Ibrahim I ibn al-Aghlab

Dirham of Ibrahim ibn al-Aghlab

Ibrahim I ibn al-Aghlab (Arabic: إبراهيم بن الأغلب‎; 756-812) was the first Emir of the Aghlabids in Ifriqiya (800-812)

He was the son of al-Aghlab, who successfully quelled the revolt of the Khawarij in Ifriqiya at the end of the 8th century. In 800 Ibrahim became Emir of Ifriqiya and founded the Aghlabid dynasty,^[1] and was recognised as the hereditary ruler by Caliph Harun al-Rashid.

After the pacification of the country he established a residence at al-Abbasiyya to keep his distance from the restless Maliki jurists of Kairouan, who were always ready to incite the people into revolt. Specially since, Ibrahim was a Mu'tazili Muslim, he named at the higher religious authority, Qadi Qayrawan (cadi of Kairouan), Abu Muhriz, a Mu'tazili imam in 806. A guard of 5000 Zanji slaves was set up to avoid total dependence on Arab troops, the necessity of which measure was proven by the revolts of Arab soldiers in 802, 805 and 810. Ibrahim built up a strong administrative framework for the state which lay the foundations for the prosperity of Ifriqiya in the following century.

He was succeeded by his son Abdallah I (812-817).

References

Further reading

• Hitti, Philip K. A History of the Arabs, 5th ed. London, 1951.