Q. & A. 711 to 1707 with solved Papers css 1971 to date

Abu Muslim and Abbasids Revolution
Abu Muslim’s assumed name was the best possible slogan for the revolution he was sent to lead. Perhaps this was the real reason for sending him to Khurasan. It was not to be one of the proven Arabs or Mawali of Merv who was to lead the revolution. This could have given it a specific colour which was deliberately avoided by sending a complete outsider whose very origin was kept a secret. According to Encyclopedia of Islam, ”Abu Muslim, leader of the revolutionary Abbasid movement in Khurasan. He was of obscure antecedents, probably a slave of Persian origin, in the service of Banu Idil in Kufa. Here he made contact with the Shia and in 119 A.H/737 A.D. He is found amongst the followers of the found ghali al-Mughira b. Said. In 124/741-2, the Khurasanian nukaba of the Abbasids, proceedings to Makkah, found him in prison. They liberated him and took him to the Imam Ibrahim b. Muhammad. After instructing him, the Imam sent him in 128/745-6 to Khurasan with the mission of directing the movement of insurrection in that province. On arrival in Khurasan and after overcoming the initial hostility of the local chiefs of the movement, Abu Muslim managed with dexterity and energy to reap the fruits of the long Abbasids propaganda. On 1 Shawwal 129/15 June, 747 the black banners of the insurgents were publically raised.
Of course, there were men in Merv who would have been quite capable of leading the revolution. Qahtaba ibn Shabib, the genetal who led the victorious march to Kufa, or Sulayman ibn Kathir, who was responsible for building up the organization in Merv, are only two examples. There was a certain risk in asking Sulayman to subordinate himself in his own territory to a total stranger; yet the risk was taken. This arrangement must have had the approval of Abu Salama, if it was not altogether at his own suggestion. He was to remain in Kufa in charge of the organization there and Abu Muslim was instructed to defer to him. Abu Salama had just returned for Merv after a four months stay during which he was accompanied by Abu Muslim. They must have formulated some opinion about the leadership in the vital region of Merv in this crucial phase of the revolution At this stage there was full co-

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operation between these two leaders and their ideas were successfully put into effect.
Profiting by the internal discords of the Umayyad army, Abu Muslim gained support among the Yamaniies and succeeded in taking Merv in Rabi II or Djumada I 130/January 748. From there his generals operated in all the surrounding regions; one of them, Khatab b. Sahkib, took up the pursuit of the Umayyad forces towards the west, which was to end in the fall of the dynasty. After the proclamation of al-Saffah as Caliph, Abu Muslim remained as governor in Khurasan, ensuring on the one hand, internal security and extending, on the other hand. The Islamic conquest towards to east. His relations, however, with the new dynasty which in great part owed to him its success, became increasingly strained. It does not seem that there was on his port, an actual design of revolt, nor do the assertions of some heresiographers, followed by modern scholars, that he was carrying on an extremist religious propaganda, seemed to correspond to the truth. His great prestige and power, however, were enough in themselves to alarm the Abbasids.
M.A. Shaban says, ”The reign of Abu Ja’far al-Mansur was inaugurated in 136/754 by the rebellion of his uncle, ”Abdullah ibn ”Ali, against him. Until that time and in spite of the insinuations to the contrary in our sources, agreement and confidence between Abu Muslim and al-Mansur were firmly established. The latter had no shown his hand yet and the former had no reason to suspect his intentions. It was al-Mansur himself who delegated to Abu Muslim the task of suppressing his own uncle’s revolt. The breach between the two occurred after the successful campaign of Abu Muslim. Al Mansur sent Yaqtin Ibn Musa, as his representative, to watch over the booty. To this Abu Muslim objected in no uncertain terms. He must have considered it outside the power of the Amir al-Muminin to deal with such matters. Al-Mansur realized that if he were to have real power in the empire, he must first get rid of Abu Muslim. That he knew the enormous risk he was taking evident from the elaborate precautions undertaken in preparation for his execution. Nevertheless the hazardous act was carried out (137/755) and no serious objection was raised by Abu Muslim’s followers. The ”Abbasids had begun to acquire an aura of legitimacy in the eyes of their subjects. For the
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rest of his reign, al-Mansur exercised secular powers in very much the same way as any Umayyad Amir al-Mu’minin without any claims to the religious powers of an Imam. Significantly his wazir, Abu Ayub al-Muriani, was no more than a chief secretary. Nevertheless the principle of the division of powers continued to survive, and under the later ”Abbasids powerful wazirs once again held all secular power while emphasis was focused on the religious aspects of the office of Amir al-Mu’minin.”’
Abu Muslim’s spectacular success in manipulating the struggle in Merv to the advantage of the revolution, and his undeniable political acumen, perhaps overshadow other talents employed in it. Abu Salma’s talent seems to have been in the quiet preparatory work. Although one cannot credit him with the long, arduous work of the original planners, his role in the revolution has not been given enough attention. He was in Kufa in the heart of the empire to prepare the ground for the takeover after the expected arrival of the victorious revolutionary army or, for that matter, for any other eventuality. From 126/744 to 132/749 he was in charge of coordinating all efforts for the success of the revolution. Propaganda was a major weapon long adopted by the Shia before Abu Salma, but it was to him that the task fell of using it to maximum effect all over the empire. Every possible sign or portent listed in the eschatological prophecies current at the time was used to herald the imminent revolution.
Black flags has been hoisted by earlier rebels and had already acquired messianic significance. Now they were adopted by the revolution as its own emblem. Legends and prophecies were invented and widely circulated referring to the rise of the black banners in the east and pointing to the end of Umayyad rule. Slogans were provided to propagate the cause. The revolution was preached in the name of al-rida min al Muhammad, a member of the House of the Prophet who would be acceptable to all. This was not particularly put forward for the sake of the partisans in Merv, but more as an appeal to all the Shi’a in the empire. As has been stated, a further appeal to all members of the Muslim community was embodied in the adopted name of Abu Muslim, perhaps invented by Abu Salma as a living and expressive slogan for the revolution.

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According to the Hugh Kennedy, ’’Once the Mansur decided on resolute action even so formidable a figure as Abu Muslim, the ”Commissar” of the revolutionary armies, could be removed with no more than moderate difficulty. This in contradistinction to Mansur’s more prolonged dealings with the paternal uncles and his nephew, Isa b. Musa.”