The Removal of the Dāʿies

The formation of the ʿAbbāsid Caliphate resulted from the persistent and tireless efforts of the dāʿies, many of whom thought only of ending Umayyad rule and had no clear picture in mind of what should happen afterward. Thus, on the very eve of success, the ʿAbbāsid power saw stubborn rivals who could challenge the power of the newly established caliphate. Yesterday's dāʿies, who had been formed as resources in the Umayyads’ repressive structure and saw the result of their actions favor only the ʿAbbāsid imams, were now gradually becoming serious obstacles to establishing the power of the ʿAbbāsids.

Abu Salama Khallāl and Soleymān ibn Kasir were among these dāiʿes. Many considered Abu Salama and Soleymān to be supporters of ʿAli's family, who had been deceived by the ʿAbbāsids’ secrecy and had accompanied them until the ʿAbbāsids came to power. On the threshold of the revelation of the ʿAbbāsid invitation, Abu Salama consulted with some of Kufa's elders and decided to form a shorā (council) of ʿAli's descendants and ʿAbbāsids so that they could choose someone from themselves to lead the caliphate. But as he was worried about a possible rift between council members, he wrote separate letters to Jaʿfar ibn Sādegh, one of the Shiʿite imams, and ʿAbdollāh ibn Hasan and ʿOmar ibn ʿAli ibn Hosseyn, two ʿAlawite elders, asking them to accept the caliphate. But before the plan came to fruition, Abu Moslem's envoys found the hiding place of Saffāh and swore allegiance to him as the caliph.