Ustadh Sis
Encyclopedia
Ustadh Sis was a Persian
heresiarch
and anti-Arab rebel leader.
His name in Persian means Master of Sis. He claimed he was a prophet
of God
in the eastern fringe of Khorasan
in the mid 8th century, and managed to gain followers among the villagers in that area, many of whom were followers of Bihafarid
, whom the Abbasid
commander, Abu Muslim
, militarily crushed. His initial base was the mountainous region of Badghis, and he later occupied Herat
, Sistan
, and marched towards Merv
. He initially defeated an Abbasid army under the command of al-Ajtham of Merv
, but was himself defeated in a bloody battle against an army led by al-Mahdi, the son of the Caliph
al-Mansur
(and a future Caliph himself). Sources say that 70,000 of Ustadh Sis's followers were killed in the battle, and 14,000 were taken captive. Ustadh Sis managed to flee to the mountains, but the general Khazim ibn Khuzaimah al-Tamimi followed him and was able to capture him. Ustadh Sis was sent in chains to al-Mansur, who ordered his execution. al-Mahdi gave amnesty to 30,000 captives.
Persian people
The Persian people are part of the Iranian peoples who speak the modern Persian language and closely akin Iranian dialects and languages. The origin of the ethnic Iranian/Persian peoples are traced to the Ancient Iranian peoples, who were part of the ancient Indo-Iranians and themselves part of...
heresiarch
Heresiarch
A heresiarch is a founder or leader of a heretical doctrine or movement, as considered by those who claim to maintain an orthodox religious tradition or doctrine...
and anti-Arab rebel leader.
His name in Persian means Master of Sis. He claimed he was a prophet
Prophet
In religion, a prophet, from the Greek word προφήτης profitis meaning "foreteller", is an individual who is claimed to have been contacted by the supernatural or the divine, and serves as an intermediary with humanity, delivering this newfound knowledge from the supernatural entity to other people...
of God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
in the eastern fringe of Khorasan
Greater Khorasan
Greater Khorasan or Ancient Khorasan is a historical region of Greater Iran mentioned in sources from Sassanid and Islamic eras which "frequently" had a denotation wider than current three provinces of Khorasan in Iran...
in the mid 8th century, and managed to gain followers among the villagers in that area, many of whom were followers of Bihafarid
Bihafarid
thumb|140px|Behāfarīd, also spelled Bihafarid, was an 8th-century Persian Zoroastrian heresiarch who started a religious peasant revolt with elements from Zoroastrianism and Islam. His revolt was quelled by the Abbasid general Abu Muslim, and he was executed by hanging. Some of his followers...
, whom the Abbasid
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....
commander, Abu Muslim
Abu Muslim
- External links :* *...
, militarily crushed. His initial base was the mountainous region of Badghis, and he later occupied Herat
Herat
Herāt is the capital of Herat province in Afghanistan. It is the third largest city of Afghanistan, with a population of about 397,456 as of 2006. It is situated in the valley of the Hari River, which flows from the mountains of central Afghanistan to the Karakum Desert in Turkmenistan...
, Sistan
Sistan
Sīstān is a border region in eastern Iran , southwestern Afghanistan and northern tip of Southwestern Pakistan .-Etymology:...
, and marched towards Merv
Merv
Merv , formerly Achaemenid Satrapy of Margiana, and later Alexandria and Antiochia in Margiana , was a major oasis-city in Central Asia, on the historical Silk Road, located near today's Mary in Turkmenistan. Several cities have existed on this site, which is significant for the interchange of...
. He initially defeated an Abbasid army under the command of al-Ajtham of Merv
Merv
Merv , formerly Achaemenid Satrapy of Margiana, and later Alexandria and Antiochia in Margiana , was a major oasis-city in Central Asia, on the historical Silk Road, located near today's Mary in Turkmenistan. Several cities have existed on this site, which is significant for the interchange of...
, but was himself defeated in a bloody battle against an army led by al-Mahdi, the son of the 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"...
al-Mansur
Al-Mansur
Al-Mansur, Almanzor or Abu Ja'far Abdallah ibn Muhammad al-Mansur was the second Abbasid Caliph from 136 AH to 158 AH .-Biography:...
(and a future Caliph himself). Sources say that 70,000 of Ustadh Sis's followers were killed in the battle, and 14,000 were taken captive. Ustadh Sis managed to flee to the mountains, but the general Khazim ibn Khuzaimah al-Tamimi followed him and was able to capture him. Ustadh Sis was sent in chains to al-Mansur, who ordered his execution. al-Mahdi gave amnesty to 30,000 captives.
See also
- BihafaridBihafaridthumb|140px|Behāfarīd, also spelled Bihafarid, was an 8th-century Persian Zoroastrian heresiarch who started a religious peasant revolt with elements from Zoroastrianism and Islam. His revolt was quelled by the Abbasid general Abu Muslim, and he was executed by hanging. Some of his followers...
- SunpadhSunpadhSunpadh or Sinbad or Sinbad the Magus was a Persian cleric from a small village called Āhan near Nishapur who incited an uprising against the Abbasid Caliphate in the 8th century....
- al-MuqannaAl-MuqannaAl-Muqanna‘ was a Persian man who claimed to be a prophet and is viewed as a heretic by mainstream Muslims.- Biography : Al-Muqanna‘ was an ethnic Persian from Merv named Hashim ibn Hakim, originally a clothes pleater. He became a commander for Abū Muslim of Khorasan...