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The Division of the Caliphate among al-Rashid's Sons

قسمة الخلافة بين أبناء الرشيد

between 791 and 802 CE · 175 AH

Al-Rashid settled the succession on his son Muhammad — titled al-Amin, aged five, at his mother Zubayda's urging — in 175; on Abdallah — al-Ma'mun, with all Khurasan — after him in 182; and on al-Qasim — al-Mu'tamin, with the Jazira and the marches, still a boy — in 186, and hung a copy of the compact in the Ka'ba. Al-Dhahabi calls this the first weakening to enter the Islamic state from the imamate's side; a sage said he had cast enmity between them to the flock's harm. Some add that al-Mu'tasim was passed over for illiteracy — yet God brought him the rule and made all later caliphs his descendants 1.

Depth

At a glance

Era
The Early Abbasid Caliphate
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In time

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The Early Abbasid Caliphate

Overview

Al-Suyuti reports that al-Rashid gave the oath of succession to his son Muhammad in 175 AH, titled him al-Amin, when he was five years old, at the urging of his mother Zubayda. 2

The three sons

After him he gave the oath to his son Abd Allah in 182 AH, titled him al-Ma'mun, and appointed him over Khurasan. Then to his son al-Qasim in 186 AH, titled him al-Mu'tamin, and appointed him over al-Jazira and the frontiers. He hung a copy of the oath in the Ancient House. 2

The views of historians

Al-Dhahabi said: this was the first weakness to befall the Islamic state with regard to the imamate. Some wise men said: he cast their arrows among them, and the danger of that harms the subjects. It is also said that al-Rashid turned the caliphate away from his son al-Mu'tasim because he was unlettered, and God brought it to him. 2

Al-Amin: Muhammad al-Amin. Al-Ma'mun: Abd Allah al-Ma'mun.

Connections

Explore the connections

Had participant
Harun al-Rashid· محمد الأمين بن هارون الرشيد· Abd Allah al-Ma'mun ibn Harun al-Rashid· Zubayda bint Ja'far

People and things also explored

Bayt al-Hikma — the House of Wisdom· Clash of Tahir ibn al-Husayn with Ali ibn Isa· The Accession of Harun al-Rashid· Siege of Baghdad in the war of al-Amin and al-Ma'mun· الفضل بن الربيع· Census of the Descendants of al-Abbas in the Year 200· al-Ma'mun's designation of Ali al-Rida as heir· The Aman of Samalu and its People's Transfer to Baghdad

Sources

  1. Tarikh al-Khulafa — al-Suyuti (Dar al-Minhaj edition) , p. 463-464
  2. Tarikh al-Khulafa — al-Suyuti (Dar al-Minhaj edition) , p.463-464
Cite this page

islam.museum contributors. “The Division of the Caliphate among al-Rashid's Sons”. islam.museum, https://islam.museum/en/event/harun-succession-scheme/. CC BY-SA 4.0. Last updated 2026-10-22.

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Bayt al-Hikma — the House of Wisdom

The House of Wisdom at Baghdad, the greatest library whose report survives from the first Abbasid age: al-Rashid laid its nucleus and al-Ma'mun enlarged and strengthened it. Al-Rashid put Yuhanna ibn Masawayh over the translation of the ancient medical books found in Byzantine lands with skilled scribes writing before him; Abu Sahl al-Fadl ibn Nawbakht rendered Persian wisdom-books into Arabic in its khizana, and Allan al-Shu'ubi copied for al-Rashid, al-Ma'mun and the Barmakids. Al-Ma'mun widened it, sending to the Byzantine emperor for the ancient sciences an embassy of al-Hajjaj ibn Matar, Ibn al-Bitriq and Salm the master of the House, and making Sahl ibn Harun keeper of its treasuries — though its precise organisation and site remain wrapped in obscurity.