Tribe Pattern in the Mukhtar as-Sakafi Movement and the Role of Mawali
Authors: Turun Veysi 
Published: December 2022

Mukhtar b. Abu Ubayd as-Sekafî started a Kufa-centered movement against the Zubayris and Umayyads in 685-686 by claiming that he was commissioned by Muhammad B. Hanafiyah to “avenge the Prophet Husayn and protect the oppressed”. Mukhtar’s movement, which succeeded in a short time and took over Iraq, declined at the same pace and disappeared in a short period of one and a half years. In this article, the nature of the relationship developed by the tribes in Kufa and the Iranian people against this movement is examined. Umayyads's removal of Prophet Ali's children from power and discrimination against Iranian mawali increased the dissatisfaction of these two groups. Mukhtar designed his entire strategy to fight against his enemies through the supporters of Ali and the mawali. The rhetoric in his agenda, “to avenge Hussein and to protect the powerless,” appealed to both groups. At the beginning of the movement, Mukhtar received the greatest support from Arab tribes, the majority of whom were Yemenis. At first, the Iranian followers, initially who had taken a distant attitude towards Mukhtar, actively supported Mukhtar, convinced that thanks to this movement there could be an improvement in their socio-economic status and that they could be freed from the yoke of the Arab tribes. Mukhtar, who turned the martyrdom of Prophet Hussein in his favor with a subtle policy, managed to capture Iraq, Iraq-ı Ajam (Cibal) and the entire region of al-Jazira except Basra in a short time with the support of the Yemeni tribes and the mawali. This movement owes its first success to the Yemeni tribes in Kufa. The Yemenis, who saw the movement’s motor power throughout Mukhtar’s rebellion, played a major role in the success and failure of this movement. In the process, the presence and influence of the Iranian mawali in the movement has increased. Mukhtar’s high value for the mawali caused the Arab tribal leaders to distance themselves from him. Adnânî and Yemeni chieftains, who wanted to intervene before the threat of Mawali grew, organized a coup attempt against Mukhtar. With the coup, they wanted to take them to the old socio-economic order in Kufa. However, this coup attempt was abandoned by the opposition of the Yemeni Mezhic tribe, also led by Ibrahim b. al-Ashtar an-Nahaî. When the Kufa tribal chieftains, who had taken refuge in Basra after the failed coup attempt, provoked the Zubayris in Basra and the Mukhtar came face to face, Mukhtar’s movement was eliminated before it could proceed to the institutionalization stage. Just as the greatest share in the development and rise of the Mukhtar Movement belongs to the Yemeni tribes and the mawali, the greatest share in the decline of the movement belongs to the Yemeni tribes. The Iranian elements’ discomfort with Arab nationalism in the first century led them to enter into anti-Umayyad opposition movements. Knowing that the Mawali were disturbed by the Arabist attitudes of the Umayyads and the Arab chieftains, Mukhtar took advantage of the opportunity by developing discourses such as “equality”, “justice” and “protection of the oppressed” that would be pleasing to their ears. Due to his fierce need for the mawali, Mukhtar equated the mawali with the Arabs by putting his discourses into practice during his two-year rule. Mawali’s approach to the Mukhtar movement is “a tool that offers them the opportunity to live on an equal status with the Arabs.” Just as the Mukhtar uses the mawali to achieve his own political aims; the Mawali also used Mukhtar’s movement to break the shackles of bondage. The solidarity prevailed by the mutual “win & win” mentality does not make Mukhtar a tireless defender of his mawali rights, nor does it make the mawali a fierce supporter of Prophet Ali. In the developed relationship, the parties have different expectations and interests. In other words, not because the mawali was a Prophet Ali sympathizer, but because they used the Mukhtar movement as a stepping stone and united around the Mukhtar to raise his status. The injustices done by the Umayyads to the children of Prophet Ali made the supporters of Ali; the injustices that were seen by the Arabs brought the mawali closer to Mukhtar.