Uyūni Government of Bahrain (Analytic Study Of origins History and )Beliefs

This study deals with grounds, history and beliefs of the ‘Uyūnī Government of Bahrain, factors of fall of this government, identifying the intellectual fields (theology, tradition, jurisprudence, etc.) as well as the significant Shi’a scholars and figures at present and finally, the analysis of these data in a merely historical method, and that how and in what historical atmosphere and on the basis of what beliefs the ‘Uyūnī Government of Bahrain developed, came to power and reigned. Upon weakening of the Carmathians in the first half of the fifth/eleventh century, `Abd al-Qays succeeded to establish the ‘Uyūnī Government                   (r. 469-647/1076-1249) as an independent aboriginal Shi’a government with the support of the strong tribal system and benefiting from the ‘Abbasid and Seljukian governments in the old land of Bahrain. The periods of this government can be divided in the four periods of establishment and stabilization, local disputation and quarreling, renewed boom, and finally, decline. Among the manifestations of economic development if we can refer to safety of roads and harbors, secure trading, as well as minting (as an indication for economic and financial independence) and the commercial boom resulting from these cases, it can be said that the ‘Uyūnī Government – despite its ups and downs – has attempted to prepare all of these factors. In the field of foreign relations, the most important neighbor of the ‘Uyūnī Government was the Abbasid Government that seriously supported the former, however, its support was mostly as the case may be and for short-term goals of the Caliphate Authority and was rarely as an enduring friendly relationship. Relations with two other small neighbors namely the Rulers of Banū Qayṣar Kīsh and the former Premiers (Atābaks) of Persia during the last decades of the ‘Uyūnī Government resulted in obligation of paying tribute, becoming a protectorate and finally, ended with military attack. The probable causes for permanence of the ‘Uyūnī Government include: 1) stability of ‌ the Government on the basis of tribalism; 2) successful interaction with foreign powers; 3) success in convincing or suppressing local dissidents, and authority against the foreign threats; 4) reinforcement of the foundations of accessibility and legitimacy (religious, scientific and cultural reliability); 5) capability in economic and commercial development. The probable causes of collapsing the ‘Uyūnī Government are: 1) division of power, separation and disunion; 2) economic pressure; 3) the subversive role of the Banū ‘Āmir Tribe; 4) internal corruption of the ‘Uyūnī Government; 5) subversive role of the kings of Banu Qayṣar Kīsh; and 6) the subversive role of the former Premiers (Atābaks) of Persia. Professing Shi’ism by ‘Abd al-Qays, reports of the historians and compilers of itineraries denoting that expressing the profession of Shi’ism was associated with no fear during the ‘Uyūnī Government reign, the inscriptions of the minarets of Masjid alKhamīs, and finally, the coins remained from the ‘Uyūnī Government era with obvious Shi’a text are among the evidences and proofs of Shi’ism as the official faith of the ‘Uyūnī Government. About the intellectual and scientific atmosphere of Bahrain, the existence of Shi’a (and Twelver Shi’a in particular) thought in different fields of theology, tradition and jurisprudence can be traced among the scholars of this region before the era of the ‘Uyūnī Government. In this era (i.e. ‘Uyūnī) one can probably see the two approaches of intellectualism and text-oriented approach among the scholars of Bahrain. Among the most outstanding philosophers, theologians and in one word the intellectualists of this region mention can be made of Aḥmad ibn Sa’ādah al-Baḥrānī (d. 555/1160), and Kamal al-Din ‘Ali ibn Sulaymān al-Baḥrānī (7th/13th century). Among the scholars with text-oriented approach mention may be made of Muhammad Muhammad alBaḥrānī (d. 583/1187), Abu Nasr al-Ghārī al-Aḥsā’ī (6th/12th century), Rāshid ibn Ibrāhīm ibn Isḥāq al-Baḥrānī (d. 605/1/208), Ibrāhīm ibn Ḥusayn ibn Ibrāhīm alBaḥrānī (alive in 669/1270), Faḍl ibn Ja’far ibn Abū Qāyid al-Baḥrānī (alive in 679/1280) and Ḥusayn ibn ‘Ali ibn Sulaymān (7th/13th century). As for the poets and artists of the ‘Uyūnī Government era ‘Ali ibn Muqarrab al-‘Uyūnī al-Rib’ī, al-Tha’labi al-‘Iraqi, Muwaffaq al-Din Muhammad Yousuf al-Irbalī al-Baḥrānī ‌ (d. 585/1189), Ibrahim ibn Ahmad al-Jadhmī al-Sakūnī al-‘Abdī (6th/12th century), Amīr Ḥisām al-Dīn Muhammad ibn al-Mughīth al-Ḥanafī al-Baṣrī, Ḥusayn ibn alThābit ibn Ḥusayn ibn al-Jadhmī al-‘Abdi and ‘Ali ibn Hasan ibn Isma’il al-‘Abdi (d. 599/1202) constitute the list of the most important figures indicating the boom in the field of literature in general and poetry in particular during that era.