The Doctrine of Mahdism in al-Andalus between the 2nd and 6th Centuries AH / 8th and 12th Centuries AD

Abstract

The idea of Mahdism, in the course of Islamic history, is one of the topics that formed a central debate from its emergence and throughout later periods. It also exerted a doctrinal impact on the paths of the sects and schools that adopted it. This was due to the many figures who claimed or embraced this belief in accordance with their intellectual, sectarian, and political orientations. Many opponents of the existing order used it in their quest to reach power. Other groups used it as a means to call for a return to the glory of the ancestors. Still others regarded it as a doctrine that sought change and reform after they had suffered the scourges of injustice and oppression. In this article, the focus is placed on the land of al-Andalus. The study examines the factors that contributed to the emergence of the idea. It considers the composition of Andalusian society and its effect on the growth of conflict among its different groups. It also examines the presence of the Shiite school in al-Andalus, given the stimulus that this school provided for the spread of the idea. The article further discusses the political and social conditions in the region and their role in the growth of the idea of salvation. This idea was among the strongest reasons that created, among its advocates and followers, a readiness to rally around claimants to Mahdism through the stages in which Andalusian history witnessed this type of movement.