(11) The Khurasanis had always been supporters of the ‘Abbasids...

(11) The Khurasanis had always been supporters of the ‘Abbasids, and when the dichotomy between the ‘Alawis and ‘Abbasids occurred, they sided with the latter. For example, during the battle against Muhammad Nafs az-Zakiyyah, most of the ‘Abbasid soldiers were Persian-speaking Khurasanis.

Abu’l-Faraj al-Isfahani narrates: When Khudayr Zubayri, one of the commanders of Muhammad Nafs az-Zakiyyah, was coming to the battlefield from Medina, the Khurasanis were saying in Persian, “ Khudhayr amad; Khudhayr amad ” {Khudhayr came; Khudhayr came}. (12) Qum Qum has been one of the most important Shia-populated cities since the second century AH.

This city, apart from being founded after the advent of Islam, has been founded by the Shia and Shia resided in and populated it from the very beginning. It is Shia Imamiyyah that has always been there without experiencing any deviation. Not only have Sinyan ever lived there but also the Ghulat did not find their way there, and even if they had, the people would have rejected them.

(13) Many of the people there used to come to the pure Imams ( ‘a ) to learn from these great personages, always maintaining contact with their Imams. In 82 AH when the revolt of Ibn Ash‘ath against Hajjaj was crushed and he fled to Kabul, (14) a number of his soldiers were also Shia such as ‘Abd Allah, Ahwaz, Na‘im, ‘Abd ar-Rahman, and Ishaq, sons of Sa‘d ibn Malik ibn ‘Amir al-Ash‘ari, who went to the districts of Qum after the defeat of Ash‘ath.

There were seven villages there one of which was known as “Kamandan”. After these brothers’ stay in this village, their kith and kin joined them and resided in all the seven villages. Gradually, these seven villages merged together and they all become “Kamandan”. Kamandan was Arabized and shortened into “Qum”. (15) From then on, Qum has become one of the most important concentration centres of the Shia, and the ‘Alawis in particular, who arrived and resided there from everywhere.

(16) At the end of the second century AH, the arrival of Lady Fatimah al-Ma‘sumah (Imam al-Ridha’s ( ‘a ) sister) is considered the turning point in the history of this city, bringing about ample blessings to it. Continued in the next article: http://The Shia-Populated Places during the 2nd and 3rd Centuries A.H (2) NOTES: ____________________________ 1. ‘Ali ibn al-Husayn Abu’l-Faraj al-Isfahani, Maqatil at-Talibiyyin (Qum: Manshurat ash-Sharif ar-Radi, 1416 AH), p. 146. 2. Ibid., p. 157. 3.