The Era of Shah Tahmasp

After the death of his father, Shah Tahmasp took to the throne of the Safavid dynasty at the age of 11. This was in the year 930 AH/1524 CE. Though he was leader in name, he was in fact a stooge for the Qizilbash who actually controlled the dynasty. Taking advantage of this, the Sunni Uzbeks attacked Khorasan and took hold of it the year 933 AH defeating the commanders of Tahmasp; however, Khorasan was taken back in 935 AH.

Shah Tahmasp kept up the alliance between Iran and Europe in opposing the Ottomans. He sent ambassadors to the Hungarian King and to the Austrian Emperor, Charles VII. The impetus for this alliance was the emergence of the Ottoman Sultan, Sulaiman the Magnificent, the year 1525 CE. The Persian court of the Safavids were terrified of him and began inciting the Shia of Turkey against the Ottoman Empire. Sulaiman the Magnificent heralded awe in the European world to the extent that it is said, the churches would halt their bells when they would hear his naval fleets pass by.

This inciting led to the rebellion of Yazgot in the year 1526 CE. This rebellion was led by Baba Dhu al Nun together with three or four thousand Shia. They seized control of the area, instituted a tax, and defeated some of the Ottoman commanders. The Sultan in turn, crushed them and quelled the rebellion.

A greater uprising was born out of Konya and Kahramanmaraş under the leadership of Kalender Çelebi who had some 30 000 Shia in his band. The central theme of this group was to kill the Ahlus Sunnah. Their ideology stemmed from the following chant:

من قتل مسلماً سُنياً ويعتدي على امرأة سُنية يكون بهذا قد حاز أكبر الثواب

Whoever kills a Sunni Muslim or rapes a Sunni women, will attain the greatest of rewards.[1]

They were able to kill the Ottoman commanders, with the likes of Behram Pasha and others facing their end. The Sultan, however, sent his Grand Vizier, Ibrahim Pasha who battled them and quashed the uprising.[2] During this time, Sulaiman the Magnificent had laid out plans for the expansion into and conquest of Europe, some of which he accomplished.

The return of Tahmasp to Iraq

When Shah Ismail suffered defeat at the Battle of Chaldiran, his influence in Iraq weakened. However, the Iranian business interests in Iraq continued with traders travelling to and from the region, since the leadership remained Safavid. This continued until Dhu al Fiqar ascended the leadership of Iraq in the year 930 AH capitalizing on the death of Shah Ismail. He did not pay fealty to Shah Tahmasp and attempted to broadcast his loyalty to the Ottomans. Tahmasp, attacked Baghdad but failed. Subsequently, he plotted treachery and enticed Dhu al Fiqar’s sister into killing him, which she did. And thus, Baghdad and Iraq returned to the Shah. He then appointed overseers to the governors of Iraq and returned to his seat at Qazwin.

The laity of Baghdad hurriedly sent correspondences to Sultan Sulaiman the Magnificent since they were Sunni and had not forgotten the treachery of Shah Ismail. The intent of their correspondence was to free themselves of the Safavid occupation.

Sultan Sulaiman the Magnificent made preparations to retake Baghdad. He started by sending warnings and threats to Tahmasp. This terrified the Iranians and they sent pleas of assistance to the Hungarian King to join forces with them against the Ottomans. Sulaiman the Magnificent sent a message to Tahmasp stating he would annihilate every Iranian Shia home, blood would flow on the earth, and Tahmasp would flee.

Subsequent to this the Hungarians prepared to attack the Ottomans and so the Sultan turned the attention of his forces to them first. He sent an army to retake Tabriz and to restore loyalty to those who had rebelled. This army entered Tabriz without any resistance and captured the entire Azerbaijan region.

Sultan Sulaiman then turned to Baghdad and defeated its governor who was loyal to Tahmasp. Thus, Sulaiman the Magnificent entered Baghdad as conqueror and retook Iraq under the flag of the Ottoman Empire. He restored the tomb of Abu Hanifah—it is said the remains of Abu Hanifah were found intact in his shroud and he was returned to his grave—and built a dome above it. He also visited the grave of Musa al Kazim, Karbala’, and Najaf. He also saved the city of Karbala’ from floods and built dams.

Further, he liberated the entire Iraq, Bahrain, and al Qatif.[3] All of this was accomplished in the year 941 AH/1534 CE. And so, Iraq was liberated from the Safavid nightmare after being subject to their oppression for 27 years.[4] His capture of Tabriz was complete in the year 944 AH and the Safavid seat moved to Qazwin.

With the army of Tahmasp drained and weary, he sought an armistice with the Ottomans and in 961 AH/1555 CE and a settlement known as the Peace of Amasya was signed.

After this, Tahmasp sought an alliance with England. The English thought of entering the lands of the Safavids and sent a trade party with a letter from Queen Elizabeth I the year 965 AH/1558 CE. This trade party though were in fact spies.

The European nations, in particular the ambassador of Venice, continued impressing upon Tahmasp to rise against the Ottomans. Tahmasp, however, was more interested in wealth, pomp, women, drinking, and music. His cities became corrupt and bribery became the order of the day. It is said, one of his wives poisoned him and so he met his end.[5]

NEXT⇒ Important Developments of the Tahmasp Era

[1] The Mahdi Army of Iraq adopted the same practices. They would kidnap and rape Sunni women. These are the same people who call themselves followers of the Ahlul Bayt! Is rape legislated according to the creed of the Ahlul Bayt?

[2] Dr Muhammad Harb: Al ‘Uthmaniyyun fi al Tarikh al Hadarah pg. 91. The Muslims should take lesson from these historical actualities. The existence of the Shia within any demographic is central to a movement dictated by Iran. Who mobilized the Hizb Allah in Lebanon? Who drives the Shia of Iraq today? And the Shia of Bahrain? In Saudi? The Houthi movement in Saada, Yemen? Who assists them? Is this not Hizb Allah and Iranian wealth? What of every other Shia movement in Egypt and Africa? This is history on repeat. The loyalty of every Shia is to their neo-Safavid overlords. Whoever does not realise this reality has not understood the background behind the warnings of the Ahlus Sunnah. Such people have not taken lesson from history. In fact, I swear—and I will not be taking a false oath—and say, “There are leaders of Islam and callers to the Islamic cause from every background who have absolutely no idea of the Safavid Dynasty and their conspiracies against the Muslim world.” May Allah guide and assist us.

[3] Ibid., 35-41.

[4] The people of Iraq will once again be freed from the neo-Safavid nightmare by the will of Allah, no matter how long it may take. Falsehood appears but it is the truth that remains.

[5] Dr Muhammad Wasfi: Iran Dirasah ‘Ammah, pg. 149.

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