Religion and Politics Under the Early 'Abbasids: The Emergence of the Proto-Sunni Elite (Islamic History and Civilization. Studies and Texts, V. 16)

The main concern of this book is the religious policies of the early ‘Abbāsid caliphs. It focuses on the religious trends which went into the making of Sunnī Islam, and traces the emergence of the nascent Sunnī elite in relation to the ‘Abbāsids. Various aspects of the caliphs' evolving relationship with the religious scholars are studied and the nature of caliphal patronage and its impact on the scholars, and ultimately on the evolution of early Sunnism, is explored. What emerges is a picture of close collaboration between the caliphs and the ‘ulama’, with the caliphs playing an active and multifaceted role in religious life. This book challenges the prevailing interpretations of the separation of religion and politics in early Islam, and offers new insights into the social and religious history of Islam's formative centuries. "The main concern of this book is the religious policies of the early 'Abbasid caliphs. It focuses on the religious trends which went into the making of Sunni Islam, and traces the emergence of the nascent Sunni elite in relation to the 'Abbasids. Various aspects of the caliphs' evolving relationship with the religious scholars are studied and the nature of caliphal patronage and its impact on the scholars, and ultimately on the evolution of early Sunnism, is explored. What emerges is a picture of close collaboration between the caliphs and the 'ulama', with the caliphs playing an active and multifaceted role in religious life. This book challenges the prevailing interpretations of the separation of religion and politics in early Islam, and offers new insights into the social and religious history of Islam's formative centuries."--BOOK JACKET The main concern of this book is the religious policies of the early Abb sid caliphs. It focuses on the religious trends which went into the making of Sunn Islam, and traces the emergence of the nascent Sunn elite in relation to the Abb sids. Various aspects of the caliphs' evolving relationship with the religious scholars are studied and the nature of caliphal patronage and its impact on the scholars, and ultimately on the evolution of early Sunnism, is explored. What emerges is a picture of close collaboration between the caliphs and the ulama, with the caliphs playing an active and multifaceted role in religious life. This book challenges the prevailing interpretations of the separation of religion and politics in early Islam, and offers new insights into the social and religious history of Islam's formative centuries." Contents Preface Abbreviations 1. Historiographical Introduction 2. Religious Trends in Early ‘Abbasid Society 3. The Caliphs and the ’Ulama’: Defining a Relationship 4. Early ‘Abbasid Patronage of Religious Life 5. The Rhetoric of Religious Policies 6. Conclusion Bibliography Index A study of the religious policies of the early ‘Abbāsids. It describes the caliphs' patronage of the nascent Sunni religious elite and offers a new interpretation of the relationship of religion and politics in Islam's first centuries. A study of the religious policies of the early 'Abbasids. It describes the caliphs' patronage of the nascent Sunni religious elite and offers a new interpretation of the relationship of religion and politics in Islam's first centuries. By Muhammad Qasim Zaman. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.