Ahmad ibn Abi Khalid al-Ahwal was a military leader and administrator during the

Abbasid Caliphate The Abbasid Caliphate or Abbasid Empire (; ) was the third caliphate to succeed the Islamic prophet Muhammad. It was founded by a dynasty descended from Muhammad's uncle, Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib (566–653 CE), from whom the dynasty takes ...

. He is known for leading an Abbasid army that conquered the

Principality of Ushrusana The Principality of Ushrusana (also spelled ''Usrushana'', ''Osrushana'' or ''Ustrushana'') was a local dynasty ruling the Ushrusana region, in the northern area of modern Tajikistan, from an unknown date to 892 CE. Ushrusana, just like Ferghana, d ...

in 822. This military campaign resulted in the capture of Kawus ibn Kharakhuruh, the ruler of Ushrusana, who was then sent to Baghdad, where he submitted to the Caliph and converted to Islam.

Career

Al-Ahwal was appointed as a

vizier A vizier (; ; ) is a high-ranking political advisor or Minister (government), minister in the Near East. The Abbasids, Abbasid caliphs gave the title ''wazir'' to a minister formerly called ''katib'' (secretary), who was at first merely a help ...

by Caliph

Al-Ma'mun Abū al-ʿAbbās Abd Allāh ibn Hārūn al-Maʾmūn (; 14 September 786 – 9 August 833), better known by his regnal name al-Ma'mun (), was the seventh Abbasid caliph, who reigned from 813 until his death in 833. His leadership was marked by t ...

, succeeding Thumama ibn Ashras, who declined the position. Thumama ibn Ashras, a prominent

Mu'tazila Mu'tazilism (, singular ) is an Islamic theological school that appeared in early Islamic history and flourished in Basra and Baghdad. Its adherents, the Mu'tazilites, were known for their neutrality in the dispute between Ali and his opponents ...

theologian, referred to Ahmad as the ‘only one’ at court ‘without an official title’ before his appointment.

References

Viziers of the Abbasid Caliphate Military leaders 9th-century military personnel {{islam-bio-stub