Abu Muslim

Lore & Background

According to Gholam-Hosayn Yusofi, 'sources differ regarding his original name and his origin. Some make him a descendant of Gōdarz and of the vizier Bozorgmehr and call him Ebrāhīm; some name him Behzādān, son of Vendād Hormoz; and others relate him to the Abbasids or to the Alids. These suggestions are all doubtful'. He was most likely of Persian origin, and was born in either Merv or near Isfahan. The exact date is unknown, either in 718/9 or sometime in 723/7. He grew up in Kufa, where he served as a slave and saddler of the Banu Ijl clan. It was there that Abu Muslim came into contact with Shi'a Muslims. In 737, he was accused of associating with ghulat ('extremist, heterodox') sectarians. These activities landed him in prison, from where he was liberated in 741/2 by the leading Abbasid missionaries (naqāb, sing. naqīb) on their way to Mecca. He was introduced to the head of the Abbasid clan, Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Abdallah, who in 745/6 sent him to direct the missionary effort in Khurasan. In 747, Abu Muslim initiated the open phase of the Abbasid revolt, rapidly seizing Merv and rallying broad support among the populations of Khorasan. He subsequently directed the Abbasid advance across the Iranian plateau and into the Levant, culminating in the collapse of Umayyad authority and the proclamation of the Abbasid Caliphate. Thereafter he served as governor of Khorasan and emerged as one of the most powerful figures of the early Abbasid state. After the establishment of the Abbasid regime, Abu Muslim remained in Khurasan as its governor. In this role he suppressed the Shi'a uprising of Sharik ibn Shaikh al-Mahri in Bukhara in 750/1, and furthered the Muslim conquest of Central Asia, sending Abu Da'ud Khalid ibn Ibrahim to campaign in the east. His heroic role in the revolution and military skill, along with his conciliatory politics toward Shia, Sunnis, Zoroastrians, Jews, and Christians, made him extremely popular among the people. Abu Muslim's growing prominence provoked concern within the Abbasid leadership. While the first caliph refrained from acting against him, the second caliph, al-Mansur, ordered his execution in 755, alleging — likely without basis — that he harbored crypto-Zoroastrian sympathies. His death provoked unrest across Greater Iran, where he was subsequently venerated as a quasi-religious figure and martyr for centuries.

Reader's Guide

Abu Muslim was a Persian revolutionary and military commander, central to the Abbasid Revolution. He was likely born in Merv or near Isfahan, with an uncertain date (718/9 or 723/7). He grew up in Kufa as a slave and saddler of the Banu Ijl clan, where he encountered Shi'a Muslims. After imprisonment in 737 for associating with extremist sectarians, he was freed in 741/2 by Abbasid missionaries and sent to Khurasan in 745/6 to lead the missionary effort. In 747 he began the revolt, seizing Merv and leading the Abbasid advance. He served as governor of Khurasan, suppressing revolts and expanding Central Asian conquests. His popularity and power led to his execution in 755 by Caliph al-Mansur on unsubstantiated charges of crypto-Zoroastrianism.

Did You Know?

• Abu Muslim's original name and origin are disputed among sources; some claim he was a descendant of Gōdarz or the vizier Bozorgmehr, while others link him to the Abbasids or Alids.
• He was liberated from prison in 741/2 by leading Abbasid missionaries on their way to Mecca.
• After his execution, Abu Muslim was venerated as a quasi-religious figure and martyr for centuries across Greater Iran.