The Wazir

Afterwards, royal authority flourished. The (official) councilor and assistant for tribal and group affairs and good relations (with the various tribes and groups) made his appearance. For him, the name of wazir was used.

Bookkeeping remained in the hands of clients, Jews, and Christians. For (official) documents, a special secretary was appointed, as a precaution against possible publication of the ruler’s secrets, something that would be disastrous to his role as political leader.

This secretary was not as important as the wazir, because he was needed only for written matters, and not for matters that could be discussed orally. At that time, speech still preserved its old position and was uncorrupted. 451 Therefore, the wazirate was the highest rank throughout the Umayyad dynasty. The wazir had general supervision of all matters delegated to him 452 and in which he acted in a consultative capacity, as well as all other matters of a defensive or offensive nature.

This also entailed the supervision of the ministry (diwan) of the army,453 the assignment of military allowances at the beginning of each month, and other matters. Then the ‘Abbasid dynasty made its appearance. Royal authority flourished. The royal ranks were many and high ones.

Back then, the caliph delegated his executive authority to the wazir.

His rank in the dynasty became conspicuous. Everyone looked toward the wazirate and submitted to him. Supervision of the bookkeeping office was entrusted to the wazir, because his function required him to distribute the military allowances.

Thus, he had to supervise:

• the collection and distribution of money.
• “the pen” and official correspondence in order to protect the ruler’s secrets and preserve good style, since the language of the great mass had by that time become corrupt.
  • A seal, entrusted to the wazir, was placed on the ruler’s documents in order to preserve them.

Thus, the name ‘wazir’ came to include the functions of both “the sword” and “the pen,” in addition to giving help to the ruler. In the days of ar-Rashid, Jafar b. Yahy, he was actually called “sultan”. It indicated the general extent of his supervising power and control of the dynasty.

The only governmental rank that he did not hold was the office of doorkeeper, and he did not hold it because he disdained to accept such an office.

Then the ‘Abbasid dynasty entered the period when control over the caliphs 454 was exercised (by others). That control was at times in the hands of the wazir. At other times, it was in the hands of the ruler. When the wazir gained control, it was necessary for him to be appointed the caliph’s delegate to comply fully with the religious laws, as mentioned before. 455

Back then, the wazirate was divided into:

• “executive wazirate”
  • this happened when the ruler was in control of his affairs and the wazir executed his decisions
• “delegated wazirate”
  • which happened when the wazir controlled the ruler and the caliph 456 delegated all the affairs of the caliphate, leaving them to his supervision and independent judgment.

Later, Non Arab rulers seized power and changed the identity of the caliphate.

They used the names “amir” and “sultan.” Those in control of the dynasty were called amir al-umara’ or sultan. 458 They left the name wazir to those in the caliph’s private retinue.

This happened until the end of the Abbasid dynasty.

In this long period, language had become corrupt 459 It became a craft practiced by certain people. Thus, it came to occupy an inferior position, and the wazirs were too proud to bother with it. Also, the wazirs were non-Arab, and neither eloquence (nor good style) could be expected of their language.

People from other classes were chosen for (matters requiring Arabic eloquence and a good style). It was their specialty, and it came to be something that was at the service of (and subordinate to) the wazir.

The name amir was restricted to the men in charge of war operations and the army and related matters, although (the amir) had power over the other ranks and exercised control over everything, either as (the ruler’s) delegate or through being in control (of the government).

This remained the situation.

Very recently, the Turkish dynasty appeared in Egypt. The Turkish rulers noticed that the wazirate had lost its identity, because the amirs had been too proud to accept it and had left it to men who were inclined to hold it in the service of the secluded (and powerless) caliph.

The wazir’s authority had become secondary to that of the amir.

Consequently, the high-ranked Turkish rulers disdained to use the name of wazir. Instead, they called:

• “deputy” (na’ib) the person in charge of legal decisions and supervision of the army. 460
• “wazir” the person in charge of tax collection.

The Umayyads in Spain at first used the name wazir in its original meaning. Later, they subdivided the functions of the wazir, each having a special wazir.

• one to furnish an accounting of government finances [resources]
• another for official correspondence [?]
• another to take care of the needs of those who had suffered wrongs [judicial]
• another to supervise the situation of people in the border regions. [executive]

One of the wazirs was appointed liaison officer between the wazirs and the caliph. He had a higher position than the others, because he had constant contact with the ruler. His seat was higher than that of the other wazirs. He was distinguished by the title of “doorkeeper” (hajib). So it continued down to the end of the (Umayyad) dynasty.

The function and rank of hajib took precedence over the other ranks. Eventually, the reyes de taifas came to adopt the title. The most important among them at that time was called “doorkeeper” (hajib), as we shall mention. 461

Ubaydid-Fatimids

Then, the Shi’ah dynasty of the Ubaydid-Fatimids appeared in Ifriqiyah and al-Qayrawan. Their supporters were firmly rooted in desert life.

Therefore, they at first neglected such functions and did not use the proper names for them. Eventually, they became a sedentary culture. The people came to follow the tradition of the the Umayyads and the Abbasids with regard to the use of titles.

When, later on, the Almohad dynasty made its appearance, it at first neglected the matter because of its desert attitude, but eventually it, too, adopted names and titles.

The name wazir was used in its original meaning. Later the tradition of the (Spanish) Umayyad dynasty was followed with regard to government matters and the name wazir was used for the person who guarded the ruler in his court and saw to it that embassies and visitors to the ruler used the proper forms of greeting and address, and that the requisite manners were observed in his presence.

The office of doorkeeper was considered by (the later Almohads) a much higher one. 462 It has continued to be this way down to the present time. In the Turkish dynasty in the East, the (official) who sees to it that people use the proper modes of address and greeting at court and when embassies are presented to the ruler, is called the dawadar. 463

His office includes control of the “private secretary” (katib as-sirr) and of the postmasters (intelligence agents) who are active in the ruler’s interest both far and near. Such is the condition of the Turkish dynasty at this time.