CAUSES OF

DOWNFALL OF
ABBASID
CALIPHATE

Written By-
Ali Reza Sk

To Honarable Teacher-
Fazl.K

DARUL HUDA ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY BENGAL

CAMPUS

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CAUSES OF DECLINE OF
ABBASID CALIPHATE
The Abbasid Caliphate is one of the most powerful caliphates of the
world, which the world has never seen. In this caliphate, the
development and empowerment especially the education of every
sector, be it technology, chemistry, biology, astronomy, medical
science, or Islamic studies. The educational status was at its heights
ebb. The educations we are studying today are most of them are the
result of the research and fruit of the Abbasid era, which we know as
the golden age of Islam.
However this magnificent era declined due to some unchecked factors
and the most important of these are mentioned below. The Abbasid
Caliphate can be divided into four major parts based on its different
aspects-

A. The era of power, expanding and flourishing

B. The era of Turkish influence
C. The era of the emergence of Ale Buwaihids
D. The period of the emergence of Seljuq Turks

THESE ARE SOME OF THE MAIN CAUSES OF THE

DECLINE OF THE CALIPHATE-

System Of Governance
The Islamic guideline was to choose another caliph with interview with people
groups or some specific gathering of caliphate, and this the way how Hazrat
Abu Bakr had been chosen. Be that as it may, after the caliphate of Rashidun
when the Umaayad Caliphate was in power the principal caliph Amir
Muwawiya started the innate framework as he coercively delegated his
unacceptable child Yazid to be the following caliph. From that time the Islamic
caliphate was moved to an inherited framework not with discussion and
individuals' determination.

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Contrasts And Hatred With Shiah
It were Shiah who assisted Abbasids with building up their realm planning with
them, and lastly, they together brought the end of the Umaayad Caliphate. So,
following not many years the contention between these two gatherings began.
Since, the Shias were so idealistic or cheerful that they will likewise be the
Caliph, and they have the ideal for it that they are Alawids most closely to
Hazrat Ali. Yet, on the opposite side, the Abbasids who were Hashimids
professed to be in power perpetually, on the grounds that they are most closer to
Prophet Muhammad. Yet, when the Alawites saw that the caliphate has gotten
inherited, they lost their expectation, and afterward they started to demolish the
Abbasid Caliphate through their connivances and rebellions against
the caliphate. As they helped Hulagu khan during his progression of Baghdad.
This way the Sunni-Shia struggle has begun.

Ascent Of Non-Arabs Turkish Army

At the point, when the caliph Mu’tasim turned into the caliph he
started to enlist Non-Arab Mawalis into the military. Also, the very
explanation behind this was his mom was a Turkish lady, here we can
the nepotism. In the underlying stage, they vanquished the hearts of
the caliph by helping them with apathetic wars and stopping the fire
of various rebellions. In any case, later they turned out to be so
amazing and oversaw the organization that they turned into the
kingmakers as they removed numerous caliphs as their desire and
executed a large number of them through tricks. They were simple
contenders not propagators, who will pass on the message of the
Almighty God. the Non-Arabian blood is streaming in their nerves
then how they will have the interest of Jihad in God's way.

The Leisure And Extravagance Life

Gradually, Islam had begun to spread all over the world and the
Muslims were tasting the conquests in great battles. But, after the
caliphate became hereditary during the Umaayad Caliphate the
caliphs became so extravagant and they began to live a leisure life.
And this extravagance was at its highest ebb during the era of the
Abbasid Caliphate. As not only the caliph himself but his chief
minister and elite peoples were leisurely that they were making
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skyscraper buildings without any need and they will decorate their
palaces expending lakhs and crores of golden coins. They will have
many places for one single person many handmaids to serve them.
They will sit on the seats planned with pearls, their way will be paved
with valuable stones and they will have meadow gardens to wander
with their spouses and slaves, and they will have plates of gold and
distinctive valuable metals to eat in. And the shocking fact is that all
expenses were from Baithul Maal from the people's property.
Because, if we focus on the era of Umar ibn Abd Al-Aziz, we will be
intrigued that he carried on with an ordinary life notwithstanding that
he was a Caliph. He didn't utilize one single coin from individuals'
property for his motivation or for the satisfaction of his requirements
or wishes. He didn't wear the regal dress and didn't ride the imperial
vehicles. Yet, Abbasids were totally soaked in the relaxation life and
amusement.
For example, the caliph will hold parties there will be tunes and
various types of beguilements through ragas and songs or young lady
dances. Also, the writers will introduce lines in the courtesy of the
caliph to touch his heart and get enormous compensations from him.
What's more, the caliphs did it. They will pay a colossal add-up to the
artists whose sonnets will be great and heart-touching. Furthermore,
in this period, likewise, we can see interestingly that the caliph will
drink liquor which has been carefully precluded in Islam, as there is
no issue to drink liquor as Allah has allowed to drink it. The caliphs
had publicized the drinking of liquor.

Another example is about what they used to spend for their newly
married spouses. Caliph Harun Rashid spent in his marriage and
presented to his wife Zubaida crowns, fragrances, earrings, necklaces,
and various jewelers and dress, golds and silvers which never
presented a caliph to his wife in history. And all these expenses were
from Baithul Maal public property except which Rashid spent from
his own pocket 50 lakh million dirhams. Same this, Ma’mun also
spent 40 lakh million dirhams in his marriage ceremony.

Other examples of extravagances like the caliphs will hold great

events and ceremony for their child’s Circumcision. As we can see in
the history which has been written throughout the pages, if we wrap it
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we can see that the caliph Mutawakkil spent for his son Mu’tazz’s
circumcision occasion which exceeded 68 lakh dirhams.
This extravagance was one of the key fact behind the decline of
Abbasid Caliphate. Because of these expenses, the caliphs were
unable to invest needed amount to the Army sectors, and also they
became weak to pay their fixed salary. And that’s why a lot of army
revolts and strifes can be seen in the history at that time. As we have
said that, the army were Non-Arabs, and later they became the most
supreme power in the caliphate that they can choose the next caliphate
and they can oust any caliphate they dislike. All in all, they had this
power, because they were spreded In every high position in the
administration posts.

Interference Of Women In The Administration

In the Abbasid Caliphate, caliph's ladies had a high position after the
caliph and access to the administration system. And the most famous
of these were like, Khaizuran, who was the wife of the caliph Mahdi
and mother of his two sons Hadi and Harun Rashid. Likewise,
Qabiha wife of caliph Mutawakkil and mother of his son Mu’tazz was
one of them. These women had a great role in the administration
system which prompted the contention and conflict between brothers
and with the uncle's brothers for power- and these inter-conflicts
between brothers was one of the main reasons of the decline of the
Abbasid Caliphate.

The most prominent woman who had great access and role in the
caliphate was Khaizuran- wife of Mahdi that the commanders and
chief ministers were waiting at her doors for their needs. But, when
her son Hadi became the Caliph, and when he wanted her to stay
away from the political and official matters, and wanted to keep her
away from her post that she gained from her husband- she tried to kill
her own son.
And Qabiha wanted her son Mu’tazz to be the Caliph instead of his
brother Muntasir and proposed and this caused the murder of her
husband after he rejected her proposal. These house factors also led to
the decline of the caliphate from within.

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The Phenomenon Of Tyranny And Injustice
When the caliphate was moved to a hereditary system rather than the
Islamic way which Allah has clearly said in the Quran of the
consultation, the caliphs began to think that they are the king of these
lands and they forgot that the Almighty Allah has bestowed them this
honor and made them guardian and viceroys in his lands, in order to
take care of his creatures, but they neglected this and forgot the rule.
But, in the time of Rashidun, the system was not like this. As we can
see in the sermon of Hazrat Abu Bakr- the first Caliph after Prophet
Muhammad had said, If you see me on the right path and right deeds follow
me, and if you see in any activities out of the Shariah out of the Islamic rules
then you people should show me the right path. That was the time when the
administration system was according to the divine law and the people
can live freely where there was democratic rule. But after the Abbasid
came the Islamic caliphate was converted to fully monarchy system.
The caliphs will do what they want as their wishes. If they assume a
thing as right even if it is wrong or out of the Islamic law, the people
should believe in this and believe upon what their caliphs believe,
otherwise they will be dead or jailed. If they want to know a
judgment, the verdict should be in their favor, even the decree is
against the Shariah. Then, if the overall outcome or the verdict
became against the caliph or he didn't satisfy with the decision the
judge will be sent to death. He will be tortured in many ways and will
be given the chance to repel the verdict and make it in the favor of the
caliph's satisfaction and according to his wish. And this way the court
system was also corrupted which was the holy place and the only
place of hope of the victims and oppressed peoples to get justice.
For instance, like caliph Ma’mun when he asked jurisprudents to
believe that the Quran is Makhluq means it has been created. Then
who didnt believed in this they were been ordered to cut their parts of
body or to be tortured. And many of them were sent to jailed, also,
many of them died in the jail like Abu Mushir Al-gasani.
Similarly, the calph Mu’tasim was busy in the same issue to make the
people to believe that the is Makhluq and in this case he tortured the
Imam Ahmad bin hanbal- who is one of the Imam of four schools of
jurisprudece, and ordered to beat him with whip. However he didnt
believe, but persisted on his Iman.
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After Mu’tasim his son was so cruel on the jurisprudents and harsh to
them, that he killed the great scolar Ahmad bin Nasr AL-khuzayi’. He
also ordered to send Imam Buwaiti and Ibn Hammad to jail, and this
way theses two great scholars had died in the jail.

These are the examples of the tyrannies and harshness of Abbasid

caliphs which led them to downfall- in which the chiefs and courtiers
and commanders of caliph's were also involved. The oppressed
scholars were of two groups, the first whose target was the matirial
world. So, they will say yes to caliph’s yes, and no, in which caliph
says no- even if the caliphs are in wrong. So they got their portion
from caliph. And the second group whose target was the Aakhirah-
the world after here. So they will never bow their head infront of the
tyranny and the wrong.

The Weakening Of The State And The Rising Of

Independent State
The Abbasid Caliphate didn't fall because of the caliphs that were incompetent.
We can see a lot of intellectual and powerful caliphs. But, the most important
cause of the decline was the overcoming of Turks in the power which had
started in the time of the caliph Mu’tasim. The Iranians had a great role in the
establishment of the Abbasid Caliphate, that's why they had a power and a wide
grip on the power from the beginning. Basically, the Iranians were in every
high administration position. In the time of Mutawakkil, their grip was so
powerful that they began to interfere in the administration and at last the caliph
Mutawakkil himself became their prey.
All Turkish army in the caliphate was not Muslim many of them were Non-
Muslims. That's why they were so stubborn and rebellious that, it forced the
caliph Mu’tsim to leave Baghdad and to migrate to the Samra.
After the caliph Mutawakkil, the Iranians began to ignore caliph's orders. After
caliph Mutawakkil within eight years they fixed four caliphs and ousted them.
In this way, the Iranians and Turkish peoples weakened the central power but
they didn't establish a powerful kingdom of their own. This way, when the
provincial rulers saw this imbalance within the administration, they established
their own rule in that area- they are ruling, declaring it as an independent state.
They stopped to send the tax to the caliph, which was a very big problem for the
caliph that, without money- which they get through taxes, they can't balance

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their kingdom. And it should be known that the area of the Abbasid Caliphate
was so spreaded, that they weren't able for direct conversations, meetings, and
consultation with the provincial rulers- which was a key reason behind the
weakening of the caliphate and emergence of independent states within the
caliphates region. From these independent rulers were like-
1) Safari Rule in the northern part of Iran which was founded by Yaqub bin
Laith.
2) Alawiyya Rule in Tabaristan founded by Hasan bin Zaid Alawiyyi.
3) Akhshadiya Rule of Turkish Peoples.
4) Samaniya Rule of Iranians.
3) Tuluniya Rules in Egypt.

Two Important Incidents Of This Era Of Downfall Are-

The first, is the revolt of Habshi slaves in 255 to 270 Hijra year, they were
many in numbers. One Iranian person attacked Iraq with their help and
assistance. And finally, they conquered the southern part of Iraq. And after that,
they began to oppress Muslims. They killed 50 lakh, innocent peoples in these
15 years.
And the second incident, is the incident of Qaramits. A man named Qaramit
misusing this chance made different dogmas to mislead the people in 278 Hijra
years and lasted for 50 years.

Invasions
The Abbasid Caliphate had begun to fragment both internally and externally.
Due to their disbalance and unfair governance, the foreign power dared to attack
them and seeing the golden chance, and the right time to attack, they took the
benefit of the chance. And it was easy, because of the disunity in the palace and
the conspiracies against the supreme power. So the Abbasid Caliphate began to
suffer attacks from outside from 1100. and four of them were successfully able
to assault the caliphate and get over them. These were Mamluks in Egypt and
establishing a large empire in Northern Africa. The other was Seljuk Turks
rising from Central Asia which conquered some of the Middle East and
Baghdad. And lastly, the Mongols came and broke the last pillar of the Abbasid
Caliphate taking over Baghdad by killing the last caliph Musta’sim. So the
effect of these foreign invaders was, the invaders brought a new turn to the
Abbasid Caliphate, not Abbasid Caliphate but the Islāmic empire which

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transferred the power o of administration to the Non-Arabs Turks and Non-
Muslim.
The caliphs remained mere caliphs with a title, not with power. They will have
ceremonial power but all supreme power and effective power in the hand of the
foreign leader. The caliphs have become puppet caliphs. So, because of these
non-Arab administrations, they will bring many religious changes which will
hamper Islam’s progression, and make golden chances for more attacks from
Non-Muslim foreigners like the Crusaders.

Mongols
The Mongols are not famous for their great conquers, but for the destruction and
bloodshed in history. They demolished what was remained of the Abbasid
empire in 1258 and took over Baghdad. After conquering Baghdad, they
continued to step ahead to conquer the west. And finally, they were defeated by
the Mamluks in Egypt making the history that the Mamluks are the first to defeat
them in an unexpected way.