Al-Hadi
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Beliefs |
|
Allah – Oneness of God |
| Practices |
| History & Leaders |
|
Muslim history |
| Texts & Laws |
| Major branches |
| Culture & Society |
|
Academics • Art • Philosophy |
| See also |
Abu Abdullah Musa ibn Mahdi al-Hadi (Arabic: أبو عبد الله موسى بن المهدي الهادي) (d. September 14, 786) was an Abbasid caliph who succeeded his father Al-Mahdi and ruled from 785 until his death in 786.
Al-Hadi was the eldest son of Al-Mahdi and like his father he was very open to the people of his empire and allowed commoners to visit him in the palace at Baghdad to address him. As such, he was considered an enlightened ruler, and continued the progressive moves of his Abbasid predecessors.
His short rule was wreaked with numerous military conflicts. The revolt of Husayn ibn Ali ibn Hasan broke out when Husayn declared himself caliph in Medina. Al-Hadi crushed the rebellion and killed Husayn and many of his followers, but Idris b. Abdallah b. Hasan b. Hasan b. Ali, a cousin of Husayn, escaped and aided by Wadih, Egyptian postal manager, reached Morocco where he founded the Idrisi state. Al-Hadi also crushed a Kharijite rebellion as well as faced a Byzantine invasion. However, the Byzantines were turned back, and the Abbasid armies actually seized some territory from them.
Al-Hadi died in 786. al-Tabari notes varying accounts of this death, e.g. an abdominal ulcer or assassinated prompted by al-Hadi's own mother. Al-Tabari (v. 30 p. 42f) notes al-Hadi's assertion of independence from his mother, his forbidding her further involvement in public affairs and his threatening Harun's succession. At Tabari says others refer to al-Hadi's overtures to Harun. One account at Tabari cites has al-Hadi attempting to poison his mother:
"Yahya b. al-Hasan related that his father transmitted the information to him, saying: I heard Kalisah telling al-'Abbas b. al-Fadl b. al-Rabi that Musa sent to his mother al-Khayzuran a dish of rice, saying, "I found this tasty and accordingly ate some of it, so you have some too!" Khalisah related: But I said to her, "Don't touch it until you investigate further, for I am afraid that it might contain something to your detriment." So they brought in a dog; it ate some and fell down dead. Musa sent to al-Khayzuran afterwards and said, "How did you like the dish of rice?" She replied, "I enjoyed it very much." He said, "You can't have eaten it, because if you had, I would have been rid of you. When was any Caliph happy who had a mother (still alive)?" (v. 30 pp. 43-44)
The note on p. 42 of volume 30 of the SUNY translation of at Tabari cites pp. 288-289 of the Kitab al-'Uyun for the possibility that al-Khayzuran feared al-Hadi would recover from his illness and thus had slave girls suffocate him. This note continues, "Certainly, his death appears as too opportune for so many people concerned that it should have been a natural one." The famous Muslim historian Ibn Khaldun discredited this claim.
[edit] Character
Al-Tabari and al-Masudi relate. a number of anecdotes that throw additional light on al-Hadi's character. Al-Tabari in one tells how al-Hadi handsomely rewarded a Bedouin who helped out al-Hadi's doorkeeper understand the caliph's command. In another, when al-Hadi succeeded to the throne Abdallah ibn Malik was very nervous that the new caliph would be very displeased with him for obeying al-Hadi's father over al-Hadi's expressed wish, but al-Hadi accepted Abdallah's assertion Abdallah would serve him as he had served the previous caliph. And Al Hadi favoured the learned and entertaining Isa b. Da'b, insisting officials provide Isa the dirhams they'd been withholding, despite Isa's holding a promisary note from the Caliph.
Al-Masudi recounts a number of anecdotes that throw additional light on this caliph's character. One of these (p. 51) describes the caliph's cool demeanour when a Kharijite prisoner snatched a sword from a guard and advanced on him. Al-Hadi calmly ordered a non existent person behind the Kharijite to cut off his head. When this distracted his attacker, al-Hadi himself leaped on the Kharijite, grabbed the sword and cut off his head.
Al-Masudi recounts (p. 59f) al-Hadi conversing with Isa ibn Da'b, a highly literate and learned favourite of the caliph, about the advantages and disadvantages of Egypt. The caliph was speaking favourably of the land. However, ibn Da'b pointed out the flaws, including crocodiles, found in no other river save the Nile. Isa ibn Da'b also lightened al-Hadi's mood on one occasion when the caliph was brooding over a blood feud.
Al-Hadi was succeeded by his younger brother, Harun al-Rashid.
[edit] Bibliography
- Al-Tabari, volume XXX "The Abbasid Caliphate in Equilibrium," transl. C.E. Bosworth, SUNY, Albany, 1989
- Al-Masudi, The Meadows of Gold, The Abbasids, transl. Paul Lunde and Caroline Stone, Kegan Paul, London and New York, 1989
| Preceded by al-Mahdi |
Caliph 785 – 786 |
Succeeded by Harun al-Rashid |
