Abd al-Rahman ibn Rustam was the first Persian ''

imam Imam (; ar, إمام '; plural: ') is an Islamic leadership position. For Sunni Muslims, Imam is most commonly used as the title of a worship leader of a mosque. In this context, imams may lead Islamic worship services, lead prayers, serve ...

'' of the Imamate of Tiaret and the founder of

Rustamid dynasty The Rustamid dynasty () (or ''Rustumids'', ''Rostemids'') was a ruling house of Ibāḍī imāms of Persian descent centered in Algeria. The dynasty governed as a Muslim theocracy for a century and a half from its capital Tiaret (present day ...

, which existed in central

Maghreb The Maghreb (; ar, الْمَغْرِب, al-Maghrib, lit=the west), also known as the Arab Maghreb ( ar, المغرب العربي) and Northwest Africa, is the western part of North Africa and the Arab world. The region includes Algeria, ...

from about 776 or 778 CE to 908 CE. He was also the founder of the new Tiaret.

Life

Abd al-Rahman was probably born in

Iraq Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...

. His father, Rustam, a Persian man, left Iraq with his son and wife to join the

, but died when he arrived in

Mecca Mecca (; officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, commonly shortened to Makkah ()) is a city and administrative center of the Mecca Province of Saudi Arabia, and the holiest city in Islam. It is inland from Jeddah on the Red Sea, in a narrow v ...

or its surroundings. His mother had remarried a

Kairouan Kairouan (, ), also spelled El Qayrawān or Kairwan ( ar, ٱلْقَيْرَوَان, al-Qayrawān , aeb, script=Latn, Qeirwān ), is the capital of the Kairouan Governorate in Tunisia and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city was founded by t ...

i pilgrim she had met in

and the couple raised Al-Rahman at

. Abd Al-Rahman was a quick and energetic learner, and had studied under Abu Ubaida Muslim in Basra. Abd Al-Rahman became one of the five missionaries who was ultimately responsible for the spread of the Ibadite doctrine in the Maghreb. The first

Imam Imam (; ar, إمام '; plural: ') is an Islamic leadership position. For Sunni Muslims, Imam is most commonly used as the title of a worship leader of a mosque. In this context, imams may lead Islamic worship services, lead prayers, serve ...

of the Ibadites had captured Kairawan from the Warfadjuma warriors and after his conquest, he gave several parts of Ifrikiya to Abd al-Rahman (unfortunately, in June 758- the same year- Ibn al-Asha'ath retook Kairawan). Ibn al-Ash'ath was after him though. Quickly though, Abd Al-Rahman and his son Abd al-Wahhab and their companions took refuge in the central Maghrib and ended up founding the town of Tahert, which is now known as Tagdemt near Kuzul. The city was quickly populated with Ibadite emigrants from Ifrikiya and theDjebel Nefusa. At about 776 or 778 CE, Abd Al-Rahman became the Imamof the Ibadites of Tahert. He seems to have had a very peaceful reign and worked hard to ensure that justice and simplicity were also instilled in Tahert's legal system. The eastern Abadite communities held high respect for him and sent him a number of money and presents, in addition to recognizing his right to an Imamate. He is alleged to have died at about 784 CE and his son Abd Al-Wahhab succeeded him.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Abd Al-Rahman Year of birth missing 784 deaths Ibadi Muslims 8th-century Islamic religious leaders Slave owners