Al-Qadir
Encyclopedia
Al-Qadir (died 1031, Baghdad) was the Abbasid
Caliph
in Baghdad
from 991 to 1031. Grandson of al-Muqtadir
, he was chosen in place of the deposed Caliph, at-Taʾi
, his cousin. Banished from the Capital earlier, he was now recalled and appointed to the office he had long desired. He held the Caliphate for 40 years. It was during his Caliphate that Mahmud of Ghazni
arose, threatening the empire; and but for the conflicts that broke out in Mahmud's family upon his death, the Buwayhid
kingdom, paralysed by damaging war, would have been swallowed. The global Muslim population had climbed to about 4 per cent as against the Christian population of 10 per cent by 1000.
Al-Qadir is noted for taking the lead in the Sunni struggle against Shiʿism. He helped Sunnis set up their own festivals to rival Shiʿas celebrations and made Hanbali the official Muslim position. Mohammad Arkoun considers his decrees against heresies such as the createdness of the Qurʾan, which effectively outlawed the Muʿtazila school, as sounding the death knell for philosophy in Islamic thought. Ibn Rushd (Averoes), who died in 1198, is considered by Arkoun to be the last significant Muslim philosopher before modern times.
Al-Qadir died at eighty-seven years of age in Baghdad, and was succeeded by his son.
Abbasid
The Abbasid Caliphate or, more simply, the Abbasids , was the third of the Islamic caliphates. It was ruled by the Abbasid dynasty of caliphs, who built their capital in Baghdad after overthrowing the Umayyad caliphate from all but the al-Andalus region....
Caliph
Caliph
The Caliph is the head of state in a Caliphate, and the title for the ruler of the Islamic Ummah, an Islamic community ruled by the Shari'ah. It is a transcribed version of the Arabic word which means "successor" or "representative"...
in Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
from 991 to 1031. Grandson of al-Muqtadir
Al-Muqtadir
Al-Muqtadir was the Abbasid Caliph in Baghdad from 908 AD to 932 AD .After the previous Caliph, al-Muktafi, was confined for several months to his sick-bed, intrigue was made for some time as to his successor...
, he was chosen in place of the deposed Caliph, at-Taʾi
At-Ta'i
Al-Ta'i was the Abbasid Caliph in Baghdad from 974 to 991. Very little is known about his personal and official life. During his Caliphate, Syria was torn by contending factions — Fatimid, Turkish, and Carmathian; while the Buwayhid dynasyty was split up into parties that were fighting among...
, his cousin. Banished from the Capital earlier, he was now recalled and appointed to the office he had long desired. He held the Caliphate for 40 years. It was during his Caliphate that Mahmud of Ghazni
Mahmud of Ghazni
Mahmud of Ghazni , actually ', was the most prominent ruler of the Ghaznavid dynasty who ruled from 997 until his death in 1030 in the eastern Iranian lands. Mahmud turned the former provincial city of Ghazni into the wealthy capital of an extensive empire which covered most of today's Iran,...
arose, threatening the empire; and but for the conflicts that broke out in Mahmud's family upon his death, the Buwayhid
Buwayhid
The Buyid dynasty, also known as the Buyid Empire or the Buyids , also known as Buwaihids, Buyahids, or Buyyids, were a Shī‘ah Persian dynasty that originated from Daylaman in Gilan...
kingdom, paralysed by damaging war, would have been swallowed. The global Muslim population had climbed to about 4 per cent as against the Christian population of 10 per cent by 1000.
Al-Qadir is noted for taking the lead in the Sunni struggle against Shiʿism. He helped Sunnis set up their own festivals to rival Shiʿas celebrations and made Hanbali the official Muslim position. Mohammad Arkoun considers his decrees against heresies such as the createdness of the Qurʾan, which effectively outlawed the Muʿtazila school, as sounding the death knell for philosophy in Islamic thought. Ibn Rushd (Averoes), who died in 1198, is considered by Arkoun to be the last significant Muslim philosopher before modern times.
Al-Qadir died at eighty-seven years of age in Baghdad, and was succeeded by his son.