Shiite History in Yazd at the 7th Century A.H

Yazd has been of great importance as one of the critical connective points in the central Iran, on the paths of Fars, Khorasan and non-Arab Iraq provinces. In the beginning of the Islamic period, Yazd was unnoticed by the Muslims, since it was of little economic or agricultural importance. Provinces such as Fars, Kerman, Isfahan, and Khorasan attracted Arabs’ attention more. This resulted in little knowledge on Yazd in the early centuries of Islamic period, and the city did not receive much of historians’ attention.With Shiite Buyids’ rule over Iran and their sovereignty over Baghdad, and with the residence of an Alawid descendent of Imam Sadeq in Yazd and another branch in Abarqu, as well as Yazd’s position as the territory of a Kakuid offshoot of Buyids, there came an increase in the number of Shiites in this city. With the transfer of this government to Yazd and an attempt for the prosperity of this city as well as a special attention paid to the cultural and educational issues there, Yazd transformed to an influential city in the central Iran. Besides, by establishing familial relations with Seljuqs of Kerman, Kakuids managed to produce a peaceful milieu for cultural activities. In the present article, we are seeking to investigate the hypothesis that Alawids and Sayyids as well as the Yazd branch of Kakuids prepared the ground for diffusion of Shiism in Yazd. The research method used here is the descriptive-analytical method.