Maslama ibn Mukhallad facts for kids

Maslama ibn Mukhallad (whose full name was Maslama ibn Mukhallad ibn Samit al-Ansari) was an important person in early Islamic history. He was a close follower of the Prophet Muhammad, known as a Companion. Maslama played a big role in Egypt for many years after it became part of the Muslim world.

Maslama's Early Life and Role in Egypt

Maslama was born around 616 or 620 CE. He was part of the Muslim army that took over Egypt. After the conquest, he decided to stay and live there for the rest of his life.

He was a strong supporter of the third Muslim leader, or Caliph, named Uthman. When Uthman was killed, Maslama did not agree with Ali, who was the Prophet Muhammad's son-in-law, becoming the next leader.

Standing Up for Uthman

Because of his loyalty, Maslama became a leader of the group that supported Uthman. This group was led by Mu'awiya ibn Hudayj. In 657, they rebelled against the governor of Egypt, Muhammad ibn Abi Hudhayfa.

Order was brought back by Mu'awiya ibn Abi Sufyan, who was the governor of Syria.

Opposing Ali's Governor

In 658, the conflict between Ali and the Umayyads (Mu'awiya's family) grew. Maslama did not like that Ali appointed Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr as the new governor of Egypt.

It is believed that Maslama helped the Syrian army, led by Amr ibn al-As, invade Egypt. This invasion led to the defeat and capture of Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr.

Maslama as Governor of Egypt

Maslama served loyally under Amr ibn al-As, who was the governor of Egypt until 664. After Amr's death, Maslama stayed out of politics for a while.

In 667 or 668, Maslama asked Mu'awiya ibn Abi Sufyan, who was now the Caliph, to make him governor of Egypt. Mu'awiya agreed, and Maslama became the new governor.

What Maslama Did as Governor

Maslama was governor of Egypt for many years, until his death in 682. We don't know a lot about his time as governor, but he was active in wars against the Byzantine Empire. He often sent armies to fight them.

He also helped rebuild the famous Mosque of Amr ibn al-As in Fustat, which was the capital of Egypt at the time. He added tall towers called minarets to the mosque.

His time as governor was mostly peaceful within Egypt. Some historians say he was also in charge of Muslim campaigns in North Africa, but others disagree.

Loyalty to the Umayyads

Maslama remained very loyal to the Umayyad family until the end of his life. When Caliph Mu'awiya died in 680, Maslama quickly recognized Mu'awiya's son, Yazid I, as the next Caliph.

He even threatened another respected scholar, Abd Allah ibn Amr ibn al-As, with punishment when he disagreed with Yazid becoming Caliph.

|-style="text-align: center;" | width="30%" |Preceded by
Uqba ibn Amir | width="40%" style="text-align: center;" |Governor of Egypt
667–682 | width="30%" |Succeeded by
Muhammad ibn Maslama |-