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The movement of al-Muqanna' al-Khurasani (the Veiled One)

حركة المقنَّع الخراساني

776 CE · 159 AH – 778 CE · 161 AH

The rising of the Veiled One in Marw's region, 159-161 AH — the last of the movements bound to Abu Muslim's name, broken by Sa'id al-Harashi 1.

Depth

At a glance

Era
The Early Abbasid Caliphate
Region
Persia & Central Asia
Review
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In time

760770780790
The Early Abbasid Caliphate

Overview

The rising of al-Muqanna' the Khurasani took place under al-Mahdi between 159 and 161 AH in the Merv region. As Taqqush presents it, it was an extension of the risings of Sunbadh and the Rawandiyya, and a continuation of the memory of Abu Muslim. 2

Spread

A great multitude followed him in Bukhara and Soghd. His followers, called the Mubayyida, spread through the districts of Kush and Nasaf and raided the safe areas. 2

The end

Sa'id al-Harashi defeated them and destroyed them. The source says that al-Muqanna' burned himself before he was taken. 2

The Gregorian date is derived from the Hijri date, and the event needs an additional source.

Connections

Explore the connections

Had participant
al-Muqanna' al-Khurasani· Sa'id ibn Amr ibn Aswad al-Harashi

People and things also explored

Marwan ibn Muhammad's Expedition through Khazar and Mountain Lands· Maslama ibn Abd al-Malik's Khazar Campaign and the Taking of al-Bab· al-Muqanna' al-Khurasani· Sa'id ibn Amr ibn Aswad al-Harashi

Sources

  1. Tarikh al-Dawla al-Abbasiyya — Muhammad Suhayl Taqqush (7th ed. 2009) , p. 79
  2. Tarikh al-Dawla al-Abbasiyya — Muhammad Suhayl Taqqush (7th ed. 2009) , p.79
Cite this page

islam.museum contributors. “The movement of al-Muqanna' al-Khurasani (the Veiled One)”. islam.museum, https://islam.museum/en/event/muqanna-revolt/. CC BY-SA 4.0. Last updated 2026-10-22.

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Marwan ibn Muhammad's Expedition through Khazar and Mountain Lands

In al-Baladhuri: after Maslama, Hisham gave the march to Sa'id al-Harashi, who held it two years, then to Marwan ibn Muhammad — who camped at Kisal, having built its city (forty farsakhs from Bardha'a, twenty from Tiflis), then entered the Khazar land by way of Bab al-Lan, Asid ibn Zafir al-Sulami Abu Yazid guiding him in with the mountain kings by way of Bab wa-l-Abwab; Marwan raided Slavs in the Khazar land, carrying off ten thousand households whom he settled in Khakhit — they later killed their amir and fled, and he overtook and slew them; when the Khazar great-king learned the numbers Marwan trod into his lands and their strength and array, it stung his heart and filled it with dread, and as Marwan drew near he sent a messenger summoning him to Islam or war — Marwan answered 'I accept Islam; send me one to present it', which was done, and the Khaqan showed forth Islam, Marwan making peace confirming him in his kingdom; with him Marwan settled a body of Khazars between al-Samur and al-Shabiran in the Lakz plain; then Marwan entered the land of al-Sarir, fell upon its people, took castles, and its king submitted and obeyed — he compounded with him for a thousand heads, five hundred lads and five hundred girls black of hair, brow and lash each year, and a hundred thousand mudd poured into Bab's granaries, taking hostages of him; Marwan compounded with Tuman's people for a hundred heads — fifty girls and fifty five-year-old boys black of hair, brow and lash — and twenty thousand mudd yearly to the granaries; then entered Zirikeran's land, whose king compounded for fifty heads and ten thousand mudd yearly; then came to Hamzin's land — Hamzin refusing peace — took their fortress after a month's siege, burned and demolished it, its treaty then being five hundred heads delivered in one payment, no further claim on him, and thirty thousand mudd borne yearly to Bab's granaries; then came to Sadan, which he opened by treaty for a hundred heads its lord delivered at once, no claim thereafter, and five thousand mudd borne yearly to Bab's granaries; and he assessed the people of Tabarsaranshah at ten thousand mudd borne yearly to the granaries, while assessing Filanshah nothing — for his fine service, handsome conduct and praiseworthy way; then Marwan camped on the fortress of al-Lakz — its lord having withheld the levy and gone out to join the Khazar king, whereupon a herdsman killed him with an arrow not knowing him — so the Lakz people compounded for twenty thousand mudd borne to the granaries, and he set Khashrama al-Sulami over them; and Marwan went to Shirwan's lord's fortress called Khirsh upon the sea — he submitted, was ordered down to the plain, and they were bound to ten thousand mudd yearly; on Shirwan's lord he laid it that he be in the van when the Muslims began raiding the Khazars and in the rear when they returned; on Filanshah, that he raid with them only; and on Tabarsaranshah, in the rear at the outset and the van at the return; and Marwan went to the Dudaniyya and fell on them — then word of al-Walid ibn Yazid's killing reached him.