Abu Numayy I


Muḥammad Abū Numayy ibn Abī Sa‘d al-Ḥasan ibn ‘Alī ibn Qatādah al-Ḥasanī, sometimes referred to as Abu Numayy I, was Emir of Mecca from 1250 to 1301, with interruptions.

Life

Joint rule with his father Abu Sa'd al-Hasan

Muhammad Abu Numayy was born around the year 630 AH. His father Abu Sa'd al-Hasan assumed the Emirate of Mecca in Dhu al-Qi'dah 647 AH. Soon afterwards, Rajih ibn Qatadah went to Medina where he acquired support from the Banu Husayn, his maternal relatives, to overthrow Abu Sa'd. He set out from Medina with 700 horsemen led by Isa ibn Shihah, Emir of Medina. On the way to Mecca they were ambushed by Abu Numayy, who had set out from Yanbu with only 40 horsemen after he received word of their advance. His attack was successful, and Rajih and Isa retreated to Medina. On Abu Numayy's triumphant return Abu Sa'd rewarded him with the co-rulership of Mecca.
Abu Sa'd reigned with Abu Numayy until Ramadan 651 AH, when Jammaz ibn al-Hasan captured Mecca with Syrian troops and killed Abu Sa'd. Jammaz was quickly deposed by Rajih, who in turn was deposed by his son Ghanim in Rabi al-Awwal 652 AH.

Joint rule with Idris ibn Qatadah

In Shawwal 652 AH Abu Numayy and Idris ibn Qatadah seized the Emirate from Ghanim ibn Rajih with limited bloodshed. However the following month the Yemeni commander Mubariz al-Din Ibn Birtas arrived with a force of 100 horsemen to capture Mecca and reestablish Rasulid hegemony. Abu Numayy and Idris sought assistance from Jammaz ibn Shihah, Emir of Medina, but their alliance was defeated on Wednesday, 25 Dhu al-Qi'dah at Qawz al-Makkasah, south of Mecca, and Ibn Birtas occupied Mecca.
On the last Saturday of Muharram 653 AH, Abu Numayy and Idris returned with reinforcements, supported again by Jammaz ibn Shihah, and delivered a crushing defeat to Ibn Birtas. Descending from the mountaintops, they entered Mecca by force and inflicted heavy casualties on the Yemeni army. Ibn Birtas himself was captured, but after ransoming himself he was allowed to return to Yemen.
In 654 AH Idris traveled to al-Sirrayn to visit his brother Rajih, and in his absence Abu Numayy took sole control of the Emirate. When Idris returned to Mecca with Rajih, the three reconciled and Idris returned to the co-rulership.
In 655 or 656 AH Abu Numayy left Mecca to fight the Thaqif tribe, and in his absence some sons of Hasan ibn Qatadah took over Mecca and captured Idris. When Abu Numayy heard the news he returned to Mecca and the attackers fled without fighting, having held the city for six days.
In 659 AH al-Muzaffar Yusuf performed the Hajj. When he neared Mecca with his army Abu Numayy and Idris fled out of fear, returning only after his departure ten days after the completion of the Hajj.
In Sha'ban 667 AH Abu Numayy ousted Idris and ordered the khutbah with the name of al-Zahir Baybars, the Mamluk Sultan of Egypt. He informed Baybars that he had deposed his uncle due to the latter's pro-Rasulid inclinations, and requested that the Sultan issue a royal decree forbidding the Emir of Medina from assisting Idris. Baybars accepted Abu Numayy's allegiance on the condition that he fulfill his responsibilities towards the Masjid al-Haram and its visitors, including that he not impose any additional taxes. The Sultan further stipulated that both the khutbah and sikkah would be in his name, and in return the Emir of Mecca would receive an annual payment of 20,000 nuqrah dirhams. After Abu Numayy accepted these conditions Baybars sent him a diploma of investiture. Soon afterwards Idris reconciled with Abu Numayy and Baybars confirmed them both as joint Emirs. That year Baybars performed the Hajj and was pleased with their rule.

Independent rule

In Rabi al-Awwal 669 AH Abu Numayy's son was killed and he fought with Idris, who ousted him from the Emirate. Abu Numayy fled to Yanbu to seek assistance from its Emir. Forty days later, in Jumada al-Ula he returned with reinforcements and defeated Idris at Khulays. Abu Numayy personally beheaded his uncle and assumed independent control of the Emirate.
In late Safar 670 AH Jammaz ibn Shihah, Emir of Medina, entered into an alliance with Ghanim ibn Idris ibn Hasan ibn Qatadah, Emir of Yanbu, and together they captured Mecca and deposed Abu Numayy. They held the city for forty days, until Rabi al-Akhir, when Abu Numayy defeated them in battle and retook the city. On 19 Rabi al-Akhir 675 AH Jammaz advanced on Mecca with Idris ibn Hasan ibn Qatadah, Emir of Yanbu, and an army of 215 horsemen and 600 footsoldiers. He was defeated by Abu Numayy's forces at Marr al-Zahran, though Abu Numayy was outnumbered with only 100 horsemen and 180 footsoldiers. Idris was captured, but Jammaz escaped.
In 681 AH al-Mansur Qalawun of Egypt demanded an oath of absolute loyalty from Abu Numayy. This latest treaty with the Mamluks concerned not only the khutbah and the sikkah in the Sultan's name, but also the Sultan's monopoly on supplying the annual kiswah.
In 687 AH Jammaz requested an army from Qalawun to depose Abu Numayy and bring Mecca more firmly under Mamluk rule. The Sultan sent Jammaz an army, and he succeeded in capturing the city from Abu Numayy. However his intentions were made clear when upon assuming rulership of Mecca he ordered the khutbah and sikkah in his own name. Before the end of the year Jammaz was poisoned, reportedly by one of the attendants of his wife Khuzaymah, daughter of Abu Numayy. He returned to Medina, and Abu Numayy reassumed the Emirate.
On the last day of Rabi al-Awwal 691 AH Abu Numayy replaced the name of al-Ashraf Khalil ibn Qalawun in the khutbah with that of al-Muzaffar of Yemen. In 692 AH the Mamluk amir al-rakab ordered Abu Numayy to accompany him back to Egypt. They set out in early 693 AH, but Abu Numayy turned back at Yanbu when they received word of Khalil's death.

Abdication and death

On Friday, 2 Safar 701 AH Abu Numayy abdicated in favor of his sons Humaydah and Rumaythah. He died two days later at al-Jadidah in Wadi Marr al-Zahran near Mecca. His funeral was in Mecca, and he was buried in the Ma'la Cemetery near the qubbah of his father Abu Sa'd and his great-grandfather Qatadah. A qubbah was built over his grave.

Issue

According to Ibn Unbah, Abu Numayy had a total of 30 sons. Some of his sons died during his lifetime. According to al-Nuwayri, when Abu Numayy died he had 21 sons, 12 daughters, and 4 wives. Izz al-Din Ibn Fahd compiled the following list names of his sons:
It is reported that his kunya was Abu Mahdi, from which it can be inferred that his first-born son was named Mahdi. Therefore, it is possible that he did not have a son named Numayy, and that he was called Abu Numayy for a different reason.
His daughters included: