Raja ibn Haywa

Raja ibn Haywa
رَجَاء بْنِ حَيْوَة
Bornc. 660
Beisan (Beit She'an), Jordan district
Died
Qussin, Kufa
Known forPlayed an important role in the construction of the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem
TitleUmayyad caliphs political adviser
FatherHaywa ibn Khanzal
Political adviser for Abd al-Malik
In office
685–705
Political adviser for al-Walid I
In office
705–715
Political adviser for Sulayman
In office
715–717
Political adviser for Umar
In office
717–720

Raja ibn Haywa al-Kindi (Arabic: رَجَاء بْنِ حَيْوَة الكِنْدِيّ, romanizedRajaʾ ibn Ḥaywa al-Kindī) was a prominent Muslim theological and political adviser of the Umayyad caliphs Abd al-Malik (r. 685–705), al-Walid I (r. 705–715), Sulayman (r. 715–717) and Umar (r. 717–720). He was a staunch defender of the religious conduct of the caliphs against their pious detractors. He played an important role in the construction of the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem under Abd al-Malik. He became a mentor of Sulayman during the latter's governorship of Palestine and his secretary or chief scribe during his caliphate. Raja played an influential role in securing the succession of Umar over Sulayman's brothers or sons and continued as a secretary to the new caliph. He spent the last decade of his life in retirement, though he maintained contact with Caliph Hisham (r. 724–743).