SOCIAL LIFE UNDER THE ABBASIDS By Muhammad Manasir Ahsan Thesis submitted for the

428 Pages·2017·25.53 MB·English

SOCIAL LIFE UNDER THE ABBASIDS
By
Muhammad Manasir Ahsan
Thesis submitted for the degree of
Doctor of Philosophy
in the University of London
London, 1973*
ProQuest Number: 10672928
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ABSTRACT
This thesis studies the social life of the Abbasids
during the 5rd/9th century (170-289/786-902), the “Golden Age"
of Abbasid Iraq. Though stigmatised by various political and
administrative crises the downfall of the Barmakids, civil
war betifeen Amin and Ma’mun, Turkish ascendancy, Zanj rebellion,
transfer of the capital from Baghdad to Samarra and again from
Samarra to Baghdad etc., the general pattern of life
remained laregely unchanged, notwithstanding a strain of
refinement that runs throughout the cultural and social life
o£ the century*
The thesis has been divided into seven chapters, a resumS
whereof is given hereunder :
Chapter I deals with the various types of sources used in
the preparation of the present thesis. The sources portraying
the social life — - contemporary, near contemporary, dhirnml,
secondary etc., --- have been classified into several groups
with an assessment of their comparative value and reliability*
Chpater II examines the evolution of various forms and
designs of head-gear, foot-wear and garments in common use in
a historical perspective. The dress of the various social
classes, the state functionaries, the dhimmls and the sufis
has also been dealt with underlining the regional, ethnic and
ceremonial differences effecting form and design.
Chapter III discusses food habits and describes the various
kinds of food prepared from meat, fish, bread, rice, vegetables,
ans other ingredients e.g., spices, oil and fat, sweetening
agents etc. There is a brief description of the trade in edibles
and the regulation of food prices etc. The chapter also
discusses the table and social manners of the period.
Chapter IV investigates and discusses hunting, a popular
pastime of the period. There is a description of the use of
the predatory beasts and birds for this purpose, various weapons
and devices employed in hunting and the economic aspects of
hunting e.g., the prices of the hunting animals, annual hunting
budgets of the caliphs and the attitude of the flqh towards
hunting.
Chapter V surveys the popular indoor and outdoor games
of the period, their organisation, rules and regulations, the
sports popular among women and children and the attitude of
the fiqh vis-a-vis these pastimes.
Chapter VI deals with the festival and festivities
observed during the period under st\\dy by the court and the
people in general, both Muslims and non-Muslims.
Chapter VII reviews the housing situation in Abbasid
Iraq, the prices of the houses, the housing rent, and the cost
of land, the interior and exterior structure and decoration
of dwelling houses, and the basic amenities e.g., the water
supply, sanitation, cooling and heating system. The public
baths found in almost every city, their maintenance, supervision,
personnel and the role they played in the social life of the
early Abbasid period have also been discussed.
4
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
It is a pleasure to record my sincerest thanks and
gratitude to all those who have contributed towards the
preparation of the present thesis0
In the first place, with all sincerity and however
inadequate the words, I should like to express my deep
gratitude, to my supervisor, Professor Bernard Lewis,
without whose continued encouragement and valuable
suggestions all efforts on my part would have proved
unfructuouso Throughout my stay in this country, I found
in him a real friend and a sympathetic guide who was a
source of great help during all these years especially in
the days of political crisis in my country*
I am also greatly indebted to Hr« V*!* Parry of this
School for his valuable assistance and suggestions*
{Thanks are also due to Dr* H* Rabie, Dr* G* Fehrevari,
Dr, HoJ* Fisher and Dr* AoA* Rahmani who helped me by their
valuable suggestion and encouragement*
My thanks are also due to' the librarians and staffs of
the SOAS; British Museum Library; the University of London
Library; the Bodlien Library, Oxford for their willing help
in making available books, manuscripts and microfilms*
Finally I wish to thank Mrs* g.Griffiths, the secretary
of the History Department, my parents and sincere friends
for their kind co-operation, support and encouragement*
School of Oriental and
African Studies* , M* M* Ahsan*
5
List of Abbreviations
Sources
Aghani Kitab al-Aghanl, by Abu'l-Earaj al-
Isfahanl, Bulaq edition*
©
Aghani' Ibid, Dar al-Kutub Misriyya edition.
a
Arab Archery A Book on the Excellence of the boy/
and arrow and the description thereof,
Trans, and ed. by N.A.Earis & R.P.Elmer,
4 Arlb Silat Ta’rlkh al-Tabaris by 4Arab.
Ashtor,Prix Histoire des prix et des salaires .dans
19orient medieval, by E. Ashton.
Athar Athar al-Baqiya, by Blruni.
Azdl,Hikayat Hikayat Abl'l-Qasim al-Baghdadi, by Azdi
o "
Bayan al-Bayan wa * 1-Tabyin, by Jahiz.*
Bayzara Kitab al-Bayzara (attributed to Hasan
be al-Husayn*).
o
Buidan Kitab al-Buldan, by Ya6 qubl.
Dhaklia5 ir Al-Dhakha5ir wa'l-Tuhaf, by Ibn Zubayr.
Diyarat Kitab al-Diyarat, by ShabushtI.
Pakhri Kitab al-Fakhrx, by Ibn Tiqtiqa,
Eihrlst Al-ffihrist, by Ibn Hadlm.
Hayawan Kitab al-Hayawan, by Jahiz.
Hilya Hilyat al-Eursan fl shi£ ar al-shuj 4 an,
» ...........i i , i i i.. .. __
by Ibn Hudhayl.
Ibn Hawqal Al-Masalik wa*1-Mamalik, by Ibn Hawqal.
o
4 Iqd Al-£Iqd. al-Earld, by Ibn 4Abd Rabbih.
I£ tibar KitHb al-141ibar, by Usama b. Munqidh.
Kamil Ta’rlkh al-Kamil, by Ibn al-Athxr.
Khatlb, TaJrIkh Ta’rlkh Baghdad, by al-Khatlb al-Baghda
6
Lata?if Lata’if al-Ma6arif9 by Tha£alibi*
tit 1 i n ' J" I - • ii j_._ i„ .........................r_ r. .v ' r”‘
Mansur! fi'l-Bayzara Kitab al-Mansuri fi’1-Bayzara, by
1 0 _ _
o
Hashsha ’ Ahmad
o “ o
Maqamat Maqamat al-Hamadanio
Masayid Kitab al-Masayid wa1l-Matarid, by
o
Kusha.j im *
Mercier, Chasse La Chasse et les sports chez les
Arabesj by L« Mercier*
Mbz „ Renaissance of Islam, by Mez, Eng* Tr*
Muhadarat Muhadarat al-Udaba?, by Raghib al-
' 1 -1 e ‘ o ,, , IM
Isfahan!.
o
Muntazam Al-Muntazam, by Ibn al-Jawzi*
' 1 o 1 ^ro«nM
Muq* Ahsan al-Taqasim., by Muqaddasi°
Muru,! Muruj al-Dhahab, by Mas6udio
Nihaya Nihayat al-Rutba fi tnlab al~hisba9
by Shayzari*
Nishwar Nishv/ar al-Muhadara, by Taniikhl*
~ o o________
Nuwayr!,
Qutub al-Surur Qutub al-Surur fi awsaf al~khumur, by
al-Raqlq al-Nadlnu
Rusum, Rusum dar al-khilafa? by Hilal al-Sabi
Saracen Archery Saracen Archery, Englo Tr„ by Latham
and Peterson*
Subh Subh al-A^sha, by Qalqashandl*
n o o
Sul! Akhbar al-Radi wa11-Muttaql?by Sull*
Q
Sull, Awraq Kitab al-Awraq0 by Suli*
O fc._ _ .. ii. o
Tabari Ta5rlkh al-Rusul wa’l-Muluk, by Tabari
o
Tablkh Kitab al-Tabikh, by Baghdadi *
Ta.jarib Ta.jarib aI-Umam5 by Miskawayh*
Thimar Thimar al-Qulub, by Tha& alibi*
Tuhaf Al-Tuhaf wa'l-Hadaya, by Khalidiyyan«
‘ Uyun ‘Uyun al-Akhbar, by Ibn Qutaybao
Wafayat . Waf ay at al-A‘yan, by Ibn Khallikan0
Warraq Al-Tabikh wa islah al-aghdhiya al-
to _ ° ° _______
ma’kulat, by Nasr b« Sayyar al-Warraq
' o
Wusla Al-Wusla ila al-habib fx wasf al-**
" —.. ‘ ‘ o ^ Q " •
o ' '
tayyibat wa'l-tib, bylbn al-^Adinu
Yac qubl Ta’rikh, by Ya‘qubio
Yaqut, Buldan Mu6 j am al-Buldan, by Yaqut al-Ruml*
Periodicals etc,
Al Ars Islamica
AESC Annales Economics, Societes, Oivilisa
tion.
AIEO Annals de ,19Institute des etudes
Orientales de I?Universite d’Alger„
BcCoAo Bulletins of the College of Arts
(Majallat Kuiliyat al-Adab, Baghdad)
BSOAS Bulletin of the School of Oriental
and African Studies«,
ehr The Economic History Review•
Encyclopaedia of Islam, 1st edition.,
El1
El2 Ibido 2nd edition,,
HJ Historia Judaica„
10 Isiamic Culture„
Islamic Quarterly0
J&
8
JAH Journal of Asian His'
JAOS .Journal of the American Oriental
Society„
!
JBBRAS Journal of the Bombay Branch of the
Royal Asiatic Society.,
JABS Journal & Proc«, of the Asiatic Society
Bengal,
JEH Journal of Economic History0
JESHO Journal of the Economic and Social
of the Orient.
JHAS Journal of the Royal Asiatic
MGT Maoalia Ohurfa al~Tioara} Baghdad„
MMII Mapallat al-Majmac al-^llmr al-*Iraqi»
M The Muslim World,
RAAD Ma.jallat al-Ma^ma* al~cllml al—~ ‘Arabi.
REI Revue des Etudes isi antiques0
RSO Rivista degli studi orientali*
SI Studia Islamicao
SO Studi a Orient alia,,
ZDMG Zeitschrift der Deutschen Morgenlandi-
schen Gesellschaft«,
9
Transliteration
The system of transliteration of Arabic names and
words is adopted from the Encyclopaedia of Islam, second
edition, with the exception that <y_ is replaced by and
k by <!• Arabic names which have a form generally accepted
in the English language have been used in that form*