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THE ORIGINS OF THE ISLAMIC STATE

was defeated with his army and were pursued by the men of al-Aghlab for three days, during which many were killed, including Ḥarîsh himself, who fell in a place called Sûḳ al-Aḥad. Al-Aghlab after this was called "the martyr" [ash-Shahîd].

Ibrâhîm ibn-al-Aghlab, one of the leading men of the Egyptian army, arose one day with twelve men and carried away from the treasury the exact value of their subsistence allowances and no more. They ran away to a place called az-Zâb which lay at a distance of more than ten days from al-Ḳairawân. The ʿâmil of this frontier region, at that time under ar-Rashîd Hârûn, was Harthamah ibn-Aʿyan.[1] Ibrâhîm ibn-al-Aghlab assumed the commandership of the troops that were in that region and offered presents to Harthamah, showing him kindness and telling him in writing that he did not rebel or disobey, but was rather forced to what he did by urgency and necessity. Harthamah assigned him to be governor of the region and intrusted to him its affairs.

When Harthamah's resignation from the governorship of this region [Ifrîḳiyah] was accepted, he was succeeded by ibn-al-ʿAkki.[2] whose rule was so bad that the people rose up against him. Ar-Rashîd consulted Harthamah regarding a man whom he could assign to that post and intrust to him its management, and Harthamah advised him that Ibrâhîm be reconciled, won over and appointed over the region. Accordingly, ar-Rashîd wrote to Ibrâhîm, stating that he had forgiven him his crime, excused his fault and thought it wise to assign him to the governorship of al-Maghrib as an act of favor, expecting to receive from him loyalty and good counsel. Ibrâhîm became ruler of the region and managed its affairs thoroughly.

  1. Kindi, p. 136.
  2. ʿAdhâri, vol. i, p. 80.