IX.-XI. century Qarmatians political, social and economical activites

Qaramita is the name applied to a dissident Muslim group, that broke away from the lsma'ili movement. At first, this name referred to the followers of Hamdan al- Qarmat, an Isma'ili da'i in the rural district of Kufa, who was given the surname Qarmat. The missionary activities of Hamdan, who was converted to the Ismaili cause by the da'i Ahwazi, began around AD. 873. He was assited by his deputy and brother- in-law Abdan. In 899, because of change in the central leadership of the Ismai'li movement and the doctrinal issue involved in this change, Hamdan severed his relations with the leadership. Shortly thereafter, he disappeared, and Abdan was murdered by his subordinate dai Zikrawayh, who at fisrt gave allegiance to the central leadership. In 902 Zikrawayh's son succeded in winnning the support of the tribes in the Syrian desert and attacted and pillaged several cities in Syria. The followers of da'wa in Syria- Mezopotamia and western Persia refused to recognize Ubeydullah al-Mahdi claims to the imamate and instead supported the Qaramita. The da'wa in Yaman at first remained loyal to the central leadership. The dais in Bahrayn, founded the Qarmati state in Bahreyn. Abu Said al-Jannabi who was sent to Bahrayn by Hamdan Qarmat and Abdan, is the founder of the Qarmati state in Bahreyn. He began his missionary activitiy in 886/7. Finally, Sultan Mahmud of Ghaznavi (388-421/998-1030), fought Qarmatians of Multan and Sind. The same applies to the Saljuks. In 1077-1078, after a long siege al-Hasa was lost to an emerging local tribe that was supported by Saljuks, thus ending the Qarmat rule of almost two centries. The Qaramita were a powerful movement that shook Islamic World. The Qaramita constituted a messianic movement promising a better future with the rule of justice and equtiy; hence the social character of their preaching is undeniable. The fourth century of Islamic history, known for the flowering of Islamic civilization, witnessed a dramatic Qarmati ascendancy to power, in Kufa, Syria, Ray, Khurasan, Transaxonia, Multan, Sind, Yaman and Bahrayn. It was during this period that the Qaramita, representing a powerful and radical revolutionary movement, also succeeded