The History of Bahrain: 661-1258

In the 7^th century, inhabitants of Bahrain converted to Islam, and Bahrain was controlled by the Ummayad Caliphs of Syria (U.S. Department of State). In the 10^th century, Abu Sa'id al-Hasan al-Janaby organized the Revolution of al-Qaramita (revolt of a messianic Ismaili sect) and gained control over the city of Hajr which was the capital of Bahrain at that time. The Qarmatians wanted to create a utopian society based on e. The state was ruled by a council of six members (Saunders). Before controlling Bahrain, the Qarmatians gave rise to a “century of terrorism” in Kufa (I.M.N. Al-Jubouri). After taking over Bahrain, they raided the pilgrim routes across Arabia. In 906, Qarmatians captured the pilgrim caravan from Mecca and slaughtered 20,000 pilgrims (Saunders). In 930, under Abu Tahir Al-Jannabi they sacked Mecca. Also, Qarmatians profaned the Well of Zamzam with dead bodies of Hajj pilgrims and moved the Black Stone from Mecca to Bahrain ("The Qarmatians"). In 976, the Abbasids defeated in battle the Qarmatians. Around 1058, the rebellion of Abul-Bahlul al-'Awwam and Abu’l-Walid Muslim, Shi’a members of the Abd al-Ways tribe, led to the rule of the Uyunids, Arab dynasty relating to the Abdul Qays tribe (Daftary, Bosworth). From 1076 to 1235, the state was under Uyunids’ control. Then, the Turkic Salgharid Atabeg of Fars occupied the islands for a short term. In 1253, the Usfurids dynasty of Banu Ugayl (Bahraini Shi’a Dynasty) took over Bahrain’s islands and eastern Arabia (Larsen).

Sources:

U.S. Department of State. “Background Note: Bahrain.” http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/26414.htm#history (accessed May 31, 2009).

“The Qarmatians in Bahrain.” Ismaili History. http://ismaili.net/histoire/history05/history510.html (accessed May 31,2009).

Saunders, John Joseph. “A History of Medieval islam.” Routledge (1978):130.

I.M.N. Al-Jubouri, Juburi. “History of Islamic Philosophy. “ Authors Online Ltd (2004):172.

Daftary, Farhad. “The Ismailis: Their History and Doctrines.” Cambridge University Press (1990):221.

Bosworth, Clifford. “The New Islamic Dynasties: A Genealogical and Chronological Manual.” Edinburgh University Press (2004): 95.

Larsen, Curtis E. “Life and Land Use on the Bahrain Islands: The Geoarcheology of an Ancient Society.” University of Chicago Press (1983):66.