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The Puppet Caliphs and the Titular Heads of State
Saleh, Fauzan
Saleh, Fauzan
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The Abbasid caliphate which had run for more than five centuries had experienced a very dynamic period. The glorious era of the Abbasid caliphate represented the golden Islam with its advanced civilization. However, in its declining era, Abbasiyah had been dominated by foreign ruler, including amir al-umara’ of Buyid Dynasty. The military rulers that had to be loyal to the Caliph, they played an excessive role, even more powerful than their own caliph. The position of caliph then became weaker; almost whole rights and authorities of the caliph had been taken by the military rulers. In this condition, a caliph was not more than a titular ruler or even “a puppet” under the authority of Buyid’s interference. If a caliph was not able to run his duties as a leader of state or government, the question then, must he deservedly be supported? According to al-Mawardi, such kind of caliph did not have a right and an authority to stand on the position; he must be dethroned. At this point, although Abbasid caliphate had no executive authority, they had still kept their reign even after the power of Buyid dynasty had faded away. For Sunnite group, the existence of a caliph should be upheld whatever its form is, since it is a symbol of legal government and a manifestation of Muslim unity.
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2004
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With permission of the license/copyright holder