Diwan

Diwan

A bureau type institution during the Abbasid Caliphate

A sort of bureau that existed during the Abbasid caliphate. It is described at the time of its use as being “a term of murky origins that came to denote an administrative office within the state apparatus”, the first of which was created to disburse military pay. In time, there came to be multiple diwan’s for things such as granaries and revenues of the state. Ibn Muqla, a calligrapher and vizer during the Abbasid caliphate, was head of a diwan, which at the time meant an opportunity for corruption and profiteering from those who were in such a position, which Muqla did take advantage of.

Chase F. Robinson

Robinson, Chase F.. Islamic Civilization in Thirty Lives : The First 1,000 Years. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2016.

University of California Press

Arabic

Glossary Term