Qarmatians

The Qaramita (Arabic قرامطة, DMG Qarāmiṭa ), also Qarmatis or Qarmatians, were one on Hamdan Qarmat ( 890-906 ) going back, and right-wing messianic Shiite group of the 9th, 10th and 11th century, as well as the Fatimid Ismailis to the counts.

Origins and teachings

Together with his brother abdication began Hamdan Qarmat, probably a Nabataean Bauer, in the late 870er years to gather Arabs and Nabataeans around in Iraq as Isma'ili missionary (da ʿ ī ), and positioned himself doing politically and religiously both against the Abbasids as well as against the same time resulting movement of the Fatimids.

The community received much support, especially from farmers, small artisans and the urban proletariat. Although they held up tolerance and equality, yet black slaves ( Zanj ) were kept in slavery community. Fasting and prayers were not part of religious practice. In her faith merged a native of old Iranian religions dualism and sun worship with Islam, from which the mystical- philosophical brotherhood of the Ikhwan al-Safa was born ( " Brethren of Purity "). Because of this, but also because of their faith, the Mahdi Qarmatis for most Muslims are considered disbelief.

After several uprisings in Iraq Hamdan Qarmat had to migrate to Syria and the Abbasid Caliphate began to suppress the Qarmatis military. 906 were the Qarmatis defeated by the Abbasids and are displaced from northern Iraq and Syria. Only the northern Syrian Salamiyya was able to hold.

The State of Bahrain Qarmatis

To 894 the Qarmatis settled under their leader Abu Said al - Dschannabi at (reigned until 913) in Bahrain and Al-Ahsa. Until about 899 they had brought the whole of the North East of the Arabian Peninsula under their control and founded their own state, which was conducted from 977 from an existing six men of Elders. This " Qarmatis Republic " based on the principle of equality and extensive community property.

The clashes with the Abbasids tore meanwhile not expire. The Qarmatis, which raised its own counter- caliph, undertook several campaigns in southern Iraq ( Kufa, Basra ) and Yemen, to the coast of Fars, Syria, Palestine, western Arabia and Oman, where they occasionally large areas occupied (Oman from 931 to 934). 930 even Mecca was Abu Tahir Sulayman ibn Abi Said ( r. 917-944 ) captured and kidnapped the Black Stone of the Kaaba. This was returned only 951 against a large ransom to Mecca. Again and again raided the Qarmatis pilgrimages, which were on their way to Mecca, and taught at massacre.

The battle with the Fatimids to Palestine and Syria

968 conquered the qarmatische military leader Abu Ali al -Hasan ibn Ahmad al - Asam (d. 977 ) Ramla and Damascus and repressed the local governor of Ichschididen, but went the Qarmatis the control of the area lost again soon, because let 970 of the new Fatimid governor of Egypt, Jawhar as- Siqilli, occupy the area to the Gulf of Iskenderun of his troops. Al -Hasan then moved with Abbasid support action against the Fatimids. In August 971 he defeated the Fatimid Syria Army, occupied again Damascus and preached there from the pulpit against the Fatimids. In the same year the qarmatischen troops were advancing to the Nile. Only through a surprising failure of Cairo, which at that time happened to be under construction, Jawhar was able to fend off a defeat of the Fatimid and beat the Qarmatis to flight. The Fatimids now took Ramla regained possession, but they were already displaced in the summer of the following year 972 back from there through the Qarmatis. While standing al -Hasan with his qarmatischen troops in March 974 again before Cairo, but he was this time, so trounced by Abdallah, son of the Caliph Abu Tamim al - Muizz that he hastily withdrew from Egypt.

The after him pulling Fatimid troops could occupy 974 Ramla in May, but they failed to bring Damascus under their control. Here, the escaped from the Turkish army officer buyidischen Alp - Tegin set up, which was allied with the Qarmatis.

As Jawhar was released in July 976 with his troops to Damascus, called Alp - Tegin al -Hasan for help. His arrival in December 976 Jawhar forced to retreat to Egypt. Only when the new Fatimid Caliph al- Aziz in the summer of 978 even took over the leadership of the army, the tide turned in favor of the final Fatimids. Al- Aziz was Alp - Tegin defeat at Ramla; the Qarmatis withdrew against an annual payment of 30,000 dinars from Syria and from then recognized the suzerainty of the Fatimids to.

The end

Only in the late 11th century managed on behalf of the Abbasids, the destruction of the independent Qarmatenstaates in Bahrain and al - Ahsa, where in 1078 the dynasty of Uyuniden took power. The importance of Qarmatis went back now largely; most followers turned to other currents of Islam.