Author: Om Aisha
Morjaeh sect (12th part)
Elders and Leaders of the Morjaeh Sect
The elders and prominent figures of this sect are:
Jahm bin Safwan, Abu Hossein Salehi, Yunus Samri, Abu Suban, Hossein bin Muhammad Najjar, Ghilan Damashqi, Muhammad bin Shabib, Abu Moaz Tumani, Bashr Merisi, Muhammad bin Karam, and Muqatil bin Sulaiman.
Morjaeh in the Political Framework of the Umayyad Era
Politics played a significant role in the emergence of sects against each other in Islam’s history. Following the passing of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, the first disagreement in the Muslim Ummah arose over leadership. Upon the Messenger’s death, some individuals convened and assumed the caliphate following his instructions and the desires of most Muslims.
The Shiites, followers of Hazrat Ali, believed in his caliphate, though they eventually accepted Hazrat Abu Bakr’s pledge of allegiance after initial resistance. However, their distinct line and policies persisted, giving rise to two key political currents based on leadership disparities. One faction adhered to the Caliphs, later termed Sunnis, while the other upheld Hazrat Ali’s leadership. They set specific conditions for Ummah leadership which they believed were only met by Hazrat Ali and his descendants, forming the Shia group.
The Islamic society’s political conflicts and wars during the Caliphate era led to the emergence of important jurisprudential and theological sects like Khawarij, Mu’tazila, and Morjaeh. Shabli Noman spoke on political factors’ impact on Islamic sect emergence: “Although countless factors initiated differences of opinion, it often stemmed from politics or state needs.”
One of the significant historical causes for the Ummah’s division was kings preying on groups and sects, pressuring eminent scholars to align their beliefs with the rulers’. If scholars challenged them, kings resorted to forceful conversion to their beliefs. The Mu’tazila group infiltrated the courts of Abbasid and Umayyad caliphs, acquiring influential positions and compelling Salaf scholars to adopt the ‘Itzal’ religion.
From the outset, Bani Umayyah favored predestination as per governmental interests, claiming a divine grant of the caliphate. This stance lent a veneer of sanctity to their actions. A substantial Morjaeh contingent supported the Bani Umayyad government, opposing Shia and Khawarij.
Morjaeh doctrine bolstered the Bani Umayyad system, gaining prominence as long as the regime prevailed. However, following the Umayyad government’s dissolution, Morjaeh lost its significance and trustworthiness.
The Decline of the Morjaeh Sect
A fundamental law dictates the transformation of all entities, navigating stages of emergence, updates, declines, and eventual disappearances. The Morjaeh sect gradually waned throughout history, its name forgotten, yet the concept of abahagiri Morjaeh endured.
Consequently, some researchers attribute the sect’s decline to assimilation into Sunni and Jamaat beliefs.
