Questions about Al-Saadiq

Questions about Al-Saadiq Politics at his time 28 Questions A.S. Hashim, MD

Definition of Terms in this Slide Show • Institute of Ahlul Bayt: Refers to the teachings and discussions by Ahlul Bayt. This was conducted at: • The house of the Imam • Masjid Al-Nabawi • At or near the Grand Mosque during Haj • Piety-minded: Refers to the many Schools of thought: Like that of Ibn Abbas, of Ibn Omar, Jabriah, Qadariyah, Murj’iah, Ahlul Raa’y, Ahlul Qiyas, etc. Questions, Al-Saadiq, Politics at his time

Give a historical perspective of Al‑Saadiq's life‑time. • Ja'far Al-Saadiq was born during the reign of Abdul Malik son of Marwan, • lived through the mightiest period, then the impotence, of Benu Umayya's rule, • witnessed the disintegration of the Khilaafah of Benu Umayya, • a+b+c+ lived through some of the severest upheavals of the Ummah. Questions, Al-Saadiq, Politics at his time

What transformation did Al-Saadiq witness? • He witnessed the extinction of Benu Umayya's rule, • Also witnessed the rise of Benu Abbas' rule. • a+b+ Al-Saadiq's life span stretched for 48 years through Benu Umayya's rule and 17 years through Benu Abbas' rule. • Al-Saadiq's life span stretched for 18 years through Benu Umayya's rule and 3 years through Benu Abbas' rule. Questions, Al-Saadiq, Politics at his time

To how many rulers of Benu Umayya and Benu Abbas was Al‑Saadiq contemporary? • 10 rulers of Benu Umayya and 2 Rulers of Benu Abbas • 5 rulers of Benu Umayya and 5 Rulers of Benu Abbas • 3 rulers of Benu Umayya and 2 Rulers of Benu Abbas • 6 rulers of Benu Umayya and 4 Rulers of Benu Abbas Questions, Al-Saadiq, Politics at his time

List 3 negative administrative points of Benu Umayya rule. • The lion's share of the treasury (from the Jiziah and Ushr) was spent on the Syrians, and more so the administration, • There were many increases in the rate of taxation which were flagrantly un‑Islamic: • a+b Return of the heavy taxes as previously levied by the Persian Empire, as reinstated now by Mu'awiya, • a+b+c+ Mu’awiya used the treasury exclusively for his personal pleasure. Questions, Al-Saadiq, Politics at his time

List more negative things Benu Umayya did. • Tributes, surcharges, or taxation on: manufactured goods, various professions, marriage contracts, and presenting subpoenas, • Duties on Nowrooz and other ceremonial observances. • a+b There were blunders at some borders, mainly for the sake of procuring booty, • The blunders at some borders were welcomed by the vanquished Questions, Al-Saadiq, Politics at his time

How did Benu Umayya regard the Mawaali (non-Arab Muslims) • By deliberate design Benu Umayya's rulers encouraged race favoritism, • they: preferred Syrian Arabs over the Iraqi Arabs, then • preferred Iraqi Arabs over the Ansaar and Muhajiroon of Medina, and preferred those of Medina to all Converts to Islam (Mawaali), • a+b+c+ Benu Umayya regarded the Mawaali as second class citizens, Questions, Al-Saadiq, Politics at his time

List the types of taxation levied by Benu Umayya. • Taxation on manufactured goods and various professions, • Taxation on Marriage contracts, and presenting subpoenas, • a+b+ Taxation on Nowrooz and other ceremonial observances. • The people welcomed the taxes with open arms Questions, Al-Saadiq, Politics at his time

Give the reason for Al‑Hajjaj to discourage people from embracing Islam. • As the number of people accepting Islam increased, • some governors like Al‑Hajjaj discouraged people from embracing Islam, • a+b+ the reason was to collect more taxes (Jiziah), • a+b+ The reason was because they hated the Mawaali Questions, Al-Saadiq, Politics at his time

How did people feel about condemning Imam Ali over the pulpits? • Benu Umayya's constant harassment of Ahlul Bayt was deeply resented by the citizens, and • a+ Benu Umayya's condemnation and cursing of Imam Ali as a State policy over the pulpits was loathsome to most people. • People loved to hear the condemnation • Some People resented it, but the majority Encouraged it. Questions, Al-Saadiq, Politics at his time

Explain how Benu Umayya's weakened circumstances gave Al‑Saadiq a freehand. • Benu Umayya's administration reeled under the frequent social unrest against them, the economic demands, the bad character of the rulers, and the incompetence of some. • This resulted in halting the works of the Secret Service leaving Al-Saadiq free to teach unhampered. • This is when the Institute of Ahlul Bayt flourished and expanded, a golden age for it. • a+b+c+ And the more people wanted to learn, the more Al-Saadiq was ready to give, tirelessly, eagerly, and without complaints. Questions, Al-Saadiq, Politics at his time

Describe the Revolt of Zaid Ibn Ali. • Al-Saadiq was in the 7th yr of his Imamah when his uncle, Zaid Ibn Ali, declared a revolt in Iraq against Benu Umayya • Benu Umayya dealt with the revolt in a savage way • a+b+ They not only hanged Zaid's decapitated body in Kufa but left it hanging for several years • a+b+c+ but left it there for 5 days for people to see. Questions, Al-Saadiq, Politics at his time

Describe the uprising of Yahya son of Zaid and how Benu Umayya dealt with him. • Within one to two years Yahya, the son of Zaid, also revolted, but in Persia. • His revolt was also put down, and his body was treated in the same grotesque manner as his father's. • Yahya was also a highly regarded person. • a+b+c+ The death of both Zaid and his son Yahya lay very heavy on the Ummah, but more so on Al-Saadiq Questions, Al-Saadiq, Politics at his time

Discuss the underground movement to topple Benu Umayya. • The people vividly remembering Karbala, plus Benu Umayya's foul administration, an underground movement started to take shape. • Most people resolved to get rid of Benu Umayya • a+b+ Identify the organizers of the underground movement to topple Benu Umayya. • People resented maligning Benu Umayya and sympathized with them. Questions, Al-Saadiq, Politics at his time

Who were the perpetrators of the revolt against Benu Umayya? • The perpetrators were a few members of Benu Abbas and some descendants of Imam Al Hasan. • a+ Al-Saadiq was in a meeting in which Al-Hasan's descendants were present, along with Al Saffah and Al Mansoor. • They were discussing how to share the Khilaafah after Benu Umayya. • They planned to start the uprising in Medina. Questions, Al-Saadiq, Politics at his time

What was the plan of the revolt? • The plan of the general revolt was clever, and it took some time to implement. • The leaders appointed agents, spokesmen, and delegates, each with certain powers. • These spokesmen were to go to far away areas, where the aggrieved and the Mawaali were the majority • a+b+c+ They were to announce in secret the need for a general uprising Questions, Al-Saadiq, Politics at his time

List the countries in which uprisings took place against Benu Umayya. • Perisa • Arabia proper where in Medina they dismissed their Governor, • an uprising in Egypt, and Jordan, • a+b+c+ two uprisings in Syria Proper, and one in Palestine Questions, Al-Saadiq, Politics at his time

Benu Umayya fought amongst themselves. What was the casualty figure? • Benu Umayya numbered about 40,000 by then, but split into many factions, • each faction clamoring for the splendor of the Khilaafah and its high social status. • a+b+ Benu Umayya went in battle against each other, with casualties at one time reaching about 18,000 • a+b+ Benu Umayya were about 10,000 by then, split into many factions, Questions, Al-Saadiq, Politics at his time

Give an account about Abu Muslim. • Abu Muslim, a shrewd person, sided with Benu Abbas. • He was very skillful and played the game of politics exceptionally well. • He was no different than Mu'awiya in dealing and wheeling, undermining, cutting, bribing, and making alliances with people in sensitive positions. • a+b+c+ Abu Muslim was also cruel to his adversaries, a killer, somewhat bloodthirsty. Questions, Al-Saadiq, Politics at his time

What was the call of Abu Muslim for? • Abu Muslim declared his call in the name of advocating for Ahlul Bayt. • Most of the revolting people were the Mawaali, who had converted to Islam but were treated poorly • The Mawaali were regarded as second class citizens by Benu Umayya. • a+b+c+ The forces of Abu Muslim continued to expand and make headway. They conquered a large area of Khurasan of Persia, a far away area where the revolt had started, then began to expand and at the same time move toward Iraq. Questions, Al-Saadiq, Politics at his time

In whose name Benu Abbas called for a revolt. • To champion Ahlul Bayt and uphold them. للرضامنآلِمحمد • To revenge for Ahlul Bayt • To uphold and gain the satisfaction of Ahlul Bayt • To fool the Persians • To avenge for Islam Questions, Al-Saadiq, Politics at his time

Who declared the Khilaafah, since Al‑Saadiq refused to take part in it? • Benu Abbas • Benu Umayya • In Mecca • In Medina Questions, Al-Saadiq, Politics at his time

Describe Marwan the Ass. • Along with his family Marwan the Ass fled the pursuing forces of Abu Muslim, • but Marwan was arrested not too long afterwards in Egypt and put to the sword. • His family, however, was able to flee from Egypt to Abyssinia, then to Arabia. • a+b+c+ Marwan's two sons were finally captured and executed. In this manner a harrowing end for Benu Umayya was in wait. Questions, Al-Saadiq, Politics at his time

Describe the Zaap Battle. • At the Zaap River in Iraq a ferocious battle took place between Marwan's forces and the forces from Iraq. • The force from Iraq consisted of the sympathizers of Ahlul Bayt, • a+b+ The battle took several days, and in retreating the panicky fighters of Benu Umayya threw themselves in the river, and drowned. • In this manner Benu Abbas lost this battle. Questions, Al-Saadiq, Politics at his time

Discuss what Benu Abbas did to the clan of Benu Umayya. • Benu Abbas put the sword to their adversaries, • It was a bloody bath mostly in Syria. • Benu Abbas even dig up the graves of all the Khalifas of Benu Umayya, and burned the remains • a+b+c+ When Benu Abbas dug out Yazid's grave they found a black line of dust but no remnants, except for one bone Questions, Al-Saadiq, Politics at his time

List some works done in the early days of Benu Abbas. • Benu Abbas claimed that Khilaafah was Islamicly theirs, • To woe people, Benu Abbas appointed the Piety‑minded into important positions. • The Mawaali were given greater share in administering the country, • a+b+c+ Ahlul Bayt were without surveillance on them, that continued for about 10 years. Questions, Al-Saadiq, Politics at his time

Describe the Institute of Ahlul Bayt at the time of Al-Saffah. • The Institute of Ahlul Bayt reached its zenith in volume, discussions, and the number of enrollees. • Abu Hanifa, who had been imprisoned by Benu Umayya due to his support of Zaid Ibn Ali, had escaped prison and joined the Institute to study for two years. • Later he endearingly referred to those pivotal years by saying, "Were it not for those two years, his soul would have perished," • a+b+c+ for such was the Institute's influence on his views, Fiqh, analogy, and the manner of thinking Questions, Al-Saadiq, Politics at his time

Mention 4 points about Al‑Mansoor. • Al‑Mansoor was a highly suspicious person, a paranoid man, • Also a firm but able administrator and the founder of Benu Abbas rule and administration, • He was very stingy and tightfisted, • a+b+c+ autocratic, who used brutal suppression of any opposition or even upon suspicion, Questions, Al-Saadiq, Politics at his time

Mention 4 more points about Al-Mansoor. • He continued the Khilaafah by means of inheritance (Caesar‑like rule), • He built Baghdad, • Al‑Mansoor used the same surveillance on Ahlul Bayt as Benu Umayya had used before. • a+b+c+ Al‑Mansoor did not believe in giving a gift just for frivolous requests or reasons. Many feared him, respected him, but at the same time disliked him. Questions, Al-Saadiq, Politics at his time

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Questions about Al-Saadiq