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The execution of Salih ibn Abd al-Quddus

قتل صالح بن عبد القدوس

c. 775 CE · c. 158 AH

Salih ibn Abd al-Quddus of Basra was denounced to al-Mahdi for zandaqa and the caliph meant to kill him; 'I repent to God,' he said, and recited: 'what foes inflict on a fool is less than the fool inflicts on himself — and the old man never leaves his ways until buried in the dust of his grave.' Released and nearly gone, he was called back: 'Did you not say the old man never leaves his ways?' 'Yes.' 'So you will not leave yours until you die' — and ordered his execution 1.

Depth

At a glance

Era
The Early Abbasid Caliphate
Region
Levant & Iraq
Review
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In time

760770780790 c.
The Early Abbasid Caliphate

Overview

Al-Suyuti relates that Salih ibn Abd al-Quddus of Basra was brought before the caliph al-Mahdi on a charge of heresy, and then al-Mahdi ordered him killed. 1

The account

Al-Mahdi wanted to kill him, and Salih said he repented, and recited verses about the old man who does not abandon his character. Al-Mahdi dismissed him, then brought him back as he was about to leave, and reminded him of his words. He told him that he would not give up his character until he died, and then ordered him killed. 1

The account is linked with al-Mahdi's campaign against the heretics, and that link needs an additional source.

Connections

Explore the connections

Had participant
صالح بن عبد القدوس البصري· Muhammad al-Mahdi
Related to
Pursuit of the zanadiqa under al-Mahdi

People and things also explored

Pursuit of the zanadiqa under al-Mahdi· Muhammad al-Mahdi· The Digging of Nahr al-Sila· The Aman of Samalu and its People's Transfer to Baghdad· The Taking and Settling of Mar'ash· Death of al-Mahdi· Deposition of Isa ibn Musa from the succession· The Building of Madinat al-Hadath

Sources

  1. Tarikh al-Khulafa — al-Suyuti (Dar al-Minhaj edition) , p. 444
Cite this page

islam.museum contributors. “The execution of Salih ibn Abd al-Quddus”. islam.museum, https://islam.museum/en/event/execution-of-salih-ibn-abd-al-quddus/. CC BY-SA 4.0. Last updated 2026-10-22.

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Pursuit of the zanadiqa under al-Mahdi

Al-Mahdi hunted down the zanadiqa and destroyed a great many of them — he was the first to commission books of polemic in refutation of the zanadiqa and the atheists; in year 166 and after he redoubled the pursuit, searching for them in the furthest lands and killing on mere suspicion.