The Chaliphate - Muir - The Search For Mecca

—
;
496 AL-MA'MUN [CTIAP. T.XVI.
A.H. 198-
218.
Rebellion of
Abu Saraj'a
at KCifa and
Basra,
199 A.H.
814 A.D.
Defeated by
Harthama
and slain, -
200 A.H.
8l£ A.U.
Pilgrimage,
Dhu'l-IIijja,
199 A.H.
but sick at the course events were taking, entered without
heart on the contest, and, after some unsuccessful battles,
retired. Thus Nasr for many years dominated the borderlands
of Asia Minor, while Tahir, in charge of Syria and
Mesopotamia, remained spiritless and inactive at Ar-Rakka.
In the following year a more dangerous rebellion was
headed by Abu's-Saraya, a notable adventurer, who, beginning
as brigand, soon raised a great following, and having gained
possession of Al-Kufa, there set up as its ruler a descendant
of 'All. The fickle city, ready at any moment to rise in
favour of the house of 'All, and, like others, displeased at
the Caliph falling under Persian influence, went entirely
over to Abu's-Saraya, who also gained possession of Al-
Basra and great part of Al-'Irak, beating back arm\- after
army sent against him from Bagdad. He even coined
money in the name of his ^ iWXdi protege^ and sent envoys of
the same stock throughout Arabia and elsewhere. At last,
Bagdad itself was threatened, and the Viceroy in alarm sent
for Harthama, who, vexed like Tahir with the state of
affairs, had retired into seclusion. Harthama soon changed
the scene, drove Abu's-Saraya back into Al-Kufa, and
besieged him there. The Kufans, tired of the Pretender
and his marauding followers, gave them no further countenance,
and so Abu's-Saraya effected his escape with 800
horse. Pursued over the Tigris, he was taken prisoner and
carried before Al-Hasan the Viceroy, who sent his head to
Al-Ma'mun, and had the body impaled over the bridge at
Bagdad. His career was thus, after ten months, cut short
but it was some time before Al-Basra and Arabia settled
down. The 'AHd governors of Abu's-Sara}'a committed
great atrocities in various quarters,—to such an extent indeed
that one earned the name of" the Butcher," and another that
of " the Burner." At Mecca, his upstart envoy attempted
to head the pilgrimage, and the ceremonies ended in great
disorder. The golden linings of the Ka'ba and its treasur}'
were plundered, and the brocaded covering torn down and
divided amongst the insurgents.^ ,\ rival Caliph was even
^ Al-Kindi, the contemporary Christian apologist, tells us that
'Othman's exemplar of the Kor'an, deposited in the Ka'ba, was burned
in the conflagration which he says took place at this time.
S.P.C.K., p. 75.
-Apology,