Haras (unit)
Haras الحرس | |
---|---|
Active | 660s – 1250s |
Allegiance | Caliphate |
Branch | Caliphal Army |
Type | Personal bodyguards |
Role | The personal bodyguards of the caliphs. Haras members were known to guard the caliph even during private meetings, at night and during prayers at the mosque |
Size | Size of the haras varied |
Equipment | Lances or short spears (hirab), Iron clubs or maces (Umud), Whips, Swords, Chains |
The haras (
Origin
Muhammad era
The Haras were depicted first time during the time of Muhammad, prophet of Islam, where several early Muslim strong man such as Abu Bakr, Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas, Sa'd ibn Mu'adh, Dzakwan ibn al-Qays, Zubayr ibn al-Awwam, Bilal ibn Rabah, Abbad ibn Bishr, and Abu Ayyub al-Ansari served as the prophet's personal Haras.[3][4][5]
Rashidun Caliphate era
During the ascension of Abu Bakar as first caliph and the outbreak of the
Umayyad Caliphate in Damascus
The haras also appeared during the rule of
Emirate of Córdoba
In the Umayyad Emirate of Córdoba, Al-Haras was established by Al-Hakam I, the Umayyad Emir of Córdoba (796-822) in 805.[2] The haras were led by the Visigothic leader of the secular Christians in Cordoba, the Comes (Count) Rabi, son of Theodulf, who also served as the Emir's tax collector.[2] Rabi was later removed and executed by crucifixion for alleged misappropriations.[14]
Professor
Service
Organization
The haras was led by a chief, who frequently also held security-related and administrative positions such as responsibility for the official seal, the office of chamberlain, and office of correspondence.[16] The qualification for the chief position likely include military skills, physical strength, loyalty to the caliph and administrative skills.[17] Most of the known haras chiefs were mawali, freedman of non-Arab background.[18] It was likely that many members were mawlas as well.[18] The reason for choosing non-Arabs was the lack of tribal loyalties that might compromise an Arab's loyalty to the caliph.[16][19] It is not uncommon for a person related to the Haras chief to succeed him.[17]
The size of the haras varied, ranging from 300 during the reign of
Weapon
Accounts concerning the haras mentioned that its members were armed with lances or short spears called hirab (plural of harba) and iron clubs or maces called 'umud.[20] Other accounts also said that the members used whips.[21] The chiefs commonly used swords, and their appointment occasionally were accompanied by ceremonially receiving a sword. [20] The chiefs were also reported to use chains as instrument for torture.[22]
Function
The main role of the haras was to act as the personal bodyguards of the caliphs. Haras members were known to guard the caliph even during private meetings, at night and during prayers at the mosque.[23]
Occasionally, they were also used by the reigning caliph to intimidate political opposition. For example, when Muawiyah demanded that individuals accept his son
See also
- Anglo-Saxon military organization
- Comitatus
- Druzhina
- Fyrd
- Gabiniani
- German Guard
- Hird
- Huskarl
- Rashidun army
- Leidang
- Mannerbund
- Maryannu
- Mesedi
- Somatophylakes
- Thingmen
- Varangian Guard
References
- ^ a b Perlman 2015, p. 327.
- ^ a b c Wolf 2014, p. 13.
- ^ Juriyanto, Moh (2020). "Sahabat yang Menjadi Pengawal dan Penjaga Rasulullah dalam Peperangan". Bincang Syariah. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
- ISBN 9789830977430. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
- ^ "The Guards of the Prophet - I". ISLAMWEB.NET. Doha - Qatar: Qatar Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs. 2013. Retrieved 5 December 2021.
- ^ a b Fahmi, Hadi (2018). "Saad bin Abi Waqas". Mawdoo3. Mawdoo3. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
- ISBN 978-1-4384-0140-9. Retrieved 14 October 2021.
- ^ ISBN 978-90-04-11566-8.
- ^ a b al-Hanbali, Ibn al-Mubarrad (2014). Muhammad Al-Azhari Abu Al-Mundhir, Saleh bin (ed.). Mahd Al-Maram fi Fadil Al-Zubayr bin Al-Awwam [Pure Mercy in the Virtues of Al-Zubayr bin Al-Awwam]. p. 86. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
- ^ a b Fahmi, Hadi (2018). "Saad bin Abi Waqas". Mawdoo3. Mawdoo3. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
- ^ Perlman 2015, p. 317.
- ^ a b Perlman 2015, p. 318.
- ^ a b Perlman 2015, p. 319.
- ^ Wolf 2014, pp. 13–14.
- ^ Beckwith 2009, p. 25.
- ^ a b Perlman 2015, p. 323.
- ^ a b Perlman 2015, p. 324.
- ^ a b Perlman 2015, p. 322.
- ^ Wolf 2014, p. 14.
- ^ a b Perlman 2015, p. 325.
- ^ Perlman 2015, p. 326.
- ^ Perlman 2015, pp. 325–326.
- ^ Perlman 2015, pp. 328–329.
- ^ Perlman 2015, p. 329.
- ^ Perlman 2015, p. 330.
Sources
- Wolf, Kenneth Baxter (8 May 2014). Christian Martyrs in Muslim Spain. ISBN 978-1107634817. Retrieved 30 December 2014.
- ISBN 978-1400829941. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
- Perlman, Yaara (2015). "The Bodyguard of the Caliphs During the Umayyad and the Early Abbasid Periods". Al-Qanṭara. 36 (2): 315–340. ISSN 1988-2955.