Shurṭa Chiefs in Basra in the Umayyad Period: a Prosopographical Study

Abstract

The article describes some of the functions and characteristics of the shurṭa in the Umayyad era, through an analysis of the men who served as shurṭa chiefs in Basra during this period. The shurṭa, as is shown in the article, was an important body which helped the Umayyad regime and its regional governors in Iraq and Basra to consolidate the Umayyad governmental system. The shurṭa offered the governor of Baṣra personal protection and was at the same time a symbol of his authority and power. It was responsible for the maintenance of public order and security in Basra and dealt with individuals who transgressed common religious norms. Another important duty performed by the shurta in Basra and nearby areas was to fight against different groups of khawārij as well as various other rebels and oppositional forces. In the article, attention is drawn to political and social issues such as the ashrāf and their traits; intertribal conflicts; marital ties, etc. By discussing these different subjects, the article aims to reintroduce an often ignored method into the research field of early Islamic history — prosopography.