Seljuk Dynasty: Difference between revisions

The '''Seljūk''' (Persian: سلجوقیان) was an Oghuz Turk dynasty who ruled [[Iran]], [[Iraq]], [[Transoxiana]] and parts of Anatolia for about two centuries (5th/11th and 6th/12th centuries) after defeating [[Ghaznavid]] and [[Buyid]] dynasties. The Seljuks were [[Hanafi]] Muslims, and were supporters of the [[Abbasid]] [[caliph]] against [[Shi'a]] powers, such as [[Fatimids]] and Buyids, thus, introducing themselves as revivers of the Sunni denomination of Islam. In the early years of the Seljuk government, the Shi'as who had gained a tremendous social power in the Buyid period came to be constrained and oppressed, but after the period of [[Malik-Shah]], Seljuk kings exhibited more religious tolerance, and thus, the Shi'as could rapidly regain their social, and even political, power, occupying high-ranking positions in the Seljuk government. In the Seljuk period, the Shi'as were dispersed in different cities of Iran and had active flourishing seminary schools. One social feature of the Seljuk period was religious quarrels between Shi'a and Sunni Muslims in some cities, such as [[Baghdad]] and [[Nishapur]] which sometimes led to widespread battles in cities and districts.

The Seljuk was an Oghuz Turk Muslim dynasty who resided in eastern coasts of the Caspian Sea and the areas around Aral Sea in the [[Samanid]] period. They are called “Seljuks” after one of their heads who lived in the Samanid era. It was Seljuk’s grandchildren who began to enter the borders of Samanid, and then Ghaznavid, kingdom, and in the Battle of Dandanaqan (431/1040), they defeated the Ghaznavid army and entered the interior lands of Iran. They continued to occupy western areas of Iran, and after defeating the rest of Buyid army in central and western Iran and Iraq in 447/1055, Tughril entered Baghdad, the center of the [[Abbasid]] caliphate.

On the other hand, since the death of Sultan Muhammad Barkiaruq, some Seljuk rulers in different areas gained independent powers and thus established local governments within the Seljuk territories. For example, Seljuks in Kerman established an independent government there since 433/1041. The local power of Atabegs also accelerated the collapse of the Seljuk empire. In [[Khwarazm]], an independent branch of rulers overtook and came to be called “Khwarazmian” (490/1077-628/1231). They later dismantled the Seljuk government in eastern Iran.

The Abbasid caliph ordered the Shi'as in Baghdad to add the phrase, “the prayer is better than sleep”, in their morning prayers. Since the Shi'as had cooperated with al-Basasiri riots just before the entrance of the Seljuks in Baghdad, part of these constraints was exercised in order to establish the Seljuk power.

According to some evidence, the strict policy against the Shi'as continued until the end of Malik-Shah’s government. After that, there was less dispute between the Seljuk and the Shi'as, and the Shi'as began to occupy governmental positions in the Seljuk government. Thus, despite the hostility of the Seljuks to the Shi'as, some researchers have talked about the policy of religious tolerance adopted by the Seljuks toward the Shi'as (except in the early years of their rule). However, some researchers hold that the Shi'as managed to survive in this period only because of their lenience toward Sunni Muslims and their dissimulation (or [[taqiyya]]).

==The Shi'as’ Overtaking the Power in the Period of Malik-Shah’s Successors==

Some pressures on the Shi'as were decreased in the period of Malik-Shah’s successors, and some Shiite seniors could occupy high-ranking positions in the government, including Majd al-Malik Abu l-Fadl al-Qummi and Sa'd al-Malik al-Awuji. Later, some figures such as Sharaf al-Din Abu Tahir al-Qummi, Anu Shirawan b. Khalid b. Muhammad al-Kashani and Mu'in al-Din al-Kashi, could occupy high-ranking positions in the Seljuk government.

Scattered reports in sources imply that after Malik-Shah’s period, many Shi'as had positions in the Seljuk government in different areas. Many bureaucrats and officials of the Seljuk government were Shi'as. Some Sunni authors objected to the infiltration of the Shi'as within the Seljuk government, comparing the period with the early Seljuk era or the Ghaznavid era in which the Shi'as were constrained.

In this period, there were Shiite preaching meetings in Shiite-majority cities, and some people were known as preachers or “Mudhakkir”. On the other hand, there were heated debates between the Shi'as and Sunnis. Thus, some Shiite scholars who frequently debated with Sunni scholars came to be known as “Munazir” (debaters). Also, some Shi'as were known as reciters of “manaqib” (virtues of [[Ahl al-Bayt (a)]]). They recited Shiite poems regarding the virtues of the [[Imams (a)]]. On the contrary, there were some Sunni people who were known as reciters of “fada'il” who praised the [[Sahaba]] of [[the Prophet Muhammad (s)]].