The Largest Slave Rebellion Against the Caliphate - ANIMATED HISTORY

Summary

The video delves into the Zanj Rebellion, a massive slave revolt that shook the Abbasid Caliphate in the 9th century. It explores the harsh conditions endured by East African slaves, known as the Zanj, who were forced to work in southern Iraq's marshlands. Led by Ali ibn Muhammad, the rebellion saw thousands of slaves and poor freemen rise up against their masters, ultimately challenging the Abbasid rule. Despite its defeat, the revolt had lasting effects on the region and the decline of large-scale plantation slavery in the Arab world.

Takeaways

• 📜 Slavery was a widespread practice throughout history, including in the Arab world, continuing until the 20th century.
• ⚔️ The Zanj Rebellion, which occurred in the 9th century in southern Iraq, was the largest slave revolt in Islamic history.
• 🛡️ The Zanj were East African slaves, mostly of Bantu origin, who were forced to work in extremely harsh conditions, including draining swamps and cultivating crops.
• 🚨 Harsh living and working conditions fostered a sense of solidarity among the Zanj, leading to multiple uprisings, with the major rebellion beginning in 869.
• 👑 Ali ibn Muhammad was a pivotal figure in the Zanj Rebellion, claiming to be a descendant of Imam Ali and promising to improve the conditions of the slaves.
• 🏰 The Zanj established their own capital, Al Mukhtar, and minted their own currency, demonstrating their organizational strength.
• ⚔️ The rebellion saw early successes due to guerrilla tactics, discipline, and the rebels' deep knowledge of the marshlands.
• 🛑 The Abbasids eventually responded with significant military force, leading to the siege and fall of Al Mukhtar in 883, ending the rebellion.
• 🌍 The Zanj Rebellion highlighted racial discrimination within the Caliphate, where black slaves were seen as inferior and treated more harshly than others.
• 🏴 The rebellion contributed to the decline of the Abbasid Caliphate, as the devastation in southern Iraq led to reduced food production and tax revenues.

Q & A

What was the significance of the Zanj Rebellion in Islamic history?

The Zanj Rebellion was the largest slave revolt in Islamic history, shaking the Abbasid Caliphate to its core. It highlighted the severe conditions of African slaves in Southern Iraq and had long-term consequences, including the decline of large-scale plantation slavery in the Arab world.

Who were the Zanj, and why were they significant in the context of the rebellion?

The Zanj were African slaves, primarily of Bantu origin, who were brought to Southern Iraq to work in harsh conditions. Their significance lies in their role as the main participants in the rebellion, which was fueled by their brutal treatment and the solidarity they developed in response.

How did the Abbasid Caliphate's internal and external challenges contribute to the Zanj Rebellion?

The Abbasid Caliphate was weakened by various crises, including civil wars, secession of territories, and external pressures. These challenges created a 'perfect storm' that allowed the Zanj Rebellion to gain momentum and threaten the Caliphate's stability.

Who was Ali ibn Muhammad, and what role did he play in the Zanj Rebellion?

Ali ibn Muhammad was the leader of the Zanj Rebellion. He capitalized on the unrest in Southern Iraq and became a catalyst for the revolt, rallying the slaves with promises of better conditions and adopting the egalitarian doctrine of the Kharijite sect.

What were the living and working conditions like for the Zanj slaves in Southern Iraq?

The Zanj slaves lived in extremely harsh conditions, performing backbreaking labor such as draining swamps, cleaning salt flats, and cultivating crops. They lived in squalid camps in malaria-infested marshlands and survived on meager diets.

What strategies did the Zanj use to achieve early victories against the Abbasid forces?

The Zanj used their knowledge of the marshlands, employed guerrilla tactics against smaller, isolated units, and maintained a disciplined force despite their lack of proper arms and armor. These strategies allowed them to secure early victories and acquire supplies.

How did the Zanj Rebellion impact the Abbasid Caliphate?

The Zanj Rebellion exacerbated the decline of the Abbasid Caliphate by devastating agricultural lands in Southern Iraq, leading to reduced food production and tax revenues. The rebellion also forced the Abbasids to focus their military efforts on quelling the uprising.

What was the outcome of the Zanj Rebellion, and how did it end?

The Zanj Rebellion ended in 883 when Abbasid forces, led by al-Muwaffaq, besieged and captured the rebel capital, al-Mukhtara. The rebellion's leader, Ali ibn Muhammad, was beheaded, and the rebellion was crushed.

Why did the Zanj Rebellion not aim to abolish slavery entirely?

The Zanj Rebellion aimed to improve the conditions of the slaves rather than abolish slavery entirely. Ali ibn Muhammad, the rebellion's leader, promised wealth and slaves to his followers, indicating that the goal was more about shifting the power dynamics rather than ending the institution of slavery.

What were the long-term consequences of the Zanj Rebellion?

The Zanj Rebellion had several long-term consequences, including the decline of large-scale plantation slavery in the Arab world and the further weakening of the Abbasid Caliphate, contributing to its eventual decline.

Outlines

00:00

📜 The Persistence of Slavery in the Arab World

Slavery was a common practice across nations and cultures, including in Arabia, where it persisted until the 20th century. Despite the rise of Islam and its introduction of rules that slightly mitigated the cruelty of slavery, the institution remained in place. In the 9th century, the oppressive conditions led to a massive slave rebellion in the marshlands of southern Iraq, challenging the Abbasid Caliphate. The video introduces the Zanj Rebellion, the largest slave revolt in Islamic history, and discusses its historical significance and the importance of supporting the content through memberships and patronage.

05:05

🌍 The Origins of the Zanj and Their Struggles

The term 'Zanj' referred to East African slaves of Bantu origin, although it likely encompassed various African ethnic groups. During the Abbasid Caliphate's golden age, thousands of black slaves were imported to Iraq, forced into brutal labor in marshlands, and subjected to harsh living conditions. These slaves lived in squalor, and their shared suffering fostered a sense of solidarity that led to several uprisings. The earlier revolts of 689 and 694 set the stage for the larger Zanj Rebellion in 869, as the Abbasid Caliphate was weakening under internal and external pressures.

10:09

⚔️ Ali ibn Muhammad and the Spark of Rebellion

Ali ibn Muhammad, a figure of uncertain origins, became the catalyst for the Zanj Rebellion. He claimed to be a descendant of Ali ibn Abi Talib and gained popularity in Bahrain before fleeing to Basra. There, he capitalized on local unrest and began recruiting slaves, promising them freedom and justice. The rebellion officially began on September 9, 869, as Ali ibn Muhammad led the Zanj slaves in a struggle against their oppressors. Despite early victories and the establishment of a rebel capital, Al Mukhtar, the rebellion ultimately faced increasing resistance from the Abbasid forces.

15:14

🏰 The Rise and Fall of the Zanj Rebellion

The Zanj Rebellion, marked by early successes, saw the rebels build their own capital, Al Mukhtar, and mint their own currency. However, as the rebellion grew, the Abbasid Caliphate responded with greater force, leading to a series of battles. Despite their initial gains, including the capture of Basra, the Zanj forces were eventually besieged and defeated. The rebellion highlighted the racial discrimination within the Caliphate, as black slaves bore the brunt of the harshest conditions. Though the rebellion failed, it had lasting consequences, particularly in diminishing large-scale plantation slavery in the Arab world and contributing to the decline of the Abbasid Caliphate.

Keywords

💡Zanj Rebellion

The Zanj Rebellion was a major slave revolt that occurred in southern Iraq during the 9th century. It was led by Ali ibn Muhammad and involved thousands of East African slaves who worked under brutal conditions. The rebellion was significant because it challenged the Abbasid Caliphate's authority and exposed the harsh realities of slavery in the Arab world.

💡Ali ibn Muhammad

Ali ibn Muhammad was the leader of the Zanj Rebellion. He is depicted as either a hero for the oppressed or an opportunist who capitalized on the unrest in Iraq to gain power. His role was crucial in uniting the Zanj slaves and organizing the revolt against the Abbasid Caliphate, although his ultimate goals did not include abolishing slavery but improving conditions for those under his command.

💡Abbasid Caliphate

The Abbasid Caliphate was the ruling dynasty during the time of the Zanj Rebellion. This Islamic empire, which ruled over much of the Muslim world, was experiencing significant internal and external challenges during the 9th century, making it vulnerable to revolts like the Zanj Rebellion. The decline of the Abbasid Caliphate was accelerated by the rebellion.

💡Slavery in the Arab World

Slavery was a widespread practice in the Arab world, including during the Abbasid Caliphate. The Zanj Rebellion highlighted the harsh and inhumane conditions faced by African slaves, particularly in Southern Iraq, where they were subjected to extreme labor. The video underscores how slavery persisted in the Arab world until the 20th century, despite Islamic rules intended to mitigate its cruelty.

💡Basra

Basra was a key city in Southern Iraq that played a central role in the Zanj Rebellion. It was an important location due to its strategic and economic significance. The rebels attempted to capture Basra multiple times, and its eventual fall to the Zanj marked a critical point in the rebellion. Basra’s capture led to a significant massacre and further threatened the stability of the Abbasid Caliphate.

💡Kharijite Sect

The Kharijite sect is an Islamic sect that believes in the egalitarian principle that the most qualified person, regardless of their social status or ethnicity, should lead. Ali ibn Muhammad adopted this doctrine during the Zanj Rebellion to unite the slaves and gain their support, which is indicative of his strategy to appeal to the oppressed Zanj slaves by promising them better social standing.

💡Al-Mukhtara

Al-Mukhtara was the fortified capital city built by the Zanj rebels under Ali ibn Muhammad’s leadership. It was strategically designed to be an impregnable stronghold and served as the headquarters for the rebellion. The city's fall in 883 marked the end of the Zanj Rebellion, leading to the capture and execution of Ali ibn Muhammad.

💡Guerrilla Warfare

Guerrilla warfare refers to the irregular military tactics used by the Zanj rebels to combat the superior forces of the Abbasid Caliphate. The Zanj, aware of their disadvantages in direct combat, used their knowledge of the marshlands to engage in hit-and-run attacks, which initially allowed them to secure key victories against the Caliphate's forces.

💡Racial Hierarchy

Racial hierarchy in the Abbasid Caliphate is highlighted in the video as a factor that contributed to the Zanj Rebellion. Black African slaves, who were perceived as inferior and assigned the harshest labor, were at the bottom of this hierarchy. This racial discrimination fueled the sense of solidarity among the Zanj and was a significant driver of the rebellion.

💡Al-Muwaffaq

Al-Muwaffaq was the brother of the Abbasid Caliph and the military commander who led the campaign to suppress the Zanj Rebellion. His strategic leadership, including the use of a blockade and the construction of a rival city to Al-Mukhtara, played a critical role in the eventual defeat of the Zanj rebels and the recapture of territory lost to the rebellion.

Highlights

Slavery persisted in the Arab world until the 20th century, despite the rise of Islam bringing in rules to make the practice less inhumane.

The Zanj Rebellion was a colossal insurrection that erupted in the marshlands of southern Iraq, challenging the Abbasid Caliphate in the 9th century.

Zanj slaves, imported from East Africa, endured brutal working conditions in Iraq, such as draining swamps, cleaning salt flats, and cultivating cotton and sugar cane.

The harsh living and working conditions created solidarity among Zanj slaves, leading to organized resistance and rebellions.

The 869 Zanj Rebellion began under the leadership of Ali ibn Muhammad, who promised to improve the living conditions of the slaves.

Ali ibn Muhammad claimed lineage from Ali ibn Abi Talib and initially gained popularity in Bahrain before moving to Basra to capitalize on ongoing conflicts.

The Zanj rebellion saw rapid growth, with 15,000 slaves and poor freemen joining by the end of the year, and Ali ibn Muhammad becoming known as the Master of the Zanj.

The Zanj army, although multi-ethnic and lacking proper arms, managed early victories through guerrilla warfare and discipline, even involving Zanj women in battles.

The Zanj established their capital, Al Mukhtar, an impregnable citadel southeast of Basra, from where they continued their rebellion.

In 871, the Zanj captured Basra, resulting in a massacre, and continued their campaign, pushing within 50 miles of Baghdad.

The Abbasids, threatened by the rebellion, launched a focused campaign against the Zanj, eventually defeating them in 883.

The Zanj Rebellion was not a rebellion to abolish slavery but rather to improve the conditions of the slaves under Ali ibn Muhammad.

Racial discrimination played a significant role in the rebellion, with black African slaves being treated worse than their white counterparts.

Despite its defeat, the Zanj Rebellion had major consequences, including the end of large-scale plantation slavery in the Arab world.

The rebellion also exacerbated the decline of the Abbasid regime by devastating agricultural lands in Southern Iraq, leading to decreased food production and tax revenues.

Transcripts

Slavery is a grimly ubiquitous feature of human  history, common across all nations and cultures,  

and Arabia is no exception. While the  rise of Islam came with the introduction  

of slavery-related rules which made the practice  a touch less inhumane, the ugly reality is that  

this horrible phenomenon persisted in the Arab  world right up until the 20th century. Of course,  

so long as men are kept in chains, so too will  they fight to be free of them. So it was that  

in the 9th century, a colossal insurrection  erupted in the marshlands of southern Iraq,  

spiraling into a massive conflict which would  shake the mighty Abbasid Caliphate to its very  

core. Welcome to our video on the Zanj Rebellion,  the largest slave revolt in Islamic history.

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Before we dive into the rebellion itself,  we need to provide some context on who the  

titular Zanj were. Traditionally, Zanj is  considered to be an ethnic exonym referring  

to East African slaves of Bantu origin. However,  the Zanj were likely not a specific ethnicity,  

but rather a generalized term coined by Arab  and Persians for many African linguistic and  

cultural groups who lived on the Eastern coast  of the continent. Whatever the nomenclature,  

it is true that during the golden age of the  Abbasid Caliphate, thousands of black slaves  

were imported from East Africa into Iraq to work  in extremely brutal and inhospitable conditions.  

Generally, they were used to drain swamps and  marshlands, clean salt flats by removing the  

salt crust, extract salt from seawater, and  subsequently cultivate cotton and sugar cane  

on the lands they reclaimed. On top of the  backbreaking labour they were forced to do,  

the Zanj also lived in miserable conditions.  Often living in camps of 500 to 5000,  

they sheltered in small huts made of reeds  and palm leaves situated amidst the marshlands  

they worked in, which were breeding grounds for  malaria-carrying mosquitoes. As one might expect,  

the Zanj slaves’ diet was as meager as his  accommodations, as he was made to subsist only  

on a small amount of flour, semolina, and dates. By and large, these harsh living and working  

conditions created a sense of solidarity among the  slaves working in Southern Iraq, uniting peoples  

of different ethnic, linguistic, and religious  origins under the ignoble burden of their shared  

chains. This paved the way for organized  resistance. In 689 and 694, the Zanj slaves  

revolted against their masters. Sources from this  era are scant about these rebellions, but the fact  

they occurred at all proved that Southern Iraq  was a breeding ground for future slave rebellions. 

The rebellions of the seventh century were but  preludes to a much larger and deadlier revolt,  

which began two centuries later, in 869. At  the time, the Abbasid Caliphate was slowly  

disintegrating: its Iberian possessions had been  usurped by a Prince of their traditional dynastic  

rival, the Umayyads. Moreover, the Idrisid Dynasty  had overthrown Caliphal rule in Morocco in the  

late 8th century, while the Aghlabid Dynasty  ended Abbasid rule in North Africa in the early  

9th century. To compound matters, independent  states were also forming on the Eastern frontier  

of the Caliphate in Persia and Central Asia. Other  crises, such as the decade of Anarchy in Samarra,  

civil wars in the heart of the Empire, the killing  of the caliph al-Mutazz, the secession of Egypt  

under the Tulunid Dynasty and the expansion  of the Saffarids in Persia all contributed to  

the perfect storm which led to ideal conditions  for a slave rebellion in Southern Iraq. Indeed,  

the treatment of the Zanj slaves had not improved  since the rebellions of the 7th century. More and  

more slaves were being imported from East Africa  to work in harsh conditions of Southern Iraq,  

which only exacerbated the existing grievances.  It is here at this critical junction that a man  

named Ali ibn Muhammad enters onto the scene. Some  portray him as the hero of the enslaved, while  

others see him only as an opportunist, who saw the  unrest in Iraq as a perfect environment to gain  

more political capital. Whatever his motivations,  Ali ibn Muhammad was nonetheless the critical  

catalyst of the Zanj rebellion, so before we dive  into the rebellion proper, let us first examine  

the backstory of the man who would ignite it. Ali ibn Muhammad’s origins are unclear. He himself  

asserted that he was born to the lineage of Ali  ibn Abi Talib, who in Shi’a Islam is considered  

the rightful successor to the Prophet for the  seat of the Caliphate. Other sources, however,  

have argued that he was of Persian origin.  In any case, Ali ibn Muhammad first became  

significant in 863, when he moved to Bahrain,  one of the most important Shiite centers in the  

Caliphate. This is where he claimed to be related  to Imam Ali, and as a result, he quickly became  

popular among the local tribes and the general  population. At one point they started revering  

Ali ibn Muhammad as a prophet and king, and taxes  started being collected in his name. This attempt  

for political glory failed when the Abbasids  took notice of Ali’s antics and defeated an  

army of his supporters in battle. As a result, Ali  lost his credibility in Bahrain and fled to Basra,  

in Southern Iraq with his closest followers.  There he intended to capitalize on the ongoing  

struggle of two clans in the city by winning the  support of one of the groups, while attempting  

to rebuild his religious following by personally  preaching a sermon at the main mosque of Basra,  

this was obviously seen as rabble-rousing by the  local authorities, who put him and his companions  

under arrest. Ali ibn Muhammad was imprisoned  in Wasit, but he was able to flee and made his  

way to Baghdad with his loyal associate, a black  freeman named Sulaman ibn Jami. There they started  

recruiting the local slaves to his cause. One  of these slaves was an African Rayhan ibn Salih,  

who was something of a foreman, in charge of his  master’s other slaves, who were based in Basra.  

Perhaps seeing the slaves of Basra as his path to  power, Ali promised to make Rayhan his commander  

in a fight to win justice for the Zanj slaves.  It is said that the next day, Rayhan returned  

with another slave named Rafiq, who brought with  him a banner saying: “God has purchased the souls  

of believers and their property, for they have  attained to paradise fighting in the way of God”. 

On 9 September 869 the Zanj Rebellion began,  when Ali ibn Muhammad and his group started  

intercepting groups of slaves in Basra marshlands,  preaching to them to join their struggle. Ali  

vowed to fight to improve the living conditions  of these slaves and called himself their saviour,  

sent by Allah. To that end, he adopted the  egalitarian doctrine of the Kharijite sect,  

which stated that the most qualified man should  reign, even if he was an Abyssinian slave. By  

the end of the year, 15,000 slaves and poor  freemen joined the Zanj rebellion. As their  

symbolic spearhead, Ali ibn Muhammad became  known as Sahib al-Zanj, the Master of the Zanj,  

and started his Friday sermons with the Kharijite  slogan “God is great, God is great, there is no  

God but Allah and God is great, no arbitration  except by God”. During his sermons he pledged to  

improve the social standing of the Zanj slaves and  promised them wealth and slaves of their own. This  

demonstrates that the goal of Ali and the Zanj  rebellion was not to abolish slavery entirely,  

but rather to improve the conditions of  the specific slaves serving under him. 

Initially, the Abbasids did not pay much attention  to the Zanj rebellion, mired as they were in many  

other aforementioned crises of the time. This  allowed the Zanj to score some important early  

victories, despite an apparent lack in proper arms  and armour. It is said that in one of the first  

major battles between the rebels and Caliphal  forces, one of the Zanj rebels charged into  

battle with nothing but a plate, demonstrating  both the resoluteness of the rebels and their  

poor equipment. Nevertheless, Early victories  against smaller imperial units allowed the Zanj  

to gain supplies of weapons, boats, horses and  food. It should be noted that during all this,  

Ali had to command his army through the use  of several interpreters, demonstrating that  

the Zanj rebellion did not consist of a single  ethnic or language group, and was probably a mix  

of black slaves of different ethnic backgrounds.  As previously touched upon, the Zanj rebellion  

consisted not only of slaves, but also a smaller  number of poor freemen, urban craftsmen and  

peasants. Nevertheless, the indentured made up the  bulk of Zanj forces, as hundreds and thousands of  

liberated slaves joined their ranks after every  victory. For the Caliphate, perhaps the worst blow  

of all came when the black slave soldiers in their  army began deserting to join the insurrection. 

Early Zanj victories were possible due to a number  of factors. Firstly, the Zanj knew the marshlands  

very well, and this familiarity created an  important advantage against the Caliphate  

armies. Secondly, the Zanj were aware of their  own weaknesses, and preferred to use guerilla  

warfare against smaller, more isolated units of  Abbasid troops instead of facing the imperial  

army head on. Third, despite their nature as  a multi-ethnic group of irregular militias,  

the Zanj army was very disciplined, and used  this advantage to maximum effect. Even Zanj  

women took part in some of the battles,  mainly by helping their men run supplies,  

but sometimes also throwing bricks at the enemy. After a rush of initial successes, which saw  

the rebels take the ports of Uballa and Abadan,  the Zanj turned their attention to an important  

city of the region - Basra. However, their first  attempt to take this bastion failed, so instead,  

they decided to build their own capital  city on a dry plain Southeast of Basra,  

calling it Al Mukhtar, the Elect City. Al Mukhtar  was built to be an impregnable citadel: it was  

surrounded by several canals, the largest of which  was divided by two bridges, and was enclosed by a  

large iron chain and two large barriers. Catapults  protected the city, which consisted of clusters  

of buildings built out of bricks and palm leaves,  the largest of which were Ali's palace, a mosque,  

a prison and several markets in the city center.  Only two years after the start of their rebellion,  

the Zanj started to mint their own currency,  which was used for trade with Bedouin merchants,  

upon whom the rebels heavily depended on for  provision food and other crucial provisions. 

Not content with their improvised but surprisingly  sophisticated capital, the Zanj rebellion marched  

on in 871, when it finally took Basra in September  of that year. The capture of the city resulted in  

an indiscriminate massacre of its inhabitants. The  Arab historian Al-Masudi claims that the Zanj left  

300,000 corpses in their wake, but that number  was probably exaggerated. In any case, the Zanj  

continued causing problems to the Caliphate by  cutting off Baghdad’s supply lines from the South.  

Then, in the following year, the rebels took Wasit  and its surroundings, managing to extend their  

territory to within 50 miles of Baghdad. With  the rebels now so close to their most spiritually  

significant city, the Abbasids had no other option  but to focus on the Zanj, who had become a real  

threat to their rule and the Caliphal status quo. In 880 the Caliph’s brother, al-Muwaffaq, was sent  

to defeat the Zanj army. In addition to ground  troops, his forces consisted of a large fleet  

which was important to ensure the blockade of the  Zanj and the mobile movement of the Caliphate’s  

army in tough terrain. In a couple of years  al-Muwaffaq managed to inflict several defeats  

on the Zanj, pushing them back into their capital  city of al-Mukhtara. Thus, he commenced with the  

blockade of the city. Merchants bringing supplies  to al-Mukhtara were prevented from doing so,  

which soon resulted in widespread starvation  within the city walls. To further put on the  

pressure, Al-Muwaffaq built a fort city of his own  facing al-Mukhtara, and named it al-Muwafaqiyya.  

From there, he hurled molten lead at the Zanj  capital. Seeking to end this conflict quickly,  

Al-Muwaffaq offered amnesty to the Zanj rebels,  promising they would not be returned to slavery  

in an attempt to break their resolve to fight  to the death. In 883, another Abbasid commander,  

Lulu, requested to join forces with al-Muwaffaq.  This swelled the numbers of the besieging army  

to a whopping 50,000, and on the 5th of August  883, the united Caliphal forces launched a full  

frontal assault on the rebel city. After six days  of battle, al-Mukhtara fell, Ali ibn Muhammad was  

beheaded, and the Zanj rebellion was over. At the end of the day, the Zanj rebellion  

is a hard conflict to define. As we have  established, it was not a rebellion of  

any particular ethnic group, nor did it aim to  end slavery in the Caliphate. It was probably  

a reactionary rebellion, ignited in response  to all the injustice suffered by the slaves  

working in the Basra marshlands, but without  any concrete revolutionary or political goals  

like abolishing slavery or democratizing  the governance in the Caliphate. The racial  

element of the rebellion is very important  to consider as well, as the vast majority of  

people participating in the Zanj rebellion  were black slaves from Sub-Saharan Africa.  

A racial hierarchy existed among the slaves of  the Caliphate, as white slaves were generally  

more expensive and considered more able than their  black counterparts. It is not a coincidence then,  

that black African slaves were imported to work  in the Southern Iraqi marshlands, which might  

have been the toughest place to be a slave in the  Caliphate. There is a long list of indicators of  

the existence of racial discrimination in the  Caliphate, perhaps best embodied in a common  

Arab proverb of the time: “The hungry Zanj  steals; the sated Zanj rapes”. According to  

the Muslim theologist of the 8th century Hasan  Al-Basri “The worst of slaves are the Zanj”.  

Overall, Muslim theologists, rulers, and thinkers  tried to justify their racial discrimination  

in various ways. One of which was through  interpreting the Biblical story in which Ham,  

the son of Noah was cursed, and his descendants,  the Sub-Saharan Africans, had black skin as the  

sign of this curse. Another was to rely on the  Aristotelian assertion that slaves were slaves by  

nature. Undoubtedly, such blatant discrimination  played a major role in the rebellion, and seeing  

a constant influx of slaves with the same colour  as themselves definitely increased the sense of  

racial solidarity among the Zanj. Ali ibn Muhammad  probably understood this, as he constantly  

surrounded himself with black generals to lead the  rebellion. Indeed, as the rebellion went on, Ali  

gradually became less active in its leadership.  The construction of Al Mukhtara, for example,  

was likely the exclusive work of black slaves. Despite its defeat, the Zanj rebellion had several  

major consequences. For ome thing, large  scale plantation slavery, which we would  

see later in history in the Americas, would never  be practiced again in the Arab World. The effect  

the rebellion had on exacerbating the decline of  the Abbasid regime can not be understated either,  

as the agricultural lands of Southern Iraq were  devastated, leading to major decreases in food  

production and tax revenues for the throne. The  decline of the Abbasid Caliphate only continued  

after this, which we are going to describe in  our future episodes. More videos on Islamic  

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