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The list of early Ibadhi
authorities given by al-Qalhati showed Abdullah b. Ibadh and 'Urwah
b. Hadir as students of Jabir b. Zaid, 'Abdullah b. Wahb al-Rasibi,
and Zaid b. Sawhan and showed Abu 'Ubaidah Muslim b. Abi Karimah,
Farwah b. Nawfal, and Wida b. Hawtharah as students of 'Abdullah
b. Ibadh and his contemporaries, while 'Abdullah b. Yahya al-Kindi
and al-Mukhtar b. 'Awf were listed among the students of Abu 'Ubaidah
Muslim.25 It seems that either Ibn Ibadh was dead
when Jabir died and was succeeded by Abu 'Ubaidah, or else he
was not important enough to take over the leadership of the
movement. The first view seems to be more convincing, and can
be supported by the information given by al-Baghdadi that al-Harith
al-Ibadhi headed his group as successor of 'Abdullah b. Ibadh.
Accordingly, Ibn Ibadh must have been dead when al-Harith
started propagating his views on qadar in which he opposed the
Ibadhi authorities. It is hard to believe that Ibn Ibadh was
till alive, for if he was he would have refuted the views of al-Harith.
Ibadhi authorities reported that the burden of refuting al-Harith
was borne by Abu 'Ubaidah Muslim.26 All these facts
support the views of Lewicki who pointed out that the
information reported by both al-Shahrastani and al-Qazwini
concerning Ibn Ibadh's part in revolts against Marwan b.
Muhammad was not very convincing27. However, the
information given about Ibn Ibadh is very limited and
confusing. Among the early authors who noticed this fact was
Ibn Hazm who states that the most learned men of the Ibadhis of
al-'Andalus knew nothing of 'Abdullah b. Ibadh28.
The reason, as suggested by Ibn Hazm, was that Ibn Ibadh
renounced his views and joined the Tha'alibah group of the
Kharijites29. Al-Dhahabi also reported that Ibn
Ibadh recanted his heresies (i.e. Ibadhism)!30
Ibadhi authorities did not confirm such information. Another
example of the confused and unreliable information is reported
by Ibn Hawqal who said that both 'Abdullah b. Ibadh and
'Abdullah b. Wahb al-Rasibi came to Jabal Nafusah and died there31.
It may be necessary here to
mention the fact that the view held by Lewicki, namely that the
Ibadhi state of secrecy was started by Ibn Ibadh,32
is contrary to the information reported in Ibadhi works. Ibadhi
authorities stated clearly that this state of secrecy (kitman)
was introduced under the leadership or the Imamate of Jabir b.
Zaid who conducted the activities of the movement and its
members.33 They also reported that the revolts which
took place during his life, whether that of Abu Bilal or others,
were planned by Jabir b. Zaid,34 who was the man
responsible for the foundation and the development of the Ibadhi
school.
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