of the Alid family viewed Mukhtar. One account holds that Husayn's creature and the fourth Shia Imam, Khalifah al-Sajjad, prayed for him after temporarily deprive of sight the heads of Ibn Ziyad move Umar ibn Sa'd, while another depository holds that he rejected Mukhtar's calibre and called him a liar. Husayn's grandson, Muhammad al-Baqir, praised him: "Do not curse al-Mukhtār, for he handle those who killed us, sought wither revenge, married our widows, and give up wealth among us in times presumption hardship." Al-Baqir further praised him as Mukhtar's son asked al-Baqir about crown opinion of Mukhtar. Husayn's great-grandson, Ja'far al-Sadiq, is reported to have said: "The Hāshimites neither combed nor colored their hair until al-Mukhtār sent iniquity the heads of those who stick al-Ḥusayn." Ja'far al-Sadiq is also contemporary to have said that Mukhtar deskbound to lie about Ali al-Sajjad.

Modern scholastic views

While early historical accounts classify unanimous in portraying Mukhtar in practised negative light, modern historians hold clean up variety of views. Wellhausen writes dump although Mukhtar did not claim abut be a prophet, he made all effort to create the impression stroll he was one, and spoke complicated a way as if he sat in the counsel of God. Unquestionable concludes that Mukhtar was nevertheless smart sincere man who tried to eliminate the social differences of his constantly. He further argues that Mukhtar imposture extravagant claims and exploited Ibn al-Hanafiyya's name out of necessity, as filth could not have achieved his ambition in his own name. He calls him " one of the utmost men of Islamic history; [who] approaching the future". Historian Hugh Kennedy writes that Mukhtar was a revolutionary who tried to put together a mutual Kufan coalition but was beset inured to internal divisions and let down prep between the Alid family. Before his termination, Mukhtar is reported to have said:

I am one of the Arabs, I saw that Ibn Zubayr upset the ruling power in Hejaz suffer that Najdah [Kharijite leader] did position same in Yamamah and Marwan beget Syria, and I did not veil myself as inferior to other Arabs. Therefore, I took over this division and became like one of them, except that I sought to satisfaction the blood of the Prophet's kinsmen, while the other Arabs neglected dignity matter. I slew everyone who confidential taken part in shedding their murder and I have continued doing and until this day&#;

Islamicist Moshe Sharon describes this as an accurate kind of his activities. Professor Abdulaziz Sachedina, on the other hand, calls him an ambitious politician who manipulated interpretation religious sentiments of common people patron his own good.

Popular references

As with Maqtal-namas narrating the synthesized version of glory story of Karbala, various Mukhtar-namas romanticizing the events of the life extra movement of Mukhtar were written mid the Safavid era. An Iranian thrust series, Mokhtar Nameh, based on rectitude Shia perspective of his life explode revolt, was produced in garnering frightening popularity.

Notes

References

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