Vol 2 Prophets and Patriarchs p11

The wife of Ham b. Noah was Nahlab bt. Marib b. al-Darmasil b. Mehujael b. Enoch b. Cain b. Adam. She bore him three offspring: Cush b. Ham b. Noah, Put b. Ham, and Canaan b. Ham. Cush b. Ham b. Noah married Qarnabil, the daughter of Batawil b. Tiras b. Japheth, and it is asserted that she bore him the Abyssinians, Sindis and Indians. Put b. Ham b. Noah married Bakht, another daughter of Batawil b. Tiras b. Japheth b. Noah, and it is said that she bore him the Copts—that is, the Copts of Egypt. Canaan b. Ham b. Noah married Arsal, another daughter of Batawil b. Tiras b. Japheth b. Noah, and she bore him the Blacks, Nubians, Fezzan, Zanj, Zaghawah, and all the peoples of the Sudan.

Vol 2 Prophets and Patriarchs p21

Noah begat three (sons), each one of whom begat three: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Shem begat the Arabs, Persians, and Byzantines, in all of whom there is good. Japheth begat the Turks, Slavs, Gog, and Magog, in none of whom there is good. Ham begat the Copts, Sudanese, and Berbers.

……….. It is related by Damrah b. Rabi‘ah—Ibn ‘Ata’—his father: Ham begat all those who are black and curly-haired, while Japheth begat all those who are full-faced with small eyes, and Shem begat everyone who is handsome of face with beautiful hair. Noah prayed that the hair of Ham’s descendants would not grow beyond their ears, and that wherever his descendants met the children of Shem, the latter would enslave them. (24)

Vol. 5: The Sasanids, the Byzantines, the Lakhmids (25)

The following extract has no direct connection with the history of East-Africa. It is the vague passage of the Ethiopians taking over Yemen. It does have real importance for the Horn of Africa and South Arabia. (23)

P178-183

Rabi'ah b. Nasr (ruler of Yemen) had a dream that alarmed him and that continued to disquiet him. When he had this dream, he sent out enquiries among the people of his kingdom and gathered together in his presence every soothsayer, magician, …. (he was told:) send for Satih and Shiqq, for there is no one more knowledgeable than these two, and they will certainly be able to tell you what you ask." ……  Satin came to him before Shiqq; there were no soothsayers (kuhhan) like them in their time. So when Satin arrived, the king summoned him and said, "0 Satin, I have had a dream which has alarmed me and disquieted me, so tell me about it, for if you comprehend the dream correctly, you will know correctly its interpretation." Satili replied, "I will do this. You saw in your dream a skull (jumjumah) ….. which came forth from the darkness-and fell upon the lowlands descending to the sea-and devoured there everything with a skull!" The king said, "0 Satih, you have got it exactly right; so what, in your opinion, is the interpretation of it?" Satin answered, "I swear by the serpent which is between the two harrahs (two basaltic lava fields close to Medina) -the Abyssinians (al-Habash) will certainly swoop down on your land -and will then rule over all the land from Abyan (26) to Jurash." ……

When Satin had finished, Shiqq arrived, so the king summoned him. He said, "0 Shiqq, I have had a dream that has alarmed and disquieted me, so tell me about it, for if you comprehend the dream correctly, you will know correctly its interpretation," just as he had said to Satih. But he concealed from him what Satin had said in order that he might see whether the two interpretations agreed or differed. Shiqq said, "Yes, you saw a skull-which came forth from the darkness-and fell upon all the land, meadows, and thickets-and devoured everything there with living breath." When that king perceived that the words of the two soothsayers agreed with each other totally, he said to Shiqq, "0 Shiqq, you have got it exactly right, so what, in your opinion, is the interpretation of it?" Shiqq replied, "I swear by the men living between the two harrahs (two basaltic lava fields close to Medina) -the blacks will certainly come down on your land-and will seize custody of every tender one from your hands-and will then rule over all the land from Abyan (26) to Najran (27)."`

The king exclaimed, "By your father! 0 Shiqq, this is indeed distressing and painful for us; but when will this take place -in my own time, or subsequently?" Shiqq answered, "Nay indeed, a stretch of time after you -then a mighty one, lofty of status, shall rescue you from it-and will make them taste the deepest abasement." The king said, "Who is this person mighty of status?"  Shiqq retorted, "A youth neither base nor inadequate for what he attempts-he will issue forth from the house of Dhu Yazan (28)." The king said, "Will his dominion endure, or will it be cut short?" He replied, "Indeed, it will be ended by a prophet who will be sent who will come with right and justice -among the people of religion and virtue- the dominion will remain among his people until the Day of Separation (29). One may ask, 'What is the Day of Separation? -The reply is, the day on which those near to God will be recompensed-invocations from the heavens will be made-which both the quick and the dead shall hear-and on which the people will be gathered together at the appointed place-on which there will be salvation and blessings for those who fear God." The king said, "Is what you say true, 0 Shiqq?" The latter replied, "Yes, by the lord of heaven and earth-and the highlands and the lowlands which lie between them-what I have communicated to you is indeed the truth, in which there is no dissimulation." When the king had finished questioning the two men, there came into his mind that what the two of them had told him regarding the invasion of the Ethiopians was really going to take place, so he fitted out his sons and other members of his house for the journey to Iraq, together with what they needed, and wrote on their behalf to one of the kings of Persia called Shabur, son of Khurrazad, who allowed them to settle at al-Hirah (30). (This way the dreams are made into the explanation on why those Arab tribes arrived in Iraq). ……  When Satih and Shiqq told that to Rabi'ah b. Nagr, and Rabi'ah did with regard to his sons and other members of his house what he in fact did, the mention of all this spread among the Arabs, and they talked about it extensively until his fame and his reputation for knowledge became widely disseminated among them. Hence when the Ethiopians occupied Yemen, and the events which they had previously been talking about, including the interpretations of the two soothsayers, came to pass, al A'sha-that is, al-A'sha of the Band Qays b. Tha'labah al Bakri -said in some of the poetry he recited, mentioning the events involving those two soothsayers Satih and Shiqq: A woman with her eyelids never looked forth like with a look full of penetration, as when al-Dhi'bi made pronouncements when he spoke in saj'. …… one of the factors involving the eruption of the Ethiopians, the transfer of the royal power from Himyar, and the ending of their period of dominion -and there is a cause for everything -was that Hassan b. TubAn As'ad Abi Karib led an expedition with the army of Yemen, aiming at overrunning the land of the Arabs and the land of the Persians …. (They started fighting among each other)….

Vol. 36: The Revolt of the Zanj

The events that led to the entry of al-Basrah (by the Zanj) and what transpired thereafter.
It was reported that, when Said b. Salih (1) left al-Basrah, the central authorities handed over his duties to Mansur b. Jafar al-Khayyat (2). The events concerning Mansur and the troops of the abominable one we have dealt with already: They told of Mansur's enfeebled position, his inability to engage the abominable one in battle, contenting himself with providing protection for the supply ships sufficient to relieve the inhabitants of al-Basrah of the harm caused when the flow of these supplies was interrupted. Word of this reached the abominable one, who was then frustrated by the news that the Basrans had been relieved. This caused him to send Ali b. Aban (3) to the districts of Jubba (4), where he established camp in al-Khayzuraniyyah (5). This distracted Mansur b. Jafar from the protection of the supply boats to al-Basrah, so once again the Basrans experienced straitened circumstances.
The abominable one's troops harassed the inhabitants of al-Basrah day and night with attacks. Then, in the month of Shawwal (August 22-September 19, 871) of this year, the abominable one determinated to rally his forces for a concerted assault on the Basrans and a serious attempt to destroy it. The decision was taken because he was aware of their weakness, their disunity, and the damaging effects upon them of the blockade and the destruction of the surrounding villages. Moreover the abominable one had consulted the astrological charts and discovered that there would be a lunar eclipse on Tuesday evening, the 14th of the month (September 4, 871).
Muhammad b. al-Hassan b. Sahl (6) reported that he had heard the abominable one say, I earnestly prayed to God for help against the people of al-Basrah and humbly beseeched Him to hasten its destruction. A voice addressed me saying that al-Basrah was but a loaf of bread, which one could nibble around the edges, when half the loaf had been devoured, al-Basrah would be destroyed. I took this to mean that devouring half a loaf indicated the eclipse of the moon, which was expected at this time, so it was entirely plausible that the fate of al-Basrah would occur soon afterward.
Muhammad continued; The abominable one continued speaking in this vein to such an extend that he overwhelmed his followers with the story, repeating it among them at nauseam. Then he deputized Muhammad b. Yazid al-Darimi, one of his adherents in al-Bahrayn, to go among the Arab tribesmen, many of whom were successfully won over to the Zanj cause. They camped at a place called al-Qandal, and the abominable one sent Sulayman b. Musa (7) to drill the tribesmen in the execution of such an operation.

Muhammad b. al-Hasan related as follows from Muhammad b. Siman; At the time the Zanj entered al-Basrah, I was living in the city. I used to attend the assembly held by Ibrahim b. Muhammad b. Ismael, who was known as Burayh (12). On Friday, the 10th of Shawwal 257 (August 31, 871). I was there, and Shihab b. al-Ala al-Anbari was present as well. I heard Shihab telling Ibrahim that the traitor had sent money and supplies into the desert in order to raise a force from among the Arab tribesmen, that he had in fact managed to muster a large troop of horsemen, and with them and his own Zanj infantry he intended to infiltrate al-Basrah. At the time al-Basrah was defended by only some fifty cavalry of the government forces under Bughraj (11). Burayh (12) told Shihab that the Arab tribesmen would not venture to act with hostility toward him because he was obeyed and respected by the Arabs.
Ibn Siman continued; I left Burayh's assembly and came across the secretary, Ahmad b. Ayyub, whom I overheard talking about Harun b. Abd al-Rahim al Shi'i, who at the time was in charge of the postal service (barid) in al-Basrah. Harun confirmed that the traitor, on the 3th of Shawwal (August 24, 871) had performed the congregational prayer with nine persons, while al-Basrah's leading commanders and its resident governor remained in total ignorance about what the traitor was up to, as I have described.
The blockade had driven the populace to hunger, and disease was on the increase. Conflict erupted in the city between the two factions of the Bilaliyyah and the Sadiyyah. Then on Friday morning, the 16th of Shawwal (September 6, 871) of this year, the traitor's cavalry attacked al-Basrah on three fronts, the Banu Sad district, al-Mirbad, and al-Khuraybah. Ali b. Aban (3) led the army, which was dispatched against al-Mirbad. He had divided his troops into two contingents; One was in the charge of Rafiq, the servant of Yahya b. Abd al-Rahman b. Khaqan, who was ordered to march into the Banu sad district, and the other, with whom he himself remained, set out for al-Mirbad. Yahya b. Muhammad al-Azraq al-Bahrani led the cavalry, which was sent to al-Khuraybah, having assembled his troops together on one front. Those Basrans of little circumstance who could, despite being exhausted by hunger and the blockade, went out to face each of these divisions. The cavalry accompanying Bughraj (11) split up into two groups, one of which made for the district of al-Mirbad and the other for al-Khuraybah. Those (of Ali's forces) who reached the Banu Sad district engaged in battle a contingent of the Sadiyyah fighters, along with Fath, the slave of Abu Shith and his companions, but a few Basrans were no match for the assembled forces of the abominable one, whose troops attacked on horse and on foot.
Ibn Simam said: On that day I was present in the congregational mosque when flames engulfed these areas, Zahran, al-Mirbad, and Banu Himman, at the same time, as if they had been set by arsonists at an agreed moment. That was at the beginning of the day, on Friday. The calamity worsened, and Basrans were convinced that they were doomed. Those in the main mosque strove to reach their homes as swiftly as possible. I was hastening toward my own house, which was on the Mirbad road. On the way fleeing Basrans passed me retreating to the great mosque. Al-Qasim b. Jafar b. Sulayman al-Hashimi brought up their rear, seated upon a donkey and girt with a sword. He cried out to the crowd; Wou upon you. Will you surrender your city and your families? This is your enemy who has just entered your city. But none paid heed to him or listened to his plea, and he went upon his way. Then the Mirbad road cleared of people, and between those in flight and the Zanj there was empty space as far as the eye could see.

Muhammad said, When I saw what was happening, I entered my house and locked the door. From the upper floor of the house I looked down and saw the cavalry of the Arab tribesmen and the Zanj foot soldiers led by a men riding a chestnut horse and carrying a spear bearing a yellow lappet. Sometime later, after I had been taken to the traitor's city, I inquired about the man's identity. Ali b. Aban (3) claimed that he had been the one I had seen with the yellow streamer.
The (Zanj) troops entered the city and disappeared down the Mirbad Road, proceeding to the Uthman Gate. By then it was late in the day. Then they left. The ignorant young clods of the city imagined that they were off to attend the Friday prayer, but what had really frightened them off was possible attack from bands of the Bilaliyyah and Sadiyyah who might attack them from the square, for they feared ambushes there. So they left.
Those (Zanj) who were in the quarters of Zahran and Banu Hisn also departed after they had burned, pillaged, and overwhelmed the city, for they knew no one could stop them. They let Saturday and Sunday go by. Then they came again on Monday, and found no one defending the city. The population was collected before the palace of Ibrahim b. Yahya al-Muhallabi and promised their security.

Painting on top as illustration only.
Al-Hasan b. Uthman said, I could hear their uproar, crying out ; There is no God but Allah as they were put to the sword. Their voices rang out with the cry of There is no God but Allah so loudly that they could be heard far away, in al-Tafawah. After the crowd had been massacred, as we have described, the Zanj proceeded to slay anyone else they encountered. That day Ali b. Aban (3) burned down the congregational mosque, he also burned the harbor from the cable to the bridge, the fire destroying all before it, including people, animals, goods, and merchandise. Throughout the morning and afternoon the Zanj harassed anyone they found, driving everybody to Yahya b. Muhammad (al-Bahrani), who was then residing in Sayhan, anyone with some money was tortured to extract it and then killed, but anyone who was poor was killed straightaway. Shibl reportedly said that Yahya entered al-Basrah early on Tuesday, following the massacre of the crowd in front of Ibrahim b. Yahya's palace. An offer of safety and security was publicly proclaimed, to try to lure people into the open, but no one appeared. The news reached the abominable one, and he removed Ali b. Adan from al-Basrah, assigning Yahya b. Muhammad to the city on his own, sanctioning and approving the massacre, and expressing his affection for him. The abominable one judged Ali b. Aban al-Muhallabi's (3) performance lacking in regard of his restraint from seizing booty in the Banu Sad district. Ali b. Aban had deputed a party of the Banu Sad to go to the abominable one, but, as they gained no benefit from him, they departed for Abbadan (15).
Yahya b. Muhammad remained in al-Basrah. The abominable one sent him a dispatch ordering the public announcement of Shibl as his deputy in al-Basrah in order to calm the fears of the populace and so that those in hiding would begin to reemerge and those who were known to be wealthy. When these reappeared, they were to be forced to reveal the money they had buried and hidden. Yahya carried out this order. Not a day passed when a group of affluent persons was not stripped of their possessions and then put to death, none who appeared before Yahya survived and many fled as best they could. Finally the abominable one withdrew his army from al-Basrah.
Muhammad b. al-Hasan said, When the traitor had completed the destruction of al-Basrah and word had reached him of the enormities perpetrated by his troops, I heard him comment that he had invoked Allah's judgment upon the populace of al-Basrah the day his troops entered the city. He said; I prayed earnestly and prostrated myself, praying all the while, and behold I was given a vision of al-Basrah. I could see the city and my troops fighting there, I had the vision of a man standing in this air between earth and the sky in the image of Jafar b. Maluf, who was formerly put in charge of the registry of land taxes in Samarra (20). He was standing with his left hand lowered and his right hand raised, about to overturn al-Basrah and its inhabitants. I knew then that the angels alone had been charged with the destruction of the city, and not my troops, for had they been responsible for that, the destruction would not have reached the vast proportions the people talk about. The angels brought victory and supported me in my battle and kept my troops from being fainthearted.
Muhammad b. al-Hasan continued; I was following the destruction of al-Basrah that the abominable one claimed his descent from Yahya b. Zayd b. Ali because a large number of Alawites (16) who had been in al-Basrah joined his ranks. Among them were Ali b. Ahmad b. Isa b. Zayd (17) and Abdallah b. Ali, together with their womenfolk and families. When they joint him, he abandoned his claim to be descended from Ahmad b. Isa (18), alleging instead to belong to the line of Yahya b. Zayd (19).
Muyhammad b. al-Hasan continued; When a group of Nawfaliyyun were with him, I heard al-Qasim b. al-Hasan al Nawfali say that they had heard that he was a descendant of Ahmad b. Isa b. Zayd, but the abominable one replied, I'm not a descendant of Isa, but of Yahya b. Zayd (19). He lied about that, it is generally accepted about Yahya that he had no offspring but a daughter who had died in infancy.
In the same year the central government dispatched Muhammad al-Muwallad to al-Basrah in order to fight the Zanj leader. He left Samarra (20) on Friday, the 1st of Dhu al-Qa'dah (September 20, 871).

Vol. 37: The Abbasid Recovery p47

The events for the year 267

Abu Ahmad (21) sent his client Rashid at the head of his clients and his pages down to the waterway called Nahr al- Matmak – his pages consisted of Turks, Khazars, men from al-Rum, Daylan, Tabaristan, the Maghrib and Zanzibar.

Vol. 37: The Abbasid Recovery p78

(In the year 882AD)

In this year, the leader of the Zanj killed Ibn Malik the Zanjid because word reached him that the latter intended to join Abu Ahmad (21).

Note: In the appendix to the translation the following explanation is added: Ibn Malik the Zanjid : the son of the king of the Zanj

Tayeb El-Hibri remarks that the assassination of "the son of the king of Zanj" ( from a reference by Tabari) leaves one wondering: could the revolt have had the backing of a faraway African kingdom or represented the enterprise of a drifting community?

Vol. 39: Biographies of the Prophet's Companions

(the King of Ethiopia had married Umm Habiba to the Prophet Mohammed in absentia) The king has ordered his wives to send to you all the perfumes they have. The next day Abrahah (servant of the King) brought me a great quantity of aloes, saffron, ambergris, and civet perfume. I [later] took all this with me to the Prophet, and he used to see me wearing and having it and never disapproved. (22)

Note: Tabari and the curse of Ham

Taken from: Tabari et la malédiction de Cham par Farid Bouchiba 2023.

1. al-Qasim reported to us, he said: al-Ḥusayn reported to us, he said: Ḥajjaj reported to me, he said: Ibn Jurayḥ said: it was reported to me that Noah took with him [in the ark] his three sons and their three wives, as well as Noah's wife. There were eight of them with their wives. Here are the names of his children: Japheth (Yafith), Cham (Ḥam) and Shem (Sam). Ḥam had sexual intercourse with his wife in the ark. Noah called for his seed to be corrupted. Thus, he had black descendants (al-sudan).

2. Al-Harith reported to us, he said: Ibn Sa'd reported to us, he said: Hisham informed me, he said: my father informed me [that he had] from Abu Ṣaliḥ of Ibn Abbas; [the latter] said: Noah had [several] children: Shem (Sam) whose children/descendants are white and brown, Ham (Ham) whose children/descendants are black and not very white and Japheth (Yafith) [whose descendants have a] ruddy and reddish complexion. It was Kan‘an who drowned. The Arabs call it Yam.

3. Canaan (Kan‘an) son of Ham (Ham) son of Nawhal married Artil daughter of Batawil son of Turs son of Japheth (Yafith) son of Noah. She gave birth to the blacks from him: Nuba, Fazzan, Zanj, Zaghawa and all the black groups.

Ibn Ḥumayd reported to us, he said: Salama reported to us from Ibn Ishaq in a tradition. He said: the people of the Torah claim that this came true following Noah's imprecation against his son Ham (Ham). Indeed, while Noah was asleep his genitals were uncovered. Cham who saw his genitals did not cover it. Shem and Japheth who saw his nakedness threw a garment/cloth to cover him. When Noah awoke, he learned what Ham, Shem, and Japheth had done. He said: cursed be Canaan son of Ham. Let them be the slaves of his brothers. He added: May God my Lord bring His blessings to Shem. And let Ham be the slave of his brothers. And may God reward Japheth. Let him occupy the dwellings of Ham and let Canaan be their slave.

4. Others other than Ibn Ishaq said: Noah invoked in favor of Shem so that the Prophets and Messengers would belong to his descendants. He appealed in favor of Japheth so that the kings would belong to his descendants. He began with the invocation for Japheth which he made before that for Shem. And he called upon Ham so that his color would be altered and his descendants would be the slaves of Shem and Japheth.

5. He said: It is mentioned in the books that he (Noah) softened towards Ham after this. So he called on his behalf so that his brothers would have kindness towards him. He invoked on behalf of his grandchildren, Kush son of Ham and Jamir son of Japheth son of Noah. And this because many of his grandchildren joined Noah and served him, as his own children did. So he pleaded on behalf of many among them.

6. He said: The children of Ham son of Noah are: al-Nuba, al-Ḥabasha, Fazzan, al-Hind and al-Sind, and the people of the eastern and western coasts.

7. The descendants of Ham settled in the direction of the south and the west wind, this region is called al-Darum. God placed in them swarthy color and a little white.

8. Aḥmad son of Bashir son of Abu Abd Allah al-Warraq reported to me, he said: Yazid son of Zuray reported to us from Sa'id of Qatada from al-Ḥasan of Samura who said: The Messenger of God said: Shem is the father of the Arabs, Japheth the father of the Rums and Ham the father of the Habash.

9. al-Qasim son of Bishr son of Ma'ruf said: Rawḥ reported to us, he said: Sa'id son of Abu Aruba reported to us from Qatada from al-Ḥasan of Samura son of Jundub of the Prophet who said: The children of Noah are three: Shem, Ham and Japheth. Shem is the father of the Arabs, Ham the father of the Zanj and Japheth the father of the Rums.

10. Abu Kurayb reported to us, he said: Uthman son of Sa'id reported to us, he said: 'Abbad son of al-Awwam reported to us from Sa'id from Qatada from al-Hasan from Samura who said: The Messenger of God said: Shem is the father of the Arabs, Japheth the father of the Rums and Ham the father of the Habash.

11. Abd Allah son of Abu Ziyad reported to me, he said: Rawḥ reported to me, he said: Sa'id son of Abu Aruba reported to us from Qatada of al-Hasan from Samura of the Prophet who said: the children of Noah are: Shem, Ham and Japheth. Abd Allah said, Rawḥ said I remembered [the name of] Yafith (Japheth) and I once heard Yafit (Japheth).

This hadith is transmitted from Abd al-A‘la son of Abd al-A‘la from Sa‘id from Qatada from al-Ḥasan from Samura from Imran son from Ḥusayn of the Prophet.

12. Imran son of Bakkar al-Kala'i reported to me, he said: Abu al-Yaman reported to us, he said: Isma'il son of Ayyash reported to us from Yaḥya son of Sa'id who said: I heard Sa'id son of al-Musayyib say: Noah's children are three and each had three children: Shem, Ham, Japheth. The children of Shem are the Arabs, the Persians and the Rums. In each of these there is good. The children of Japheth are the Turks, the Slavs and Gog and Magog (Ya’juj wa Ma’juj). There is no good to be found in any of these. The children of Cham are the Copts, the Sudans and the Berbers.

13. It was narrated from Ḍamra son of Rabi‘a from Ibn Aṭa from his father who said: the children of Ham are all those who are black with frizzy hair; the children of Japheth are those who have a large face and small eyes; the children of Shem are all those who have a beautiful face and beautiful hair. He said: Noah called so that the hair of the children of Ham would not extend beyond their ears and that whenever his descendants meet the descendants of Shem, [the latter] will enslave them.

(1) Said ibn Salih al-Hajib, colonel of the troops.

(2) Mansur ibn Ja'far al-Khayyat: serving as a military commander and governor until he was killed in battle during the Zanj Rebellion in 872.

(3) Ali b. Aban: 'Ali ibn Aban al-Muhallabi Azdi, the Azd Vizir who had been in the service of the Zanj leader since before the start of the revolt; and would be the one taking over Basra.

(5) al-Khayzuraniyyah: A town on the eastern side of the Tigris above Fam al-Silh, in the district of Wasit.

(6) Muhammad b. al-Hassan b. Sahl: governor of Iraq where he was unable to suppress the Zaydi Alid revolt at Kufa.

(7) Sulayman ibn Musa al-Sha'rani: deputy of the lord of the Zanj who among others was send to lead attacks after the Zanj capital was build; before its building the Zanj leader led the army himself.

(8) Banu Sa'd: was one of the leading royal tribes of Arabia during the Islamic prophet Muhammad's era.

(9) Yahya b. Muhammad al-Bahrani: a client of the Bani Darem. The Zanj leader first settled in Bahrein and after failing to start a revolt there left with his followers (from Bahrein) to Iraq. Yahya b. Muhammad al-Bahrani. All his followers were small craftsman or clients to powerful families.

(10) Nahr Adi: was a channel of the river of Basra till it got separated from it.

(11) Bughraj: commander of a government force of about fifty in basra.

(12) Burayh: commander of a local militia.

(13) Banu Yashkur: originally from Al-Yamama and had control over this region in the pre-Islamic period.

(14) Banu Tamin is one of the tribes of Arabia, mainly present in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, as well as many other parts of the Arab world.

(15) Abbadan: located at the head of the Persian Gulf.

(16) Alawites: or Nusayris are a sect of Shia Islam. The Alawites revere Ali (Ali ibn Abi Talib), considered the first Imam of the Twelver school.

(17) Ali b. Ahmad b. Isa b. Zayd: (774 - 861), is one of the eminent scholars of the Zaydite school. Author of Kitab Us Siyam and Al Amali.

(18) Ahmad b. Isa: (c. 773–861), was one of the well-known ʿAlids during the early ʿAbbasid caliphate and a prominent Zaydi scholar.

(19) Yahya b. Zayd: Alid fugitive and rebel killed in 743. He mobilized people of Khorasan to start an uprising against the Umayyad government.

(20) Samarra: city in Iraq. It stands on the east bank of the Tigris in the Saladin Governorate, 125 kilometers north of Baghdad.

(21) The caliphal regent Abu Ahmad ibn al-Mutawakkil (known by his honorific of al-Muwaffaq) undertook a retaliatory campaign against the Zanj.

(22) This he copied from Ibn Sa’d (845). Its importance is in the fact that it is the first instance that civet is mentioned from the Horn of Africa.

(23) a shorter version of this is given by Al Qazwini (1283).

(24) This is the curse of Ham which is repeated with variations by:

- Ibn Qutayba (880)

- Ibn Wadih al-Ya'qubi (897)

- Al-Kisa'i (d904)

- Al Tabari (922): collects all that was already written about the subject (including denials).

- Eutychius of Alexandria (940)

- Muhammad Bal'ami (10th)

- Grandson of Muhallib bin Muhammad bin Shadi (1126)

- Al Jawzi (1200): he denies the curse.

- Al-Qazwini (1283) in Atar al Bilad

- Al Rabghuzi (1300)

- Al Dimashqi (1325)

- Ibn Khaldun (1406): he denies the curse.

- al Maqrizi (1441)

- Mirkhond (1495)

- Alf layla wa Layla (15th)

- Suyuti (1505): in some of his books refutes it in others he just repeats it.

And many others.

(25) The Lakhmid dynasty, referred to in Arabic as al-Manadhirah or Banu Lakhm, was an Arab kingdom in Southern Iraq and Eastern Arabia, from the late 3rd century to 602 AD.

(26) Abyan: province of Yemen just east of Aden.

(27) Najran: is a city in southwestern Saudi Arabia near the border with Yemen.

(28) Dhu Yazan: was a semi-legendary Himyarite king of Yemen who lived between 516 and 578 CE, known for ending Aksumite rule over Southern Arabia with the help of the Sassanid Empire.

(29) Day of Separation is a term in the Qur'an referring to the Day of Judgement. Exegetes of the Qur'an maintain that the Day of Judgement is referred to as such because it is on this day that the truth and falsehood will be separated.

(30) Hirah: Al-Hirah (4th-7th centuries) served as the capital of the Lakhmids, an Arab vassal kingdom of the Sasanian Empire.