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Overview
The sources differ on the year in which the Sahib al-Zanj appeared near Basra. Al-Tabari says that he appeared on the Euphrates of Basra in Shawwal 255 AH, and gathered to him the Zanj who had been clearing the salt-flats. 1
The differing reports
Al-Tabari says elsewhere that his arrival in Basra was in 254 AH. 2 According to al-Mas'udi his appearance was at Bi'r Nakhl in the city of Fath and the Karkh of Basra, on the night of Thursday, three nights before the end of Ramadan 255 AH, in the caliphate of al-Muhtadi. 5
Al-Suyuti says that the fighting with the Zanj continued from the caliphate of al-Mu'tamid in 256 AH until 270 AH, when their leader was killed. 6
Sources
- Tarikh al-Rusul wa'l-Muluk — al-Tabari (ed. Abu al-Fadl Ibrahim) , j.9 p.410
- Tarikh al-Rusul wa'l-Muluk — al-Tabari (ed. Abu al-Fadl Ibrahim) , j.9 p.411
- Tarikh al-Khulafa — al-Suyuti (Dar al-Minhaj edition) , p. 564
- Muruj al-Dhahab — al-Masʼudi , p. 568
- Muruj al-Dhahab — al-Masʼudi , p.568
- Tarikh al-Khulafa — al-Suyuti (Dar al-Minhaj edition) , p.564
Cite this page
islam.museum contributors. “The Advance of the Zanj Leader on Basra”. islam.museum, https://islam.museum/en/event/zanj-revolt-begins/. CC BY-SA 4.0. Last updated 2026-10-23.