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The deposition of the caliph al-Rashid and the bay'a to al-Muqtafi, 530

خلع الخليفة الراشد وبيعة المقتفي سنة 530

c. August 1136 CE · Dhu al-Qa'da 530 AH

Baghdad

In 530 conflict broke out between Sultan Mas'ud and caliph al-Rashid bi'llah; armies were mustered, the caliph left for Mosul, and Mas'ud entered Baghdad, seized the palace, and produced al-Mustarshid's letter — whoever leaves Baghdad to fight the Sultan has deposed himself — so the jurists who were asked ruled for deposition, and he was deposed on Monday 16 Dhu al-Qa'da by the hakim's ruling and the fuqaha's fatwa, while his uncle al-Muqtafi was summoned and given the caliphate's bay'a 1.

Depth

At a glance

Era
The Buyid, Fatimid and Seljuk Era
Region
Levant & Iraq
Review
Draft Completeness 2/5 · Help complete it

In time

1120113011401150 c.
The Buyid, Fatimid and Seljuk Era · The Crusades, Ayyubids and Mamluks

In space

Baghdad

Map: Natural Earth, public domain · places and route from the graph

Summary

In 530 AH a dispute arose between the sultan Mas'ud and the caliph al-Rashid bi-llah. Troops were gathered, and the caliph went to Mosul 1.

Deposition and allegiance

Sultan Mas'ud entered Baghdad and took the caliphal palace. He produced a document from the father of the caliph al-Mustarshid saying that whoever left Baghdad to fight the sultan had deposed himself. Some jurists issued a ruling, and al-Rashid was deposed on Monday, 16 Dhu al-Qa'da, by the judge's decision and the jurists' opinions. His uncle al-Muqtafi li-Amr Allah was summoned and given the caliphate the same day, which surprised people 1.

Connections

Explore the connections

Occurred at
Baghdad
Had participant
al-Rashid bi-llah Mansur ibn al-Mustarshid· al-Muqtafi li-Amr Allah Muhammad ibn al-Mustazhir· السلطان مسعود بن محمد بن ملكشاه

People and things also explored

The deposition of al-Rashid billah by a jurists' attestation· Mas'ud's seizure of the caliphal property and al-Muqtafi's reply· The Nizamiyya Madrasa of Baghdad· Bayt al-Hikma — the House of Wisdom· The 'Adudi Bimaristan· al-Bimaristan al-Muqtadiri· Bimaristan al-Sayyida· Dar al-'Ilm of Baghdad (Sabur's library)

Sources

  1. Shadharat al-Dhahab — Ibn al-Imad al-Hanbali , p. 574
Cite this page

islam.museum contributors. “The deposition of the caliph al-Rashid and the bay'a to al-Muqtafi, 530”. islam.museum, https://islam.museum/en/event/al-rashid-deposed-530/. CC BY-SA 4.0. Last updated 2026-10-22.

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The deposition of al-Rashid billah by a jurists' attestation

On sultan Mas'ud's return, al-Rashid went out to Mosul; the judges, notables and scholars wrote an instrument of testimony — injustice, seizure of wealth, bloodshed, wine — and asked the jurists whether such a one's imamate holds and whether the sultan of the day may depose him. They fatwa'd the deposition lawful; Ibn al-Karkhi, judge of the city, ruled it, and his uncle Muhammad ibn al-Mustazhir was hailed al-Muqtafi on 16 Dhu'l-Qa'da 530. Ibn al-Jawzi cites al-Suli: people say every sixth caliph is deposed.