By HUSA1N F. AL-HAMDINI
I
IN the archives of the Da'wat of the
Yemen and India a collection of royal letters and decrees (sijillat) issued by
the Fatimid Khalifa al-Mustansir bi'llah (denoted in the following pages by the
letter M.) (died A.H. 487 = A.D. 1094) to the SuIaihids of the Yemen has been
preserved, and a manuscript containing this collection of documents, has now
been acquired by the Library of the School of Oriental Studies, London. The MS.
is a modern copy, which belonged to an Isma'ili priest in India. I have
searched in vain for other copies, but it is quite likely that we might find
others in the collections of the Isma'iIis in the Yemen and India. I give in
the following pages a synopsis of the historical matter contained in these
documents. Apart from their interesting literary style the letters furnish us
with some useful historical data and contemporary evidence for the period
covered by them, viz. the forty-four years from A.H. 445 = A.D. 1053 to A.H.
489 = A.D. 1095.
'All, son of
Muhammad as-Sulaihi (S), the founder of the Su1aihid Kingdom in the Yemen, who
made his declaration of independence on the summit of Masar, Mount Haraz, in
A.H. 429 = A.D. 1037, owed allegiance to none except M. In this collection we
have letters of M. written from A.H. 445, about the time when S. had
consolidated his power in the Yemen. One of the greatest achievements of S. was
his success in establishing peace in Mecca on behalf of M. (vide Nos. 3, 4, 7,
and 12). With the discovery of these documents we are able to fix the date of
the death of S. Nos. 40 and 60 leave us in no doubt that he was assassinated in
A.H. 459 = A.D. 1067. This is further confirmed by 'Umara[2]
, Idris 'Imadu'd-din ('Uyun, vii), al-Khazraji and Ibnu'I-Athir.
The kingdom which S. established would
have fallen to the ground if his son Ahmad al-Mukarram (Muk.) had not come to
its rescue and restored it (vide Nos. 60 and 61). After a brief period of rule,
Muk. retired to the heights of Dhu Jubla, the summer capital, and his wife,
Our Noble Lady,
Sayyidatuna'I-Hurra (S.H.), took up the reins of administration of the State
and the Da'wat. She ruled the country with the assistance of her premiers and
the commanders-in-chief of her armies, though after the death of Muk .his young
son 'Abdu'I-Mustansir (A.M.) was appointed as the nominal head of the State
(vide No. 14).
The Isma'ili
movement aimed at extensive propaganda and organization of the Da'wat wherever
it was possible. M. entrusted to S.H. the work of supervising the affairs of
the Da'wat in India (vide Nos. 50 and 63). The Sulaihid Kingdom came to its end
after the death of the great Queen of Arabia. Though the Sulaihid Empire was short-lived,
it was full of exciting events. This collection throws some interesting sidelights on the history of the latter part
of the long reign of M. and on that of his alIies, the $ulaihids. Among these
letters. Nos. 1,5,6,8,13,15,16,18,19,20,27,28,30,31,32,34,35,37,39,43,57,64,
and 66, give to the $ulaihids information about the events which happened in Egypt
and at the Fatimid Court. Nos. 1,13,18,19,30,31,64 convey felicitations on the 'Id and describe the
festivities on these happy occasions in Cairo. Almost all letters written after
A.H. 467 = A.D. 1074 mention Badru'l-Jamali in highly eulogistic terms (vide
No. 32).
S.
sent his emissary, Lamak b. Malik, who was then the Grand Qadi of the Yemen, to
the court of M. (vide Nos. 42 and 55), where he lived for several years with
al-Mu'ayyad fi'd-din ash-Shirazi,[3]
returning to the Yemen after his master S. had died. It was through al-Mu'ayyad
and Lamak that the literature of the Fatimid Da'wat was transferred from Egypt
to the Yemen. These documents testify that direct relations existed between
al-Mu'ayyad and the Da'wat of the Yemen (vide Nos , 55 and 61). I have dealt in
detail with the question as to how the literature written during the Fatimid
period came to be preserved down to our own times in the Yemen and India in
JRAS., April, 1933. The documents support the conclusion arrived at in that
article that there existed political, religious, and literary links between
Egypt and the Yemen during this period. In the reign of S.H. the Da'wat was
separated from the State, an account of which is given in JRCAS., Vol. xviii,
part 4, October, 1931. The Da'wat, after the decline of the Sulaihidi, became a
purely religious organization and inherited the literature written and brought
from Egypt during the Sulaihid period. It was this .secret organization of the
Da'wat which has preserved these documents for us together with many other gems
of Islamic literature.
It will perhaps be of interest in this
connection to mention D Covenant ('Ahd) of M. preserved in the Autobiography
(Sirat) of al-Mu'ayyad fi'd-din
ash-Shirazi. This Covenant was
read by aI-Mu'ayyad on behalf of M. to Abu'l-Harith aI-Basasiri.
It
is probable that this collection was one of the sources of Idris 'Imadu'd-din
for his history of the Da'wat entitled 'Uyun al-Akhbar, vol. vii. In this work
he quotes Nos. 5, 14, 35, and 50 in toto, and No. 7 in the incomplete form in
which we find it in the collection. But Idris had other sources as well, for he
reproduces in 'Uyun some letters of M. addressed to the Sulaihids which are not
to be found in the collection. It will therefore be useful to take note of the
letters of M., which are not mentioned in the collection, but are preserved in
'Uyun:-
Letter of M. to S. dated Rabi' I, A.H.
458; with condolences upon the death of the latter's Bon ('Uyun, vii,f.
40b-f.41a).
Letter of M. to Muk. dated Rabi' I, A.H.
458, expressing condolences upon the death of his brother (ibid., f. 41b).
Letter of M. to S. dated Jumada II, A.H.
459, regarding the permission requested by S. to go to Egypt (ibid., f. 42a-f.
44a).
Letter of M. to Muk. dated Muharram,
A.H. 467, giving tidings of the birth of
a son named Ahmad and surnamed Abu'l-Qasim (afterwards al-Musta'li) (f. 77a).
Compare this with Nos. 6 and 11.
The book contains sixty-six
letters written to the order of M., with the exception of Nos. 28, 35, 43, 51,
and 52. All the letters of M. are headed- by basmalat and hamd, written by the
hand of M. himself (بخط
اليد الشريفة النبوية).
The formulaالحمد لله رب العالمين is the motto of M. This is
also further supported by a reference to M.'s letter headed by this motto in
al-Hidayat al-Amiriyya[4].
At the beginning of the letters of the mother of M. (see Nos. 51 and 52) is the
formulaالحمد لله ولي كل نعمة , which seems to be her motto. No. 35 is the letter of the
mother of al-Musta'li bi'lIah, which is headed by the formulaالحمد لله على نعمة .
It is remarkable, that S., Mnk., and A.M. all bore the kunya Abu'I-Hasan.
The
following table gives the chronological order of the sijilat:-
Date
|
Sender.
|
Addressee.
|
Number.
|
|||
'Idu'I-Fitr
445
|
.
|
.
|
.
|
M.
|
S.
|
13
|
Rajab
448.
|
.
|
.
|
.
|
M.
|
S.
|
12
|
'Idu
'I-Fitr 451
|
.
|
.
|
.
|
M.
|
S.
|
1
|
Safar
452.
|
.
|
.
|
M.
|
S.
|
6
|
|
Rabi'
I 455.
|
.
|
.
|
.
|
M.
|
S.
|
7
|
Ramadan
455
|
.
|
.
|
.
|
M.
|
S.
|
5
|
Rabi
Il 456
|
.
|
.
|
.
|
M.
|
Muh.b.S.
|
2
|
Jumada
I 456
|
.
|
.
|
.
|
M.
|
S.
|
4
|
Rajab
457.
|
.
|
.
|
.
|
M.
|
Muh.b.S.
|
10
|
Sha'ban
460.
|
.
|
.
|
.
|
M.
|
Muk.
|
40
|
Rabi'
I 46I.
|
.
|
.
|
.
|
M.
|
Muk.
|
33
|
Rabi'
II 461.
|
.
|
.
|
.
|
M.
|
Muk.
|
60
|
Jumada
I 461
|
.
|
.
|
.
|
M.
|
Muk.
|
29
|
Jumada
II 461
|
.
|
.
|
.
|
M.
|
Muk.
|
42
|
Jumada
II 461
|
.
|
.
|
.
|
M.
|
S.H.
|
55
|
Ramadan
461
|
.
|
.
|
.
|
M.
|
Muk.
|
61
|
Ramadan
461
|
.
|
.
|
.
|
M.
|
S.H.
|
65
|
Muharram
467.
|
.
|
.
|
.
|
M.
|
Muk.
|
56
|
Safar
467 .
|
.
|
.
|
.
|
M.
|
Muk.
|
32
|
Rabi'
I 468.
|
.
|
.
|
.
|
M.
|
Muk.
|
41
|
Sha'ban
468
|
.
|
.
|
.
|
M.
|
Muk.
|
58
|
Dhu'I-Qa'da 468
|
.
|
.
|
.
|
M.
|
Muk.
|
57
|
Rabi'
II 469
|
.
|
.
|
.
|
M.
|
Muk.
|
54
|
Dhu'I-Qa'da 470
|
.
|
.
|
.
|
M.
|
Muk.
|
34
|
Safar
471.
|
.
|
.
|
.
|
M.
|
S.H.
|
44
|
Safar
471.
|
.
|
.
|
.
|
Mother of M.
|
S.H.
|
51
|
Shawwal
472
|
.
|
.
|
.
|
M.
|
S.H.
|
20
|
Shawwal
472
|
.
|
.
|
.
|
M.
|
Muk.
|
39
|
Shawwal
472
|
.
|
.
|
.
|
M.
|
Muk.
|
59
|
'Idu'l-Adha
474
|
.
|
.
|
.
|
M.
|
Muk.
|
30
|
Rabi'
I 476.
|
.
|
.
|
.
|
M.
|
Muk.
|
63
|
'ldu'l-Fitr
476
|
.
|
.
|
.
|
M.
|
Muk.
|
31
|
'Idu'I-Adha
476
|
.
|
.
|
.
|
M.
|
Muk.
|
64
|
Rabi'
I 478.
|
.
|
.
|
.
|
M.
|
S.
|
14
|
Rabi'
I 478.
|
.
|
.
|
.
|
M.
|
S.H.
|
48
|
Rabi'
II 478
|
.
|
.
|
.
|
M.
|
A.M.
|
26
|
Rabi'
II 478
|
.
|
.
|
.
|
M.
|
S.H.
|
46
|
'ldu'l-Fitr
478
|
.
|
.
|
.
|
M.
|
A.M.
|
19
|
'Idu1-Adha
478
|
.
|
.
|
.
|
M.
|
Muk.
|
27
|
'Idu1-Adha
478
|
.
|
.
|
.
|
M.
|
S.H.
|
66
|
Dhu'l-Hijja 478
|
.
|
.
|
.
|
Sister of M.
|
Muk.
|
28
|
Muharram
419
|
.
|
.
|
.
|
M.
|
A.M.
|
15
|
Rabi'
I 480.
|
.
|
.
|
.
|
M.
|
Muh. b. Muk.
|
17
|
Rabi'
I 480.
|
.
|
.
|
.
|
M.
|
A.M.
|
25
|
Rabi'
I 480.
|
.
|
.
|
.
|
M.
|
S.H.
|
36
|
Rabi'
I 480.
|
.
|
.
|
.
|
M.
|
A.M.
|
37
|
Rabi'
I 480.
|
.
|
.
|
.
|
M.
|
Sulaihid and
Zawahid Sultans
|
38
|
Rabi'
I 480.
|
.
|
.
|
.
|
M.
|
S.H.
|
45
|
Rabi'
I 480.
|
.
|
.
|
.
|
M.
|
S.H.
|
49
|
Rabi'
II 480.
|
.
|
.
|
.
|
Daughter of
az-Zahir
|
S.H.
|
52
|
Jumada
I 480
|
.
|
.
|
.
|
M.
|
A.M.
|
16
|
Jumada
II 480
|
.
|
.
|
.
|
M.
|
S.H.
|
53
|
'ldu'l-Fitr
480
|
.
|
.
|
.
|
M.
|
A.M.
|
18
|
Dhu'I-Qa'da 481
|
.
|
.
|
.
|
M.
|
A.M.
|
22
|
Dhu'I-Qa'da 481
|
.
|
.
|
.
|
M.
|
A.M.
|
23
|
Dhu'I-Qa'da 481
|
.
|
.
|
.
|
M.
|
A.M.
|
24
|
Dhu'I-Qa'da 481
|
.
|
.
|
.
|
M.
|
S.H.
|
50
|
Safar
489.
|
.
|
.
|
.
|
Musta'li
|
S.H.
|
43
|
Safar
489.
|
.
|
.
|
.
|
Mother of Musta'li,
widow of M.
|
S.H.
|
35
|
-
. .
|
.
|
.
|
.
|
M.
|
S.
|
3
|
-(after 457)
|
.
|
.
|
.
|
M.
|
S.
|
8
|
-"Mharram
of the abovementioned year"
|
.
|
.
|
.
|
M.
|
-
|
9
|
-
. .
|
.
|
.
|
.
|
M.
|
S.
|
11
|
-
. .
|
.
|
.
|
.
|
M.
|
S.H.
|
21
|
.
|
.
|
.
|
M.
|
S. (?)
|
62
|
|
II
The following is a detailed inventory of
the letters in the order in which they are contained in the MS. :-
1)
f. 1b-f. 3b.-Mustansir's (M.) letter to 'Ali b. Muhammad as-Sulaihi ( S.),dated 'Id al-Fitr, A.H. 451
:-
M. informs S. of the successful close of the month of
fasting and of the advent of the Festival of 'Id. He desires S. to give
publicity to this news.
2)
f.3b-f. 6a.-To Muhammad, son of S., dated Rabi' II, A.H.
456.
M. mentions the services of S. in the
cause of the Faith ,enjoins Muhammad to remain obedient to his parents and to
take his two brothersالأمير المكرم منجب الدولة وصنيعتها ذي
السيفين and الأمير الموفق نجيب الدولة وغرسها ذي الفضيلتين into his confidence and
to be of good behavior to his
subjects.
3)
f. 6b-f. l0b.-To S.; date not mentioned:-
M. mentions (I) As'ad b. 'Abdullah, (2)
'Abdullah b. 'Ali, (3) Muhammad b.
'Asiya, (4) Mansur b Hamid, (5) Musa b. Abi Hudhaifa, and (6) Ibrahim b. Abi Salma.
as bearers of S.'s letter to him. M. bestows upon S. additional robes of honour
and adds to the title of his eldest son منتجب الدولة وصفوتها the word ذو المجدين,
to the title of his younger son منجب الدولة وغرسها the word ذو السيفين,
and to that of his youngest son نجيب الدولة وصنيعتها the word
ذو الفضلين.
M. takes note of the services of the wife of S. in the interests of the Faith.
M. says that he received
a letter from the ruler of Mecca in which the latter had mentioned S.'s help in
restoring order in Mecca. and expresses his delight and appreciation of the
success of S. in this respect.
M. is pleased with S.'s messengers and
says that they have all gone back to their master except Muhammad b. 'Asiya,
whom death has overtaken.
The Wazir Abu'l-Faraj 'Abdullah b. Muhammad is
mentioned in eulogistic terms and S. is asked to address communications to the
Wazir.
4)
f. l0b-f. 14b.-To S. (cf. 'U.A., vii, f. 13a-15a),
dated 21 Jumada I, A.H. 456:-
M. acknowledges the
receipt of two letters of S.-one from San'a, dated Sha'ban 455, and the other
from Hajar Shawwal 455.
Replying to the
first letters, written after his return from Mecca M. recognizes the services
of S. in subduing the rebellion of the Khariji who led the people of Madhhaj,
of the Nakh' and of 'Abs, in reducing his strongholds and in inflicting a
complete defeat upon him.
M. asks S., however, to
treat the ruler of Mecca. with leniency. If statesmanship is not effectual, S. is asked
to pursue what course he deems fit. M. takes note of S.'s recommendation that
the office of the Qadi of Mecca be transferred from 'Abdullah b. Ibrahim al-Husaini
to his grandson on account of his piety and other qualities.
Referring to the second
letter, M. shows his appreciation of S.'s efforts in suppressing the revolt of lbn
'Uraf. M. says that he is in touch with the news of Ibn 'Uraf. M. is pleased
that Sharif Fakhr u'l-ma'ali dhu'l-majdain rejected the advances of Ibn 'Uraf's
son at Mecca. M. accepts the recommendation of S. in the matter of the grandson
of 'Abdullah b. Ibrahim. M. also grants S.'s request to grant an amnesty to
As'ad. In recognition of his great services, M. bestows upon S. the additional
title of "Support of the Khilafat"(عمدة الخلافة).
5)
f. 15a-f. 17b.-To S. (cf. 'U.A., vii, f. 37b-f. 38b),
dated Ramadan, A.H. 455:-
M. describes the rebellion of Ibn
Badis, the departure of Aminu'd-daula Hasan b. 'Ali b. Mulhim at the command of
M. to the other provinces of Africa, and the success of Aminu'd-daula in
uniting the Arabs, capturing the stronghold of Fez, appointing Ibn Yalmu as
governor of the provinces, besieging Ibn Badis and in suppressing his revolt
and restoring the country to M.
6)
f. 18a-f. 2Oa.-To S., dated Safar, A.H. 452:-
M. gives the glad tidings of the birth
of a son to him on Sunday, 14th
Safar, ,A.H. 452. The new-born child is named Ahmad and surnamed Abu'I-Qasim.
S. is asked to give publicity to this news in the length and breadth of his
country.
7)
f. 20b-f.23a.-The introductory part of this letter
(vide 'U.A., vii, f. IIa-f. 12b, where the introductory portion is missing also) is
missing, but from the following contents
it is clear that this is M.'s letter to
S., which is dated Rabi' I, A.H. 455:-
M. takes note of S.'s kindly
treatment of a runaway to the Yemen and goes on to describe how S. helped him
to rise from insignificance to glory and shows how the favoured one became ungrateful
to his benefactor and what efforts were made by S. to reconcile the contending
parties at Mecca. M. is anxious that blood be not shed on the holy land, but
gives S. latitude to deal with the situation as he chooses, relying upon his
good sense.
In reply to S.'s complaint, M.
says that S. did not properly understand the reason of stationing the Amir
Za'im ad-daula Husain b. Ahmad at Mecca, whom S. holds responsible for the
cause of war.
M., however, reassures S. that he will
write to the Amir in the matter.
In compliance with S.'s. request,
M. grants S. his wish to bestow upon 'Abdullah b. Ibrahim b. 'AbduIlah
al-Husaini favours from the public treasury (Bait al-mal).
8)
f. 23b-f. 24a.-To S., date missing:-
This letter contains tidings of
the birth of a son to M. in the second third of Jumada I, A.H. 457. The
new-born child is named al-Muhsin and surnamed Abu'I-Fadl. The letter abruptly
ends with the words:لتأخذ بحظك من الاغتباط بيمن موردها وتزريع . The last part is missing.
9)
f. 24a-f. 25a.-A considerable portion of this letter
is missing, and only the concluding part is preserved. It is dated"
Muharram of the above-mentioned year". The year is mentioned in the last
portion. The fragment contains M.'s sermon addressed to one of the SuIaihids on
the code of conduct he should adopt in the administration of the affairs of his
kingdom.
VOL VII. PART 2.
10)
f. 25b-f. 26b.-To Muhammad, son of S., dated Rajab,
A.H.457:-
Replying to
Muhammad's letter, M. pronounces his blessings upon the young Prince, and appreciates
the Prince's part in the administration of the affairs of his father's kingdom
and exhorts him to be dutiful to his parents and affectionate to his brothers and
the faithful.
11)
f. 26b.-f. 27b.-To S., date missing :-
M. announces the news of the birth of a
son to him, who is named al-Hasan and surnamed Abu Muhammad. The letter ends
abruptly with ويكاد زيتها يضيء ولو لم تمسسه نار نور على
نور يهدي الله لنوره من يشاء,the
last part missing.
12)
f. 28b-f. 30a.-To S., dated Friday, 22 Rajab, .A.H.
448:¬
M. acknowledges the receipt of this
letter at the hands of the messengers of S. M. assures him of the high esteem
in which M. holds the Sharif Taj aI-ma'ali Muhammad b. Sharif Hasan b.Ja'far
al-Husaini, whose case S. has recommended, and gives his assent to whatever S. does
to ensure the bonds of friendship in the interests of the House to which he
(M.) and the Sharif belonged.
13)
f. 30a-f. 31b.-To S., dated 'Id al-Fitr, .A.H. 445:-
This contains a description of the pomp and
magnificence with which M.'s procession marched towards the Public Prayer Ground
(Musalla) on the Festival of the 'Id, of his prayer and sermon, and of his
return to his Palace.
14)
f. 32a.-f. 36a.-To A.M (see 'U.A., f. 64a-f. 66a),
dated 1st Rabi' I, A.H. 478:-
M. gives A.M.
elaborate condolences on the death of his father, aI-Mukarram. The letter
contains a high tribute to Badru'l-Jamali, as also 'to the deceased. M. sends
Amir Abu'I-Hasan Jauhar al-Mustansiri to offer condolences in person on behalf
of M., and gives him powers to perform other formalities. From the literary
point of view, the style of Insha' in which this letter is composed is one of
the most elaborate in this collection.
15)
f. 36b-f. 39a.-To A.M., dated 7th Muharram, A.H. 479:-
M. writes very highly of the
services of (Badru'I-Jamali) Amir u'I-Juyush, then goes on to describe the high
position of his son, al-Afdal, and asks A.M. to mention al-Afdlal in the official
sermon along with himself and Amir al-Juyush.
16)
f. 39b-f. 42a.-To A.M., dated Jumada. I, A.H. 480:-
M. describes the anarchy which
once paralysed his kingdom,
then the advent of Badr and the consequent
establishment of order and peace. But M. complains that one 'Abdullah ar-Rikabi
is still busy with his miachievous work against the State. M. therefore asks A.M.
to direct all his powers to annihilating the mischief-monger.
17)
f. 42b-f. 44b._To Abu 'Abdillah Muhammad, son of Muk.,dated
Rabi' I, A.H. 480:-
This contains M.'s exhortation to
Muk. to be loyal to his brother.
18)
f. 45a-f. 47a.-To A.M., dated 'Id al-Fitr, A.H. 480:-
The rejoicings of the Festival of the
'Id are described.
19)
f. 47b-f. 49a.-To A.M., dated 'Id al-Fitr, A.H. 478:-
The festivities of the 'Id described.
20)
f . 49b-f. 5Ib.-To S.H., dated Shawwal,
A.H. 472:-
M. asks her to follow in the footsteps
of her mother-in-law and seek the advice of Badr. He asks her to secure the arrest
of (1) 'Abdullah ar-Rabbani, (2) Ibrahim GhuIam al-'Amiri, who claimed prophet
hood for himself, (3) al-Husairi, (4) his son (i.e. of al-Husairi). M. Says that
they are hypocrites and mischief-mongers. They had gone to the Yemen and joined hands
with the enemies of the Da'wat. They
should be either captured or killed (see below, No. 39).
21)
f. 51b-f. 52a.-To S.H., date missing
The last part of the letter is missing.
The fragment contains expressions of M.'s high appreciation of Badr.
وطالعي الوالد السّيد الأجل أمير الجيوش....بدر المستنصري فهو خليفتنا وباب
دعوتنا الحال منا محلا لم يحله احد قبله القائم من امورنا متمام الاساس لمشكلات
الالتباس وهو عليك شفيق ولمصالح حالكم سالك في كل طريق
The document ends with the words:
واعلمي ذلك وسارعي اليه إن شاء الله تع
22)
f. 52b-f. 56a._To A.M., dated Dhu'I-Qa'da, A.H. 481
M. says he has issued orders that the
faithful remain loyal to him and to his mother S. He then mentions the
co-operation of Badr and praises him in high terms. M. acknowledges the receipt of S.H.'s letter,
which she wrote in reply to M.'s. M.
sends this letter to her by the hand of Shaikh Abu Nasr Salamah b.Husain,
together with other letters addressed to
the Sultans and the believers in the Yemen. M. is pleased to note that the
quarrel between Saba b. Ahmad as-Sulaihi and Sulaiman b. 'Amir az-Zawahi had been settled amicably.
23)
f. 56b-f. 58a.-To AM., dated Dhu'l-Qa'da, A.H. 481:-
M. acknowledges the receipt
of the letter in which A.M. excuses himself for delay in sending the amount of
poor-rate (zakat). M. administers a mild rebuke for neglecting this essential
obligation particularly when A.M.'s
ancestors were so punctual in their remittances.
24)
f. 58b-f. 60a.-To A.M., dated Dhu'I-Qa'da, A.H. 481:-
M. conveys his condolences upon
the deaths of Muhammad, A.M.'s brother, and of Muhammad b. 'Ali b. Malik
as-Sulaihi, A.M.'s cousin.
25)
f. 60b-f. 62b.-To A.M., dated Rabi' I, A.H. 480:-
This letter speaks of the nobility
of A.M. and of his ancestors, and also of their services to the cause of the
Da'wat. Amir 'Adud ad-daula has informed M. about this. M. then speaks of the
favours he has bestowed upon A.M. and his mother, S.H., and gives promise of
further attentions.
26)
f. 62b-f. 65b.-To A.M., dated 7th Rabi' II, A.H. 478:-
On receiving news of the death of
al-Mukarram, M. has ordered that all correspondence be addressed to A.M. He
entrusts the duties of the Da'wat and all the functions of the State to A.M. M.
states that he has deputed 'Adud ad-din Abu'l-Hasan Jauhar to A.M. with letters
to him (A.M.) and other leaders of the Yemenite Da'wat, as also with letters
from Badr al-Jamali. M. also takes note of a letter from S.H. describing the
death of Muk. and requesting the appointment of A.M. in the place of the deceased.
M. has accordingly issued orders to the people of the Yemen.
27)
f. 66a-f. 67b.-To Muk., dated 'Id al-adha, A.H. 478:-
Felicitations on the 'Id are
conveyed. M. informs Muk. that everything is well with his kingdom in the hands
of Badr and of his son al-Afdal.
28)
f. 68a-f. 69a.-From the Sayyida, the sister of
Mustansir, to Muk., dated 14th Dhu'l-hijja, A.H. 478:-
The Sayyida acknowledges the
receipt of Muk.'s letter. The affairs of the kingdom, she says, are managed by
Badr and the territory, which was once lost; has been restored through him. The
Sayyida sympathizes with Muk. for his sufferings on account of the frequency of
his wars and congratulates him on the final victory over the enemy.
29)
f. 69b-f. 70a.-To Muk., dated Jumada I, A.H. 461:-
M. has received a petition from
Himyar under the signature of one Ja'far the artist (الصانع) in which attention was drawn
to Muk.'s administration. M. asks Muk. to show favour to the petitioner and
help him.
(One can read between the lines
the complaint of the petitioner against the maladministration of Muk. (لأسباب دعته إلى ذلك)
and the guarded manner in which M. desires Muk. To win the petitioner over by
showing favour to him).
30)
f. 70a-f. 72a.-To Muk., dated Wednesday, 'Id al-adha, A.H.474:-
Felicitations on the 'Id are
described. The letter is dispatched after the ceremony is over. M. attends the
Public Prayer Ground in company of Badr, and after prayers offers sacrifice "...عدل
إلى موضع المنحر فنحر بسنان يمضي مضي الحتف في ادّعاءه شاكرا لربه على ما خوله من
جزيل عطائه...الخ"
Mukarram is asked to give publicity to this letter.
31)
f. 72a_f. 73b.-To Muk., dated Saturday, 'Id al.Fitr,A.H.476:-
Felicitations on the 'Id.
32)
f. 74a-f. 75b.-To Muk., dated 29th Safar, A.H. 467:-
M. acknowledges the receipt of
Muk.'s letter at the hands of his messengers Ibrahim b. Hasan and companion. M.
had replied to this letter, when there reached him another letter from Muk., to
which the present letter is the reply. M. is sure that his previous letter will
satisfy Muk., and declares that the most important part of his writing was
about Badr, who had raised the pillars of the Fatimid Kingdom after they had
disappeared فقد قرر أمير المؤمنين في نفسه أنك تحل منه محل الأولاد
وأنه يرى فيك أن يرفعك من درج الفضل إلى السبع الشداد وجدد هذا الفضل بهذا الذكر
لما كان بحضرته من أهم الأمر فاعلم ذلك من راي أمير المؤمنين.
33)
f. 76a-f. 76b.-To Muk., dated 1st Rabi' I, A.H. 461:-
M. has received a petition from al-Qa'id, Muqbil, and Mnwaffaq, who
complain of Muk.'s treatment of them. Muk. is asked to adopt a conciliatory
attitude towards them.
34)
f. 77a-f. 80a.-To Muk., dated 29th Dhu'I-Qa'da, A.H.
470:-
This letter contains an elaborate description of the high position of
Badr and of his great services to the Imam.
قد نشر الله تعالى به دعوة أمير المؤمنين بعد أن أصبحت رميماً ونضر به
خلافة أمير المؤمنين بعد أن أصبحت فشيماً لم يكن لأمير المؤمنين بدّ من أن يرقيه
في الرفع والأعلاء فوق الفراقد ويحلّه منه محلّ الوالد ويجعل له مقام الملك وينزله
في عقد خلافة الإمامة مكان السلك فنصّ عليه في كفالة قضاة المسلمين وهداية دعاة
المؤمنين نصّ حق ونقلها منه إلى محق مستحق إذا كان مبرزاً في ميدانهما ناطقاً
بلسانهما عالماً بأحكامهما ....الخ
This refers to the union of the
functions of the state Khilafat and the mission (Da'wat) in the leadership of
Badr. M. asks al-Mukarram to follow the guidance of Badr
فولّ وجهك نحو هذا السيد الأجل ... واجعله قبلة دينك في مصادرك ومواردك
الخ.
35)
f. 80b-f. 88a.-From the mother of al-Musta'li, son of
M., to S.H., dated 8th Safar, A.H. 489:-
This letter (see 'U.A., vii, f.
79b-f. 83b; also No. 43 below) describes the nomination (nass) of M. in favout
of his son, Musta'li, the revolt of Nizar and Aftagin at Alexandria, al-
Afdal's campaign against Nizar's insurrection, and the events leading to the
arrest of Nizar.
36)
f. 88b-f. 92b._To S.H., dated Rabi' I, A.H. 480:-
M. expresses his co-operation and
support in her work. On hearing of the death of her husband, M. hastened to
appoint her son, A.M., in place of his father. When Amir 'Adud ad-din returned,
accompanied by Abu Nasr Salamah al-Katib,
M. learned from them the news of the Yemen. S.H. is asked to seek the assistance
of Badr. M. assures her and. her two sons of his attention towards them. Regarding
the controversy between Abu Himyar Saba b. Ahmad as-Sulaihi and Abu'r-Rabi'
Sulaiman b. 'Amir az-Zawahi, M. is aware of S.H.'s correspondence with Na'im
ash-Sha'ir al-Hilali, then with Sa'du'llah and his companion ash-Shirazi. The
Amir 'Adudu'd-din and Shaikh Abu Nasr also aquainted M. with the nature of his
quarrel. M. entrusts to S.H. the task of settling the dispute between the two.
M. acknowledges the receipt of the sacrifices, poor-rates, and presents sent by
S.H. through her agent Shaikh Abu Nasr.
37)
f. 93a-f. 98a.-To A.M., dated Rabi' I, A.H. 480:-
Since A.M. is the son of the Da'wat (سليل الدعوة ونجلها)
and his ancestors were attached to the "rope" of the Da'wat, M. has appointed
A.M. in place of his father and issued orders (سجلات) at the hands of 'Adudu'd-din, and in these
letters M. informed him:
واعلمك أن دعاة أمير المؤمنين وأولياءه نجوم في سمائه إذا حوى نجم اطلع
نجما وسيوف إذا أغمد حساما انقضى حساما There came to M.
also A.M.'s agent, Shaikh Abu Nasr Salamah b. Husain, who conveyed to him
A.M.'s messages. Badr is again mentioned in eulogistic terms. A.M. has come to
the throne through the favour of the Imaim in his teens, but M. assures him that
he himself came to the Khilafat when he was under eight years of age and his
grandfather, 'All b. Husain, became Khalifa when he was just nine years old. It
is arguedوقد جاز هذا في الإمامة وهي الدرجة التي تلي النبوة فكيف الدعوة التي لأمير المؤمنين أن ينصرف فيها
على اختياره.
M. reassures him of further co-operation and acknowledges the receipt of the
dues of poor-rate ,etc.
38)
f. 98b-f. I03b.-To the Sultans of the Sulaihids and
the Zawahids and the grandees (Masha'ikh) of Hijaz and to all sections of the
Believers, dated Rabi' I, A.H. 480. The letter is an earnest appeal to the
Sulaihids and Zawahids to shelve their mutual differences and to obey S.H. and
her son, A.M. The letter contains a strong plea for unity in the cause of the
Da'wat and records the surpassing services of S.,
al-Mukarram, and S.H.
39)
f. 104a-f. 106a.-To Muk., dated Shawwal, A.H. 472:-
This contains an order to arrest (1)
ar-Rikabi, alias 'Abdullah,(2) Ibrahim Ghulam al'Amiri, (3) al-Husairi, and (4)
Husairi's son, (5) a poet, who was with Subh al-Khariji, (6) a chamberlain of
the Khalifa's Palace in the service of the sisters of the Khalifa, all of whom
had fled from Egypt and made for the Yemen. M. asks Muk. to administer severe
punishment to these miscreants, and send them as captives to Egypt (see No. 20.)
40)
f. 106b-f. l09a.-To Muk., dated Sha'ban, A.H. 460:-
M. expresses sorrow at the death of S., and confirms his appointment to
Muk. M. also notes Mukarram'a reference to the ungrateful conduct of Muhammad
b. Ja'far b. Muhammad b. Abu Hashim al-Husaini.
41)
f. l09b-f. 111b.-To Muk., dated Rabi' I, A.H. 468:-
M. has received a letter from Muk.,
describing the troubled state of the Yemen and the subsequent victory of Muk.
M. is pleased with this news. With reference to what Muk. has written about the
death of the Da'i stationed in India, M. pronounces mercy on the deceased:وأما ما أوردته من شأن الداعي المقيم كان بالهند ومضيه لسبيله فالله تعالى
يتجاوز عنه وقولك في دعاء الحاجة إلى من يسدّ مسدّه ويحفظ نظام المؤمنين بتلك
الديار جاهداً جهده فأنت أقرب الناس من ذلك الحظ وأولاهم بالقبض والبسط فافسح في
ذلك وفي سواه غاية الأمل واللحظ...وكاتب بذكر من يقع الاعتماد عليه لنعضده
بالمكاتبة ونشدّه
(f. 109b) Muk. is asked to seek the help of Badr.
42)
f. 112a-f. 114a.-To
Mukarram, dated Jumada II, A.H. 461 (see No. 55):-
M. bestows upon Muk. the further
title of Amir al-Umara, and sends this glad tidings together with a tashrif
through Mukarram's agents, the Qadi Lamak b. Malik, 'Abdullah b 'Ali, Muhammad
b. Hasan, Hasan b. 'Ali, 'Abdullah b. 'Umar Abu'l-Barakat b. 'Ali 'I-Ashira,
with whom M. is pleased.
43)
f. 1l4a-f. 120b.-From al-Musta'li to S.H.,dated 8th
Safar, A.H.489:-
This contains
all elaborate account of the Nizari Aftakin's rebellion and the subsequent
victory of Afdal over both.
44)
f. 121a-f. 123a.-To S.H., dated Safar, A.H. 471 :-
M. pronounce his blessings upon S.H. and reassures her of his own and
Badr's co-operation.
45)
f. 123a-f. 125a.-To S.H., dated Rabi' I, A.H. 480:-
M. acknowledges the receipt of S.H.'s
letter, and pays a high tribute to S.H. for all her sacrifices and services in
the cause of the Da'wat.
46)
f. 125b-f. 12a.-To S.H., dated 7th Rabi' II, A.H. 478:-
After the death of
Muk., M. appointed his son, A.M., and sent orders to that effect through his
agent, 'Adud ad-din Jauhar al-Mustansiri. These were also accompanied by
letters from Badr. Soon after the agent had left for the Yemen, there came to
M. S.H.'s agent with news of Muk.'s death and request to appoint A.M. M. had
already sent the agent with instructions to unify the forces of the Da'wat in
the Yemen.
47)
f. 128b-f. 130a.-To S.H., dated Rabi' I, A.H. 480:-
A letter of
consolation to S.H. and her son, A.M., on account of the calamities inflicted
upon them by their enemies.
48)
f. 130b_f. 133a.-To S.H., dated 10th Rabi' I, A.H.
478:-
S.H. is praised for her great services
in the cause of the Da'wat.
After the death of
Muk., M. appointed his son, A.M., as his successor. Badr is also mentioned in
this connection. M. has deputed 'Adud ad-din Abu'I-Hasan Jauhar al-Mustansiri
with royal letters-one to express condolence upon the death of Muk. and others
to leaders of the State and the Da'wat asking them to be loyal to A.M.
f. 133b.-Lacuna (بياض بقى من غير كتابة بسهو الكاتب).
49)
f. 134a_f. 136a.-To S.H., dated Rabi' I, A.H. 480:-
M. is pleased with S.H:s information
that the Sulaihids and Zawahids had composed their differences. Amir 'Adud
ad-din and Shaikh Abu Nasr also acquainted M. with the situation.
50)
f. 136_f. 137b.-To S.H., dated Dhu'I-Qa'da, A.H. 481;-
This letter (see 'U.A., vii, f. 62b-f.
63b; cf. also No. 63)gives formal sanction to S.H.'s appointment to the Da'wat
of India of Ahmad, the elder son of the Da'i Marzuban b. Ishaq b. Marzuban on the
death of his father. M. also approves of S.H.'s appointment of Isma'il b.
Ibrahim, who was the Da'i at 'Umman (Oman), to help the Ahmad mentioned above,
and of Hamza.,son of the late Sibt Hamid ad-din, to the Da'wat of Oman. M.
appreciates S.H.'s vigilance in the affairs of the Da'wat. M. entrusts to S.H.
the management of the Da'wat of India.
51)
f. 13a-f. 139a.-From the Saiyida Malika, mother of M.,to
S.H., dated Safar,A.H.471:-
M.'s mother receives S.H.'s letter and promises her own, M.'s, and
Badr's co-operation and support.
52)
f. 139b-f. 141b.-From Saiyida, the daughter (?) of
az-Zahir (mother
(?) of M.), to S.H., dated Rabi' II, A.H. 480:-
She has received S.H.'s letter at the
hands of the Latter's agent, Shaikh Abu Nasr Salamah b. al-Husain. She pays a
tribute to S.H. for her services and says that letters have been issued to A.M.
and to the Sultans of the Yemen to support A.M. in his sovereignty of the Yemen.
53)
f. 141b-f. 114a.-From M. to S.H., dated Jumada II,
A.H.480:-
M. describes the disturbed condition of the State and afterwards
the establishment of peace and order by Badr, the flight of his adversaries to
the Yemen, and the subsequent annihilation of those fugitives at the hands of
Muk. Only one man, known as 'Abdullah ar-Rakabi (؟ المنتسب
الى الترمن),
still survives in the Yemen to carry on the nefarious work. He should be
immediately arrested and killed. All efforts should be directed towards this.
54)
f. 144b-f. 147b.-To Muk., dated Rabi' II, A.H. 469:-
M. entrusts the government of 'Umman
to Muk., although the country was outside his jurisdiction, but since the people
of this country have revolted against the established authority of the then
prevalent church, M. suggests this course. As the Hijaz was near the Yemen, M.
asks him to take over also the responsibilities of the administration of this
country. Amir 'Abdullah b. 'Ali al-'Alawi (مستخلص الدولة
العلوية وعدتها)
of al-Ahsa has supported the government
against its enemies. Muk. is, therefore, asked to take the Amir into his
confidence.
55)
f. 148a.-f. 149a.-To S.H., dated Jumada II, A.H. 461
(see No. 42):-
M. mentions a previous letter which he
has addressed to S.H. This letter M. had communicated after al-Muayyad
fi'd-din's letter:ونفذ الكتاب المقدم ذكر عطف كتاب داعي دعاته
المؤيد في الدين عصمة المؤمنين صفي أمير المؤمنين ووليه احسن الله عونه وتسديده
وتوفيقه وهو يرجو وصوله فيقع منك موقع الشفا من ذوي الغلة
M. had also sent
honours and titles (التشريفات والالقاب والتكرمات)
to S.H.'s son[5] by her own agents, the
Qadi Lamak b. Malik, 'Abdullah b. 'Ali, Muhammad b. Hasan, Husain b 'Ali,
'Abdullah b. 'Amr, and Abu'l-Burakat b. al-'Ashira.
56)
f. 149b-f. 152b.-To Muk., dated Muharram, A.H. 467:-
M. acknowledges the receipt of Muk.'s
letter handed over byابراهيم بن الحسن العامري and محمد بن تميم الكتامي. M. is satisfied with the
support of Muk.'s followers, particularly of 'Amir b. Sulaiman az-Zawahi and
Ahmad b. al-Muzuaffar as-Sulaihi. M. then speaks of the disorganization of the
State, the appearance of Badr, and the subsequent peace and glory of his kingdom.
57)
F. 153a-f. 156b.-To r-Muk., dated 29th Dhu'l-Qa'da,
A.H.468.
This long letter is a description of
Badr's campaign against the insurrection of Baladkosh and of the subsequent
victory of Badr.
58)
f. 157a-f. 159b.-To Muk., dated 27th Sha'ban, A.H. 468:-
In this, M. congratulates Muk. on
having conquered twenty
mountain
strongholds and on his victory over the enemy. This is accompanied by the mention of Badr's
successes.
59)
f. 160a-f. 162a.-To Muk., dated Shawwal, A.H. 472:-
This letter confirms M.'s complete
confidence in Badr. He entrusts all the affairs of the State, Khilafat and
Da'wat to Badr. Also Badr's two sons-Abu'l Husain 'Ali and Abu'I-Qasim
Shahanshah are mentioned in
eulogistic terms. This letter is sent with Sa'id b. Hamza.
60)
f. 162b-f. 165a.-To Muk., dated Rabi' II, A.H. 461:-
Muk.'s letter has been received. M.
sympathizes with Muk. Upon his father's assassination and the destruction of
his family, but expresses his joy at the defeat of the enemy and at Mukarram's
taking revenge on him.فلله درّك أيّها الأجل لقد ذكى غرسك وطاب
وحق أمل أمير المؤمنين في تقديم قدمك وما خاب فاعلم أنك خليفته في بلاد اليمن
وعماده وعدته وسناده وقر عينك بما اعطاك من الرتبة السنية والدرجة العلية
Regarding the representations of Ghars
ad-din Yusuf b. Husain b. Yusuf as-Saimuri (?), which are referred by Muk. to
Egypt, M. advises him to consider the situation and his own strength to meet it.
The bearer of Muk.s letter, Husam
ad-daulah Nadir al-Mustansiri, is asked to return with this letter in company
of a former agent, Ja'd b.Hamid b. al-Huwaid al-Yami (?). M. also orders other
agents who came in the time of S. to return to the Yemen.
M. bestows upon Muk. the further title of
Amir al-Umara.
61)
f. 165b-f. 167b.-To Muk., dated 15th Ramadan, A.H. 461:-
M. has received a letter at the hands of
Muk.'s two agents, Sifr b. Sinah b. Abi'l-'askar and Ja'd b. 'Abdu'r-Rahman al-Yami, and is
pleased to hear of Muk.'s crushing victory over the enemy.
M. pays a tribute to Muk.'s mother and congratulates
him upon the birth of a male child, honours the new_born babe with the title ofالامير نجيب النجباء and sends an amulet to be tied on its arm:وكتب لك بخط يده شبه العوذة لتشد بها في عضده والله تع يجعله مبارك الناصية
ويتولاه بالعشية الراضية بمنه
Regarding Muk.'s inquiries about
Shahrayar b. Hasan, M. says al-Mu'ayyad will deal with the matter:وأما ما سئلت فيه مما يتعلق بالوفيّ شهريار بن حسن فإنّ الشيخ الأجل داعي
الدعاة المؤيد في الدين عصمة المؤمنين صفيّ أمير المؤمنين ووليّه أبا نصر هبة الله
بن موسى سلّمه الله واحسن توفيقه وتسديده يفعل في ذاك ما يوجبه حكمه ويقتضيه ....
62)
f.168a-f.168b.
This is a fragment from M.'s letter
addressed probably to S.(?). There is no
date. M. had written a separate letter dealing exclusively with the unrest at
the Haramain and had asked S. to spend from his (S.'s) own purse for the
performance of the rites and ceremonies of the place. In this letter, M.
reminds him of his former injunction and
asks him to carry with him 10,000 dinars to the Holy Places.
He has also
dispatched Amir Tahir b. 'Ali b. Hassa (حاسة ؟) with the clothes he has worn
and prayed in on the last Friday of Ramadan in order to elevate the position of
S.
63)
f. 168b-f. l70b.-To Muk., dated Rabi' I, A.H. 476:-
Mukarram's letter
received. Regarding the Da'wat in India and 'Umman, M. had received letters
from these parts with requests to send deputies to fill the vacancies caused by
the death of their da'is. Also Mukarram's suggestion to appoint Marzuban b.
Ishaq b. Marzuban to the mission of India and Isma'il b. Ibrahim b. Jabir to
that of 'Umman is accepted. Orders to this effect have been issued by the
office (majlis) of the Amir al-Juyush and sent with the Amir Mu'izz ad-dauIa
Tauq b. Nasik (see No. 50).
64)
f. 171a-f. 172b.-To Muk., dated Friday, 'Idu'I-adha, A.H.476:-
Greetings on the 'Id.
65)
f. 173a-f. 174b.-To S.H., dated 15th Ramadan, A.H. 461
:-
M. expresses his
great pleasure to bear from her the glad tidings of the birth of a male child
to her. He bestows upon the new-born babe the title ofالأمير
نجيب النجباء .
This letter is sent with the Amir Abu'I-Fadl Tahir b. 'Ali b. Habasa and two of
her own agents (see No.61)
66)
f. 174b-f. 175b.-To S.H., dated 12th Dhu'I-Hijja, A.H.
478:-
This
letter is in reply to S.H.'s inquiries regarding the insurrection of the"
seceders" (الخوارج). M. informs her of the complete victory over the rebellious
forces through the efforts of Badr.
[1]The Letters of Al-Mustansir bi'llah ,Husain F. al-Hamdani and Fatimid
Khalifa al-Mustansir bi'llah, Bulletin of the School of Oriental Studies,
University of London, Vol. 7, No. 2 (1934), pp. 307-324, Published by:
Cambridge University Press, Article Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/60750710.2307/ 607507
[2] 'Umara also gives another date, viz. A.H. 473, which
is supported by al-Janadi and Ibn Khallikan. In my note on page 508 of JRCAS..
vol. xviii, part 4. October, 1931. I have used the latter date, depending upon
'Umaa. and al-Janadi. but in the light of the contemporary evidence of the
Sijillat. the date could not be other than A.B.469.
[4] This Risala
is a polemical treatise written by aI-Amir bi ahkami'llah to support his father
al -Musta'li's and his own claims to the Khilafat of M. against the contentions
of Nizar and his followers. (See also
Nos. 35 and 43.) The Risala is preserved
by the Da'wat and an edition of the text is under preparation.
[5] The text hasالى ولدك , whereas
in No- 42 it is said that these honours were sent to Mukarram
with these agents . While Mukarram was still living ,these could only have been
sent to him.الى ولدكmay perhaps be copyist's
mistake.
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