Durham E-Theses Ghayat al-amani and the life and times of al-Hadi Yahya b. al-Husayn: an introduction, newly edited text and translation with detailed annotation Eagle, A.B.D.R. How to cite: Eagle, A.B.D.R. (1990) Ghayat al-amani and the life and times of al-Hadi Yahya b. al-Husayn: an introduction, newly edited text and translation with detailed annotation, Durham theses, Durham University. Available at Durham E-Theses Online: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/6185/ Use policy The full-text may be used and/or reproduced, and given to third parties in any format or medium, without prior permission or charge, for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-prot purposes provided that: • a full bibliographic reference is made to the original source • a link is made to the metadata record in Durham E-Theses • the full-text is not changed in any way The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders. Please consult the full Durham E-Theses policy for further details. Academic Support Oce, Durham University, University Oce, Old Elvet, Durham DH1 3HP e-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 0191 334 6107 http://etheses.dur.ac.uk 2 ABSTRACT Eagle, A.B.D.R. M.Litt., University of Durham. 1990. " Ghayat al-amahr and the life and times of al-Hadf Yahya b. al-Husayn: an introduction, newly edited text and translation with detailed annotation. " The thesis is anchored upon a text extracted from an important 11th / 17th century Yemeni historical work. This text deals primarily with al-Hadf ila 'l-Haqq. the founder of the Zaydf imamate in the Yemen that lasted well over a thousand years. AI-HadPs imamate, of considerable significance in itself, also coincides with one of the most turbulent periods of early Yemeni mediaeval history. The- edited Arabic text, with Its accompanying apparatus criticus, is to be found at the opposite end of this volume. The introduction considers various aspects of Imam al-HadPs life, religious ideas and aspirations and matters directly connected with the edited text and the work of which it forms a part. Among the most important subjects discussed are the MSS used in the production of the edited text, the problem concerning the authorship of Ghayat ai-amanT and the relationship of the latter work to Anba' al-zaman. A short biography of al-HadP is provided, together with a treatment of the historical background to al-HadPs imamate. The introduction also describes the editorial method followed with regard to the text, and certain key personal names and toponyms are dealt with there. The method employed by the author of the Ghayat is to record the events of any one year by itself. I have translated one year at a time and then followed It by the annotations appertaining to it. It is hoped that by means of these annotations, ( some of which through necessity are quite detailed ), the text will be better understood. The numerous personages, tribal names and toponyms are considered, as well as problems concerning points of chronology and various matters of historical and religious significance. Specific comment Is made upon certain interesting terms or any unusual or striking vocabulary. The thesis concludes with maps, genealogical tables and a comprehensive bibliography. Ghdyat al-amdni and the life and times of al-Hadl Yahya b. ai-Husayn: an introduction, newly edited text and translation with detailed annotation The copyright of this thesis rests with the author. No quotation from it should be pubUshed without his prior written consent and information derived from it should be acknowledged. A thesis presented to the University of Durham by A.B.D.R.Eagle for the degree of Master of Letters School of Oriental Studies Faculty of Arts "vy.i r' \ 7V 1990 2 1 MAR 19S1 TABLE OF CONTENTS page Abstract 1 Title-page 2 List of Appendices 6 Statement of Copyright 7 Acknowledgements 8 Poem 9 Introduction The historical setting 10 Ghayat al-amanT 11 The research topic 13 The printed text 14 The MSS 15 The authorship of Ghayat ai-amanT 17 Yahya b. al-Husayn b. Muhammad b. al-Qasim: a character sketch 24 Anba' al-zaman 26 srrat al-Hadr 30 Other sources used by the author of the Ghayat 31 Imam al-Hadf ila 'l-Haqq 32 His biography 33 His concept of the imamate 35 Al-Hadrs imamate in the Yemen: the historical background 37 The dating of al-Hadf's imamate 44 Why did al-Hadf return to the Hejaz? ^ .AI-HadT: a physical description and summing-up 47 Editorial method 48 c c Muhammad b. Ubaydullah al- AlawT c c and Air b. Muhammad al- Abbasf 57 Ibn al-Ruwayyah 58 ^Air b. FadI 58 A!-Hasan b. Kabalah 59 B. Salman 59 Kitaf 60 Itwah 60 Uthafit 60 Subul 60 Sana^ 62 Zabwah 63 Wuraqah 63 The translation 64 The annotations 64 Cartographical detail 66 Genealogical tables ( explanation ) 68 Transliteration method 69 Notes 70 Translation and annotations ( Year ) 280 / 893-4 84 282 / 895-6 88 284 / 897-8 91 285 / 898-9 98 286 / 899-900 116 287 / 900 134 ( Year ) 288 / 900-1 137 289 / 901-2 181 290 / 902-3 190 291 / 903-4 202 292 / 904-5 208 293 / 905-6 217 294 / 906-7 224 295 / 907-8 234 296 / 908-9 235 297 / 909-10 237 298 / 910-11 239 Appendices 242 Bibliography 250 -267 Edited text LIST OF APPENDICES page Appendix A: Maps (1) The Yemen: Tihamah and highlands 242 (2) Central and northern highlands 243 (3) San^a' and region 244 Appendix B: Genealogical Tables (1) Al Yu fir 246 (2) B. Hashim and Ahl al-Bayt 247 (3) Imam al-Qasim b. Muhammad: his descent from al-Hadi'and some of his immediate descendants 248 ********* STATEMENT OF COPYRIGHT The copyright of this thesis rest;s with the author. No quotation from it should be published without his prior written consent and information derived from it should be acknowledged. ««««««««« ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I should like to record here my sincere gratitude to my supervisor, and mentor. Dr. G. Rex Smith for his constant help and encouragement since the very initiation of this project. Both his unceasing patience and his true concern for detail and precision have been, and indeed remain, a considerable source of inspiration for me. Then 1 should like to thank Professor J. R. Harris, until recently the Director of the School of Oriental Studies in the University, for his great encouragement, his kindness and his counsel. I also extend my thanks and appreciation to Mr. Roger H. Fairclough, head of the Map Department in the Cambridge University Library, where I have spent many profitable and happy hours, and to his colleagues there, as well as to the staff of the Manuscripts Room in the same library. My grateful thanks also to the staff of the Oriental Reading Room of the British Library in Store Street WC1, which for me is a kind of oasis whenever I go to London, and. of course, to the staff of the University of Durham Library. Finally. I should like to thank the following who have assisted me in various ways: Mr. Francois de Blois, Dr. Donald P. Cole of the American University in Cairo, Mr. Alan C C ' de Lacy Rush and Shaykh Alf b. Sum an b. Jabir Al Naslb of Najran. Saudi Arabia. ********* The korses anc£every spear testify to my tenacity, prozoess and courage. Tndy T)kui-Jac{ar bears zidtness that I gave its tzuo 6 Cades to drinl<iof the Stood of vite foCli. Time and time again I quenched its thirst in every confrontation, seelqng to avenge the ^aith and Is [am. So that (DhuC-J^aqdr recatted BattCes waged Sy him who possessed power, the ieader, the noSfe one. 9^ygrandfather is 'M, he of transcendent virtues and perspicacity, the szuordof Qodandthe smasher oftheidois. The true brother of the Apostie and) after the Trophet, the Best whom the earth ever covered up, the Imam of every imam. {Al-Hddi Yahya h.al Husayn) 10 INTRODUCTION The historical setting It has been rightly suggested that the year 284 / 897-8 is a date of supreme significance in the Islamic historv of the Yemen. This was the year in which a scion of the Prophet Muhammad arrived in the northern Yemeni city of Sa'^dah ( for the second time but this time to stay ) and there, having been given allegiance as imam, and taking the title of al-Hadf ila 'l-Haqq, established a Zaydf imamate which was to continue almost uninterruptedly well into the present century. For the next fourteen years, that is up to the death of al-Hadf in 298 / 911, the Yemen witnessed a struggle between three conflicting elements. It was at its most intense around the ancient city of San^a' and in the central highlands, although practically the whole of what is now the Yemen Arab Republic was involved: from al-Janad. not far from present-day c — fa izz in the south, to Najran just inside modern Saudi Arabia. Tihamah. the plain running parallel to the Red Sea, was also not exempt from the conflict. Al-HadF soon found himself in dispute with the Yu firids an indigenous Yemeni dynasty who, several decades previously, had established themselves in central Yemen and who nominally gave allegiance to the Abbasid caliph. [21 X f The third element was the Fatimids, Shi Ts like the Zaydfs.