‘A Mirror of the Times’ (Mir'at Al-Zaman): Conceptualizing & Operationalizing Ulama-State Relations with Biographical Dictionaries by Unfreezing History

Hasher Nisar, University of Michigan

Research on the legacies of ulama-state relations has thus far relied on anecdotal evidence. To date, no systematic investigation has taken place of this phenomenon. I address this shortcoming by examining whether an ulama-state alliance emerged in the 11th century, the form(s) it took, and the extent to which it persisted. I argue that the nature and depth of ulama-state relations can be assessed through four key dimensions: institutionalization of knowledge, bureaucratization, stability, and proximity to power. I construct two key indices: a composite index based on the first three and a concentration index based on proximity to power. To operationalize these indices, I hand coded the biographies of 784 scholars that belong to the Shafiite school. I start with the Shafiite school because the literature argues that the legal method of Shafiite (d. 820) became the main pillar of Sunni orthodoxy when the ulama-state alliance emerged in the 11th century. If there is evidence for an alliance, then it would be more likely to be seen among the Shafiite scholars. My findings from the biographical data on 784 Shafiite scholars complicate the notion of a durable ulama-state alliance emerging in the 11th century. The evidence suggests a more fragmented and regionally varied evolution than an ‘alliance’ implies. The composite index reveals limited movement in the 11th and 12th centuries, but a strengthening of ties between the 13th to 15th centuries. This strengthening, driven by the institutionalization of knowledge and bureaucratization, also coincided with greater instability as confrontations with the ruling authorities increased. Moreover, although early Shafiite scholars were largely autonomous from the state, their ties with political actors became more diversified rather than concentrated within the state bureaucracy. To substantiate my findings, I use LLMs to automate the coding process for another biographical dictionary of the Shafiite school.

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 Presented in Session 172. Religion, State Formation and Political Authority