was known of them when discussing the question of the Imamate after the death of the first Rustamid Imam and the election of his son Abd al-Wahhab.166 They were also called Mulhidah, blasphemers, because they blasphemed regarding the names of God;167 Yazidiyah, after their theologian Abdullah b Yazid al-Fazari, or perhaps after their political leader in Tahert, Yazid b. Fandin;168 Shaghabiyah for the disturbance (shaghab) which they brought about;169 and by Maslawah, the name of one of the main Berber tribes of their adherents.170

The Nukkar branch of the Ibadhi school was, in fact, an integrated movement which tried to be independent of the mother Ibadhi movement. They developed their own views on theology and followed the opinion of their own authorities in jurisprudence. According to Ibadhi historians, Nukkar followed Abdullah b Abd al-Aziz, Abu al-Mu'arrij, and Hatim b. Mansur in jurisprudence, and Abdullah b. Yazid al-Fazari in theology.171

Abdullah b. Yazid who laid the theological foundation of this Ibadhi group, lived in Kufah (2nd - 3rd century H.) According to al-Masu'di, he was a kharraz, shoemaker, and a specialist in leather-craft, and he was a business partner of al-Hakam b. Hisham. His followers used to come into his place in Kufah to learn from him.172 He wrote a number of books on theology. The following list is ascribed to him by Ibn al-Nadim: K. al-Tawhid, K. al-Radd ala al-Mu'tazilah, K. al-Radd ala al-Rafidah, K. al-Istila'ah.173

During the search in private collections of Ibadhi Mss. in North Africa, I came across one of the books ascribed to Abdullah b. Yazid entitled: K. al-Rudud.174 This book as far as is known, the only extant work of a Nukkarite theologian, but there is still a great chance of discovering more Mss. of their literature in Zwarah (Libya) and Jerba.

It has already been mentioned that the Nukkarite leaders started their movement with opposition to Abu Ubaidah Muslim b. Abi Karimah on certain matters. Among these were; The Muslims who maintain anthropomorphic views of God were polytheists (mushrikun).175 They also maintained that God's friendship (walayat Allah) changes according to the state of the person; if he performs good deeds he will enjoy God's friendship, and if he commits sins he will lose that state.176 They also held a different opinion on the question of al-Harith and Abd al-Jabbar and pronounced them to be in a state of 'reservation' (wuquf).177 They were strongly opposed for these views, and other juridical opinions, by Abu Ubaidah and his successor al-Rabi b. Habib.

On the death of the first Rustamid Imam in Tahert and the election of his son Abd al-Wahhab as his successor, the political aims of the Nukkar were revealed, and contacts between the Nukkar of the West (al-Maghrib) and their