(Nov 2, 2015) 1 Abu Hasan Al-Mawardi: The First Islamic Political Scientist Wan Naim Wan Mansor “Thus in response to the person to whom my obedience is due in this affair, I have made known to him the madhhabs of the fuqaha' so that he sees both that his rights are respected and that his duties are fulfilled and that he honors the dictates of justice in their execution and aspires to equity in establishing his claims and in the fulfilment of others' claims.” Al-Mawardi, referring to the caliph in the preface of Al-Ahkām As-Ṣulṭāniyyah Introduction The above quote pretty much sums up this key Islamic jurist cum political theorist who held high positions in the Abbasid caliphate and how he utilizes his position to put forth his own reformist views on justice. Al-Mawardi or his full name Abu al-Hasan ‘Ali b. Muhammad b. Habib Al-Mawardi was a 5 th H/ 11 th century jurist with a distinguished career in Baghdad (then capital of the Abbasid Caliphate). His famous political handbook Al-Ahkām As-Ṣulṭāniyyah wal Wilāyāt Ad-Diniya (The Ordinance of Government and Religious Positions) continues to become a standard reference and key document in the evolution of Sunni Islamic political thought. Al-Mawardi was an Islamic jurist and judge by profession, trained in the Shafii School but at the same time well versed in all the major Madhāhib (school of thought). He held the prestigious position of Qaḍi al-Quḍāt in Ustawa and in Baghdad as well as receiving the unprecedented honorific title Aqḍa Al-Quḍāt (The Best Judge of Judges) by caliph Al-Qaim. Al-Mawardi is described in an array of positions: a philosopher; a political theorist; a social analyst; a skillful mediator, diplomat and most importantly, the political advisor to two Abbasid caliphs: Qādir Bi- llah (reigned 991-1031) and Qa’im Bi-Amr Allah (reigned 1031-74) 1 . He was born in Basrah (364 H/974 CE) which was then considered one of the centers of education and scholarship in the Muslim world 2 . His family was involved in the business of selling or manufacturing rose-water (which translates into his name ‘Al-Mawardi’) 3 . In Basrah, Al-Mawardi studied Islamic jurisprudence and literature under a scholar named Abu Al-Qāsim Al-Saimari (died 386 H/996 CE) 4 . Later on, he continued his advance studies in Baghdad, under the supervision Sheikh Abdul Hamid and Abdullah Al-Baqi 5 . His education in Islamic jurisprudence and literature prepared him for judicial professions in the State service. A quick remark on his personality by his students described Al-Mawardi as “the most virtuous jurist”, “commanded great respect”, “gentle, dignified and man of letters”, and very serious, yet polite and humble. 6 1 The Princeton Encyclopedia of Islamic Political Thought (Bulliet et al., 2012) 2 Muhammad Qamaruddin Khan. (1961). Al-Mawardi. In M. M. Sharif (Ed.), A History of Muslim Philosophy (Vol. 3). Lahore. 3 Ahmad Mubarak Al Baghdadi. (1981, February). The Political Thought of Abu Hasan Al Mawardi (Ph.D.). University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh. 4 Ibid 5 Philosophers : Abu al-Hasan al-Mawardi. (n.d.). Retrieved October 21, 2015, from http://www.trincoll.edu/depts/phil/philo/phils/muslim/mawardi.html 6 Ahmad Mubarak Al Baghdadi. (1981, February). The Political Thought of Abu Hasan Al Mawardi (Ph.D.). University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh. Page 45-46.