Ar-Radi
Encyclopedia
Ar-Radi was the Abbasid
Caliph
in Baghdad
from 934 to his death at the age of thirty-three in 940.
The seven years' reign of ar-Radi, son of al-Muqtadir
, was but a succession of misfortune. Praised for his piety, he became the mere tool of the chief minister of the day. The authority of the Caliph extended hardly beyond the region of the city. After one Vazir
had been imprisoned by his enemies, and another had defected in disgrace, ar-Radi, being without resources, fell into the hands of an able but cruel, de facto ruling Minister, Ibn Raik, for whom he created the post of Amir al-Umara 'Amir of the Amirs', who held so absolutely the reins of government that his name was conjoined with the Caliph's in the public prayers.
Around this period, the Hanbali
s, supported by popular sentiment, carried things with a high hand. Forcing their way into private dwellings, they overthrew everything not in strict conformity with their tenets, emptied vessels of wine wherever found, broke in pieces musical instruments, pried into the details of trade and commerce, and set up in fact a kind of 'Sunni inquisition'. Thus a professor of the Shi'a creed was killed for performing pilgrimage. A famous doctor also was badly handled for affirming some various readings of the Qur'an
, of no apparent moment in themselves; and, notwithstanding that he submitted written recantation, had to fly Baghdad
for fear of death.
Ar-Radi is commonly spoken of as the last of the real Caliphs: the last to deliver orations at the Friday service, to hold assemblies to discuss with philosophers and discuss the questions of the day, or to take counsel on the affairs of State; the last to distribute largess among the needy, or to interpose to temper the severity of cruel officers.
And yet, with all this he was the mere dependent of another. Beyond the Wasir's shadow, there was little left at home. And abroad, even less. The East was gone; Africa and Egypt also, with great part of Syria
and Mesopotamia
; Mosul
independent; Arabia held by Carmathians and native chieftains; even Basra
and Wasit
in revolt. The advance of the 'Greeks' (Byzantium) was stayed only by the brave Hamdanid prince who was deservedly styled Sayf al-Daula
'Sword
of the Nation'.
Abbasid
The Abbasid Caliphate or, more simply, the Abbasids , was the third of the Islamic caliphates. It was ruled by the Abbasid dynasty of caliphs, who built their capital in Baghdad after overthrowing the Umayyad caliphate from all but the al-Andalus region....
Caliph
Caliph
The Caliph is the head of state in a Caliphate, and the title for the ruler of the Islamic Ummah, an Islamic community ruled by the Shari'ah. It is a transcribed version of the Arabic word which means "successor" or "representative"...
in Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
from 934 to his death at the age of thirty-three in 940.
The seven years' reign of ar-Radi, son of al-Muqtadir
Al-Muqtadir
Al-Muqtadir was the Abbasid Caliph in Baghdad from 908 AD to 932 AD .After the previous Caliph, al-Muktafi, was confined for several months to his sick-bed, intrigue was made for some time as to his successor...
, was but a succession of misfortune. Praised for his piety, he became the mere tool of the chief minister of the day. The authority of the Caliph extended hardly beyond the region of the city. After one Vazir
Vazir
Vazir may refer to:*Vazir Agha, Pakistani writer*Yusif Vazir Chamanzaminli, Azerbaijani writer*Vazir, Afghanistan*Vizier...
had been imprisoned by his enemies, and another had defected in disgrace, ar-Radi, being without resources, fell into the hands of an able but cruel, de facto ruling Minister, Ibn Raik, for whom he created the post of Amir al-Umara 'Amir of the Amirs', who held so absolutely the reins of government that his name was conjoined with the Caliph's in the public prayers.
Around this period, the Hanbali
Hanbali
The Hanbali school is one the schools of Fiqh or religious law within Sunni Islam. The jurisprudence school traces back to Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal but was institutionalized by his students. Hanbali jurisprudence is considered very strict and conservative, especially regarding questions of dogma...
s, supported by popular sentiment, carried things with a high hand. Forcing their way into private dwellings, they overthrew everything not in strict conformity with their tenets, emptied vessels of wine wherever found, broke in pieces musical instruments, pried into the details of trade and commerce, and set up in fact a kind of 'Sunni inquisition'. Thus a professor of the Shi'a creed was killed for performing pilgrimage. A famous doctor also was badly handled for affirming some various readings of the Qur'an
Qur'an
The Quran , also transliterated Qur'an, Koran, Alcoran, Qur’ān, Coran, Kuran, and al-Qur’ān, is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God . It is regarded widely as the finest piece of literature in the Arabic language...
, of no apparent moment in themselves; and, notwithstanding that he submitted written recantation, had to fly Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
for fear of death.
Ar-Radi is commonly spoken of as the last of the real Caliphs: the last to deliver orations at the Friday service, to hold assemblies to discuss with philosophers and discuss the questions of the day, or to take counsel on the affairs of State; the last to distribute largess among the needy, or to interpose to temper the severity of cruel officers.
And yet, with all this he was the mere dependent of another. Beyond the Wasir's shadow, there was little left at home. And abroad, even less. The East was gone; Africa and Egypt also, with great part of Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
and Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia is a toponym for the area of the Tigris–Euphrates river system, largely corresponding to modern-day Iraq, northeastern Syria, southeastern Turkey and southwestern Iran.Widely considered to be the cradle of civilization, Bronze Age Mesopotamia included Sumer and the...
; Mosul
Mosul
Mosul , is a city in northern Iraq and the capital of the Ninawa Governorate, some northwest of Baghdad. The original city stands on the west bank of the Tigris River, opposite the ancient Assyrian city of Nineveh on the east bank, but the metropolitan area has now grown to encompass substantial...
independent; Arabia held by Carmathians and native chieftains; even Basra
Basra
Basra is the capital of Basra Governorate, in southern Iraq near Kuwait and Iran. It had an estimated population of two million as of 2009...
and Wasit
Wasit
Wasit is a place in Wasit Governorate, south east of Kut in eastern Iraq.-History:During Ottoman times, it was the head city of the sanjak of Wasit.To quote UNESCO:...
in revolt. The advance of the 'Greeks' (Byzantium) was stayed only by the brave Hamdanid prince who was deservedly styled Sayf al-Daula
Sayf al-Daula
Ali ibn Abi al-Hayja 'Abd Allah ibn Hamdan ibn al-Harith Sayf al-Dawla al-Taghlibi , more commonly known simply by his laqab of Sayf al-Dawla , was the ruler of northern Syria and the brother of al-Hasan ibn Hamdan , the founder and the most prominent prince of the Arab Hamdanid dynasty from...
'Sword
Sword
A sword is a bladed weapon used primarily for cutting or thrusting. The precise definition of the term varies with the historical epoch or the geographical region under consideration...
of the Nation'.