Ibrahim ibn al-Mahdi إبراهيم بن المهدي | |||||
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Born | 779 Baghdad, Abbasid Caliphate | ||||
Died | 839 Baghdad/Samarra, Abbasid Caliphate | ||||
Spouse | Umm Muhammad (divorced around 800) | ||||
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Dynasty | Abbasid | ||||
Father | Al-Mahdi | ||||
Mother | Shakla | ||||
Religion | Islam | ||||
Occupation | Singer, Composer, Arabic poet |
Ibrāhīm ibn al-Mahdī (Arabic: إبراهيم بن المهدي; 779–839) was an Abbasid prince, singer, composer and poet. He was the son of the third Abbasid caliph, al-Mahdi, and the half-brother of the poet and musician Ulayya.[1] Ibrahim was contemporary of Abbasid caliph al-Hadi, al-Rashid and his three nephews caliph al-Amin, al-Ma'mun, al-Mu'tasim.
Ibrahim was the son of Abbasid caliph al-Mahdi, he was born during the Caliphate of his father. His full name was Ibrahim ibn Muhammad al-Mahd ibn Abdallah al-Mansur.
Ibrahim's mother was Shaklah, a Negress.[2] Her father was Khwanadan, steward of Masmughan.[3] She had a brother named Humayd.[4] She was acquired by Al-Mahdi together with Al-Bahtariyah, when she was a child. He presented her to his concubine Muhayyat, who, discovering a musical talent in the child, sent her to the famous school of Taif in the Hijaz for a thorough musical education. Years later Al-Mahdi, then caliph, took her as his concubine. She gave birth to Al-Mahdi's powerful and dark-skinned son Ibrahim.[5]
Umm Muhammad was the daughter of Salih al-Miskin and Umm Abdullah bint Isa ibn Ali. She married Harun in November-December 803 in Al-Raqqah. She had been formerly been married to Ibrahim, who had repudiated her.[6]
During the Fourth Fitna, Ibrahim was proclaimed caliph on 20 July 817 by the people of Baghdad, who gave him the regnal name of al-Mubarak (Arabic: المبارك) and declared his reigning nephew al-Ma'mun deposed. Ibrahim received the allegiance of the Hashemites.[7] He had to resign in 819, and spent the rest of his life as a poet and a musician. He is remembered as "one of the most gifted musicians of his day, with a phenomenal vocal range",[1] and a promoter of the then innovative 'Persian style' of song, 'which was characterized inter alia by redundant improvisation'.[8]
Ibrahim died in 839 during the Caliphate of his younger nephew al-Mu'tasim.
Ibrahim was related to several Abbasid caliphs. He was also contemporary to several Abbasid caliphs, princess and princesses. Ibrahim was at one point married to Abbasid princess Umm Muhammad.
No. | Abbasids | Relation |
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1 | Musa al-Hadi | Half-brother |
2 | Harun al-Rashid | Half-brother |
3 | Abbasa bint al-Mahdi | Half-sister |
4 | Ubaydallah ibn al-Mahdi | Half-brother |
5 | Ulayya bint al-Mahdi | Half-sister |
6 | Banuqa bint al-Mahdi | Half-sister |
7 | Mansur ibn al-Mahdi | Half-brother |
8 | Aliyah bint al-Mahdi | Half-sister |
9 | Ali ibn al-Mahdi | Half-brother |
10 | Abdallah ibn al-Mahdi | Half-brother |
11 | Isa ibn al-Mahdi[9] | Half-brother |