Editing Musa ibn Nusayr (section)

==Background==
Various suggestions have been made as to his ancestry. Some say his father belonged to the [[Lakhmids|Lakhmid]] clan of semi-nomads who lived east of the [[Euphrates]] and were allies of the [[Sassanians]],<ref>Editor's note, p. 41 of the Spanish translation of [[Al-Bakri]].</ref> while others claim he belonged to the [[Banu Bakr]] confederation.<ref>These conflicting accounts are mentioned by [[Ahmad ibn Yahya al-Baladhuri|al-Baladhuri]] (p. 362 of English translation), [[Al-Bakri]] (p. 41 of Spanish translation).</ref> One account stated that Musa's father was taken captive after the fall of the Mesopotamian city of [[Battle of Ayn al-Tamr|Ayn al-Tamr]] (633). According to this account, he was an Arab Christian who was one of a number being held hostage there. However, [[Ahmad ibn Yahya al-Baladhuri|al-Baladhuri]], relating the same events,<ref>English translation, pp. 396–397.</ref> states he was an Arab of the [[Bali (tribe)|Balī]] tribe, from Jabal al-Jalīl in Palestine.<ref>Hitti, on p. 397 of his translation of [[Ahmad ibn Yahya al-Baladhuri|al-Baladhuri]], states this is Mt. Galilee, presumably intending the reader to infer the place of that name near Jerusalem. But according to [[Yaqut al-Hamawi|Yaqut]], ''[[Kitab mu'jam al-buldan|Kitāb mu'jam al-buldān]]'', the name applies to mountains which extend up the coast of Syria to [[Homs]] and across to [[Damascus]].</ref>

As a slave, Musa's father entered the service of [[Abd al-Aziz ibn Marwan ibn al-Hakam|Abd al-Aziz ibn Marwan]] ([[List of governors of Islamic Egypt|governor of Egypt]] and son of the caliph [[Marwan I]]) who gave him his freedom.<ref>[[Ahmad ibn Yahya al-Baladhuri|al-Baladhuri]], p. 397 of English translation; the same in other sources, although [[Al-Bakri]] (p. 41 of Spanish translation) says that some say he was liberated by [[Uthman ibn Affan|Uthman]].</ref> He returned to Syria where Musa was born at a place called Kafarmara or Kafarmathra.<ref>[[Ahmad ibn Yahya al-Baladhuri|al-Baladhuri]], p. 397 of English translation, and editor's note.</ref> The date of his birth has been given as 640.<ref>[[Al-Bakri]], p. 42 of Spanish translation.</ref>

Musa was made co-governor of [[Iraq]] by the caliph [[Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan|Abd al-Malik]], together with the caliph's brother [[Bishr ibn Marwan]]. There was some quarrel over missing tax money, and Musa was given the choice: pay a huge fine, or pay with his head. His father's patron, [[Abd al-Aziz ibn Marwan ibn al-Hakam|Abd al-Aziz ibn Marwan]], had a high opinion of Musa, and paid the ransom;<ref>[[Ibn Abd-el-Hakem|Ibn Abd al-Hakam]], p. 329 of the English translation, p. 203 of Torrey's Arabic text.</ref> he was later responsible for appointing Musa to be governor of [[Ifriqiya]].