The Social Roles of Jurists and Preachers during the Mongol Era

The Social Roles of Jurists and Preachers during the Mongol Era

In the medieval centuries of Iran, particularly during the Ilkhanate period of the Mongols, jurists, preachers, and orators acted as leaders of the Iranian Muslim community alongside other upper social classes such as the Sayyids and Sufis. This class, which essentially served as a link between the people and the rulers, not only held significant influence among the masses but also enjoyed a particular status and respect among the courtiers. This phenomenon was evident even during the reign of non-Muslim Ilkhans; for instance, in the non-Islamic Ilkhanate administration under Hulegu khan, a prominent figure like Sayyid Ibn Tawus—a renowned Shia jurist—was present. The non-Muslim Mongols held a strong belief in their spiritual shamans, which extended to the clergy of other religions, thus attributing considerable importance to Muslim jurists and Sufis. However, it should not be overlooked that if an Ilkhan or a Mongol ruler became angered, all these respects and beliefs would fade away, as exemplified by Genghis Khan—who dealt with the jurists, Sufis, and Sayyids of Bukhara by assigning them to tend to the livestock of his army. Nevertheless, this situation sometimes led to the failure of the jurists. Whenever the people felt that a jurist or scholar was more focused on endorsing and legitimizing the court's decrees within the community rather than advocating for the people's demands to the court, they would turn away from them.

Shideh / N. Azimi, M. Sadeghani, A. Fayyaz Anush