The Ruler in the city : theory and practice

The question of authority has been a constant object of debate in the Arabic-Islamic tradition and has sparked dynastic, ethnic, and confessional conflicts. In terms of cultural production, the issue has both theological and practical aspects: religious scholarship and philosophy discuss the ideal ruler, as well as the relationship between religious and secular authority. Adab and historiography, on the other hand, outline the norms a good ruler must follow in exercising his authority, providing examples of good and bad leadership. This paper will discuss one such case, where the Umayyad caliph al-Walīd I (d. 715) is shown managing a conflict between his best general and his most important wife.