The public role ofDhimmīsduring ʿAbbāsid times

Abstract

This article examines how and why non-Muslim dhimmīs were employed in a variety of important posts during the ʿAbbāsid period, notably as viziers (wuzarā') and secretaries (kuttāb). One of the aims is to show that Jews and Christians were employed in the state administration to the extent that some of them were able to achieve the second highest office after the caliph: the vizier. It is argued that, despite certain legal restrictions outlined by Muslim jurists, dhimmī employment in the government had long been an established policy. The first section discusses the juristic debate on whether non-Muslims could be appointed to public office. The second examines examples of non-Muslim viziers and the nature of their political power. The final section offers possible explanations as to why non-Muslims were needed to help the caliphs administer this governmental office. The article concludes with a brief reflection on the significance of this study for the discussion of the nature of state-religion relations in early Islam.

The Humanist Roots of Islamic Administration and Leadership for Education: Philosophical Foundations for Intercultural and Transcultural Teaching

“…The measure of one's interculturality is not just an ability to be civil and tolerate other's views, but to engage in a formational relationship, even mentorship, with those from other cultural backgrounds, requiring a sense of common humanity and the cultural literacy and competencies (Cantle 2012) to do so. The record of the Islamic administrative tradition in its more humanistic phases, such as that of many periods in the Abbasid Caliphate, are evidence of a very high degree of intercultural cooperation and collaboration, as populations with the caliphate had the rights and protections for their national cultures and living alongside neighbours from other backgrounds, as well as the highly diverse senior bureaucracy drawn from many cultures and religious backgrounds who worked effectively together at high levels of administrative and leadership ability (Afsaruddin 2007;Samier 2017;Sirry 2011). 'Transculturalism', instead, refers to those elements of culture that travel across cultural boundaries, such as values like respect, honesty, peace, justice, etc.in other words, values like those associated with humanism.…”

“…Of most importance to this chapter are the principles of tolerance and pluralism embedded in Islam, and codified in the Shurūṭ 'Umar or the pact of Umar, which established the security and rights of minorities in an Islamic state, considered to be part of good governance (Krämer 2013). Even though its observance varied under individual regimes, many of the caliphs not only protected the rights of non-Muslims but appointed non-Muslims to very high positions in the bureaucracy (Sirry 2011) and later the Ottoman Empire maintained comparatively high levels of tolerance (Barkey 2005). Maintaining these principles in government and society are central responsibilities of those in political or institutional leadership positions.…”

Refleksi al-Ghazali dalam Dialog Antara Agama

“…Para ilmuwan Islam yang sebelum itu berkecimpung dalam bidang akidah dan fiqh, meluaskan kesarjanaan dengan menguasai ilmu-ilmu baharu seperti falsafah, sains, perubatan, astronomi, dan matematik yang diambil daripada tamadun-tamadun Greek, China, India, Parsi dan sebagainya (Frank Griffel, 2009). Ilmu-ilmu yang didatangkan kepada dunia Islam khususnya berkait dengan pemikiran, dimanfaatkan oleh ilmuwan Islam untuk dikaji dengan lebih mendalam, seterusnya membudayakan amalan dialog antara agama, melibatkan Muslim-Kristian-Yahudi (M. Sirry, 2011;M. A. Sirry, 2005;Smith, 2015), dan Muslim-Hinduisme-Buddhisme (Ahmad Faizuddin Obuse, 2015).…”

A Sustained Presence: Synagogue Buildings in Galilee during the Early Islamic Period and Later

“…3. The publication is found here: https://doi.org/10.5325/jeasmedarcherstu.9.3.0278 12 indication that the strict rulings in the Abbasid period regarding the dhimmī (non-Muslim) population were, at least at times, not enforced in practice (for discussion on these rulings and their enforcement, see Levy-Rubin 2011: 99-112;Sirry 2011).…”