The Arafat clash and Ibn al-Muqaddam's killing (583 AH)

فتنة عرفات وقتل ابن المقدم

c. 24 August 1187 CE · 9 Dhu al-Hijja 583 AH

Mecca

On Arafat's eve in the conquest year 583, the Syrian pilgrimage's kettle-drums signalled departure before the Iraqi caravan's — amir al-hajj Mujir al-Din Tashtakin forbade it, Ibn al-Muqaddam answered 'you command the Iraqi Hajj, I the Syrian', and moved; the Iraqi troops and rabble stormed the Syrian pilgrims, killing, plundering and briefly taking women, while Ibn al-Muqaddam — out of reverence for the place and day — held his men from fighting; mortally wounded, he died at Mina and was buried at al-Ma'la, 'granted martyrdom after jihad and witnessing Jerusalem's conquest' 1.

Depth

At a glance

Era
The Crusades, Ayyubids and Mamluks
Region
Arabia
Review
Draft Completeness 1/5 · Help complete it

In time

1170118011901200 c.
The Buyid, Fatimid and Seljuk Era · The Crusades, Ayyubids and Mamluks

In space

Mecca

Map: Natural Earth, public domain · places and route from the graph

Pilgrimages and mass gatherings

Overview

In 583 AH, the year Jerusalem was conquered, a great number of pilgrims came from Syria. On the eve of Arafat a clash took place between the pilgrims of Syria and the pilgrims of Iraq near Mecca, which ended in the death of Shams al-Din Ibn al-Muqaddam, amir of the Syrian pilgrims. 2

The dispute

Ibn al-Muqaddam, the senior of the Salahi emirs, ordered his drums beaten, which signalled the order to depart. Mujir al-Din Tashtakin, amir of the Iraqi pilgrims, sent to him forbidding him to depart before him. Ibn al-Muqaddam replied that Tashtakin had no say over him: he was the amir of the Syrian pilgrims and Tashtakin was the amir of the Iraqi pilgrims. He set out and did not stop. 2

The clash

Tashtakin rode out with his companions, and a large group of the Iraqi pilgrims followed him. They attacked the Syrian pilgrims, killed a number of them, plundered their property and took women captive, then returned them. Ibn al-Muqaddam was wounded while he restrained his companions from fighting, out of respect for the sanctity of the place and the day. 2

Tashtakin took him to his tent to treat him, and he died that day at Mina and was buried in the cemetery of al-Mu'alla. Ibn al-Athir says that he was granted martyrdom, after striving and witnessing the conquest of Jerusalem. 2

Note

The Gregorian date is derived and rests on a single source. It needs an additional source.

Connections

Explore the connections

Had participant
Shams al-Din Ibn al-Muqaddam· Mujir al-Din Tashtakin
Occurred at
Mecca

People and things also explored

The Farewell Pilgrimage· The pilgrimage led by Abu Bakr· The proclamation of Bara'a at Mina· Umar's last pilgrimage and Ali left as deputy in Medina· The Fulfilled Umrah (Umrat al-Qada)· Dar al-Nadwa· The Kaaba· Al-Masjid Al-Haram

Sources

  1. al-Kamil fi'l-Tarikh of Ibn al-Athir , p. 162-163
  2. al-Kamil fi'l-Tarikh of Ibn al-Athir , p.162-163
Cite this page

islam.museum contributors. “The Arafat clash and Ibn al-Muqaddam's killing (583 AH)”. islam.museum, https://islam.museum/en/event/arafat-hajj-clash-583/. CC BY-SA 4.0. Last updated 2026-10-16.

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Time

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Related

The Farewell Pilgrimage

The only pilgrimage the Prophet led, during which he gave the sermon known as the Farewell Sermon.