Muslim Elites in the Early Islamic Jazīra: The Qāḍīs of Ḥarrān, al-Raqqa, and al-Mawṣil

Abstract

: This paper investigates local and regional networks of power in the province of al-Jaz ī ra during the Umayyad and early ʿ Abb ā sid period. Using a prosopographical approach, it focuses on the office of the q ā ḍ ī as an intersection of imperial and provincial authority, using the cities of Ḥ arr ā n, al-Raqqa, and al-Maw ṣ il as case studies. A comparative analysis of the individuals appointed to the q ā ḍ ī ship reveals some commonalities in their backgrounds, particularly regarding ḥ ad ī th transmission, but also clear differences in the appointment patterns identified for each city. For example, the office of the q ā ḍ ī of Ḥ arr ā n seems to have been a predominantly local affair, while Raqqan q ā ḍ ī s frequently held transregional elite status. The judges of al-Maw ṣ il, on the other hand, feature local, regional, and transregional representatives. This variance is likely due to political and administrative factors and emphasizes the complex dynamics and hierarchies of governance in the early Islamic period.