Al-Saffah’s Plan to kill Abu Muslim After dealing with the Umayyads, their adherents and rebels, al-Saffah thought of removing from the stage his own supporters. The wazir Abu Salmah was suspected of being an ’and. On consulting Abu Muslim, he was put to death treacherously. Next came the turn of Abu Muslim. He was enjoying unlimited power as viceroy of Khurasan. Ibn Kathir an early advocate of the Hashimi mission in Khurasan was hated by Abu Muslim because when the latter was appointed by Ibrahim to do missionary work in Khurasan the former had advised Ibrahim not to do so as he was too young for this. On a slight charge of using imprudent words he was put to death in the presence of Abu Ja’far, who had been sent there to feel the pulse of Abu Muslim. On return he complained to his brother alSaffah against his uncontrolled supremacy in Khurasan.
In 135/752-3 the Caliph sent an emissary to Ziyad, the governor of Samarqand, with the instruction to kill Abu Muslim but the plot was unearthed and Ziyad was deposed and put to death by his own men and the emissary by Abu Muslim. In 136/754 undeterred by the machinations at the court Abu Muslim sought permission to perform pilgrimage which he was allowed to do but with only 1,000 followers. After the death of Ziyad, Abu Muslim had become all in all in Khurasan so the Caliph delayed in spite of the insistence of Abu Ja’far to cut him down from behind while he was talking with the Caliph. Abu ja’far led the ceremonial of Hajj and
IbnAthir, Vol V. P 168 ’ Al-Fakhn. PP 137-8
Abu ’I Abbas Al-Saffah while returning along with Abu Muslim he received the news of the death of his brother and concealed his hatred till his accession to the throne.
