Upon seizing power, the Abbasid’s new government was fearful of rebellion by the remaining Umayyads and their followers. Due to their hostility to the Umayyads, they dug up the graves of the Umayyad caliphs in Damascus, and insulted the remains of their corpses. It is said that the name Saffah, which means bloodthirsty, was given to him because of his brutality in killing the Umayyads. Saffah appointed his close ones as the governors of the Islamic territory. He assigned his brother as the governor of Mosul in Northern Iraq. His governors had to stabilize the power of the new government. After his brother came to the city, he committed a massacre, sparing not even the women, children, or animals. Among the men of Mosul, only about 400 survived the massacre. People who were disappointed with the oppression of the Umayyads, and were expecting justice from the new government, were now facing the Abbasid government with more oppression than ever before.
The Abbasids established authority by eliminating any opposition or suppressing any suspicious activity. Among the first who were killed by the Abbasids was Abu-Salama al-Khallal, the Abbasid’s top representative in Kufa. He was assassinated a few months after the establishment of the Abbasid government, after their victory in the Battle of Zaab. His assassination took place in Kufa at night, after he had returned home from visiting Saffah. The Abbasids had become suspicious of him, as he had isolated the Abbasid leaders under his control in Kufa, and hid his communications with Imam Sadiq and the other elders from the Prophet’s progeny. Thus, the Abbasids eliminated him. Abu-Muslim supported the assassination, as he had always perceived Abu-Salama as his rival in the government.
The Abbasids’ confiscation of power for themselves, as well as their brutality, caused people to separate from them. One of the first groups who objected to the Abbasid government and regretted their prior support for them were the Shias of Khorasan. These Shias had not been following Imam Sadiq as their sole religious and political leader. However, in their hearts, they had love and respect for the Imam and the other members of the Prophet’s family. They rose against the Abbasids in Central Asia under the leadership of Sharik ibn Shaikh within the first months of Saffah’s government. They were able to form an army of around 30,000 people, all united against the Abbasids. Their uprising did not last for more than several months. It was finally suppressed by Abu-Muslim, who had full control of Khorasan, and was obedient to Saffah.
The Abbasids established authority by eliminating any opposition or suppressing any suspicious activity. Among the first who were killed by the Abbasids was Abu-Salama al-Khallal, the Abbasid’s top representative in Kufa. He was assassinated a few months after the establishment of the Abbasid government, after their victory in the Battle of Zaab. His assassination took place in Kufa at night, after he had returned home from visiting Saffah. The Abbasids had become suspicious of him, as he had isolated the Abbasid leaders under his control in Kufa, and hid his communications with Imam Sadiq and the other elders from the Prophet’s progeny. Thus, the Abbasids eliminated him. Abu-Muslim supported the assassination, as he had always perceived Abu-Salama as his rival in the government.
The Abbasids’ confiscation of power for themselves, as well as their brutality, caused people to separate from them. One of the first groups who objected to the Abbasid government and regretted their prior support for them were the Shias of Khorasan. These Shias had not been following Imam Sadiq as their sole religious and political leader. However, in their hearts, they had love and respect for the Imam and the other members of the Prophet’s family. They rose against the Abbasids in Central Asia under the leadership of Sharik ibn Shaikh within the first months of Saffah’s government. They were able to form an army of around 30,000 people, all united against the Abbasids. Their uprising did not last for more than several months. It was finally suppressed by Abu-Muslim, who had full control of Khorasan, and was obedient to Saffah.
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