List of caliphal governors of Medina


In early Islamic history, the governor of Medina was an official who administered the city of Medina and its surrounding territories.
During the era of the Rashidun, Umayyad and early Abbasid caliphates, the governor was generally appointed by the caliph, and remained in office until he died or was dismissed. The governorship was one of the chief administrative positions in the Hijaz and carried with it certain symbolic privileges, including the opportunity to lead the annual Muslim pilgrimage.

Rashidun governors

Known in pre-Islamic times as Yathrib, Medina became the residence of the Islamic prophet Muhammad following his Hijrah from Mecca in 622 AD. Under Muhammad and the first three Rashidun caliphs, Medina acted as the capital of a rapidly increasing Muslim Empire, but its remoteness from the emerging power centers of Syria and Iraq eventually undermined its political importance. Following the assassination of the third caliph 'Uthman ibn Affan in July 656 and the outbreak of the First Fitna or civil war, his successor 'Ali ibn Abi Talib was compelled to depart from Medina in order to assert his authority in Iraq, and the city lost its status as the capital of the Islamic state.
With the departure of 'Ali from Medina, administration of the city was delegated to a number of representatives appointed by him. These representatives remained in control of Medina until 660, when an army dispatched the Umayyad Mu'awiyah ibn Abi Sufyan arrived at the city and forced 'Ali's governor to flee to Iraq.
NameYearsNature of
Termination		Notes
Sahl ibn Hunayf al-AnsariFrom 657DismissedGovernor for 'Ali ibn Abi Talib
Tamman ibn AbbasDismissedGovernor for 'Ali
Abu Ayyub al-AnsariTo 660FledGovernor for 'Ali

Umayyad governors

Following the ascendency of the Umayyads in 661, Medina's loss of its political significance became permanent. The Umayyad caliphs, who were firmly based in the region of Syria, had few incentives to relocate to the Hijaz, and they generally made their residence in the area of Damascus. Although Medina continued to retain its religious importance as one of the Holy Cities of Islam, it became something of a political backwater under the Umayyads and its old elites, the Ansar, were reduced to acting as a "pious opposition" to the new regime.
As the Umayyads had no interest in returning the capital to Medina, they instead dispatched governors to administer the city on their behalf. Governors were normally selected by the caliph and remained in office until they died or were dismissed in favor of a replacement candidate. In addition to Medina itself, they were sometimes given jurisdiction over Mecca and al-Ta'if, and were often selected by the caliphs to act as leader of the annual pilgrimage to Mecca. In an effort to ensure that Umayyad interests were fully represented in the city, the caliphs usually selected blood or marital relatives for the position, but a few governors, such as with the Ansari Abu Bakr ibn Muhammad ibn Amr ibn Hazm, were exceptions to this rule.
Governors assigned to Medina during this period played no role in the Muslim conquests due to the lack of active military fronts near the Hijaz, but they were occasionally forced to deal with internal challenges to Umayyad rule. During the Second Fitna the Medinese threw off their allegiance to Yazid ibn Mu'awiyah and expelled all of the Umayyads then in the city; this attempt to regain their old power, however, came to an end with their defeat at the Battle of al-Harrah in August 683, and the city was pillaged by the victorious Syrian troops in retaliation for its disobedience. Shortly afterwards Medina came under the nominal control of the anti-caliph Abdallah ibn al-Zubayr, but the Umayyads took back the city near the end of the Fitna and their hold on it was thereafter generally secure until the last years of their rule.
Umayyad control of Medina came to an end during the period of the Third Fitna; the city was lost temporarily to Ibadi rebels in 747, and then permanently with the overthrow of the dynasty by the Abbasid Revolution in 750.
NameYearsNature of
Termination		Notes
Marwan ibn al-Hakam662–669DismissedSubsequently became caliph in 684. Appointed by the caliph Mu'awiyah ibn Abi Sufyan
Sa'id ibn al-As ibn Umayyah669–674DismissedCousin of Mu'awiyah, who appointed him
Marwan ibn al-Hakam674–677/8DismissedRe-appointed by Mu'awiyah
Al-Walid ibn Utba ibn Abi Sufyan677/8–680DismissedNephew of Mu'awiyah, who appointed him
Amr ibn Sa'id ibn al-As680–681DismissedSon of Sa'id ibn al-As. Appointed by the caliph Yazid ibn Mu'awiyah
Al-Walid ibn Utba ibn Abi Sufyan681–682DismissedRe-appointed, this time by Yazid ibn Mu'awiyah
Uthman ibn Muhammad ibn Abi Sufyan682–683ExpelledCousin of Yazid ibn Mu'awiyah, who appointed him
None683n/aRevolt of the Ansar, Qurayshis and non-Qurayshi Muhajirun in Medina

NameYearsNature of
Termination		Notes
Ubaydah ibn al-Zubayr684-685DismissedBrother of Abdallah ibn al-Zubayr, who appointed him. 'Jabir ibn al-Aswad ibn Awf and Abbas ibn Sahl ibn Sa'd al-Ansari are also mentioned as governors during this period
Mus'ab ibn al-Zubayr685-686Moved to IraqBrother of Ibn al-Zubayr, who appointed him
'Jabir ibn al-Aswad ibn Awf687-690DismissedAppointed by Ibn al-Zubayr
Talhah ibn Abdallah ibn Awf690-691FledAppointed by Ibn al-Zubayr

NameYearsNature of
Termination		Notes
Tariq ibn Amr691/2-693DismissedRe-established Umayyad control over Medina; confirmed as governor by the caliph Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan
Al-Hajjaj ibn Yusuf693-694DismissedAppointed by Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan
Yahya ibn al-Hakam ibn Abi al-As694-695ResignedUncle of Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan, who appointed him
Aban ibn Uthman695-702DismissedSon of Uthman ibn Affan. Appointed by Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan
Hisham ibn Isma'il al-Makhzumi702-706DismissedFather-in-law of Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan, who appointed him
Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz706-712DismissedSubsequently became caliph in 717. Appointed by the caliph al-Walid ibn Abd al-Malik
Uthman ibn Hayyan al-Murri712-715DismissedAppointed by al-Walid ibn Abd al-Malik
Abu Bakr ibn Muhammad ibn Amr ibn Hazm715-720DismissedAppointed by the caliph Sulayman ibn Abd al-Malik
Abd al-Rahman ibn al-Dahhak ibn Qays al-Fihri720-723DismissedAppointed by the caliph Yazid ibn Abd al-Malik
Abd al-Wahid ibn Abdallah al-Nasri723-724DismissedAppointed by Yazid ibn Abd al-Malik
Ibrahim ibn Hisham ibn Isma'il al-Makhzumi724-732DismissedSon of Hisham ibn Isma'il. Appointed by the caliph Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik
Khalid ibn Abd al-Malik ibn al-Harith ibn al-Hakam732-736/7DismissedAppointed by Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik
Muhammad ibn Hisham ibn Isma'il al-Makhzumi736/7-743DismissedBrother of Ibrahim ibn Hisham. Appointed by Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik
Yusuf ibn Muhammad ibn Yusuf al-Thaqafi743-744DismissedAppointed by the caliph al-Walid ibn Yazid
Abd al-Aziz ibn Abdallah ibn Amr ibn Uthman744DismissedGreat-grandson of Uthman ibn Affan. Appointed by the caliph Yazid ibn al-Walid
Abd al-Aziz ibn Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz744-747DismissedAppointed by Yazid ibn al-Walid
Abd al-Wahid ibn Sulayman ibn Abd al-Malik747FledAppointed by the caliph Marwan ibn Muhammad
None747-748n/aIbadi occupation of Medina
Muhammad ibn Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan748
Al-Walid ibn Urwah al-Sa'di748-750DismissedAppointed by his uncle Abd al-Malik ibn Muhammad ibn Atiyyah
Yusuf ibn Urwah al-Sa'di750Last governor for the Umayyads. Appointed by Marwan ibn Muhammad

Abbasid governors

The administrative situation of Medina was initially little changed by the coming of the Abbasids, who were generally centered in the region of Iraq. Governors of Medina continued to be appointed by the caliph and were selected to lead several of the annual pilgrimages. Like their predecessors, the Abbasid caliphs frequently chose members of their own dynasty for the governorship, but they also often appointed individuals from other families who were related to the Abbasids in some capacity.
In the first decades of Abbasid rule Medina was occasionally the scene of Alid rebel movements, but these were generally minor affairs and were easily put down by the government. The short-lived revolt of Muhammad al-Nafs al-Zakiyya in 762, which was briskly defeated despite having had strong support from among the Medinese elite, particularly served as a demonstration as to how far the city had declined in terms of actual political influence, and Muhammad's choice to base the rebellion in Medina was specifically criticized by Muslim historians for prioritizing the city's religious significance over any sound strategic considerations. A later revolt by Muhammad's nephew al-Husayn ibn Ali ibn al-Hasan was also brief and ended in failure at the Battle of Fakhkh near Mecca in 786, while the seizure of Medina by a lieutenant of the pro-Alid rebel Abu al-Saraya al-Sari ibn Mansur in 815 during the Fourth Fitna was likewise temporary and the city was soon restored to Abbasid control.
Two major sources for the identities of governors of Medina, the annalists Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari and Khalifah ibn Khayyat, give regular updates down to the mid-780s, but provide only sporadic information after that time. The cessation of coverage, as well as available numismatic evidence, indicate that Medina may have been declining in importance during this period, and that it was gradually being superseded by Mecca as the primary administrative center of the Hijaz. In the ninth and tenth centuries the Hijaz was also affected by a general economic downturn and Medina began to be threatened by brigand raids, of which at least one was serious enough to prompt the central government to send an expedition to restore order.
With the collapse of the Abbasids' political power in the early tenth century, the Ikhshidid ruler of Egypt Muhammad ibn Tughj al-Ikhshid was granted jurisdiction over Mecca and Medina by the caliph al-Radi in 935. Later that century, the descendants of Husayn ibn Ali gained local control of Medina, and they thereafter ruled the Amirate of Medina under Egyptian suzerainty down nearly to the Ottoman conquest in 1517.
NameYearsNature of
Termination		Notes
Dawud ibn Ali750Died in officeUncle of the caliph al-Saffah, who appointed him
Ziyad ibn Ubaydallah ibn Abdallah ibn Abd al-Madan al-Harithi750-758DismissedUncle of al-Saffah, who appointed him
Muhammad ibn Khalid ibn Abdallah al-Qasri758-760/1DismissedAppointed by the caliph al-Mansur
Riyah ibn Uthman al-Murri760/1-762ImprisonedSon of Uthman ibn Hayyan. Appointed by al-Mansur
None762n/aAlid occupation of Medina
Kathir ibn al-Husayn al-Abdi762-763DismissedAppointed by Isa ibn Musa
Abdallah ibn al-Rabi al-Harithi763DismissedAppointed by al-Mansur
Ja'far ibn Sulayman ibn Ali763-766/7DismissedFirst cousin of al-Mansur, who appointed him
Al-Hasan ibn Zayd ibn al-Hasan ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib766/7-772DismissedAppointed by al-Mansur
Abd al-Samad ibn Ali772-776DismissedUncle of al-Mansur, who appointed him
Muhammad ibn Abdallah al-Kathiri776DismissedAppointed by the caliph al-Mahdi
Ubaydallah ibn Muhammad ibn Abd al-Rahman ibn Safwan al-Jumahi776-777Died in officeAppointed by al-Mahdi
Muhammad ibn Abdallah al-Kathiri777DismissedRe-appointed by al-Mahdi
Zufar ibn Asim al-Hilali777-780DismissedAppointed by al-Mahdi
Ja'far ibn Sulayman ibn Ali780-783DismissedRe-appointed, this time by al-Mahdi
Ibrahim ibn Yahya ibn Muhammad783-784Died in officeFirst cousin of al-Mahdi, who appointed him
Ishaq ibn Isa ibn Ali784-785ResignedFirst cousin once removed of al-Mahdi, who appointed him
Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz ibn Abdallah ibn Abdallah ibn Umar ibn al-Khattab785-786DismissedAppointed by the caliph al-Hadi
Ishaq ibn Sulayman ibn AliFrom 786First cousin twice removed of the caliph Harun al-Rashid, who appointed him
Abd al-Malik ibn Salih ibn AliFirst cousin twice removed of Harun al-Rashid, who appointed him
Muhammad ibn Abdallah al-Raba'iFrom 789Appointed by Harun al-Rashid
Musa ibn Isa ibn MusaSecond cousin of Harun al-Rashid, who appointed him
Ibrahim ibn Muhammad ibn IbrahimAppointed by Harun al-Rashid
Ali ibn Isa ibn MusaSecond cousin of Harun al-Rashid, who appointed him
Muhammad ibn IbrahimAppointed by Harun al-Rashid
Abdallah ibn Mus'ab al-ZubayriBefore 800Appointed by Harun al-Rashid
Bakkar ibn Abdallah ibn Mus'abAppointed by Harun al-Rashid
Abu al-Bakhtari Wahb ibn Wahb808-809Appointed by Harun al-Rashid
Isma'il ibn al-Abbas ibn Muhammad810Appointed by the caliph al-Amin
Dawud ibn Isa ibn Musa al-Hashimi811-815FledSecond cousin once removed of al-Amin, who appointed him. Later switched his allegiance to the rival caliph al-Ma'mun
None815n/aOccupation of Medina on behalf of the pro-Alid rebel Abu al-Saraya al-Sari ibn Mansur
Harun ibn al-MusayyabFrom 815Dispatched by the general Ali b. Abi Sa'id
Ubaydallah ibn al-Abbas ibn Ubaydallah ibn al-AbbasAppointed by al-Ma'mun
Ubaydallah ibn al-Hasan ibn Ubaydallah ibn al-Abbas ibn Ali ibn Abi TalibFrom 820Appointed by al-Ma'mun
Quthm ibn Ja'far ibn Sulayman ibn Ali ibn Abdallah ibn al-AbbasFrom 823DismissedAppointed by al-Ma'mun
Muhammad ibn Fulan ibn al-Husayn ibn ZaydDismissedAppointed by al-Ma'mun
Sulayman ibn Abdallah ibn Sulayman ibn AliFrom 828Appointed by al-Ma'mun
Muhammad ibn Salih ibn al-AbbasFrom 843Appointed by the caliph al-Wathiq
Salih ibn Ali ibn IsaTo 861
Ali ibn al-Husayn ibn Isma'ilFrom 861
Ishaq ibn Muhammad ibn Yusuf al-Ja'fariTo 879Died in office
Musa ibn Muhammad ibn Yusuf al-Ja'fari879KilledBrother of Ishaq ibn Muhammad
Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Isma'il ibn al-Hasan ibn Zayd879DismissedInitially a Zaydi rebel; subsequently legitimized by the central government
Muhammad ibn Abi al-SajFrom 879Dismissed
Al-Fadl ibn al-Abbas al-Abbasifl. 883
Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Ta'iFrom 885
Harun ibn Muhammad ibn Ishaq al-Hashimifl. 890