Preface:
The city of Basrah was one of the earliest and most influential
centres of learning in the Muslim world. It was established during 'Umar ibn
Al-Khattab's period, and it was crowded with Companions and great Followers.
From this city, the Ibadhi movement had
proceeded to various spots. Among those who bore its banner were great scholars
who studied under the leaders of the Ibadhi School. They then proceeded in
conveying it and establishing imamates and states based on its principles. These
were called in the Ibadhi history "the Bearers of Knowledge to the
West" and "the Bearers of Knowledge to the East".
We start by mentioning the Bearers of
Knowledge to the West because, historically, they were the pioneers; and more
details about their role in the expansion of the Ibadhi doctrine in North
Africa will be mentioned.
First: Who are the Bearers of Knowledge to the West?
Sources agree that they were five persons, who came to Imam Abu 'Ubaidah
Muslim ibn Abi Karimah in Basrah. These students were: Abu Dirar Ismail ibn
Dirar al-Ghadamsi, or Ghadamas; Abd al-Rahman ibn Rustam, 'Asim al-Sadrati of
Sadratah, and Abu Dawud al-Qibilli. Abu al-Khattab 'Abd al-'A'la joined them in
Basrah, where he was pointed out by their teacher Abu 'Ubaidah Muslim, as the
first Imam of the expected Imamate of North Africa. This fact shows that the
power which was still to count more on the question of leadership was that of
the Arab settlers, and Abu al-Khattab was sent to North Africa to cover this
need.
1- Abu al-Khattab 'Abd al-'A'la ibn al-Samh al-Ma'afiri:
Abu al-Khattab al-Ma'aaferi was originally
from Yemen. He took knowledge from the imam of Ibadhis at that time, i.e. Abu
'Ubaidah Muslim, in the city of Basrah. After five years of learning, he and
his North African colleagues went to their land. Abu al-Khattab was pointed out
by their teacher Abu 'Ubaidah Muslim, as the first Imam of the expected Imamate
of North Africa. When they reached Maghreb's land, they settled in Tripoli,
which was struggling against the 'Abbasid [and the Umayyads before them]. Therefore,
they contracted the imamate to Abu al-Khattab in the year 140 A.H. ruling the
people of Maghreb according to the conduct of the righteous caliphs. He
ruled all the area between Sirt, Qairawan and Zuwailah. But this Ibadhi Imamate
could not resist the army of the 'Abbasid Caliphate, and Abu al-Khattab was
killed with some fourteen thousands of his followers by the 'Abbasid army under
the leadership of Muhammad b. al-'Ash'ath, governor of Egypt for Abu Ja'far
al-Mansur, on the year 144 A.H.
2- Abd al-Rahman ibn Rustam ibn Bahram ibn Kisra al-Farisi:
Abd al-Rahman ibn Rustam is one of the
great Ibadhi scholars and among the greats of history. His descent goes back to
the Kisras (Chosroes, Kings of Persia). He was born in Iraq, and his birth
was estimated to be in the first decade of the second lunar century. His father
Rustam ibn Bahram died during the pilgrimage ritual in Hijaz, and left a widow
and an orphan. Then, his mother got married with a Maghrebi man, who
accompanied her and her orphan child to Qairawan.
In Qairawan, the first Arabic-Islamic city
in Maghreb, Abd al-Rahman grew up and began to learn the principles of
knowledge. He then came across the Ibadhi teachings and adhered to them. For
advanced knowledge he travelled to Basrah (in 135 A.H.) and met the Ibadhi
scholar Abu 'Ubaidah Muslim ibn Abi Karimah.
After five years of study in Abu 'Ubaidah's
school, he returned to Maghreb with his colleagues to continue the efforts of
the Ibadhi callers and to establish the Imamate of Manifestation (Zuhur)
when they had the opportunity and the power to do so. His teacher, Abu 'Ubaidah,
allowed him to issue fatwas (legal opinion) on issues that he heard from him and
other issues that he did not hear from him.
Abd al-Rahman ibn Rustam was appointed as a
governor and a judge of Qairawan during the Imamate of Abu al-Khattab 'Abd
al-'A'la al-Ma'afiri (140 A.H - 144 A.H.). He managed to flee to central
Algeria after the martyrdom of Abu al-Khattab in the Battle of Tawergha (144
A.H.).
In the year 160 A.H., he was elected by the
Maghrebi Ibadhis as the imam of the first independent Islamic state in North
Africa in the eighth century CE, which was known in history by the name of the
Rustamid State of Tahert (modern Tiaret, in Algeria), which lasted up to 296
A.H. Imam Abd al-Rahman ibn Rustam lasted in the Imamate until his death in 171
A.H.
He left two books, one entitled, Tafsir
Kitabillah al-Aziz (the exegesis of the Book of the Mighty Allah), and the
other one is a compilation of his sermons, but none of these books has reached
us until now.
3- 'Asim al-Sadrati
'Asim al-Sadrati of Sadratah, which is
located in Algeria, is one of the imams of Islamic Maghreb, and one of the five
Bearers of Knowledge who travelled from Maghreb to Basrah to learn under the
supervision of Imam Abu 'Ubaidah Muslim ibn Abi Karimah.
After his return from Basrah in 140 A.H, 'Asim
carried the banner of teaching and Islamic call. He was teaching people their religious
matters and solving their problems. He kept on moving between villages and
deserts, from Nafusa Mountain in Libya to Oras Mountains in Algeria. He took
several places on his way as places of prayer; his teaching circles took place
therein. Great imams and scholars were taught under his hand. Among them are
Imam Abd al-Wahhab ibn Abd al-Rahman, the second Rustamid imam, Ayyub ibn
al-Abbas, Abu Mirdas, Abu al-Hasan al-Abdulani, and Mohammed ibn Yanis. He was
pious, ascetic, and gifted with answered supplications. He was well known
for bravery and horsemanship. He contributed in the establishment of the Imamate
of Abu al-Khattab 'Abd al-'A'la ibn al-Samh al-Ma'afiri in Tripoli in 140 A.H. He
participated with him in the blockade of Warfagoma Tribe, which caused
much corruption in Qairawan. When he got sick during the blockade period, his
enemies served him a poisoned Egyptian cucumber. He died because of it in 141 A.H.
4- Ismail ibn Dirar al-Ghadamsi
Ismail ibn Dirar al-Ghadamsi was one of the
Ibadhi scholars. His origin was from Tripoli. He was among the mission, which
was sent by Salamah ibn Sa'd to Basrah, and joined the circle of Imam Abu 'Ubaidah
Muslim. He spent five years in seeking Sharia knowledge, especially Transactions
and Judgements Jurisprudence.
After the return of the mission in 140 A.H.,
and the rise of the Imamate of Abu al-Khattab al-Ma'aaferi, he was appointed as
a judge of the Imamate. He performed his duty very perfectly, and was well
known for justice and wisdom. Beside this, he was also performing his message
of teaching generations. One of his famous students was Abu al-Muneeb Mohammed
ibn Yanis.
After his colleague 'Asim al-Sadrati was
killed, he retired from judiciary and continued his work on teaching. 'Asim's
students joined him and took knowledge from him.
5- Abu Dawud al-Qibilli al-Nafzawi
Abu Dawud al-Qibilli was one of the great
scholars. His origin was from Nifzawah (in Tunisia). He took his first sciences
from Salamah ibn Sa'd, and then proceeded with Abd al-Rahman ibn Rustam on a mission to Basrah to receive sciences from Imam Abu
'Ubaidah Muslim ibn Abi Karimah. So he was one of "the Bearers of
Knowledge to the West". After his return in 140 A.H., he retired from
politics and devoted his attention to teaching and educating generations. He
was abundant in knowledge; even it was narrated that if Imam Abd al-Wahhab,
with his wide knowledge, sat between his hands, he would be like a boy in front
of his teacher.
The role of the Bearers of Knowledge in the
expansion of the Ibadhi doctrine in North Africa
It seems that the educational activities of the Bearers of Knowledge
began during the early decades of the second century H. Their contact with the Ibadhi scholars of
Basrah was after the visit of Salamah ibn Sa'd to North Africa. They were
chosen from different areas such a way that the most important centres of
central North Africa were covered so that each area would have its own
religious leader of the native people.
The training of these
students was undertaken by Abu 'Ubaidah himself. They spent five years with him
(from 135 A.H. to 140 A.H.) and he was satisfied with the standard, which they
acquired.
Apart from their political struggle which started on the year 140 H.
under the leadership of Abu al-Khattab, and continued under the leadership of
his colleague 'Abd a-Rahman b. Rustam, the Bearers of Knowledge played an
important part in passing over to their fellow Ibadhis of North Africa the
teachings which they had learned in Basrah. It is not known whether they had
brought those teachings in a written form. In fact, the only written work
ascribed to one of the Bearers of Knowledge is the Tafsir of 'Abd al-Rahman b.
Rustam.
The point which must be asserted here is that the final form of the
Ibadhi doctrine was established in Basrah and was brought over to North Africa
through the missionary students, who seem to number more than the five
mentioned above, and who are known in Ibadhi sources by the title (Hamalat
al-'ilm). It is also clear that the contracts between the centre of the Ibadhi
movement in Basrah and North Africa were established at an early stage of the
latter's history.
The Ibadhis of North Africa depended very much on the scholars of
Basrah, especially Abu 'Ubaidah Muslim, in whatever problems they faced on
legal and theological matters. Among the extant works which Abu 'Ubaidah wrote
to the people of the Maghreb is his treatise on Zakat which he wrote to a
certain Ismail b. Sulaiman al-Maghrebi. Jitali also reported that Abu 'Ubaidah
sent responses (Jawabat) on theological questions to the people of the Maghreb,
but these responses are still missing. These contacts were presumably very effective
during the time of Abu 'Ubaidah before the return to Africa of the five
students (Hamalat al-'ilm), who took over the burden of propagating Ibadhi
teachings and deepening its roots amongst the Maghrebis.
The contacts between the two
Ibadhi communities of the 'East', (al-Mashriq), and the 'West', (al-Maghreb),
was maintained all the time. When 'Abd al- Rahman b. Rustam was elected to the
Imamate in Tahert, the Ibadhis of the 'East' sent a special delegation to
examine his conduct, and when they were satisfied with him, they gave him full
support morally and financially. Afterwards, whenever a conflict took place
among the Ibadhis of North Africa, they sought its resolution from their fellow
Ibadhis of the 'East'. A number of 'letters' were written by scholars of the
'East' giving their opinions on religious and political issues which occurred
among the Ibadhis of the Maghreb.
Ibadhi literature written by
scholars of the 'East' was presented to the Ibadhis of the Maghreb. During his
rules, Imam 'Abd al-Wahhab b. 'Abd al-Rahman b. Rustam, sent for books from the
'East'. His fellow Ibadhis of the 'East' transcribed and sent to the Maghreb
forty camel loads of material on paper worth one thousand dinars for which Imam
'Abd al-Wahhab paid. It was also during the time of 'Abd al-Wahhab that Abu
Ghanim Bishr b. Ghanim al- Khurasani traveled to Tahert to present his works to
the Imam. Educational contacts between the two communities were firmly
maintained thereafter. The annual conference of the Ibadhis took place during
the time of the Hajj. They met at Mecca to exchange news and compare notes.
After the return of (Hamalat al-'ilm), a number of great scholars
emerged among the Ibadhis of the Maghreb known as the students of the Bearers
of Knowledge among whom were: 'Abd al-Wahhab b. 'Abd al-Rahman b. Rustam, Abu
Khalil al-Darkali, Muhammad b. Yanis, and others.
After the founding the city of Tahert, which was the capital of the
Ibadhi Imamate, it became one of the most important centres for propagating Ibadhi
teachings. The Imams themselves took part in teaching and in writing books.
After the collapse of the Imamate of Tahert, the cultural activities of the
Ibadhis moved to Warijlani and Wad Righ. Jerba Island also became one of the
main educational centres as a result of the activities of the 'Azzabah council
in the area.
Second: Who are the Bearers of Knowledge to
the East?
Those who bore knowledge from Basrah to
East were numerous but famous among them were those who bore it from Imam
Ar-Rabee' ibn Habib al-Farahidi, the third Ibadhi Imam, to Oman. It is argued
about their number. Some see that they were four persons, and these were: Abu
al-Munthir Bashir ibn al-Munthir, Mohammed ibn al-Mu'alla, Munir ibn al-Nuyir,
and Musa ibn Abi Jabir, and Some see that they were five; the four previously
mentioned and Imam Abu Sofyan Mahboob ibn al-Raheel. Al-Awtabi holds that they
were: Mohammed ibn al-Mu'alla, Ar-Rabee' ibn Habib, Munir ibn al-Nuyir, and
Bashir ibn al-Munthir. Itfaish indicates that the Bearers of Knowledge to Oman
were: Mahboob ibn al-Raheel, Musa ibn Abi Jabir, Munir ibn al-Nuyir, and Hashim
ibn Ghailan. However, it is difficult to separate between the Bearers of Knowledge
who took knowledge from Abu 'Ubaidah Muslim and those who took it from
Ar-Rabee' ibn Habib, may Allah's mercy be upon them both.
1- Bashir ibn al-Munthir
Sheikh Abu al-Munthir Bashir ibn al-Munthir
al-Nizwi al-Aqri, the Grandfather of Bani Ziyad, was from Bani Nafi' ibn Samah
ibn Lo'ai from 'Aqr Nizwa. He was one of the great scholars in his time and one
of the Bearers of Knowledge from Basrah to Oman, as he was a student of Imam Ar-Rabee'.
He is known as "al-Sheikh al-Akbar" (the greatest Sheikh) in Omani
Books.
He had a prominent role in the revival of
the second Imamate in the end of the seventh decade of the second lunar
century.
He died in 178 A.H. during the reign of
Imam al-Warith ibn Ka'ab al-Kharusi.
Some books were attributed to Abu
al-Munthir Bashir ibn al-Munthir, for example, al-Khizanah, al-Muharabah and
al-Bustan fil Usool.
2- Mohammed ibn al-Mu'alla
Mohammed ibn al-Mu'alla al-Kindi al-Fushhi was
one of the Ibadhi scholars of Oman in the second lunar century. He was a
student of Imam Ar-Rabee' ibn Habib al-Farahidi and one of the Bearers of
Knowledge from Basrah to Oman. He was ascribed to Fush, a village in Wadi
al-Sahtan in al-Rustaq State, while he was (originally) from Kindah.
He was a governor of Suhar's city for a
period of time. He had a role in the establishment of the second Imamate in
Oman. Al-Allamah (great scholar) Musa ibn Abi Jabir has recommended him
for the Imamate but he apologized because he was in the state of Shira' (sacrifice
of one's life) and Allamah Musa has accepted his apology. He was the
first one who decided to fight Rashid ibn al-Nadhar, who transgressed and rebelled
in the period between the two Imamates.
It seems that he died before the end of the
second lunar century.
3- Munir ibn al-Nuyir
Munir ibn al-Nuyir ibn Abd al-Malik
al-Riyami al-Ja'alani was one of the Bearers of Knowledge from Basrah to East
who took knowledge from Imam al-Rabee'. He was among the long-lived and it was
said that he was died a martyr in 280 A.H. The tradition is that he died a
martyr's death about 280 A.H., when about 110 years old.
It is well known in Ibadhi history that Munir
ibn al-Nuyir was in the army led by al-Ahyaf ibn Hamham al-Hana'ei to fight the
Tyrant called "Mohammed bin Boor" and to expel him from Oman. So they
met in Dima and a huge battle broke out, in which many scholars from the people
of Oman were killed and among them was Munir ibn al-Nuyir.
However, Sheikh Saif ibn Hamood al-Battashi
sees that that was confusion among historians. He excludes the mentioned date
and considers it more probable that the "Munir" concerned must have
died, according to the best assumptions, by the end of the second lunar
century, and the one, which was mentioned that he died in 280 A.H must be
another person.
Munir ibn al-Nuyir al-Riyami was one of the
greatest scholars. He has enriched the Ibadhi library with his traditions and
sayings. However, what is available now
is his biography, which was a letter to Imam Ghassan ibn Abdullah.
4- Musa ibn Abi Jabir
Sheikh Musa ibn Abi Jabir al-Azkawi from
Bani Dhabba (or Dhab) from Bani Samah ibn Lo'ai ibn Ghalib was one of the great
Omani scholars in the second lunar century. He was born around 87 A.H. in Oman,
and died on the age of 94 in 181 A.H. Like other pioneers of knowledge, he went
to Basrah and was one of the Bearers of Knowledge to Oman. He studied under the
hand of Imam Ar-Rabee'.
Musa ibn Abi Jabir was among those who
attended the Pledge of Allegiance to Imam al-Julanda ibn Masoud. After the
martyrdom of al-Julanda in 134 A.H., the first Imamate in Oman was over and
Oman became attached to the Abbasid State. Musa ibn Abi Jabir was the authority
of Omanis during that period, and his decisions were highly respected. Musa ibn
Abi Jabir spent great efforts and played an important role to return the
Imamate regime until he managed to do so, when Omanis pledged allegiance to Imam
Mohammed ibn Abi Affan in 177 A.H. but after two years only, he was deposed by Musa
and other and the allegiance was pledged to Imam al-Warith ibn Ka'ab al-Kharusi
in 179 A.H.
Musa ibn Abi Jabir was a virtuous scholar.
He was called "The Sheikh of Muslims". His biography, which was a
letter entitled as "An advice to Muslims", is available as a
manuscript in the Ibadhi library.
5- Abu Sofyan Mahboob ibn al-Raheel al-Qurashi al-Makki
The historian Imam Mahboob ibn al-Raheel
al-Qurashi al-Makki has been considered by Omani historians as one of the
Bearers of Knowledge to Oman in view of the fact that he migrated to Oman by
the end of his life and died therein. He was the stepson of Imam Ar-Rabee', as
the mother of Mahboob was the wife of Imam Ar-Rabee'.
Imam Mahboob was attributed to Bani
Makhzoom, the Qurashi tribe, as he is originally from the people of Makkah. He
was nicknamed after his second son "Sofyan", who was born after
Mohammed ibn Mahboob.
At the beginning, he studied under Imam Abu
'Ubaidah Muslim ibn Abi Karimah, and then he accompanied Imam Ar-Rabee' and learned
from him. Among his famous students are his son Mohammed ibn Mahboob and Abu
Ghanim Bishr Ibn Ghanim Al Khurasani.
After Allamah Wa'el ibn Ayyub's
death, he succeeded him in the leadership of the Ibadhis in Basrah.
He most probably died in the second half of
the second lunar century.
Abu Sofyan was a juristic-historian. He was
the one who conveyed the history of the first Ibadhis in Basrah and the
jurisprudence of their imams. He had many juristic traditions, which are
distributed within Ibadhi books.
References:
Studies in Ibadhism, al-Ibadiyah; by Dr.
Amr Ennami
The Doctrines of the Ibadhi Creed Till
the End of the Second AH Century; by Dr. Musallam Salim Al-Wahibi
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