li-amr allāh , abū ʿAbd Allāh Muḥammad , ʿAbbāsid caliph (reigned 530-55/1136-60), born on 12 Rabīʿ II 489/9 April 1096, the son of al-Mustaẓhir [q.v.] and a slave girl. After the deposition of his nephew al-Rās̲h̲id [q.v.], al-Muḳtafī was acknowledged as caliph on 8 D̲h̲u ’l-Ḥid̲j̲d̲j̲a 530/17 September 1136. While the Sald̲j̲ūḳs were fighting among themselves, he did his best not only to maintain his independence but also to extend his rule, and one district after the other in ʿIrāḳ fell into his hands. In 543/1148 a number of amīrs denounced their allegiance to Sultan Masʿūd and marched on Bag̲h̲dād but dispersed after several encounters with the caliph’s troops. According to some sources, the same thing took place again next year. In Rad̲j̲ab 547/October 1152, Masʿūd died, and was succeeded by his nephew Maliks̲h̲āh, who was deposed in a few months and succeeded by his brother Muḥammad. In the meanwhile, the caliph seized the two towns of al-Ḥilla and Wāsiṭ. In the following year Sultan Sand̲j̲ar, who ruled in K̲h̲urāsān. was attacked and taken prisoner by the rebel G̲h̲uzz [q.v.], whereupon his amīrs proclaimed Masʿūd’s brother Sulaymāns̲h̲āh sultan. In Muḥarram 551/February-March 1156 the latter was recognised by the caliph on condition that he did not interfere in the affairs of ʿIrāḳ. Although al-Muḳtafī supported him, he was defeated in D̲j̲umādā I/June-July of the same year by his nephew Muḥammad and the latter’s auxiliary. In D̲h̲u ’l-Ḥid̲j̲d̲j̲a/January-February 1157, Sultan Muḥammad advanced on Bag̲h̲dād to take vengeance on the caliph. The latter had to retire to the eastern part of the town and was besieged there for several months. In Rabīʿ I 552/May 1151, however, the sultan suddenly raised the siege because Maliks̲h̲āh was advancing on Hamad̲h̲ān. As the latter therefore retired, hostilities automatically ceased and Muḥammad is said to have later made his peace with al-Muḳtafī. The latter twice besieged Takrīt in vain; on the other hand, he succeeded in taking Lihf. The Crusaders continued their hostilities in al-Muḳtafī’s caliphate. The most powerful pillar of Islam was the Atābeg of al-Mawṣil, ʿImād al-Dīn Zangī, and his son Nūr al-Dīn Maḥmūd in Syria. Al-Muḳtafī died on 2 Rabīʿ I 555/12 March 1160.