Episode 45: Hashemite versus Hashemite

The Abbasids based their legitimacy on the fact that they were part of the prophet’s clan. This was not contested during the upheaval of their revolution, and in the following years al Saffah inflicted great pain on his enemies as a way of warning others not to mess with the new dynasty. Despite all this, al Mansur knew to expect a challenge from his clan sooner or later, a threat he took very seriously indeed.

Glossary

• Ja’far al Sadiq: if anyone could be called the leader of the prophet’s Hashemite clan during these divisive times, it would be Ja’far al Sadiq. His prominence as a religious authority in the umma was unrivaled, and he would go on to become one of the pivotal figures in Islamic history. 
• Abdullah al Kamil: a prominent descendant of the prophet through his grandson al Hasan, his title “al Kamil” – the whole/perfect – was in reference to the fact that both his parents were themselves descended from the prophet. 
• Mohammad ibn Abdallah al Kamil: better known as Mohammad Nafs al Zakiya or the pure soul, he was Abdullah’s son and widely admired in Medina and beyond for his demeanor, charisma, and piety. The clan pledged to support him back before the Abbasid revolution, and that made him a constant source of anxiety for the shrewd al Mansur.
• Ibrahim ibn Abdullah: Mohammad’s brother was his constant companion and most stalwart ally. He led the Basran branch of their rebellion and met with more success than the pure soul himself, though ultimately both were defeated by the caliph’s forces.
• Isa ibn Musa: the caliph’s nephew, his next in line, and the governor of Kufa all in one. Al Mansur chose Isa to lead the campaign against the sons of Abdullah. Isa succeeded in this quest, but his victory against the beloved Hashemites earned him some infamy in the umma.