Type of land tenure system practiced in early Islamic societies. Under the iqta' system, which began in the 9th century, political leaders awarded the right of usufruct over land to an individual (usually in exchange for military service) for a limited period. It differed from feudal land tenure practiced in Europe by the fact that land in the Islamic system remained the property of the original owner, not the recipient or granter of the iqta'. The exact implementation of the system varied from region to region and changed over time.
Under the Sultanate period, land grants were known as iqta. The people who had held the land on behalf of the sultan were the Iqta for the state and to control the nobles
Iqta system: The Delhi Sultans divided their kingdom into a number of units known as Iqtas. Each Iqta was headed by a millatry leader known as Mukti. He had to maintain an army based on his income. The Iqtas were again divided into 'Shiqs' and Shiqs into Paragnas.The village administration continued.
Iqtadar were officials in the medieval Islamic administrative system, particularly during the Abbasid and later periods. They were responsible for collecting taxes and maintaining law and order in their designated regions, often acting as local governors or military leaders. The term "iqtadari" is derived from the Arabic word "iqta," which refers to a land grant or revenue assignment given to these officials in exchange for their services. This system helped maintain centralized control while allowing for localized governance.
The Umayyads, Abbasids, and Seljuk Turks were three significant dynasties in the Islamic world, each with distinct characteristics and contributions to the history and culture of the Islamic civilization. Umayyads (661-750 CE) Characteristics: **Foundation and Expansion:** The Umayyad Caliphate was established by Muawiya I after the first civil war (fitna) in Islam. It marked the end of the Rashidun Caliphate. The capital was moved from Medina to Damascus. The Umayyads expanded the Islamic empire significantly, reaching into Spain in the west and India in the east. **Administration and Governance:** The Umayyads adopted many administrative practices from the Byzantine and Persian empires, including the use of a centralized bureaucratic system. Arabic was made the administrative language, replacing Greek and Persian in many areas. **Cultural and Architectural Achievements:** The Umayyads were known for their monumental architecture, such as the construction of the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem and the Great Mosque of Damascus. They promoted the development of Islamic art and culture, including the introduction of coinage with Islamic inscriptions. **Challenges and Decline:** The Umayyad dynasty faced internal dissent from various groups, including the Shia Muslims and non-Arab Muslims (mawali) who felt marginalized. The Abbasid Revolution in 750 CE led to the overthrow of the Umayyads, although a branch of the family continued to rule in Spain (Al-Andalus) until 1031 CE. Abbasids (750-1258 CE) Characteristics: **Foundation and Golden Age:** The Abbasid Caliphate was founded by descendants of Muhammad’s uncle, Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib, following the overthrow of the Umayyads. The Abbasids moved the capital to Baghdad, which became a center of learning, culture, and commerce. **Cultural and Scientific Flourishing:** The Abbasid era is often referred to as the Islamic Golden Age. It saw significant advancements in science, medicine, mathematics, astronomy, and literature. The House of Wisdom in Baghdad attracted scholars from all over the world to translate and build upon Greek, Persian, and Indian works. **Administration:** The Abbasids adopted a more inclusive approach, incorporating Persians and other non-Arabs into their administration. They continued to develop the bureaucratic and administrative systems established by the Umayyads. **Decline:** The Abbasid Caliphate began to decline due to internal strife, financial troubles, and the rise of local dynasties and independent states. The Mongol invasion in 1258 CE led to the sack of Baghdad and effectively ended the Abbasid Caliphate, although a ceremonial Abbasid caliphate persisted in Cairo under the Mamluks. Seljuk Turks (11th-14th centuries) Characteristics: **Origins and Expansion:** The Seljuks were a Turkic nomadic group that converted to Islam and rose to prominence in the 11th century. They established control over a vast region, including parts of Central Asia, Iran, and Anatolia. **Political and Military Influence:** The Seljuks played a crucial role in defending the Islamic world against Crusader invasions and in the eventual decline of Byzantine power in Anatolia. They established the Sultanate of Rum in Anatolia and the Great Seljuk Empire, which at its peak controlled a large territory stretching from the Hindu Kush to eastern Anatolia and from Central Asia to the Persian Gulf. **Cultural Contributions:** The Seljuks patronized the arts, architecture, and learning, significantly influencing Islamic culture. They built numerous madrasas (Islamic schools) and mosques, and contributed to Persian culture and literature. **Administration:** The Seljuks maintained a decentralized form of government with local rulers (atabegs) wielding considerable power, although they acknowledged the authority of the sultan. They introduced the iqta system, where land revenues were assigned to military officers and officials in exchange for their services. **Decline:** The Seljuk Empire fragmented into smaller states due to internal divisions, succession disputes, and external pressures from the Crusades and Mongol invasions. By the mid-13th century, the Seljuk power had significantly diminished, paving the way for the rise of other powers, such as the Ottomans. Each of these dynasties played a vital role in shaping the history and culture of the Islamic world, leaving behind a rich legacy that continued to influence subsequent generations.
Under the Sultanate period, land grants were known as iqta. The people who had held the land on behalf of the sultan were the Iqta for the state and to control the nobles
Iqta system: The Delhi Sultans divided their kingdom into a number of units known as Iqtas. Each Iqta was headed by a millatry leader known as Mukti. He had to maintain an army based on his income. The Iqtas were again divided into 'Shiqs' and Shiqs into Paragnas.The village administration continued.
The iqta system, an administrative structure in medieval Islamic empires, had several merits, including efficient tax collection and local governance, which helped ensure loyalty and stability in various regions. It allowed rulers to delegate power and manage vast territories effectively. However, its demerits included potential abuse of power by iqta holders, leading to local tyranny, and the fragmentation of authority, which sometimes weakened central control and contributed to political instability. Overall, while the iqta system facilitated administration, it also posed challenges to governance and equity.
DURING the sultanate period,the land was distributed to the lords as IQTAS with the authority to collect taxes.the lord who had the responsibility of the IQTAS was known as the 'Muqti' or 'Wali. out of the taxes collected,the surplus after meeting the expenses of the army authority was only for collecting taxes. The IQTA did not have any hereditary rights or any other special rights.
Iqtawas an Islamic practice of tax farming that became common in Muslim Asia during the Buyid dynasty.
In the iqta system during the Sultanate period, revenue resources were distributed among the ruling class by granting them tax farms (iqtas) in exchange for military service. The holders of these iqtas collected taxes from the lands under their control and kept a portion as revenue, while sending the rest to the central government. This system helped strengthen the military and political control of the ruling class over various regions.
Iqtadari System was a combined mechanism of expropriating tax and distribution of these revenues to the ruling class. It was a kind of territorial assignment which was guided by three factors- Collection of revenue, Maintenance of army Maintenance of the traditional system in order to prevent any untoward reaction.
Iqtadar were officials in the medieval Islamic administrative system, particularly during the Abbasid and later periods. They were responsible for collecting taxes and maintaining law and order in their designated regions, often acting as local governors or military leaders. The term "iqtadari" is derived from the Arabic word "iqta," which refers to a land grant or revenue assignment given to these officials in exchange for their services. This system helped maintain centralized control while allowing for localized governance.
The main source of income of the Sultan was the land revenue. There were four kinds of land viz., Khalisa territory, land divided into Iqtas and held by Muqtis either for a number of years or for life-time, principalities of the Hindu chiefs who had come to terms with the Sultan and the land given away to Muslim scholars and saints in gift. The Khalisa land was directly administered by the Central Government. However, the state dealt only with the local revenue officers and not the individual peasants. There was an Amil or revenue clerk in each sub-division who collected revenue from the peasants. The shares of the state were based on a summary assessment. The assessment and collection of revenue in the Iqta was in the hands of the Muqti who deducted his own share and paid the surplus to the Central Government. The Sultan appointed an officer called Khwaja in each Iqta to supervise the collection of revenue and also to put a check on the Muqti. There was a possibility of collusion between the Muqti and the Khwaja. The Wakf land or Inam land was free from revenue assessment. Very important changes were made by Ala-ud-Din Khaiji in revenue administration. He confiscated the lands held by Muslim grantees and religious land held as Milk, Inam Idarat and Wakf. Hindu Muqaddams, Khuts and Chaudharis were made to pay taxes from which they were formerly exempted. The state demand was increased to one-half of the produce. He also imposed the house tax and grazing tax on the peasants. The object of his policy was to increase the revenue and make all classes of people shoulder the burden of taxation. The strictness with which the revenue policy was followed by Ala-ud-Din softened the rigour but did not reduce the state demand from one-half of the produce. He recognised the principle of making deductions for the damage done to the crops due to natural calamity or accident. He allowed the Khuts, Muqaddams and the Chaudharis to enjoy exemption from the taxes on their lands, and their animals. He lay down that the state demand from any Iqta was not to be increased more than one-tenth or one- eleventh of the standard assessment in a year. Muhammad Tughluq increased the state demand to 50% in the Doab. The increased tax was realised in spite of famine and consequently there was a rebellion. When it was too late, he advanced loans and sank irrigation wells. The result was that the whole of the Doab was ruined. The Sultan also created a new department of agriculture known as Diwan-i-Kohi, but that also did not succeed. Firuz Tughluq cancelled the Taqavi loans. He increased the salaries of the revenue staff. He fixed the revenue of the entire Khalisa land on a permanent basis. He abolished as many as 24 taxes. He levied only five taxes viz., Kharaj, Khams, Jizya, Zakat and irrigation tax. He constructed many canals and sank many wells for irrigation purposes. He encouraged the cultivation of superior crops. He planted many gardens. The main defects in his revenue administration were the application of the principle of farming out of land revenue, the granting of assignments of land revenue and public sale of assignment deeds and the extension of the scope and rigor of realisation of Jizya. There is a controversy amongst scholars regarding the scale of land revenue demanded by the Sultan of Delhi. The view of Dr. Qureshi is that the state demand was fixed at one-fifth of the gross produce. Those who do not accept this view point out that the Muslim law lays down that the rate of Kharaj should vary from one-tenth to one-half of the produce. The rate of land revenue might have been one-fifth of the produce in the time of the so-called slave kings but was increased to one-half by Ala-ud-Din Khalji The Delhi Sultans after Ala-ud-Din Khalji continued to levy the land revenue at the same rate; it was later on that Sher Shah Suri lowered it to one-third of the produce. There were various kinds of tax-farmers. Sometimes, the village headman acted as a tax-farmer by undertaking to pay a fixed amount to the state on behalf of the peasants. Sometimes the governor of a province was made responsible for the collection of the land revenue and a settlement had to be made with him regarding the amount of money which he was to pay. The tributary chiefs were tax-farmers in a sense because they paid only a fixed tribute. However, the worst tax-farmer was the speculator whose only concern was to make as much money as he could unmindful of the sufferings of the peasants. The system of granting the produce of a defined area of land in return of service was common in India before its conquest by the Muslims and the same was adopted by the Delhi Sultans. The assignment system continued throughout the period, although it was restricted considerably by some Sultans. The view of Ala-ud-Din Khalji was that the assignment encouraged the nobles to reel and consequently he refrained from giving many assignments. Mubarak Shah was very generous in giving assignment. Ghiyas-ud-Din Tughluq did not interfere with assignment. In the time of Muhammad Tughluq, the salaries of all high officials were paid by assigning to them the revenue of "town and villages." The number of assignments grew in the time of Firuz Shah. It is to be noted that to begin with persons to whom assignments were given were in actual possession of those lands or areas and did not merely receive a fixed amount from the local officials. As a matter of fact, the assignment-holders regarded those villages as their hereditary property. However, the nature of the assignments changed later on. The holder of the assignment came to be entitled only to the revenue of the area and he was not to have any right to manage the same. It is not possible to say as to when this change took place but it was positively before Muhammad Tughluq and probably during the reign of Ala-ud-Din Khalji who adopted many measures to curb the power of the nobles.
The Umayyads, Abbasids, and Seljuk Turks were three significant dynasties in the Islamic world, each with distinct characteristics and contributions to the history and culture of the Islamic civilization. Umayyads (661-750 CE) Characteristics: **Foundation and Expansion:** The Umayyad Caliphate was established by Muawiya I after the first civil war (fitna) in Islam. It marked the end of the Rashidun Caliphate. The capital was moved from Medina to Damascus. The Umayyads expanded the Islamic empire significantly, reaching into Spain in the west and India in the east. **Administration and Governance:** The Umayyads adopted many administrative practices from the Byzantine and Persian empires, including the use of a centralized bureaucratic system. Arabic was made the administrative language, replacing Greek and Persian in many areas. **Cultural and Architectural Achievements:** The Umayyads were known for their monumental architecture, such as the construction of the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem and the Great Mosque of Damascus. They promoted the development of Islamic art and culture, including the introduction of coinage with Islamic inscriptions. **Challenges and Decline:** The Umayyad dynasty faced internal dissent from various groups, including the Shia Muslims and non-Arab Muslims (mawali) who felt marginalized. The Abbasid Revolution in 750 CE led to the overthrow of the Umayyads, although a branch of the family continued to rule in Spain (Al-Andalus) until 1031 CE. Abbasids (750-1258 CE) Characteristics: **Foundation and Golden Age:** The Abbasid Caliphate was founded by descendants of Muhammad’s uncle, Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib, following the overthrow of the Umayyads. The Abbasids moved the capital to Baghdad, which became a center of learning, culture, and commerce. **Cultural and Scientific Flourishing:** The Abbasid era is often referred to as the Islamic Golden Age. It saw significant advancements in science, medicine, mathematics, astronomy, and literature. The House of Wisdom in Baghdad attracted scholars from all over the world to translate and build upon Greek, Persian, and Indian works. **Administration:** The Abbasids adopted a more inclusive approach, incorporating Persians and other non-Arabs into their administration. They continued to develop the bureaucratic and administrative systems established by the Umayyads. **Decline:** The Abbasid Caliphate began to decline due to internal strife, financial troubles, and the rise of local dynasties and independent states. The Mongol invasion in 1258 CE led to the sack of Baghdad and effectively ended the Abbasid Caliphate, although a ceremonial Abbasid caliphate persisted in Cairo under the Mamluks. Seljuk Turks (11th-14th centuries) Characteristics: **Origins and Expansion:** The Seljuks were a Turkic nomadic group that converted to Islam and rose to prominence in the 11th century. They established control over a vast region, including parts of Central Asia, Iran, and Anatolia. **Political and Military Influence:** The Seljuks played a crucial role in defending the Islamic world against Crusader invasions and in the eventual decline of Byzantine power in Anatolia. They established the Sultanate of Rum in Anatolia and the Great Seljuk Empire, which at its peak controlled a large territory stretching from the Hindu Kush to eastern Anatolia and from Central Asia to the Persian Gulf. **Cultural Contributions:** The Seljuks patronized the arts, architecture, and learning, significantly influencing Islamic culture. They built numerous madrasas (Islamic schools) and mosques, and contributed to Persian culture and literature. **Administration:** The Seljuks maintained a decentralized form of government with local rulers (atabegs) wielding considerable power, although they acknowledged the authority of the sultan. They introduced the iqta system, where land revenues were assigned to military officers and officials in exchange for their services. **Decline:** The Seljuk Empire fragmented into smaller states due to internal divisions, succession disputes, and external pressures from the Crusades and Mongol invasions. By the mid-13th century, the Seljuk power had significantly diminished, paving the way for the rise of other powers, such as the Ottomans. Each of these dynasties played a vital role in shaping the history and culture of the Islamic world, leaving behind a rich legacy that continued to influence subsequent generations.