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Abu Salama al-Khallal

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Abu Salama al-Khallal
Full NameHafas (or Ahmad) b. Sulayman (or Ghiyath) al-Hamdani or al-Hamadani
TeknonymAbu Salama al-Khallal
Well-known AsWazir Al Muhammad
Well-known RelativesBukayr b. Mahan (father-in-law)
Place of ResidencePersian Iraq
Death132/750
Known forThe leader of Abbasid propagandists
Notable rolesPolitical activity against the Umayyads
ActivitiesInfluential in the transfer of power from the Umayyads to the Abbasids


Abū Salama al-Khallāl (Arabic: ابوسَلَمَه الخَلّال), known as Wazīr Āl Muḥammad (The Vizier of the Family of Muhammad), was a dā'ī (political missionary) of the Abbasids who played a prominent role in the overthrow of the Umayyad Caliphate and the establishment of the Abbasid Caliphate.

At a certain stage of the Abbasid movement, Abu Salama attempted to transfer the caliphate from the Abbasids to the Alids. He pursued this by inviting Alid dignitaries, including Imam al-Sadiq (a). Some have attributed this invitation, which was met with a negative response from Imam al-Sadiq (a), to Abu Salama's Shi'ism or his love for the Ahl al-Bayt (a). Others believe that Abu Salama was a political figure who, at a certain point, saw his interest in supporting the Alids against the Abbasids for political reasons and had no religious motivation for this action. In Shi'a sources, Imam al-Sadiq's reaction to Abu Salama's invitation regarding the acceptance of power has been used to analyze the political view of the Shi'a Imams after the Event of Karbala regarding assuming the caliphate.

Abu Salama al-Khallal is counted among the first followers of the Abbasids and later became one of their most important missionaries. He led the mission against the Umayyads in Iraq, and after the initial success of the Abbasid call there, he tried to transfer the Caliphate to the Alids; an effort that was not successful and is considered the cause of the Abbasids' suspicion towards him and his subsequent murder by them.

Historical Status

Abu Salama al-Khallal (d. 132/749-50) was a great Abbasid dāʿī (propagandist)[1] who is considered to have played a prominent role in the overthrow of the Umayyad Caliphate and the establishment of the Abbasid Caliphate.[2] It is said that due to this prominent role, he is called "Wazir Al Muhammad" (The Vizier of the Family of Muhammad) in some sources.[3][4] In some sources, Abu Salama is described as a man of letters, a politician, and a prudent planner;[5] it is said that these qualities attracted the attention of Ibrahim al-Imam (d. 132/749-50), the leader of the Abbasid movement and the brother of al-Saffah and al-Mansur, such that he chose him as his vizier in the faculty of daʿwa (propagation).[6]

At a stage of the Abbasid campaign, Abu Salama's attempt to transfer the Caliphate from the Abbasids to the Alids,[7] which was accompanied by his invitation to Imam al-Sadiq (a) to take power, led Sayyid Muhsin al-Amin to count him among Shi'a viziers.[8] According to some, despite Abu Salama's invitation to Imam al-Sadiq (a), he was ultimately a lover of the Ahl al-Bayt (a) and not a doctrinal Shi'a.[9] Murtada Mutahhari believes that Abu Salama was a political figure and, as quoted from Imam al-Sadiq (a),[10] was not among the Shi'a of the Imam.[11] In his view, Abu Salama, at a certain point for unknown political reasons, saw his interest in supporting the Alids against the Abbasids and had no religious motivation in this action.[12] In Shi'a sources, the manner of Imam al-Sadiq's reaction to Abu Salama's letter regarding the acceptance of power has been used to analyze the political view of the Shi'a Imams after the Event of Karbala regarding assuming the caliphate;[13] a view that is considered to be accompanied by caution and assessing the existence of suitable conditions for governance.[14]

Identity

According to some researchers, the details of Abu Salama al-Khallal's life before the beginning of the Abbasid campaign are not well known;[15] such that there is a difference regarding his name and lineage.[16] In some sources his name is Ḥafaṣ[17] and in others Aḥmad;[18] his father's name is recorded as Ghiyath in some sources[19] and Sulayman in others.[20] There is also a dispute regarding his epithet (al-Khallal): some have attributed this epithet to his selling of vinegar (khall),[21] and others due to his residence in the vinegar sellers' quarter of Kufa.[22] Some have considered him to be of Iranian mawali (clients)[23] and in some sources, he is mentioned to have known Persian.[24] In some sources, he is described as a money changer by profession and as financially wealthy.[25] He was the son-in-law of Bukayr b. Mahan, one of the leaders of the anti-Umayyad movement and a prominent Abbasid da'i.[26]

Abu Salama and the Abbasid Da'wa

In some sources, Abu Salama al-Khallal is counted among the earliest followers of the Abbasids.[27] His involvement in the Abbasid campaign is reported to have begun alongside Bukayr b. Mahan.[28] In some historical accounts, there are reports of the trust of Abbasid leaders in Abu Salama in the work of the da'wa;[29] the result of this trust is considered to be his succession to Bukayr b. Mahan as the leader of the missionaries after Bukayr's death.[30] According to some sources, during the period when the leadership of the Abbasid propagandists was placed on Abu Salama, Abu Muslim al-Khurasani also took charge of the propagandists of Khurasan and Persian Iraq under his command.[31]

According to some sources, with the beginning of the Abbasid uprising in Ramadan 129/ May 747 and the approach of the Abbasid army to Kufa, Abu Salama secretly managed the anti-Umayyad forces to weaken the resistance of the Umayyad army against the Khurasan army.[32] With the victory of the Khurasan army over the Umayyad army, Abu Salama came out of hiding on Ashura 132/August 749 and took over the leadership of the uprising in Iraq.[33] With the death of Ibrahim al-Imam, according to his will, Abu l-Abbas al-Saffah and the Abbasid family moved towards Abu Salama in Iraq.[34] With the arrival of the Abbasid leaders in Kufa, Abu Salama hid them from the people and secretly wrote to two Alid dignitaries, encouraging them to accept the leadership of the call instead of the Abbasids;[35] an act which, according to sources, was not successful[36] and resulted in al-Saffah's suspicion.[37] This suspicion is considered the fundamental factor for the murder of Abu Salama by the Abbasids.[38] According to some researchers, although the reports of Abu Salama's murder are very diordered, the involvement of Abbasid leaders, al-Saffah and al-Mansur, and Abu Muslim al-Khurasani is seen in it.[39] His death is recorded in Rajab 132/February 750.[40]

Abu Salama's Effort to Transfer the Caliphate to Alids

According to al-Mas'udi, upon the death of Ibrahim al-Imam, Abu Salama al-Khallal contemplated transferring power from the Abbasids to the Alids.[41] This thought manifested in correspondence with two Alid dignitaries, Ja'far al-Sadiq (a) and Abd Allah b. al-Hasan al-Muthanna.[42] The content of this letter is reported to be an invitation to take charge of the uprising against the Umayyads.[43] The reaction of Imam al-Sadiq (a) and Abd Allah b. Hasan to this letter is reported very differently:[44] al-Mas'udi reported Imam al-Sadiq's reaction as negative and accompanied by suspicion, and Abd Allah b. Hasan's reaction as positive and accompanied by optimism and excitement.[45]

According to al-Mas'udi, Imam al-Sadiq (a) called Abu Salama the Shi'a of others and burned the letter in response.[46] Rasul Ja'fariyan, a researcher of Shi'a history, considered Imam al-Sadiq's reaction to Abu Salama's letter to be cautious[47] and resulting from his knowledge of Abu Salama's lack of seriousness in his invitation and the lack of favorable conditions for leadership of the uprising by a Shi'a Imam.[48] Imam al-Sadiq (a) also warned Abd Allah b. Hasan against accepting Abu Salama's invitation and argued with him about the consequences of this action.[49]

Notes

  1. ↑ Bahrāmiyān, Abū Salama al-Khallāl, p. 560.
  2. ↑ Khiḍrī, Tārīkh-i khilāfat-i ʿAbbāsī, p. 25; Bahrāmiyān, Abū Salama al-Khallāl, p. 560.
  3. ↑ Ibn Khallikān, Wafayāt al-aʿyān, vol. 2, p. 196.
  4. ↑ Muṭahharī, Sīrī dar sīra-yi aʾimma-yi aṭhār (a), 1382 Sh, p. 123.
  5. ↑ Ibn Khallikān, Wafayāt al-aʿyān, vol. 2, p. 196.
  6. ↑ Ibn Khallikān, Wafayāt al-aʿyān, vol. 2, p. 196.
  7. ↑ Jahshiyārī, Kitāb al-wuzarāʾ, p. 59.
  8. ↑ Amīn, Aʿyān al-Shīʿa, vol. 1, p. 190.
  9. ↑ Muḥarramī, Darsnāma-yi tārīkh-i tashayyuʿ, p. 116.
  10. ↑ Masʿūdī, Murūj al-dhahab, vol. 3, p. 254.
  11. ↑ Muṭahharī, Sīrī dar sīra-yi aʾimma-yi aṭhār (a), p. 130.
  12. ↑ Muṭahharī, Sīrī dar sīra-yi aʾimma-yi aṭhār (a), pp. 130–131.
  13. ↑ Muṭahharī, Sīrī dar sīra-yi aʾimma-yi aṭhār (a), pp. 116–131; Jaʿfariyān, Ḥayāt-i fikrī wa siyāsī-yi Imāmān-i Shīʿa, pp. 446–449.
  14. ↑ Jaʿfariyān, Ḥayāt-i fikrī wa siyāsī-yi Imāmān-i Shīʿa, pp. 448–449.
  15. ↑ Khiḍrī, Tārīkh-i khilāfat-i ʿAbbāsī, p. 25; Bahrāmiyān, Abū Salama al-Khallāl, p. 560.
  16. ↑ Khiḍrī, Tārīkh-i khilāfat-i ʿAbbāsī, p. 25.
  17. ↑ Masʿūdī, Murūj al-dhahab, vol. 3, p. 253; Ibn Qutayba, al-Imāma wa l-siyāsa, vol. 2, p. 161.
  18. ↑ Abū Hilāl al-ʿAskarī, al-Awāʾil, p. 346.
  19. ↑ Ṣābī, Rusūm dār al-khilāfa, p. 129.
  20. ↑ Masʿūdī, Murūj al-dhahab, vol. 3, p. 253; Ibn Qutayba, al-Imāma wa l-siyāsa, vol. 2, p. 161.
  21. ↑ See for example: Akhbār al-dawla al-ʿAbbāsiyya, p. 259.
  22. ↑ Ibn Khallikān, Wafayāt al-aʿyān, vol. 2, p. 196.
  23. ↑ Iqbāl Āshtiyānī, Khāndān-i Nawbakhtī, p. 65; Khiḍrī, Tārīkh-i khilāfat-i ʿAbbāsī, p. 25.
  24. ↑ Akhbār al-dawla al-ʿAbbāsiyya, p. 376.
  25. ↑ Ibn Khallikān, Wafayāt al-aʿyān, vol. 2, p. 196.
  26. ↑ Zaryāb Khūʾī, Bukayr b. Māhān, p. 679.
  27. ↑ See for example: Akhbār al-dawla al-ʿAbbāsiyya, p. 191.
  28. ↑ Akhbār al-dawla al-ʿAbbāsiyya, pp. 223–224.
  29. ↑ Akhbār al-dawla al-ʿAbbāsiyya, p. 238.
  30. ↑ Akhbār al-dawla al-ʿAbbāsiyya, p. 250.
  31. ↑ See for example: Akhbār al-dawla al-ʿAbbāsiyya, p. 277.
  32. ↑ See for example: Akhbār al-dawla al-ʿAbbāsiyya, p. 368.
  33. ↑ Akhbār al-dawla al-ʿAbbāsiyya, pp. 374–375.
  34. ↑ Masʿūdī, Murūj al-dhahab, vol. 3, p. 252.
  35. ↑ Masʿūdī, Murūj al-dhahab, vol. 3, pp. 253–254.
  36. ↑ Yaʿqūbī, Tārīkh al-Yaʿqūbī, vol. 2, pp. 349–350.
  37. ↑ Jahshiyārī, Kitāb al-wuzarāʾ, p. 59.
  38. ↑ Bahrāmiyān, Abū Salama al-Khallāl, p. 562.
  39. ↑ See for example: Bahrāmiyān, Abū Salama al-Khallāl, p. 562.
  40. ↑ Ibn Khallikān, Wafayāt al-aʿyān, vol. 2, p. 196.
  41. ↑ Masʿūdī, Murūj al-dhahab, vol. 3, p. 253.
  42. ↑ Yaʿqūbī, Tārīkh al-Yaʿqūbī, vol. 2, p. 349.
  43. ↑ Masʿūdī, Murūj al-dhahab, vol. 3, p. 254.
  44. ↑ Muṭahharī, Sīrī dar sīra-yi aʾimma-yi aṭhār (a), p. 126.
  45. ↑ Masʿūdī, Murūj al-dhahab, vol. 3, p. 254.
  46. ↑ Masʿūdī, Murūj al-dhahab, vol. 3, p. 254.
  47. ↑ Jaʿfariyān, Ḥayāt-i fikrī wa siyāsī-yi Imāmān-i Shīʿa, p. 449.
  48. ↑ Jaʿfariyān, Ḥayāt-i fikrī wa siyāsī-yi Imāmān-i Shīʿa, p. 448.
  49. ↑ Masʿūdī, Murūj al-dhahab, vol. 3, p. 254.

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