History of Al-Hasyâsyîn, the Sect of Assassins

 

History of Al-Hasyâsyîn, the Sect of Assassins

The Assassins or Al-Hasysyâsyîn. The name of a murderous sect in southern Alamut, Persia, in the Middle Ages. In his day this group was most feared. They committed a great deal of political assassination, in a way that was unimaginable by other assassins of the time. Without fear, these sect members could carry out assassinations on officials, clerics, or commoners.

They can disguise themselves as anything. Be a eunuch, cook, teacher of the Koran, you name it. They stalk their prey for years, then kill it at the desired time. According to the Oxford dictionary, it is from this sect's name that the words  assassin  and  assassination  in English come from.

Western writers, including Phillip K. Hitti who wrote the tome,  History of the Arabs , referred to them as smokers of hashish , an opium-like concoction. It is because of this hashish influence that they become oblivious to fear. Do they actually smoke hashish or are they simply cultivating it for money? We don't have enough information about it.

For Hasan al-Shabbah, its founder, Al-Hasysyâsyîn is actually an Assassiyun, a people who adhere to principles—as Amin Maalouf says in his novel,  Samarkand . Obedience means that only those who are loyal to the principles of Islam, others are not, and for the sake of this principle they are able to kill anyone.

Hasan al-Shabbah is a preacher as well as a feared warlord, he is a very obedient and strict in religion. It is said that he executed his own son because he was caught drinking wine. It is said that he also expelled people from Alamut just because he was seen playing a flute.

Hasan al-Shabbah was one of a triumvirate of prominent Persian figures besides Omar Khayyam and Nizamul Mulk. Omar Khayyam was an artist and mathematician while Nizamul Mulk (Abu Ali al-Hasan al-Tusi Nizam al-Mulk) was the grand vizier of the Seljuk Empire who at that time ruled the Islamic world and guarded (or straddled?) the Caliphate's power in Baghdad. Nizam was the initiator of the establishment of the first university in the Islamic world, Nizamiyah University, whose rector position was held by the eminent philosopher, Al-Ghazali, before he became disillusioned, doubted his faith, and became a Sufi-ascetic.

The three best friends are legendary figures of the Persian nation, although many historians doubt that they lived at the same time. But legend is about meaning, not factual or not. These three figures represent the Persian self-image, ideals, and dreams.

One person represents the bravery of warlords and fearless religious adherents, one person represents intellect and gentleness of heart (and madness?), while the other represents the intelligence of thought, as well as cunning, a politician (remember, Nizam is the author of  Siyasat Nama , a book that can only be compared to  Il Principle  which Machiavelli wrote five centuries later). It is said that, according to legend, Nizamul Mulk, was also killed on the orders of Hasan al-Shabbah.

Then what exactly is Al-Hasysyâsyn? Marijuana smokers or people with total faith in principles? We never know. One thing is certain: both of them can indeed make people do anything, including killing.

This sect of assassins lasted more than a century before being massacred by the Mongols. But the killing in the name of principle, did not stop at the feet of the Mongol horses.

Until now many people scream in the name of the principle to kill others.