Taheri-Iraqi, Ahmad

2013-06-26T14:04:48Z

2013-06-26T14:04:48Z

1982

The term 'Zindiq' is an Arabicised form of the Persian word 'Zandik' which means 'interpreter', and was initially applied to the Manichees by the Zoroastrians. In the earliest extant text, in which the word 'Zandik' occurs (third century A. D. ) it refers to the Manichees. In Sassanian Pahlavi and Armenian texts, the term is applied to the Manichees; but the application in some later Pahlavi texts, especially those of the post-Islamic era, does not seem to be entirely certain. In Arabic it found currency in the early decades of the second century of Islam, most probably in Iraq. From the time of its early usage in Arabic, it came to mean not only 'Manichee' but acquired other related meanings, such as Mazdakite, Dualist-Gnostic, Dahri, heterodox Muslim, irreligious and profligate. In the early sources, however, it is used more commonly with reference to the 'Manichees', who on the fall of the Sassanid Empire migrated from the East and re-established their church in Iraq. The tolerance enjoyed by the Manichaean community was probably due to the lack of a developed Islamic dogma, since this was still in its evolutionary stage, as well as to the lack of awareness of this religious minority by the Arab rulers in the earlier period. Furthermore, some of the Manichees of Islamic Iraq maintained a close relationship with the rulers. The number of Manichaean religious texts and the refutations which they attracted in the second century indicates their intellectual importance at that time. In the second century, while the Mu'tazilites were in the process of establishing their ideas as the dominant dogma', certain teachings of Manichaeism attracted some Muslim intellectuals. The persecution of the Zanädiga carried on in the reign of al-Mahdi seems not to have affected the traditional Manichaean community, who continued to exist in Iraq for another century. The Persecution seems to have been directed mainly against these Muslims who converted to Manichaeism, or were its adherents. Undoubtedly the Manichaean community in the period of the Persecution also suffered to some extent, but it nevertheless survived. However, with the supremacy of Islamic dogmaticism, the Manichaean community in time gradually disintegrated and partly emigrated towards China. However, the persecution of the Zanädiga, although originally intended against certain Manichees, soon came to be directed mainly against criticism of Islam or in a more general way against any idea which threatened the state and fundamental tenets of Islam. It was sometimes exploited as a means of furthering political or personal antagonism. Although certain so-called Zindlq poets had Shu'übi tendencies, there seems to be no direct link between the two movements, and hardly any case of a person being accused of Zandaqa on account of his Shu'übism. Zandaqa, therefore, did not have any nationalistic characteristics, since it was commonplace among the ethnic Arab intellectuals as well. The fact that the greater number of them were from non-Arab origins can be attributed to the fact that non-Arab intellectuals, who formed a majority in Iraq, happened to dominate the cultural life of the period. Neither was the Zandaqa movement a political force or a '. class-struggle', since among the Zindlgs there were found many who belonged to the ruling families. Furthermore, many of the Zindigs were in service-at courts, as secretaries, nadims or poets. The majority of those accused of Zandaqa in our sources are poets. These poets, most of whom were licentious, were careless in their religion and in many cases expressed reservations about Islamic dogma or even went so far as to mock religious acts. It was, indeed, these blasphemies which attracted the accusations of Zandaqa, rather than mere licentiousness, which was widespread in Abbasid Iraq and was, in fact, tolerated by the authorities. There were some licentious (majin) poets who were never accused of Zandaqa, just as there were Zindiq poets who led an ascetic life. The latter group may have been influenced by Manichaean ideas which were to be found in Iraq. Considering the Manichaean influence on the cultural life of Iraq, we may presume that the views of certain poets were influenced by certain aspects of Manichaean beliefs, although they were not actually Manichees.

290508

http://hdl.handle.net/1842/7427

eng

University of Edinburgh

Philosophy

Religion

Literature

Mass

media

Performing

arts

Zandaqa in the early Abbasid period with special reference to the poetry

PhD Doctor of Philosophy