The office of doorkeeper (hijibah)

In the Umayyad and ‘Abbasid dynasties, the title of doorkeeper (hajib) was restricted to the person who guarded the ruler from the common people and would not give them access to him, or only in such ways, and at such times, as he determined. It was lower in rank at that time than the other functions. The wazir could intervene whenever he saw fit.

This was the situation during the whole Abbasid period until today. In Egypt, this office is subordinate to “deputy” (na’ib).

In the Umayyad dynasty in Spain, this office guarded the ruler from his entourage and from the common people. He was the liaison officer between the ruler and the wazirs and lower (officials). In the (Umayyad) dynasty, the office of doorkeeper was an extremely high position, as (Umayyad) history shows. Men like Ibn Hudayr 466 and others held the office of doorkeeper in (the Umayyad dynasty).

Later, when the Umayyad dynasty came under the control of others, the person in control was called doorkeeper (hajib), because the office of doorkeeper had been such a distinguished one. Al-Mansilr b. Abi ‘Amir, as well as his two sons, 467 were hajibs.

After they had openly adopted the external forms of royal authority, they were succeeded by the reyes de taifas. The latter, also, did not fail to use the title of . jib. It was considered an honor to possess it.

The most powerful of (the reyes de taifas) used the royal style and titles, and then inevitably mentioned the titles hajib and dul l-wizaratayn (Holder of the Two Wazirates), meaning the wazirates of “the sword” and “the pen.” The title of hajib referred to the office that guarded the ruler from the common people and from his entourage. Dhu l-wizaratayn referred to the fact that (the holder of the title) combined the functions of “the sword” and “the pen.”

In the dynasties of the Maghrib and Ifrigiyah, no mention was made of the title of (doorkeeper), on account of their Bedouin attitude. Occasionally, but rarely, it is found in the ‘Ubaydid(-Fatimid) dynasty in Egypt. That was at the time when (the ‘Ubaydid-Fatimids) had become powerful and used to sedentary culture.In the Almohad dynasty which made its appearance (subsequently), sedentary culture, which calls for the use of titles and the separation of government functions with distinctive names, only became firmly established late (in the dynasty).

The only rank they had at first was that of wazir, which they used for the secretary who participated with the ruler in the administration of his special (private) affairs. Men such as Ibn ‘Atiyah 468 and ‘Abd-as-Salam al-Kumi 469 held the position. (Such a wazir) had, in addition to his main duty, to take care of bookkeeping and all the financial business. Later on, the name of wazir was given to relatives of the (Almohad) dynasty, such as Ibn Jami’ 470 and others. The name of doorkeeper (hajib) was not known at that time in the (Almohad) dynasty.

In the Hafsid dynasty of Ifriqiyah, the top position was at first in the hands of a wazir who gave advice and counsel. He was called “Shaykh of the Almohads.” He had to take care of appointments and dismissals, the leadership of the army, and war operations. Bookkeeping and the ministry (diwan of tax collection) were another, separate rank. The person in charge of it was called Sahib al-ashghal (Manager of Financial Affairs) 471 He had complete charge of income and expenditures. He audited the finances, collected payments, and punished defaulters. One condition was that he be an Almohad. “The pen” was also a separate office under (the Almohads). It was only entrusted to a person with good knowledge of (official) correspondence and who could be trusted with secrets.

Since people (of consequence in the dynasty) had no professional knowledge of writing and the proper use of their language for (official) correspondence, a particular descent was not a condition of appointment to that office.

The royal authority of the (Hafsid) ruler was very farflung, and a great number of dependents lived in his house. Therefore, he needed a steward to be in charge of his house. (That steward had the duty) properly to apportion and fix the salaries, allowances, garments, kitchen and stable expenditures, and other things.

He was in control of the stores (in the treasuries) and had the duty of telling the tax collectors to provide for (the quantities and amounts of money) needed. He was called doorkeeper (hajib). Occasionally, the function of signing (official) documents 472 was added to his duties, if he happened to have a good knowledge of writing.

However, that function was occasionally given to somebody else. It continued to be this way. The ruler stayed in seclusion, 473 and the doorkeeper (hajib) became the liaison officer between the people and all the officials. In the later (years) of the dynasty, the offices of “the sword” and of war operations were added to his duties.

At this time it also became his duty to give advice and counsel. Thus, his office became the highest in rank and included all government functions. For some time after (the reign of) the twelfth ruler 474 of the (Hafsids), the government was controlled by others, and the ruler kept in seclusion. Afterwards, his grandson Sultan Abul-‘Abbas, regained control of his affairs.

He removed the vestiges of seclusion and (outside) control by abolishing the office of doorkeeper (hajib), which had been the stepping stone toward (control of the government) 475 He handled all his affairs himself without asking anyone else for help. This is the situation at the present time. There is no trace of the title of doorkeeper (hajib) among the Zanatah dynasties in the Maghrib, of which the most important is the dynasty of the Merinids. Leadership of war operations and of the army belongs to the wazir.

The rank of “the pen,” as far as it is concerned with bookkeeping and (official) correspondence, goes to the person who knows these things well, even though it may be in the private possession of certain houses among followers of the dynasty.

Sometimes, (the office) is kept in (the same family), sometimes it is shared withothers.

They have a separate rank for the office (whose function it is to) guard the ruler’s door and to protect the ruler himself from the common people. The person who holds that office is called by them mizwar, 476 that is, commandant of the elite troops (jindar) who are employed at the court of the ruler and responsible for executing his orders, enforcing the punishments he metes out, executing the severe measures he takes, and guarding the inmates of his prisons. Their chief (the mixwar) has charge of the court. He has to see to it that people behave properly in the reception hall where the common people (are received). His office is something like a minor wazirate.

The dynasty of the ‘Abd-al-Wadids shows no trace of any of these titles, nor does it have separate (government) functions, because of its Bedouin character and insufficient (power). (The ‘Abd-al-Wadids) occasionally use the name doorkeeper (hajib) for the person in charge of the ruler’s personal household affairs, as was also the case in the Hafsid dynasty. He is given combined charge of bookkeeping and (official) documents, as also was the case among (the Hafsids). The reason for this is that (the ‘Abd-al-Wadids) simply followed the tradition of the dynasty to which they had been subservient and whose propaganda they had been supporting when they started their career.

Present-day Spaniards call the person in charge of bookkeeping and of the ruler’s activities and of all the other financial matters, wakil (manager). The wazir (there) has the same duties as the wazir (usually has), but he is also in charge of (official) correspondence. The ruler (himself) puts his signature to all documents.

Thus, the Spaniards do not have a separate office of signer of documents (‘alamah) as other dynasties have.

In the Turkish dynasty in Egypt, the name of doorkeeper (hajib) is used for persons of authority (hakim) among the men who hold power, that is, the Turks. These persons have to enforce the law among the people in the town. There are numerous (hajibs). The office of (hajib) among (the Turks) is lower than that of na’ib, which has general jurisdiction over both the ruling class and the common people. The na’ib has the authority to appoint and remove certain officials at the proper times.

He may grant and fix small salaries. His orders and decrees are executed as those of the ruler. He is the ruler’s delegate in every respect. The doorkeepers (hajib), on the other hand, have jurisdiction over the various classes of common people and over the soldiers only when a complaint (against them) is lodged with them. They can use force against those who do not want to submit to their) judgment. They rank below the na’ib.

In the Turkish dynasty, the wazir is in charge of collecting all the taxes:

• land tax
• customs duties
• poll tax

He also is in charge of spending the tax revenue for government expenditures and the fixed stipends for soldiers and government employees.

In addition, he can appoint or remove all officials, whatever their rank and description, who are concerned with tax collection and disbursement. 477

It is a custom of (the Turks) that the wazir be appointed from among the Copts in charge of the office of bookkeeping and tax collection, because in Egypt they have been familiar with these matters since ancient times. Occasionally, the ruler appoints to that office a member of the ruling group, one of the Turkish grandees or one of their descendants, as occasion may arise.