recognized Sa'id's claims to the imamate and those who rejected them. The latter are generally known by the term "Qarmatians", although this name was also applied by non-Isma'ilis in a pejorative sense to the supporters of the Fatimids. The Isma'ili communities that adhered to the Qarmatian view represented mostly the eastern Islamic world: Iraq, Bahrayn and northern Persia around Rayy. Bedouin uprising and flight to Ramla After his role in the murder of Abdan, Zakarawayh ibn Mihrawayh escaped Iraq and resumed his missionary efforts among the Bedouin tribes of the eastern Syrian Desert, but with little success. His sons, al-Husayn and Yahya, however, succeeded in converting many members of the tribal group of the Banu Kalb in the northwestern Syrian Desert. Assuming the cover names of ('Man with the Mole') and ('Master of the She-Camel') respectively, they and their followers adopted the name ('Fatimids') and rose in revolt in 902. Although Zakarawayh sent Sa'id's brother to the Bedouin as the representative of the hidden imam and figurehead of the revolt, this uprising was apparently without the knowledge or authorization of Sa'id. Indeed, this initiative by his over-eager followers would end up placing him in mortal danger, as they alerted the authorities to the whereabouts of their true leader. While the Bedouin, scored their first successes against the government troops, Sa'id was informed via pigeon post from his agents in Baghdad that the Abbasid governor of Salamiya had discovered his true identity. Under cover of night, Sa'id left Salamiya, accompanied only by his son, the chief missionary Fayruz, the brother of Abu Abdallah al-Shi'i, Abu'l-Abbas Muhammad, and four slaves. The women of the household, including his mother and two daughters, as well as his niece, were left behind under the protection of the slave Su'luk. The group speedily went south. In three days they passed Homs, Tripoli, Damascus, and Tiberias, until they reached Ramla, where the local governor was secretly an Isma'ili initiate and could protect them. Sa'id and his party had escaped in the nick of time: in Damascus, the caliphal courier with his description and orders for his arrest arrived right after they had left the city, and another courier arrived at Ramla in the same evening that they settled there. In the meantime, Zakarawayh's sons had made for Salamiya to pay homage to their master. Finding Abu Muhammad there, they initially held him to be their imam, until