Thread by @KhalilAndani

Thread: How did the Umayyad Caliphs understand & articulate their own religio-political status to their subjects & competitors? Crone & Hinds work remains one of the best resources in English for this. Below I share some excerpts from "God's Caliph".

Mu'awiya, the son of Abu Sufiyan who was the Prophet Muhammad's arch nemesis & adversary, styled himself as God's Caliph with no reference to Prophet Muhammad. Mu'awiya said: "The Earth belongs to God and I am the Deputy of God" per Balahduri.

Mu'awiya likewise styled his son Yazid, the killer of Imam al-Husayn, as God's Caliph "over His worshippers". Yazid was declared by his supporters to be "the Imam of the Muslims and Khalifa (deputy) of the Lord of the Worlds."

The Umayyads regarded themselves as divinely-appointed Caliphs in a divinely sanctioned line & as "tent pegs of religion". They saw Uthman as the 1st true Caliph, not Abu Bakr & 'Umar. Crone believes the Prophet's special prominence actually undermined Umayyad Caliphal claims

Umayyad al-Hajjaj reportedly said God's Caliph is greater in rank than God's Messengers: "Abd al-Malik is the Khalifa of God & he is more honored to God than His Messengers." (Hajjaj via Baladhuri). He said people should circumambulate 'Abd al-Malik instead of Prophet's tomb

Al-Hajjaj reportedly argued that a man's deputy is higher in status than his messengers. Khalid al-Qasri argued likewise: that God regards the Caliph as being higher than His prophets.

According to al-Walid's letter, the Caliphs are parallel to the Prophets in their divine authority; they lay down sunna, hukm, hudud, fara'id & huquq. The Caliphate is not a "second rate" successor to the Prophet; it is equal to Prophethood in manifesting God's authority & rule

Umayyad Caliph al-Walid in his letter stresses absolute unqualified obedience to the Umayyad Caliphs, who are God's chosen Caliphs and inheritors of the legacies of the Prophets. God gave the Caliph mastery over the people and no one can question the Umayyad Caliph's position.

Apart from claims to being God's Deputies on earth, the Umayyad poets styled the Umayyad Caliphs as Rightly Guided Mahdis: 'Umar II was called 'the blessed one' (mubarak) who is Mahdi; they were also called "just Imams" (imam 'adl) who fill the earth with justice, rahma & rain.

Umayyad supporters also described the Umayyad Caliphs as the Refuge ('isma) or secure Fortress by which people cling to God. This is close to the Imami Shi'i concept of the Imams being ma'sum. Umayyad supporters praise Mu'awiya, Yazid & Umayyads as the Rope of God (habl) in Quran

Finally, Umayyad poets & supporters refer to Umayyad Caliphs as being like the Qibla by which humans are guided to salvation; Farazdaq says the Umayyad ruler is the Imam of Guidance who gives God's guidance & light (akin to how Quran describes Torah & Injil), & rain for succor.