Al-Hadi
Encyclopedia
Abu Abdullah Musa ibn Mahdi al-Hadi
(born: 147 AH; died: 170 AH)(born: 764; died: 786 AD) was the fourth Abbasid
caliph
who succeeded his father Al-Mahdi
and ruled from 169 AH (785 AD) until his death in 170 AH (786 AD).
Al-Hadi was the eldest son of Al-Mahdi
and Al-Khayzuran
and like his father he was very open to the people of his empire and allowed citizens 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 bin Abdallah
, 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 assassination prompted by al-Hadi's own step-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. al-Tabari
says others refer to al-Hadi's overtures to Harun. One account at Tabari cites has al-Hadi attempting to poison his mother:
The note on p. 42 of volume 30 of the sunni 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.
(born: 147 AH; died: 170 AH)(born: 764; died: 786 AD) was the fourth Abbasid
Abbasid
The Abbasid Caliphate or, more simply, the Abbasids , was the third of the Islamic caliphates. It was ruled by the Abbasid dynasty of caliphs, who built their capital in Baghdad after overthrowing the Umayyad caliphate from all but the al-Andalus region....
caliph
Caliph
The Caliph is the head of state in a Caliphate, and the title for the ruler of the Islamic Ummah, an Islamic community ruled by the Shari'ah. It is a transcribed version of the Arabic word which means "successor" or "representative"...
who succeeded his father Al-Mahdi
Al-Mahdi
Muhammad ibn Mansur al-Mahdi , was the third Abbasid Caliph who reigned from 158 AH to 169 AH . He succeeded his father, al-Mansur....
and ruled from 169 AH (785 AD) until his death in 170 AH (786 AD).
Al-Hadi was the eldest son of Al-Mahdi
Al-Mahdi
Muhammad ibn Mansur al-Mahdi , was the third Abbasid Caliph who reigned from 158 AH to 169 AH . He succeeded his father, al-Mansur....
and Al-Khayzuran
Al-Khayzuran
Al-Khayzuran bint Atta was the wife of the Abbasid Caliph Al-Mahdi and mother of both Caliphs Al-Hadi and Harun al-Rashid, the most famous of the Abbasids. She was from Jorash, Yemen....
and like his father he was very open to the people of his empire and allowed citizens to visit him in the palace at Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
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
Medina
Medina , or ; also transliterated as Madinah, or madinat al-nabi "the city of the prophet") is a city in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia, and serves as the capital of the Al Madinah Province. It is the second holiest city in Islam, and the burial place of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad, and...
. Al-Hadi crushed the rebellion and killed Husayn and many of his followers, but Idris bin Abdallah
Idris I
Idris I was the first ruler and founder of the Idrisid Dynasty, ruling from 788 to 791 AD. He is credited with founding the dynasty that was instrumental in the early Islamization of Morocco.-History:...
, a cousin of Husayn, escaped and aided by Wadih, Egyptian postal manager, reached Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
where he founded the Idrisi state . Al-Hadi also crushed a Kharijite rebellion as well as faced a Byzantine
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
invasion. However, the Byzantines were turned back, and the Abbasid armies actually seized some territory from them.
Al-Hadi died in 786. al-Tabari
Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari
Abu Ja'far Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari was a prominent and influential Sunni scholar and exegete of the Qur'an from Persia...
notes varying accounts of this death, e.g. an abdominal ulcer or assassination prompted by al-Hadi's own step-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. al-Tabari
Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari
Abu Ja'far Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari was a prominent and influential Sunni scholar and exegete of the Qur'an from Persia...
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 sunni 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
Ibn Khaldun
Ibn Khaldūn or Ibn Khaldoun was an Arab Tunisian historiographer and historian who is often viewed as one of the forerunners of modern historiography, sociology and economics...
discredited this claim.