Episodes from Islamic history

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Humsafar
Posts: 2608
Joined: Sat Dec 16, 2000 5:01 am

Episodes from Islamic history

#1

Unread post by Humsafar » Wed Feb 24, 2021 5:56 pm

Been thinking for a while to start this thread. The purpose is to curate events and episodes of Islamic history which are not commonly known. Or post about the known ones which have a new perspective or angle. Anyone can post articles/links here but please make sure that they come with source and reference. No conspiracy theories or imaginings of fevered minds, please. The idea is to collect scholarly articles in one place. Everyone is welcome to discuss and debate but please don't pollute this thread with irrelevant personal attacks and name-calling. And also please let's also not make it into a sectarian bickering about Sunni/Shia, Bohra/Muslim, orthodox/reformist etc etc. All types of articles and views are welcome and encouraged so long as they are supported by credible sources. I request everyone to follows these basic, simple ground rules. Thank you.

To start off, I will post the first article below.
Last edited by Humsafar on Wed Feb 24, 2021 5:59 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Humsafar
Posts: 2608
Joined: Sat Dec 16, 2000 5:01 am

Re: Episodes from Islamic history

#2

Unread post by Humsafar » Wed Feb 24, 2021 5:58 pm

What Was the Zanj Rebellion?
A remarkable episode of Medieval Islamic history that often goes untold.

The Zanj rebellion of Black slaves, which took place in lower Iraq from 868 to 883 CE, is one of the remarkable episodes of Medieval Islamic history that often goes untold. Much of what we know about the rebellion comes from the historical works of Al-Tabari (Annals of Prophets and Kings) and Al Mas’udi Murudj al-Dahab.

According to these accounts, in about 869 CE, Ali bin Muhammad, a slave-descended Arab, journeyed into the slave quarters in the marshlands East to Basrah, where Black slaves were employed by large landowners to dig away at the nitrous surface soil, reclaiming the land beneath it for future sugarcane cultivation. It was exacting work, and the slaves were expected to obtain saltpetre from the upper layers of the soil for their master’s profit. Their well-being was often neglected and their oppression was gruesome. Al-Tabari recounts that Ali received an audience among these slaves by claiming that he was an agent acting on behalf of a Caliph’s son. Having already amassed a following on previous journeys, he began ambushing the establishments of rich landowners and capturing their slaves. He also captured the slaveowners and brought them along in his raids.

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