Abdul Wahid Osman Belal
Thu, 26 Jan 2006 15:38:28 -0800
From: Mohamed Bokreta <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: Wed, 25 Jan 2006 12:39:07 +0100 (CET) Subject: The History of Islam in Algeria - Part II.
3. THE EARLY SPREAD OF ISLAM IN ALGERIA.
The great tide coming from the East in the form of the rapid
spread of Islam and the Arab conquest of North Africa during the 7th century
thwarted the expansion of Byzantium and permanently changed the character of
North Africa.
As such, Islam was first brought to Algeria during the Umayyads
dynasty rule following the conquest of Uqba ibn Nafi, in a drawn-out process of
conquest and conversion stretching from 670 to 711. The native Berbers were
rapidly converted in large numbers in view of the simple and high virtues of
the new Religion, although it was said according to some sources that some
Christian and probably pagan communities would remain so at least until Al
Mourabitoun or Almoravid times.
By the late 8th century, most of Algeria was ruled by the Rustomids
dynasty in Tahert (Tiaret), south west of Present Algeria, the founder was
Abdurrahman Ibn Rostom who professed the strictly puritanical and enigmatic
Ibadhia branch, an offshoot of the Kharijite sect, wide and large Muslim
Consensus as well as that of the Ibadhia agree that the Umayyad Caliphs were
immoral usurpers as they wickedly grasped the Caliphate from the more Noble,
Pure and Beloved household of Prophet Mohamed (PBUH).
In 750 the Abbasids, succeeded the Umayyads as Muslim rulers, and
therefore moved the caliphate to Baghdad and re-established caliphal authority
in Ifriqiya appointing Ibrahim ibn al Aghlab as governor in Al Qayrawan
(Present Tunisia) Although nominally serving at the caliph's pleasure, Al
Aghlab and his successors, the Aghlabids, ruled independently until 909,
presiding over a court that became a centre for learning and culture.
Abdurrahman ibn Rostom ruled most of the central Maghrib from Tahert or
Tiaret, the rulers of the Rostomid imamate, which lasted from 761 to 909, each
an Ibadi Kharijite imam, were elected by leading citizens; the imams gained a
reputation for honesty, piety, and justice.
The court at Tahert was noted for its support of scholarship in
mathematics, astronomy, and astrology, as well as theology and law, it was also
noted that the Rostomid Imams, however, failed, by choice or by neglect, to
organize a reliable standing army.
This important factor, accompanied by the dynasty's eventual collapse into
decadence, opened the way for Tahert's demise under the assault of the Fatimids
as they were destroyed by the Fatimids in 909, but their doctrine was
re-established further south by refugees whose descendants would ultimately
found the towns of the Mzab valley specially in present Ghardaya, Guerrara and
Berrayane in the Algerian Sahara, where Ibadhism and until now still dominates
in these regions.
It is a Historical proven fact that the Fatimid Caliphate was proclaimed
on the 09th of January 910 in the Algerian eastern town of Ikjan near Bejaya as
Kutama Berbers were deeply touched and influenced by the cause of the Prophets
Household or Ahl Al Bait and therefore found in this new doctrine a certain
panacea, thus taking a prominent role in the foundation of the Fatimid
Caliphate.
For many years, the Fatimids were attracted by the East and surely their
deepest ambition was to rule the East, the Mashriq, which included Egypt and
Muslim lands beyond, by 969 they had conquered Egypt and in 972 the Fatimid
ruler Al Muizz established the new city of Cairo as his capital.
The Fatimids left the rule of Ifriqiya and most of Algeria to the
Zirids (972-1148). This Berber dynasty, which had founded the towns of Miliana,
Médéa, and Algiers and centred significant local power in Algeria for the first
time, turned over its domain west of Ifriqiya to the Banu Hammad branch of its
family.
The Hammadids ruled from 1011 to 1151, during which time Bejaya ( 200
km East of Algiers), became the most important port in the Maghrib, this period
was marked by constant conflict, political instability, and economic decline.
As such when the Hammadids rejected the Ismaili doctrine and renounced
submission to the Fatimids, they in fact initiated chronic conflict with the
Zirids.
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{Invite (mankind, O Muhammad ) to the Way of your Lord (i.e. Islam) with wisdom
(i.e. with the Divine Inspiration and the Qur'an) and fair preaching, and argue
with them in a way that is better. Truly, your Lord knows best who has gone
astray from His Path, and He is the Best Aware of those who are guided.}
(Holy Quran-16:125)
{And who is better in speech than he who [says: "My Lord is Allah (believes in
His Oneness)," and then stands straight (acts upon His Order), and] invites
(men) to Allah's (Islamic Monotheism), and does righteous deeds, and says: "I
am one of the Muslims."} (Holy Quran-41:33)
The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "By Allah, if
Allah guides one person by you, it is better for you than the best types of
camels." [al-Bukhaaree, Muslim]
The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) also said, "Whoever
calls to guidance will have a reward similar to the reward of the one who
follows him, without the reward of either of them being lessened at all."
[Muslim, Ahmad, Aboo Daawood, an-Nasaa'ee, at-Tirmidhee, Ibn Maajah]
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