In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

In the region beyond the river, we call today Turkestan- which extends from the Mongolian plateau and northern China in the east to the Khazar Sea (Caspian Sea) in the west, and from the Siberian plains in the north to the Indian subcontinent and Persia in the south – settled the clans of the Oghuz Turks and its large tribes in those areas, and they were known as Turks or Al-At’rak. Then, during the latter half of the 6th century, these tribes undertook massive migrations from their original homelands to Asia Minor. Historians have cited various reasons for their migration. Some argue that it was driven by economic factors and the severe drought, causing these tribes to grow restless in their original habitats and seek greener pastures and a more comfortable life elsewhere. Others attribute these migrations to political pressures, as these tribes faced significant threats from stronger and larger tribes, such as the Mongols, compelling them to search for a new home and abandon their lands in pursuit of security and stability. These migrating tribes lacked organization as they moved westward and eventually settled near the shores of the Gihon River. They temporarily resided in Tabaristan and Gorgan, bringing them closer to the Islamic lands that the Muslims had conquered following the Battle of Nahavand and the collapse of the Sasanian state in Persia.

In the 22nd year after the Hijra, the Islamic armies advanced towards the territory of Al-Baab intending to conquer it. This land was inhabited by the Turks, and it was there that Abdur Rahmaan Ibn Rabi’ah, the commander of the Islamic army, encountered a king of the Turks known as Shahr Baraz. The king expressed his desire for peace and even offered to join the Islamic army in their fight against the Armenians. Abdur Rahmaan sent his commander Saraqah Ibn Amr to meet with him, and Shahr Baraz accepted his presence. Abdur Rahmaan then wrote to the Caliph Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab, informing him of the situation. Umar agreed with Abdur Rahman, leading to the establishment of a peace treaty. Consequently, there was no conflict between the Turks and the Muslims; instead, both sides united to conquer the Armenian lands and spread the message of Islam there. The Islamic armies continued their march towards the northeastern regions of Persia, successfully spreading the call to the path of Allah after the downfall of the Persian empire, which had previously posed a formidable obstacle. Through these conquests, the people of these lands, including the Turks, were able to freely interact with the Muslims. As a result, the Turks embraced Islam and joined the ranks of the Muslim armies, actively working to propagate Islam and elevate Allah’s statement “None has the right to be worshipped except Allah”.

During Uthman’s Khilafah, Tabaristan was conquered, and the Muslims successfully crossed the Gihon River in the 31st year after Hijrah. They ventured into the lands beyond the river, where many Turks embraced Islam and became staunch defenders of the faith. These brave individuals actively participated in Jihad. [a] The Muslim armies continued their conquests in these regions, eventually capturing Bukhara during the Khilafah of Muaawiyah Bin Abee Sufyan. These victorious armies pushed forward until they reached Samarkand. With the establishment of the Islamic state, justice prevailed over all the countries beyond the river, and the people thrived under a flourishing Islamic civilization.

The Role of Some of The Turks During The Khilafah of Banu Abbas

The number of Turks in the court of the caliphs and the Abbasid princes increased, and they started taking on leadership and administrative positions in the state. They served as soldiers, leaders, and writers, and remained calm and obedient until they achieved higher ranks. When Al-Mutasim al-Abbaasee assumed the caliphate, he welcomed Turkish influence and appointed them to key positions in the state, thus involving them in state affairs. His policy aimed to diminish the Persian influence, which had been dominant in the administration of the Abbasid state since the time of Al-Mamoon’s caliphate. Al-Mutasim’s favoritism towards the Turks caused significant discontent among the people and the soldiers. Fearing their potential backlash, Al-Mutasim established a new city called Samarra, located approximately 125 km from Baghdad, where he resided with his soldiers and supporters. From that point onwards, the Turks began to play significant roles in Islamic history, eventually establishing a powerful Islamic state closely tied to the successors of the Abbasid state, known as the Seljuk state.

The rise of the Seljuks in the Arab Islamic East had a significant impact on the political landscape of the region. This area was being contested by the Sunni Abbasid Caliphate and the Shiite Fatimid Caliphate. The Seljuks established a powerful state in the fifth century after the Hijrah, which encompassed Khurasan, Iran, Iraq, Shaam, and Asia Minor. The focal points of their rule were Iran and Baghdad in Iraq, where the Seljuk Sultanate was based. Additionally, Seljuk states were established in Khurasan, beyond the River (Kerman), Shaam, Asia Minor, and even Rome, with the Seljuks of Rome following the Seljuk Sultan in Iran and Iraq. They provided support to the Abbasid caliphate in Baghdad and upheld its Sunni path amidst the threat of collapse from Buwayhid Shiite influence in Iran and Iraq, as well as the Ubaydi (Fatimid) influence in Egypt and Shaam. Tughrul Beg, the Seljuk leader, successfully overthrew the Buwayhid state in 447 AH in Baghdad, quelled unrest, put an end to insults directed at the Prophet’s Companions at mosque entrances, and eliminated the Shiite Shaikh of the Rawaafid, Abu Abdillah Al-Jallaab, due to his extremist Shiite Rafidah beliefs. Following the removal of the Buwayhid state from Baghdad by the Seljuks, their sultan Tughrul Beg entered the capital of the Abbasid caliphate. The Abbasid Caliph Al-Qaa’im Bi-Amrillaah warmly welcomed him, presented him with a Sunni robe, seated him beside him, and bestowed upon him grand titles, including “Sultan, a cornerstone (or pillar) in the religion, Tughrul Beg”. The Abbasid Caliph also decreed that Sultan Tughrul Beg’s name be inscribed on the currency and mentioned in sermons at mosques in Baghdad and beyond, elevating the status of the Seljuks. Consequently, the Seljuks replaced the Buwayhids in control of Baghdad.

Tughrul Beg possessed a strong character, keen intellect, and immense bravery, alongside his devout religious beliefs and just nature. As a result, he garnered significant support from his people, built a formidable army, and aimed to unite the Seljuk Turks into a powerful state. To strengthen the bond between the Abbasid caliph Al-Qaa’im Bi-Amrillaah and Seljuk leader Tughrul Beg, the Caliph wedded the daughter of Chaghri Bey, Tughrul Bey’s elder brother, in 448 AH. Subsequently, in Shaban of 454 AH, Tughrul Beg married the daughter of the Abbasid Caliph, but he passed away shortly after, on a Friday night on the eighth day of Ramadan in 454 AH, at the age of seventy. Before his death, the Seljuks, under his command, successfully conquered Khurasan, Iran, and northern, and eastern Iraq. [Ad-Dawlah Al-Uthmaaniyyah Awaamil An-Nuhood Wa Asbaab As-Suqoot. 6/22-26]

[a] Jihaad in our times and the guidelines of Jihaad according to Islam – By Shaikh Abu Khadeejah: https://www.abukhadeejah.com/salafi-shaikh-fawzaan-on-jihaad-in-our-timesand-the-guidelines-of-jihaad-according-to-islam/