Section 3 – Persian Conspiracies after the Islamic Conquest

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Section 3

Persian Conspiracies after the Islamic Conquest

 

• Assassination of al Faruq
• What is behind the partisanship of the Magians to the Ahlul Bayt?
• The Baramikah
• Their States since the Third Century
• Al Qaramitah
• The Buyids
• The Fatimids
• Return again
• The Safavids
• The Baha’is
• The Nusayris
• The Druze

 

1. Assassination of al Faruq

Falsehood—represented by the mighty Persian army—bowed before the Islamic army which raised the banners of truth with an invincible wave. The fortresses of the tyrants collapsed before those whom Islam exalted. They became leaders of the world after they were slaves of idols, having no aspiration to be servants of the horses of Kisra.

Rostam and al Hurmuzan conspired in treachery and corruption. Rostam met his death, while al Hurmuzan and others like him were wishing that the earth would swallow them so that they could escape the hands of the Muslims.

There was no other option in front of the majority of the defeated Persians but to publicise their entry into Islam. However, it was only a surrender, not believing in Islam. Surrender of one who believes that it is a storm which must pass and he must bow his head for it. Then, he will raise it again. A small group of them were sincere in their Islam and remained steadfast.

The Magians began their efforts to take revenge from the Muslims. How could this not be the case, when they were infatuated with love for deception and conspiracy, and hell-bent on sowing intrigue and anarchy? They had conviction that al Faruq, ‘Umar ibn al Khattab radiya Llahu ‘anhu, was behind the conquest of their cities and the fall of their kingdom. His assassination would be the beginning of their war against this din and its bearers.

The conspiracy to assassinate al Faruq began with Abu Lu’lu’ah al Majusi and al Hurmuzan frequenting the city of the Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam and taking up residence there. ‘Umar ibn al Khattab radiya Llahu ‘anhu did not approve of Persians and Romans increasing in Madinah.

In the year 23 AH, while the last fort of Persia was weakening in front of the Islamic conquest, Abu Lu’lu’ah al Majusi carried out the stabbing of ‘Umar ibn al Khattab radiya Llahu ‘anhu with a poisoned dagger he designed for this purpose.

Ibn Jarir reports that ‘Abdur Rahman ibn Abi Bakr had seen—the day before ‘Umar was stabbed—Abu Lu’lu’ah al Majusi, al Hurmuzan^[1], and Jafinah^[2] in secret counsel. When they saw ‘Abdur Rahman, a double-edged dagger fell from one of them. This testimony caused ‘Ubaidullah ibn ‘Umar to hasten to draw his sword and kill al Hurmuzan. He planned to kill Jafinah, had ‘Amr ibn al ‘As radiya Llahu ‘anhu not intervened.

‘Umar told his son ‘Abdullah, “Go and find out who killed me.”

He answered, “O Amir al Mu’minin, Abu Lu’lu’ah, the slave of Mughirah ibn Shu’bah killed you.”

He commented:

 

الحمد لله الذي لم يجعل منيتي بيد رجل سجد لله سجدة واحدة

All praise belongs to Allah Who did not cause my death at the hands of a man who prostrated a single prostration to Allah.

 

Thus, the assassination of ‘Umar ibn al Khattab radiya Llahu ‘anhu was a conspiracy planned by the Magians and Christians and carried out single-handedly by Abu Lu’lu’ah al Majusi. They selected ‘Umar specifically because it was a blow on the forehead of eternity. Through him, Allah gave honour to Islam and disgraced the idolators and Magians.

The Shia Magians continue their war with Amir al Mu’minin ‘Umar ibn al Khattab radiya Llahu ‘anhu after his martyrdom. One of their methodologies in Shi’ism is cursing ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu. This is only because he purified the earth from their oppression and extinguished their fire-temples.^[3]

 

2. What is behind the partisanship of the Magians to the Ahlul Bayt?

In the year 35 AH, a famous dispute broke out between Amir al Mu’minin ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib and Muawiyah ibn Abi Sufyan radiya Llahu ‘anhuma. This dispute was an irreplaceable opportunity of a lifetime for the Magians. They announced they were ‘Ali’s partisans and that siding with ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu is the truth. However, the Magians intended to disunite the Muslims and multiply their strength behind this stance.

Calling for the Ahlul Bayt is a trump card which is popular by all people, especially the masses. Who does not love the Ahlul Bayt of the Messenger of Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam?

‘Abdullah ibn Saba’—the Jew—stood in the ranks of those who believed in ‘Ali’s worthiness of the caliphate. From that time, the conspiracies of the Jews coalesced with the schemes of the Magians against Islam and the Muslims. Behind calling for the Ahlul Bayt, the Magians intended to achieve the following goals:

1. We saw in the previous section—Iran before Islam—that it is necessary to have a holy family assume responsibility of religious affairs. From this holy family are the rulers and the directors of the firehouses.

Their partisanship to the Ahlul Bayt is bringing life to the beliefs of Zoroaster, Mani, and Mazdak. All they did was to replace al Maghan with the Ahlul Bayt. They told the people that the Ahlul Bayt of the Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam is the shade of Allah on the earth, their Imams are infallible, and divine wisdom is manifest in them.

2. When the Muslims conquered Persia, Hussain ibn ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhuma married Shahrbanu, the daughter of Yazdegerd—King of Iran, after she came with the prisoners of war. This marriage was one of the factors that supported the Iranians’ stance with Hussain, per se, as they believed that the blood that runs in the veins of ‘Ali ibn al Hussain and his progeny is an Iranian blood from his mother Shahrbanu bint Yazdegerd—King of Iran—from the descendant of the sacred Sasanians according to them.^[4]

Thus, their partisanship to the Ahlul Bayt breathes life into the ideology of the Magians. Their support for Hussain ibn ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib radiya Llahu ‘anhuma stems from their Persian fanaticism toward the sons of Shahrbanu, the Sasanian.

After the traumatic event that claimed the life of Amir al Mu’minin ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib radiya Llahu ‘anhu, the Jews and Magians began encouraging ‘Ali’s supporters to fight the Banu Umayyah. The esoteric calls found a space and began to become active until they became widespread. Among the most important of them were:

• The Saba’iyyah: Attributed to ‘Abdullah ibn Saba’ al Yahudi who proclaimed the divinity of ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib. He told ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu, “You are He,” i.e., you are God. ‘Ali, thus, exiled him to Mada’in. While being a Jew, he would claim that Yusha’ ibn Nun ‘alayh al Salam was the wasi (executor) of Musa ‘alayh al Salam, similar to what he claimed for ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu. He is the first to proclaim the view of the appointment of ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu as Imam. Various groups of fanatics spread from him.

He believed that ‘Ali was alive and did not die, and that he was a manifestation of Allah’s attributes. It is not permissible to overpower him. He comes with the clouds, thunder is his voice, while lightning is his smile. He will return after this to the earth and fill it with justice just as it had been filled with oppression. The Saba’iyyah believe in the transmigration of the divine attribute to the Imams after ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu.

• The Kaysaniyyah: The followers of Kaysan—the freed slave of Amir al Mu’minin ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu. His followers say that din is obedience to a man and those who are the pillars of the Shari’ah. They believe in transmigration, incarnation, and Raj’ah after death. They believe that Kaysan encompassed all knowledge, and that he derived from the two masters—’Ali and his son, Muhammad ibn al Hanafiyyah—the entirety of the secrets of the sciences of interpretation and the esoteric, as well as the knowledge of the cosmos and the souls.^[5]

 

Then the esoteric calls increased. Thereafter, the Mukhtariyyah emerged as well as the Hashimiyyah, Bayaniyyah, and Razimiyyah. The essence and theme of these movements were one, although their names differed.

These movements retreated before the planning of the Umayyads, who struck with an iron hand. People thought that there will be no Persian rule after Muawiyah’s radiya Llahu ‘anhu Caliphate. People had excuses for what they thought, as majority of them were unaware of the history of the Persian religions and its ability to move from public to private.

As regards Nasr ibn Sayyar—the Umayyad governor over Khorasan—he observed the conspiracies the Persians plotted in the dark. He wrote to Marwan—the last Umayyad ruler saying:

وأخشى أن يكون لها ضرام	أرى خلل الرماد وميض جمر
وإن الحرب مبدؤها كلام	فإن النار بالعودين تذكى
أأيقاظ أمية أم نيام	فقلت من التعجب ليت شعري

I see between the ashes, the glow of live ember;

I fear that it will break into a blaze,

For verily, fire is kindled on timber;

As is war, initiated with words of phrase.

I said out of amazement, how I wish I knew

Whether the Umayyads are awake or asleep?^[6]

 

The Umayyads were not asleep. However, organisation is stronger than anarchy. Division, rivalry, and luxury were unable to defeat planning and continuous hard work. This was the condition of the Umayyads with their rivals.

 

Conspiracies of Abu Muslim al Khurasani

Abu Muslim al Khurasani emerged in 129 AH near Marw and occupied it in 130 AH. Thereafter, the entire Khorasan fell to the hands of the Abbasids. After the fall of Khorasan, Abu Muslim focused his armies towards Iraq and occupied it.

ِAnd then Abu al ‘Abbas al Saffah emerged from his hiding place. He was sworn in as Caliph in 132 AH.

It was at this date that the rule of the Persians practically began. The Abbasid Caliphs were like guests in the house of Abu Muslim al Khurasani^[7] or in the house of Jafar al Barmaki, with the exception of a few pleasant courageous stances from some of the Abbasid Caliphs, which are sometimes not mentioned due to their scarcity.

Most of the Persians avenged their rancour from the Muslim Arabs and sufficiently killed, abused, and brutalised them from the beginning of the establishment of the Abbasid state until 137 AH. When al Mansur intended to be the actual Caliph, Abu Muslim mocked him, rebelled against him, and tried to gain independence in Khorasan, but al Mansur lured him with his cunning and separated most of his followers and supporters from him before executing him in 137 AH.

The execution of Abu Muslim al Khurasani was not an easy affair. In 138 AH, Sanbadh emerged seeking vengeance for Abu Muslim. Sanbadh was a Magian who was able to gather under his banner an army of Persians with whom he took over Qaws and Asbahan. Abu Jafar al Mansur dispatched an army against him which defeated him between Hamadhan and Rayy.

In 141 AH, a group of Khorasanis emerged from the group of Abu Muslim from the city Rawanda, near Asbahan; they are known as the Rawandiyyah. They believed in the transmigration of souls and proclaimed al Mansur’s divinity. Their intention behind this was to assassinate him, as revenge for their leader Abu Muslim. However, al Mansur resisted and defeated them; yes, they were able to kill ‘Uthman ibn Nahik, Abu Muslim’s killer.

In 161 AH, a Persian man called al Muqni’ emerged. He claimed that Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala became incarnate in Adam ‘alayh al Salam, then in Nuh ‘alayh al Salam, then in Abu Muslim al Khurasani, and then in him. A large group gathered around him with whom he overpowered Transoxiana and took shelter in the Kash castle. Al Mahdi dispatched an army under the leadership of Sa’id al Jarshi who laid siege to him and defeated him, killing many of his supporters. When he realised his imminent defeat, he drank poison and gave the same to his women and family, which resulted in all their deaths. The Muslims entered his fort, severed his head, and sent it to al Mahdi in 163 AH.

Al Mahdi was severe in fighting the heretics. He established a body whose mission was to investigate and search for heretics. He appointed a president for it, whom he called Sahib al Zanadiqah.

Al Mas’udi said about al Mahdi:

 

He went to great lengths to kill heretics and those who slandered the religion because they appeared during his days and announced their beliefs during his caliphate, as the books of Mani, Ibn Daysan, and Marcion spread, together with what was transmitted by ‘Abdullah ibn al Muqaffa’ and others and translated from Persian and Pahlavi into Arabic, and what Ibn Abi al ‘Awja’, Hammad ‘Ajrad, Yahya ibn Ziyad, and Muti’ ibn Iyas wrote supporting the Manichaean, Disaician, and Marcionite doctrines, and as a result, heretics increased and their opinions appeared among the people.

Al Mahdi was the first to order the dialectical scholars from among the theologians to compile books in response to the heretics among the deniers and others we mentioned, and they established proofs against the stubborn ones and removed the suspicion of heretics, thus clarifying the truth to the doubters.^[8]

 

Al Mahdi advised his son al Hadi to search for the heretics and be harsh with them. Despite the establishment of a specialised body whose mission was to track down heretics, the heretics were able to keep their activities secret. In this way, they were able to occupy most of the positions in the Abbasid state. One of them, al Afshin, reached the position of commander of al Mu’tasim’s armies.

 

3. The Baramikah

This family is attributed to their grandfather, Barmak—from the Magians of Balkh. He would serve al Nawbahar—a temple of the Magians in Balkh where fires were kindled. Barmak and his sons were its custodians. Barmak was of great prominence in their sight. It is not known whether he embraced Islam or not.

When the Abbasid call reached Khorasan, Khalid ibn Barmak was one of its greatest proponents. Abu al ‘Abbas al Saffah appointed him minister. He retained his position during the days of al Mansur. After Khalid’s demise, al Mansur appointed his son Yahya over Azerbaijan who later became a scribe and minister for Harun al Rashid.^[9]

The Baramikah took over al Rashid’s affairs and seized the wealth to his exception, until it reached a stage that when al Rashid was in need of a little wealth, he had no authority over it. Their homes became a refuge for the literati, scholars, and the needy. They owned palaces, estates, and farms until their reputation overshadowed that of the Caliph.

In the year 187 AH, al Rashid passed a verdict that they be executed. Jafar was thus killed and Yahya and the rest of his sons were imprisoned and they all died in jail. The historians differ on the reason for their disaster. Ibn Kathir mentioned that they publicised heresy. And Allah knows best.

 

Summary

The Persians controlled the Abbasid Caliphs and their activities penetrated many areas, the most evident of which are:

1. Many Persian movements emerged during the reign of the Abbasids. The essence and fundamentals of these movements did not differ from the Persian religions which were widespread before Islam. The Rawandiyyah believed in the transmigration of souls, al Muqni’ proclaimed incarnation, and the movement of the heretics did not differ much from the beliefs of Mani. In fact, the name itself is the ancient name. Aforetime, the Saba’iyyah and Kaysaniyyah proclaimed the transmigration of the divine attributes to the Imams, incarnation, Raj’ah after death, and knowledge of the inner.

2. During the Abbasid reign, the Persians returned to their former perceptions and rituals. They wore their hat and began celebrating festivities of the Magians like al Nawruz—the first day of the Persian year, ‘Id al Yawm al Sa’id, ‘Id al Saqi, ‘Id al Nisa’, ‘Id al Thawm, and ‘Id Nawruz al Anhar wa al Miyah al Jariyah.

3. The Persians served as ministers for the Abbasid Caliphs and generals of their armies. They reached the loftiest positions in the Abbasid State. Abu Muslim al Khurasani and the Baramikah became famous. During the time of al Ma’mun, the Magian Fadl ibn Sahl became a minister and general of his army. He was titled Dhu al Riyasatayn (the man of two positions), war and politics. The Persians were able to marry their daughters to the Caliphs. The Caliphs’ children thus grew up in the care of their maternal uncles and were nurtured on their Magian and Pagan beliefs and doctrines.

Al Ma’mun’s mother, Marajil, was Persian. When he assumed authority, he adopted Marv the capital of the caliphate, instead of Baghdad, and proclaimed ideologies and philosophies alien to Islam, like his view of the Qur’an being created. This call came from the dregs of his Persian Magian nurturing.

4. The Persians exploited their influence in the Abbasid State and sought to spread their intellectual and literary heritage. Their poets defended the glory and history of Persia and Kisra, and mocked the history and life of the Arabs. One of them said:

لتوضيح أو لحومل فالدخول	فلست بتارك إيوان كسرى
بها يعوي وليث وسط غيل	وضب في الفلا ساع وذئب

I am not leaving the heritage of Kisra,

To clarify or to carry then to enter.

A lizard and a wolf ran in the desert;

There is a howling and a lion in the middle of a storm.

 

The famous Persian Poet al Khuraymi speaks on his origin, saying with pride:

عرق الأعاجم جلدا طيب الخبر

إني امرؤ من سراة الصغد ألبسني

I am a man from the desert of Sughd, and the Persian race has clothed me with good skin.

 

He also said:

لهم حسب في الأكرمين حسيب	ونادين من مرو وبلخ فارسا
فيكثر منهم ناصري ويطيب	فيا حسرتا لا دار قومي قربية
وخاقان لي لو تعلمين نسيب	وإن أبي كسرى بن هرمز
لنا تابع طوع القياد جنيب	ملكنا رقاب الناس في الشرك كلهم
بما شاء منا مخطئ ومصيب	نسومكوا خسفا ونقضي عليكمو

And Nadine, from Merv and Balkh, is a knight.

They have a reckoning among the honourable.

I am saddened that there is no home of my nation near.

Many of them are my helpers and are kind.

Khosrow ibn Hormuz is certainly my father.

And Khaqan, is for me, if you know, highborn.

We own the necks of all people in polytheism.

We have a voluntary follower beside us.

We will insult you and destroy you.

With what he wants from us; we are both wrong and right.

 

Probably, al Khuraymi and his likes’ pride with Khosrow ibn Hurmuz and Khaqan and their relationship with Merv, Balkh, Zoroaster, and Mazdak caused al Asma’i to defame them and disparage their shirk, saying:

أضاءت وجوه بني برمك	إذا ذكر الشرك في مجلسي
أتوا بالأحاديث عن مزدك	وإن تليت عندهم آية

When shirk is mentioned in my gathering,

The faces of the sons of Barmak light up.

And when I recite a verse to them,

They quote statements of Mazdak.^[10]

 

The fire-worshippers among the Persians—who were the majority—intended to disfigure Islamic history and include fabricated ahadith in the name of the Messenger of Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. They worked to defame the eminent Sahabah like Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, and ‘Uthman radiya Llahu ‘anhum. They began inflating the disagreements that took place between the Sahabah or Tabi’in. Their intention behind this was to present Islamic history as trials, wars, and bloodshed. There is not a single fabricated narration or hadith in the books of hadith or history except you will find a Magian behind it.

They did not stop here. Rather, they began disseminating heresy and deviation so that people abandon Islam while Manicheism, Zoroastrianism, and Mazdakism are restored once again.

They clandestinely spread their movement and activities. The Rawandiyyah, the movement of al Muqni’, etc., would take people by surprise.

 

4. Their States since the Third Century

The Magians continued devising conspiracies against Islam and the Muslims. Their object behind this was to alienate Muslims from their din through which they became sovereigns of the world and which made them the best of people taken out for the benefit of mankind, working to demolish the Islamic Caliphate and stir up ethnic strife.

In the beginning of the third century Hijri, they exhausted the Islamic Caliphate. The awe of the Caliphs decreased in the eyes of their governors over the cities due to the abundant conflicts and conspiracies. The Magians capitalised on the weakness of the Caliphate and emboldened Tahir ibn al Hussain^[11] to rule Khorasan independently. They stood at his side, defending the Tahiriyyah State instated in Nayshabur and it continued until 259 AH.

This is the first division witnessed in the Islamic Caliphate since the beginning of the Abbasid era. It was the start of many more states and divisions. Appropriate to mention is that this stab suffered by the Muslims came from Khorasan, a second time!

After the establishment of the Tahiriyyah State, the following states were established:

`1. The Qarmatians

In al Ahsa’, Bahrain, Yemen, Oman, and in the lands of Greater Syria for some time.

2. The Buyids

In Iraq, Persia, and the entire East.

3. The Fatimids

In Egypt and Greater Syria.

 

5. The Qarmatians (Qaramitah)

The Qarmatians began their emergence in 278 AH. Perhaps the origin of the word is Jeremian. The Qarmatians pretended at the beginning of their call to affiliate to Ismail ibn Jafar al Sadiq. Their call is characterised by stages.

In the first stage, they called to partisanship of the Ahlul Bayt. In the second stage, they promoted Raj’ah and that ‘Ali knows the unseen. In the third stage, they explained the so-called defects of ‘Ali and his sons and the falsehood of what the adherents of the religion of Muhammad salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam adhere to.^[12] They advised their callers, “If you find a philosopher, they are our targets as both we and they agree on the falsehood of angels and prophets and the sempiternity of the world.”

The cover of their creed is Rafd while the reality is disbelief. From their peculiar terminologies are:

Al Jinayah (crime): The respondent’s initiative to disclose a secret provided to him without attaining the position of such a right.

Al Zina (adultery): Throwing the drop of esoteric knowledge to the soul of one with whom he did not deserve to make the covenant.

Al Ghusl: renewing the covenant.

 

The Qarmatians did to the Arab Muslims just as Shapur Dhu al Aktaf did to them. The Qarmatians burnt the Banu ‘Abdul Qais in their homes. They entered Kufah in 293 AH and perpetrated a terrible massacre. In 294 AH, they approached a caravan of Hujjaj en route to Makkah, killed the men, and enslaved the women. In 311 AH, Abu Tahir al Qirmiti entered Basrah and killed the inhabitants of the city. In 317 AH, Abu Tahir reached Makkah on the Day of al Tarwiyah [7th Dhu al Hijjah] and killed the pilgrims in al Masjid al Haram. He uprooted the Black Stone which remained in their possession until 335 AH.

During the reign of Hasan ibn Ahmed ibn Abi Sa’id al Jannabi^[13], the Qarmatians gained control of Bahrain, Ahsa’, Yemen, Oman, the lands of Greater Syria, and the south of Iraq. They attempted to occupy Egypt; however, their attempts failed. They established their missionaries in every village of their state. These missionaries would fulfil whatever commands were issued to them. They further instructed the missionaries to gather the womenfolk on a specific night and indulge in promiscuous acts with them and not avoid each other. They would say: This is in the interest of love and familiarity between them. Al Sanadiqi—one of their senior missionaries—went to Yemen and established a house he called Dar al Safwah (House of the Elite) where he would command women to engage in promiscuous acts with men and those children born as a result of this fornication would be cared for and called Awlad al Safwah (Children of the Elite).^[14]

The Qarmatians called for brotherhood between people despite diversity in their religions, genres, and classes. In short, the call of the Qarmatians is an image of the call of Mazdak which we touched on when discussing the religions of Persia before Islam.

The Qarmatian State continued in Ahsa’ until 466 AH when ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Ali from the Banu ‘Abdul Qais eliminated it with the support of King Shah al Saljuqi, but the elimination was though military force. From the ideological angle, they mixed with the Ismailiyyah, Nusayris, and other Batini sects. These ideologies continue finding popularity in all the lands of Greater Syria, Iran, India, Qatif, and Najran.

Whoever examines the revolutionary movements of today that the Islamic world is witnessing will find that they are mirror images of the Qarmatians and Mazdak movements, just as he finds a common denominator between these movements and the global Freemasonry and world communism, which call for libertinism, fraternity, and equality without regard to religion and gender.^[15]

 

6. The Buyids

The Buyids: A Persian family from the progeny of Shapur Dhu al Aktaf. Abu Shuja’ Buyah established their state. After his death, his sons—viz. ‘Ali ‘Imad al Dawlah,  Hasan Rukn al Dawlah, and Ahmed Mu’izz al Dawlah—ruled the cities.

The Buyids gained control over Iraq in 334 AH when they removed the Abbasid Caliph, al Mustakfi bi Allah, and appointed Fadl ibn al Muqtadir as Caliph, giving him the title al Muti’ li Allah. The Caliph became a pawn in the hands of the Daylami kings whose kingdom lasted for over a hundred years, during which they had the absolute rule. They then adopted Shi’ism so as to cloak themselves with it, and under its name they spread their Magian beliefs. They ignited the fire of strife between the Ahlus Sunnah and Shia. Their plan behind this was for people to be immersed in war and strife, finding no time to fight them and extricate people from their evil.

During their reign, the foolish people became bold in abusing the Sahabah—may Allah be pleased with them.

In the year 352 AH, the Buyids commanded markets to be closed on the tenth day of Muharram. They suspended business, put up domes in the markets, and hung monastic garbs from them. Women came out with their hair open, slapping their faces in the markets. Mourning for Hussain radiya Llahu ‘anhu was thus established. This was repeated throughout the reign of the Daylamis.^[16] This event took place for the first time in the history of Baghdad. This was an affair unknown to the Arabs in Ignorance and Islam, but it became a custom and an important religious occasion according to the Jafariyyah Imamiyyah Twelvers.

The last king of the Buyids appointed for himself the name al Malik al Rahim (the most merciful king), challenging Allah in His name, just as the Fatimid governor labelled himself al Hakim bi Amrihi.

 

ﯶ ﯷﯸ ﯹ ﯺ ﯻ ﯼ ﯽ

Their hearts resemble each other. We have shown clearly the signs to a people who are certain [in faith].^[17]

 

7. The Fatimids

The Fatimids began their rule in Morocco in 296 AH. They then conquered Egypt in 358 AH and went on to conquer the lands of Greater Syria, becoming the greatest power in the Islamic world.

The Fatimids affiliate to ‘Abdullah ibn Maymun al Qaddah ibn Daysan al Buni from the Ahwaz. He was a Magian and one of the most famous secret esoteric callers known in history. It was from his sect that the Qarmatians splintered.

When ‘Abdullah died, his secret order was continued by his son, Ahmed, and after his demise, his son, Hussain, took control of leading the call, then his brother, Sa’id ibn Ahmed. Sa’id settled in Salamiyyah in the region of Hims. He continued propagating his message and sending out missionaries, until his message and that of his missionaries spread afar. The Caliph al Muktafi tried to arrest him and put an end to his activities but he fled to Morocco, from where he sent out even more missionaries. They fought for his cause until he was successful in siezing the kingdom of the Aghlabids. He was nicknamed ‘Ubaidullah al Mahdi, and he claimed to be from the Ahlul Bayt and assumed their Imamah.^[18]

Among the most prominent rulers of the Fatimid Dynasty was al Hakim bi Amr Allah who claimed divinity. He sent his missionaries to every area under his rule to spread the beliefs of the Magians like transmigration and reincarnation. They believed that Ruh al Qudus (the pure soul) moved from Adam to ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib and ‘Ali’s soul moved to al Hakim bi Amr Allah.

Among the most prominent callers of al Hakim bi Amr Allah was Muhammad ibn Ismail al Darzi, famously known as Anushtakin, and Hamzah ibn ‘Ali ibn Ahmed al Zuzani—a Persian from the area Zuzan who came to Cairo for this purpose, i.e. to establish the call to al Hakim’s divinity. When the Fatimid Dynasty fell, a group emerged in the lands of Greater Syria under the name al Duruz and continued embracing the ideologies of the Fatimids.

It becomes apparent that the Qarmatians were allies of the Fatimids in the beginning and maintained that friendship throughout the life of their leader, Hasan ibn Bahram. Al Mu’izz li Din Allah established this friendship in his letter^[19] which he addressed to Hasan ibn Ahmed al Qirmiti. Although, rivalry continued to develop between the two groups. Differences are from the nature of man, no matter what their creed.

This rebellious Fatimid sect continued to threaten the Muslims until Salah al Din al Ayyubi arrived in 568 AH and annihilated them, giving comfort to the Muslims from their evil.

 

Is it Coincidental?

Is it coincidental that the Buyids, Qarmatians, and Fatimids have a Persian origin?

Is it a coincidence that their beliefs are similar and they are the very beliefs of Mazdak, Mani, and Zoroaster?

Is it coincidental for them to appear close apart—the Fatimids in 296 AH, Buyids in 334 AH, and Qarmatians in 278 AH?

Is it a coincidence for them to divide the Islamic world—the Buyids in Iraq, the Qarmatians in the Arabian Peninsula, and the Fatimids in Egypt and Greater Syria?

Is it coincidental for all of them to enter from the door of Tashayyu’?

Is it a coincidence for the Muslims of the Ahlus Sunnah to be the sworn enemy of all these deviants and for the latter to join forces with every enemy of Islam and the Muslims?

 

8. Return Again

The Fatimids, Buyids, and Qarmatians ruined the Abbasid State and splintered the  authority of the Islamic states. They spread disbelief and heresy in every area their feet stepped upon. After the people deviated and their hearts reached their throats, Salah al Din al Ayyubi arrived and purified the lands of Greater Syria and Egypt from Mazdaism and revived the Sunnah of al Mustafa salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam for the Muslims.

The Muslims thought that the Batiniyyah will never stand after Salah al Din—568 AH. However, may Allah destroy them, they continued focussing on their mission in secret and various secret societies began growing in dark basements. Meanwhile, the Islamic armies were knocking at the doors of the European powers’ capital cities during the Ottoman reign, through which Allah united the Islamic world.

During this time, the Batiniyyah were preparing themselves to emerge from their dens with their old ideologies of which they did not change anything besides the names: the Safavids, Baha’is, Qadianis, Druze, Nusayris, Assassins, and Ismailis.

The Batiniyyah returned to fulfil their promised era. They returned to befriend the enemies of Allah and assist them against the Muslims. They cooperated with Britain, Portugal, France, and Russia. They returned to demolish the Islamic unity once again.

A questioner may ask: “Why are the Druze, Nusayris, Baha’is, and Ismailis attached to the history of Iran?”

The Answer: In reality, there may not be any Druze or Nusayris in Iran, but as for the Baha’is and Safavids, they are found in Iran. The common factor being that those who laid the foundations for both the Druze and Nusayri creed are the Persian Magians.

Muhammad ibn Nusayr was a Magian Persian from the freed slaves of the Banu Numair. Hamzah ibn ‘Ali al Zuzani was a Magian Persian from the Zuzan district in Iran. We do not want to waste time with refuting the statements of the Druze or Nusayris who believe they are from the progeny of Qahtan or ‘Adnan. What matters to us is that the ideologies of the Druze or Nusayris are the beliefs of the Magians: Mani and Zoroaster, while some form the beliefs of Mazdak—and they are unable to deny this.

In the section dealing with politics of this book, we will discuss the bilateral cooperation—which grows stronger with each day—between Iran and the Nusayris in greater detail.

Therefore, we will discuss the Druze and Nusayris in this section. This is a concise overview on the most important new esoteric movements which return to Shia fundamentals:

 

9. The Safavids

The Safavids are descendants of the kings of Persia after the Islamic conquest. Ismail al Safawi established their state in Azerbaijan in 1500 CE. He then extended his rule to Sharwan, Iraq, and Persia, adopting Tabrez as the capital for his state.

Ismail al Safawi announced that he is the descendant of the seventh Imam^[20], while at the same time declaring Shi’ism to be the state religion. Ismail fought against the Ahlus Sunnah who were the overwhelming majority in the lands he governed. In Tabrez alone, their percentage was no less than 65%.

The Persian State reached its zenith during the reign of Shah ‘Abbas al Safawi (1588-1629 CE) who sought help from the British and established for them headquarters and bases in Iran. Among his chief advisors were Sir Robert Sherli and his brother, Sir Anthony.^[21]

Shah ‘Abbas managed to secure victories over the Ottoman Empire by exploiting its war with Austria, drawing on British support, and taking advantage of the Ottoman Empire’s internal weakness and strife.

A witness from his family testifies against Shah ‘Abbas I saying:

 

After the appearance of Portuguese in the area, business relations began with England, France, and the Dutch. These relations paved the way for contacts on a diplomatic, cultural, and religious level after Shah ‘Abbas’s accession to the throne of Persia in 1587. Fundamental changes have been recorded in the country and in its relationship with the West. One of the results of the political transformation brought about by Shah ‘Abbas was that his court was filled with missionaries and priests as well as merchants, diplomats, industrialists, and mercenary soldiers, so Westerners built churches in Iran.^[22]

 

The Safavids worked to divert the Iranian pilgrims from Makkah to Mashhad. Shah ‘Abbas al Safawi performed pilgrimage walking on foot from Asbahan to Mashhad, to venerate the shrine of Imam ‘Ali al Rida^[23], setting an example for Iranians. Since then, Mashhad has become a sacred city for the Iranian Shia.^[24]

The Safavid Dynasty lasted from 1500 to 1722 CE until the Ottomans and Afghan destroyed it. The Afsharids succeeded them, among whom King Nadir Shah is most prominent. After the end of the Afsharid reign, the Qajar family ruled Iran which continued until 1344 CE, after which rule transferred to the Pahlavi family. What is appropriate to mention is that the Afsharids and Qajars were Shia.

And thus, the Safavids, in the figure of Shah ‘Abbas the Great, established a Persian esoteric state, waged war against the Ahlus Sunnah in Iran, and joined forces with the enemies of Islam: England and Portugal. They supported, for the first time, the building of churches and the movement of missionaries and pastors, so they may cause corruption in the Muslim land and raise the banners of polytheism and heresy.

When Shah ‘Abbas performed pilgrimage to Mashhad to turn people away from Makkah, he recalled the biography of al Hakim bi Amr Allah and the compassionate king al Hakim al Buwayhi.

In the reign of Shah ‘Abbas, Sadr al Din al Shirazi began inviting to the ideology of the bab (door) or the Baha’i creed. The call of Shah ‘Abbas the Great and his ideas became a fertile ground for such deviant and extreme ideologies.

When the Shia Historians of today discuss the Safavids and Shah ‘Abbas the Great, they do not cite evidence to try and establish that he did not turn people away from pilgrimage to Makkah and to Mashhad instead, rather they brazenly state that the reason for him taking such an action was the “oppression of the Ottoman Empire”, and that his pilgrimage to the grave of ‘Ali al Rida in Mashhad was in fact testament to his veneration and love for the Arabs.

The issue—as they believe—is political, not ideological.^[25]

 

10. The Baha’is

The founder of this sect is Mirza ‘Ali Muhammad al Shirazi. He was a Twelver. He then gathered ideologies from various creeds and created his own new creed.

He adopted, from the Jewish Saba’iyyah, the ideology of transmigration and, from the Zoroastrians, the ideology of the bab (door) for the hidden Imam. Zoroaster said that he is the door to Mazda. Mirza then believed that God became incarnate in him and through him God appears for his creation. Mirza ‘Ali was an Ismaili before proclaiming Baha’ism.

Mirza began his call in 1820 and the Persians gathered around him. His call clashed thereafter with the ambitions of the Shah who exiled him in 1850, except that his call continued after the demise of its founder, who chose the most distinguished of his students, Baha’ Allah, for its propagation. Baha’ Allah proclaimed absolute equality between all religions, not differentiating between a Jew, Muslim, and Christian, nor a male and female. He abrogated Salah in congregation. He called for the rejection of what he called Islamic restrictions. And finally, he cancelled everything of Islam, all permissible and impermissible.

His supporters prepared numerous odes in veneration of him. Baha’ Allah began writing a book in Persian, which he named al Kitab al Aqdas, believing that it was holier than the Torah, Injil, and Qur’an. After the death of Baha’ Allah, the leadership of the creed moved to his son ‘Abbas in the year 1892. He is called ‘Abdul Baha’ or Ghusn A’zam.

The Baha’is found extensive support from the British, who had colonised a greamt many of the Islamic countries. Why would they not extend a hand of support to it, when it invalidated Jihad, which meant submission to colonialism?

Today, the Baha’i faith is still active in Iran, the country where it originated and developed, and in the Arab countries, Europe, America, India, and occupied Palestine.

Baha’ Allah was influenced by Freemasonry and contacted its leaders. Suitable to mention is that the Baha’is believe in Taqiyyah, like all Shia sects, and hiding the essence of their creed from non-adherents.

The scholars of Islam are unanimous on the disbelief of this creed and that it has absolutely no connection with Islam.^[26]

Similar to the Baha’i faith, is a sect which originated in India, known as Qadianism. The founder was Ghulam Ahmed. Qadianism is attributed to his city, Qadian. Ghulam Ahmed believed that he was the awaited Mahdi and called for the cessation of Jihad. This sect emerged at a time when the Muslims were desperately fighting against the British occupiers. The British were responsible for the establishment and preparation of Ghulam Ahmed, just as they were behind the Baha’is aforetime. Qadianism is very active in occupied Palestine.

 

11. The Nusayris

The followers of Muhammad ibn Nusayr. He was a Shia Imami. He was from the freed slaves of the Banu Numair. He is the one to concoct the ideology of the Hidden Imam and that he was the bab (door) to him. Maymun al Qaddah, the Jewish Persian, had preceded Muhammad ibn Nusayr in calling to the bab (door) of the Hidden Imam.

The Nusayris believe in the transmigration of souls and the sempiternity of the universe. They deny resurrection and life after death, as well as Heaven and Hell. On the nature of Divinity, according to them ‘Ali is the lord, Muhammad is the veil, Salman is the door, and the worst of devils—as they supposed, may Allah’s curse be upon them—is ‘Umar ibn al Khattab, followed by Abu Bakr, and then ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan—may Allah be pleased will all of them.

The Nusayris were responsible for the Christians’ occupation of Greater Syria in the crusader wars and the fall of al Bayt al Maqdis, just as they were aids to the Tartars against the Muslims. France relied on them when they occupied the lands of Greater Syria in the beginning of this century. In the shade of French colonisation, a state for them was established. They created from them a lord. This lord which France created is Sulaiman al Murshid.^[27]

Today, they control an important area of Greater Syria, i.e. Syria. They plan to eliminate Islam and Muslims if they find the opportunity. They collaborate with Israel, Iran, and USA. The scholars of Islam, past and present, are unanimous on the disbelief of this sect.

 

12. The Druze

Hamzah ibn ‘Ali ibn Ahmed al Zuzani founded this sect. He is a Persian Magian from the Zuzan district. He believed in transmigration and reincarnation. He believed that ruh al qudus migrated from Adam to ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib and then ‘Ali’s soul migrated to al Hakim bi Amr Allah.

One of his prominent students is Muhammad ibn Ismail al Darzi, famously known as Anushtakin, to whom the creed is attributed.

Hamzah and his student, Muhammad al Darzi, fled from Egypt after their affair was exposed. Al Hakim bi Amr Allah was unable to come between them and the wrath of the Muslims. From Egypt, they went to area of Greater Syria where they began spreading their heretic secret creed. With the passing of time, the Druze were able to establish a state for themselves in Lebanon. Their state received a warm welcome from the British.

Druze exist today in Lebanon, Syria, and occupied Palestine. Several of their sons volunteered in the Israeli Defense Forces. They are active in order to establish a state for them in part of Syria and Lebanon. The Zionists support them in trying to achieve this goal.

In Syria, for example, we find many of their children who are active in the Syrian army working with the Zionist enemy like spies. Syrian intelligence has arrested several spy networks, especially in their villages adjacent to occupied Palestine, i.e. in the Golan.

In the 1967 war, the Muslims in Golan and Jordan were subjected to the cruelty  of the Druze serving in the IDF. They showed no mercy to the elderly who had been weakened by time, nor did they know compassion or pity, which could have served as a road to their harsh hearts.

In the 1973 war, they were a battalion of many battalions that sowed betrayal and conspiracy among the soldiers on the Eastern front. Some of them were executed on the battlefront. Among their prominent military leaders who were executed due to their communications with the Zionist enemy was Colonel Tawfiq Halawah. Appropriate to mention is that those who executed them were the soldiers from the sons of the Ahlus Sunnah, not the treacherous Nusayri leadership.

Those who live near the Druze, and are familiar with their history and reality, know very well that they are ever ready to establish their state in Golan, Hauran, Shouf, Mount Hauran, and the extended desert between Palmyra, Jordan, and Iraq. Therefore, the Druze are in constant contact with their brethren living in occupied Palestine, just as they are in constant contact with the Zionist enemy. The press has revealed some of these communications.

 

NEXT⇒  Section 4 – Iran in the Era of the Pahlavi (Bahlawi) Family

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^[1]  Al Hurmuzan: A famous Persian leader. He was heading the right flank of Rostam’s army in Qadisiyyah. He fled after Rostam’s death. He then became sovereign over Khurastan and fought the Muslims. After realising his incapability, he requested reconciliation and was awarded the same. However, he deceived and killed Majza’ah ibn Thawr and Bara’ ibn Malik. The Muslims fought against him, captured him, and brought him in shackles to ‘Umar ibn al Khattab after which he embraced Islam, so Amir al Mu’minin allowed him to live in Madinah. (Ibn al Athir: Al Kamil.)

^[2]  Jafinah: A Christian from the people of Hira, the wet-nurse of Sa’d ibn Malik who brought him to Madinah due to the reconciliation between him and them, and for him to teach the children of Madinah how to write. (Al Tabari)

^[3]  Tarikh al Tabari, vol. 4 pg. 190.

^[4]  Study the reason behind Shi’ism spreading in Iran in Ihsan Ilahi Zahir: Al Shia wa al Sunnah, pg. 49.

^[5]  Al Milal wa al Nihal, vol. 1 pg. 147-174.

^[6]  Al Bidayah wa al Nihayah, vol. 10 pg. 32.

^[7]  Abu Muslim al Khurasani: He is called ‘Abdur Rahman ibn Shayrun, son of Isfandiyar Abu Muslim al Marwazi. It is said that his name was Ibrahim ibn ‘Uthman ibn Yasar ibn Sandus ibn Hudhun, from the sons of Bazarjamhar. When Ibrahim ibn Muhammad sent him as a leader to Khorasan, he told him to change his name and agnomen. He was therefore named ‘Abdur Rahman ibn Muslim. (From al Bidayah wa al Nihayah.) He is thus of Persian origin. His followers were the Persian peasants. His propaganda was based on Magian beliefs. Al Mansur feared him after he rebelled, and then had him killed in 137 AH.

^[8]  Duha al Islam, vol. 1 pg. 140; from al Mas’udi, vol. 2 pg. 401.

^[9]  Al Khadiri: Muhadarat Tarikh al Umam al Islamiyyah al Dawlah al ‘Abbasiyyah, pg. 111.

^[10]  We quoted poetic couplets from Ahmed Amin: Duha al Islam, vol. 1 pg. 64.

^[11]  Tahir ibn al Hussain ibn Mus’ab al Khuza’i. He consolidated kingdom for al Ma’mun after he marched on Baghdad and killed al Amin in 198 AH. Al Ma’mun appointed him governor of Khorasan. After settling there, he interrupted al Ma’mun’s sermon. One of his servants killed him in 207 AH. After him, his grandsons continued ruling Khorasan until 256 AH.

^[12]  Ibn al Jawzi: Risalat al Qaramitah, with the research of Muhammad al Sabbagh.

^[13]  Al Hasan ibn Ahmed ibn Abi Sa’id al Hasan ibn Bahram al Jannabi al Qirmiti, one of the leaders of the Qarmatians. His grandfather is al Hasan ibn Bahram al Jannabi—the senior of the Qarmatians and the propagator of their creed. He is one of the residents of Jannabah in Persia, making him of Persian origin. All the leaders of the Qarmatians are from Persia like Faraj ibn ‘Uthman, al Hussain ibn Zakrubah, ‘Ali ibn al Fadl, and Sulaiman and Yusuf—sons of al Hasan. The Qarmatians are labelled al Batiniyyun, al Hashshashun, or al Fida’iyyun.

^[14]  ‘Abdur Razzaq al Hisan: Al Mahdi wa al Mahdawiyyah. From the references of the author about men mixing with women is Itti’az al Hunafa’ by Diwan ibn Muqarrab al ‘Uyuni, poet of Ahsa’. The day in which they gather is the tenth night of Muharram, i.e. on the Persian celebration famous as al Nawruz.

^[15]  In the year 1973 CE, one of the Batiniyyah compiled a book he named al Harakat al Sirriyyah fi al Islam. He dedicated a special chapter to the Qarmatians with the title al Qaramitah Tajribah Ra’idah fi al Ishtirakiyyah (Qarmatians: A pioneering experience in socialism). He spoke on them more than what al Jannabi himself spoke. This is audacity for which the author of the book, Dr. Muhammad Ismail, will not be praised. A few months back, a well-known minister in the communist government of Aden stated, “The Qarmatians were socialists. They are pioneers of ours who worked to distribute wealth and eliminate class privilege. They equated the poor, workers, and farmers.” The minister then determined that the history of the Qarmatians is distorted and completed his statement warning that his government will tread the path of the Qarmatians, loyal to them and believing in their ideologies. This discussion was written in 1397 AH.

^[16]  Al Mahdi wa al Mahdawiyyah, pg. 75.

^[17]  Surah al Baqarah: 118.

^[18]  Ustadh Muhammad ‘Abdullah ‘Annan: Al Hakim bi Amr Allah wa Asrar al Dawlah al Fatimiyyah. The author has exhausted much effort in gathering proofs which establish that the Fatimid state was Magian and that there is no connection whatsoever between them and the Ahlul Bayt. Some of the historians who testified to this are al Baqillani, Ibn Shaddad, Ibn Hazm, Ibn Khallikan, al Maqrizi, and Ibn Hajar—all of whom are reliable and lived in a time very close to the Fatimid State. The author then refuted some of the Orientalists who believe that the Fatimids were from the Ahlul Bayt. He excelled in refuting them and presented the falsehood of their view with compelling academic evidence. Added to the declarations of Ustadh ‘Annan is the statement of al Suyuti in Tarikh al Khulafa’, “They are filthy ‘Ubaidiyyah [i.e. followers of ‘Ubaidullah], and not Fatimiyyah [i.e. descendents of Fatimah].” Al Dhahabi commented, “Accordingly, they numbered fourteen who fell short, rather than fourteen who properly succeeded.” (Tarikh al Khulafa’.)

^[19]  Ustadh Muhammad ‘Abdullah ‘Annan quotes the letter of al Mu’izz li Din Allah in his book al Hakim bi Amr Allah wa Asrar al Dawlah al Fatimiyyah from the handwritten manuscript from the book Itti’az al Hunafa’ of al Maqrizi preserved in Istanbul, pg. 375.

^[20]  The seventh Imam according to the Imamiyyah Jafariyyah is Musa al Kazim.

^[21]  Brockelmann: Tarikh al Shu’ub al Islamiyyah, pg. 502.

^[22]  Salim Wakim: Iran fi al Hadarah, pg. 100.

^[23]  ‘Ali al Rida ibn Musa al Kazim ibn Jafar al Sadiq ibn Muhammad al Baqir ibn ‘Ali Zayn al ‘Abidin ibn al Hussain ibn ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib.

^[24]  Hasan Muhammad Jawhar and Muhammad Mursi Abu al Layl: Iran, pg. 76.

^[25]  Muhammad Hussain al Zayn: Al Shia fi al Tarikh, section titled, Countering the attacks on the Iranian Shia, pg. 252, Dar al Athar, Beirut.

^[26]  We relied on the following references in our discussion on the Baha’is: Ahmed Amin: Al Mahdi wa al Mahdawiyyah and Muhammad Abu Zuhrah: Al Madhahib al Islamiyyah.

^[27]  Al Dhahabi: Al Muntaqa min Minhaj al I’tidal, pg. 97, research of Muhibb al Din al Khatib.