Muhammad ibn Abdallah

Muhammad ibn Abdallah or Muhammad An-Nafs Az-Zakiyya ( _ar. محمد بن عبد الله بن الحسن بن الحسن بن علي الملقَّب النفس الزكية, "Muhammad the Pure Souled") was a descendant of Muhammad through his daughter Fatimah. Known for his commanding oratory skills, amiable demeanor, and impressive build, he led a failed rebellion in Medina against the second Abbasid Caliph, Al-Mansur, on December 6, 762 CE (145 AH).

Muhammad was an inspirational figure to many throughout the caliphate, if not viewed as overly idealistic, believing that he was destined for glory due to his ancestry. For years he disguised himself and travelled stealthily since his descent from the prophet meant that he posed a threat to the established political order. He was eventually able to amass a sizable but ragtag army and overthrow the city of Medina.

Medina was an exceptionally poor place for any large-scale rebellion due to its dependency on other provinces for goods. As well, his motley army of coconspirators never stood a chance against the Caliph's imperial soldiers. Despite the obvious advantage held by the Abassid troops, Muhammad refused to step down in the hours before battle, blindly believing that utilizing the historic trenches dug by the Prophet to fortify the city decades earlier would result in victory. His naiveté led to a crushing defeat at the hands of the Abbasids, quelling for the time the possibility that the prophet's family would ascend to political power. [ Hugh Kennedy. "When Baghdad Ruled the Muslim World." Da Capo P, 2004, 21-26, ISBN 978-0306814803]

References

ee also

*Al-Mansur
*Alids
*Zaydism
*Abassid