Msha'sha'iya
Encyclopedia
The Musha‘sha’iyyah were a Shī‘ah sect founded and led by Muhammad ibn Falah
, an Iraq
i-born theologian who believed himself to the earthly representative of ‘Alī
and the Mahdi
. From the middle of the 15th century to the 19th century, they came to dominate much of western Khūzestān Province
in southwestern Iran
.
Beginning in 1436, ibn Falah spread
his messianic beliefs amongst the less powerful Arab
tribe
s along the area of the present-day border of Iraq and Iran, gaining converts in an attempt to forge a strong tribal alliance. In 1441, they succeeded in capturing the city of Hoveizeh
in Khuzestan, and during the following ten years the Musha‘sha’iyyah increased their strength and consolidated their power in the area around the city and the Tigris
river. These early military ambitions were fueled by Muhammad ibn Falah's zealous millenarian
theology, which continued to significantly influence the later military campaigns of the Musha‘sha’iyyah decades after his death.
Successors of ibn Falah were in continual conflict with the Safavid
rulers as well as with Iranian Arab tribes until overcome by the Safavids in 1508. The conflict with the Safavids was driven not only by politics and territorial domination, but also by theological differences and competition between two rival Shi'a schools of thought. According to Moojan Momen, both sects adhered to heterodox (ghuluww
) Shi'a beliefs.
According to Shī‘ah eschatology
, the Mahdi will appear at the end times
to lead the forces of good, who will be based in Yemen, to struggle against the forces of evil, who will be based in Syria
and Khorasan
. The Musha‘sha’iyyah believed that the end times were imminent and that they would need to defeat the Safavids and gain control of Iran in order to fulfill the prophecy heralded by ibn Falah.
The Musha‘sha’iyyah gradually abandoned their eschatological beliefs and more closely adhered to mainstream Shī‘ah orthodoxy. Like other mystical Shī‘ah sects, they placed a great deal of importance upon poetry and art.
Unreferenced sources indicate that their rule ended towards the 19th century with the rise to power of the Bani Kaab, which under the leadership of Sheikh Jabir al-Kaabi
had become the dominant power in the western region of Iran. However, Momen writes that by the 16th century they were already reduced to being simply the governors of Khuzestan.
Muhammad ibn Falah
Muhammad ibn Falah was an Iraqi-born theologian who founded the Musha'sha'iya, a Shi'a sect. He received his theological education in the city of al-Hillah, and there came to believe himself to be the earthly representative of Imam Ali and the Mahdi...
, an Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
i-born theologian who believed himself to the earthly representative of ‘Alī
Ali
' |Ramaḍān]], 40 AH; approximately October 23, 598 or 600 or March 17, 599 – January 27, 661).His father's name was Abu Talib. Ali was also the cousin and son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and ruled over the Islamic Caliphate from 656 to 661, and was the first male convert to Islam...
and the Mahdi
Mahdi
In Islamic eschatology, the Mahdi is the prophesied redeemer of Islam who will stay on Earth for seven, nine or nineteen years- before the Day of Judgment and, alongside Jesus, will rid the world of wrongdoing, injustice and tyranny.In Shia Islam, the belief in the Mahdi is a "central religious...
. From the middle of the 15th century to the 19th century, they came to dominate much of western Khūzestān Province
Khuzestan Province
Khuzestan Province is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. It is in the southwest of the country, bordering Iraq's Basra Province and the Persian Gulf. Its capital is Ahwaz and covers an area of 63,238 km²...
in southwestern Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
.
Beginning in 1436, ibn Falah spread
Dawah
Da‘wah or Dawah usually denotes the preaching of Islam. Da‘wah literally means "issuing a summons" or "making an invitation", being the active participle of a verb meaning variously "to summon" or "to invite"...
his messianic beliefs amongst the less powerful Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
tribe
Tribe
A tribe, viewed historically or developmentally, consists of a social group existing before the development of, or outside of, states.Many anthropologists use the term tribal society to refer to societies organized largely on the basis of kinship, especially corporate descent groups .Some theorists...
s along the area of the present-day border of Iraq and Iran, gaining converts in an attempt to forge a strong tribal alliance. In 1441, they succeeded in capturing the city of Hoveizeh
Hoveizeh
Hoveyzeh is a city in and the capital of Hoveyzeh County, Khuzestan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 14,422, in 2,749 families....
in Khuzestan, and during the following ten years the Musha‘sha’iyyah increased their strength and consolidated their power in the area around the city and the Tigris
Tigris
The Tigris River is the eastern member of the two great rivers that define Mesopotamia, the other being the Euphrates. The river flows south from the mountains of southeastern Turkey through Iraq.-Geography:...
river. These early military ambitions were fueled by Muhammad ibn Falah's zealous millenarian
Millenarianism
Millenarianism is the belief by a religious, social, or political group or movement in a coming major transformation of society, after which all things will be changed, based on a one-thousand-year cycle. The term is more generically used to refer to any belief centered around 1000 year intervals...
theology, which continued to significantly influence the later military campaigns of the Musha‘sha’iyyah decades after his death.
Successors of ibn Falah were in continual conflict with the Safavid
Safavid dynasty
The Safavid dynasty was one of the most significant ruling dynasties of Iran. They ruled one of the greatest Persian empires since the Muslim conquest of Persia and established the Twelver school of Shi'a Islam as the official religion of their empire, marking one of the most important turning...
rulers as well as with Iranian Arab tribes until overcome by the Safavids in 1508. The conflict with the Safavids was driven not only by politics and territorial domination, but also by theological differences and competition between two rival Shi'a schools of thought. According to Moojan Momen, both sects adhered to heterodox (ghuluww
Ghulat
Ghulāt , is a term used in the theology of Shia Islam to describe some minority Muslim groups who either ascribe divine characteristics to a member of Muhammad's family , or hold beliefs deemed deviant by mainstream Shi'i theology...
) Shi'a beliefs.
According to Shī‘ah eschatology
Eschatology
Eschatology is a part of theology, philosophy, and futurology concerned with what are believed to be the final events in history, or the ultimate destiny of humanity, commonly referred to as the end of the world or the World to Come...
, the Mahdi will appear at the end times
Qiyamah
In Islam, Yawm al-Qiyāmah or Yawm ad-Din is believed to be God's final assessment of humanity as it exists. The sequence of events is the annihilation of all creatures allowable, resurrection of the body, and the judgment of all sentient creatures.The exact time when these events are to occur...
to lead the forces of good, who will be based in Yemen, to struggle against the forces of evil, who will be based in Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
and Khorasan
Greater Khorasan
Greater Khorasan or Ancient Khorasan is a historical region of Greater Iran mentioned in sources from Sassanid and Islamic eras which "frequently" had a denotation wider than current three provinces of Khorasan in Iran...
. The Musha‘sha’iyyah believed that the end times were imminent and that they would need to defeat the Safavids and gain control of Iran in order to fulfill the prophecy heralded by ibn Falah.
The Musha‘sha’iyyah gradually abandoned their eschatological beliefs and more closely adhered to mainstream Shī‘ah orthodoxy. Like other mystical Shī‘ah sects, they placed a great deal of importance upon poetry and art.
Unreferenced sources indicate that their rule ended towards the 19th century with the rise to power of the Bani Kaab, which under the leadership of Sheikh Jabir al-Kaabi
Sheikh Jabir al-Kaabi
Sheikh Jabir al-Kaabi was the leader of the Bani Kaab Arab tribe and the Sheikh of Khorramshahr during the 19th century...
had become the dominant power in the western region of Iran. However, Momen writes that by the 16th century they were already reduced to being simply the governors of Khuzestan.