The Last Umayyad Caliphs
The last caliph of the Umayyad dynasty was Marwan ibn Muhammad ibn Marwan ibn al-Hakam ibn Abi al-Hakam ibn Abi al-Aas ibn Umayyah al-Qurashi al-Umayyad. He assumed the caliphate through allegiance following the death of Yazid III, with his reign firmly established in the month of Safar in the year 127 AH. Marwan was commonly referred to as Marwan the Jaada, a name derived from his teacher, Jaada ibn Dirham. He was recognized as one of the courageous and valiant figures of the Umayyad dynasty. However, it is important to note that the decline of the Umayyad state coincided with his caliphate. The factors leading to the fall of the Umayyad Caliphate did not solely emerge during Marwan’s rule, but were rooted much earlier, alongside a series of events during his leadership that contributed to the eventual collapse. One of the initial challenges Marwan faced was the internal division among the Umayyads in the caliphate’s headquarters.
Marwan ibn Muhammad
Marwan ibn Muhammad is regarded as a companion by the majority of scholars, as he was born during the time of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). The Prophet passed away when Marwan was only eight years old. He narrated hadith from the Prophet, as well as from prominent figures such as Umar, Uthman, Ali, Zayd ibn Thabit, and Busra bint Safwan al-Asadi. His narrations were collected by several notable scholars, including his son Abdul Malik, Sa’id ibn al-Musayyib, Sahl ibn Sa’d, Urwah ibn al-Zubair, Zain al-Abidin Ali ibn al-Hussein, Mujahid, and others.
The Death of Marwan ibn Muhammad
Marwan ibn Muhammad was killed in the year 132 AH during the month of Dhu al-Hijjah. Prior to his death, he traveled to Harran, then to Homs, where he stayed for two to three days before proceeding to Damascus during the caliphate of Al-Walid ibn Muawiya ibn Marwan. Afterward, he continued his journey to Palestine.