The position of Imam Ahmad bin Nasr Al-Khuzai on the Abbasid Authority during the Period of Caliph Al-Wathiq (843-846): The position of Imam Ahmad bin Nasr Al-Khuzai on the Abbasid Authority during the Period of Caliph Al-Wathiq (843-846) Dr. Ali Musaed Ahmed Qayed Al-Huwaidi

Abstract

This research aims at studying the position of Ahmad bin Nasr Al-Khuzai on the Abbasid authority during the era of Al-Wathiq (843 - 847). It also aims at identifying the factors that affected building Al-Khuzai’s personality and thought, and that made him choose the path of change. This study, therefore, identifies the aspects of his personality as well as his efforts to face political tyranny and ideological deviation that encroached through authoritarian power. He started with forming a group for ‘hisba’ (accountability (promotion of virtue and prevention of vice)) during the political vacuum period resulting from the conflict between Al-Ma’mun and his brother Al-Amin. The aim of forming that group was to encounter prostitution and theft. During Al-Wathiq era, however, that group developed to be a political and intellectual organization which aimed to prevent the intellectual and political vices through changing the government system sponsoring those vices. The study presents the outcome of Al-Khuzai’s change movement as well.

This study is divided into two sections. The first section deals with the social, cultural and political factors that formed Al-Khuzai’s thought and personality. The second section, however, tackles Al-Khuzai’s position on Al-Wathiq’s regime; what he did in opposition to that regime and his forming an opposition movement. The study reaches several conclusions. The most important conclusion is that Al-Khuzai’s thought of change was shaped by the political and social conditions that prevailed since the beginning of the third century. Another conclusion is that a political thought reinforces the beliefs of the people seeking change when it is based on religious constants. That leads to real change if the ‘hisba’ work operates in tandem with the true Islamic principles.