Journal of Legal Research

Journal of Legal Research

The Role of the Judicial System and Its Affiliated Institutions in Maintaining Order and Security in Baghdad During the Caliphate of al-Mansur al-‘Abbasi

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Moslem Mirzavand 1
Seyyed Alauddin Shahrokhi 2
Dariush Nazari 3
Mojtaba Garavand 3
1 PhD Student in Islamic History, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Lorestan University, Lorestan, Iran.
2 Professor, Department of History, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Lorestan University, Lorestan, Iran.
3 Associate Professor, Department of History, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Lorestan University, Lorestan, Iran.
10.48300/jlr.2024.469061.2694
Abstract
The judicial and adjudicatory system maintains a close relationship with the preservation of order and security in every society, such that any inefficiency or disruption within the administration of justice may give rise to social instability and security crises. Adopting a descriptive-analytical methodology, this study aims to examine the manner in which al-Mansur, the second Abbasid Caliph (136-158 AH / 754-775 CE), who may properly be regarded as the principal architect of the Abbasid polity, utilized the judicial system in order to establish social stability and public order during the early Abbasid era. Given the significance of judicial institutions in resolving disputes and maintaining social security, the study seeks to examine how al-Mansur employed the institutional capacities of the judiciary to consolidate order and stability within the newly established city of Baghdad. Findings indicate that al-Mansur strengthened the judicial system through the appointment of competent judges, the reinforcement of affiliated institutions such as the Shurṭa (police authority) and the Ḥisbah (market and public-morality supervisory institution), and the effective utilization of their regulatory and security-oriented capacities. Through these measures, the Abbasid administration was able to employ the judicial system in establishing social order, urban stability, and administrative control within the newly founded capital of Baghdad.
Keywords
Judicial Institution, al-Mansur al-&‌lsquo
Abbasi, Baghdad, Public Order and Security, Shurta, Hisbah
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Journal of Legal Research
Volume 25, Issue 65
Spring 2026
Pages 543-571