Sykes' History of Persia Vol 2 (pdf) - Heritage Institute

AMR-UL-LAIS.
CHAPTER LI
THE DECAY OF THE CALIPHATE AND THE REVIVAL
OF PERSIAN INDEPENDENCE
If I live, the sword shall decide between us : if I conquer, I will do as I
if
please thou art victorious, bread and onions are my tare and neither thou
; ;
nor fortune can triumph over a man accustomed to such diet. The Message
of YAKUB BIN LAIS to the CALIPH MOTAMID.
The Orthodox Reaction under Mutawakkil^ A.H. 232-247
(847-861). The reign of Mutawakkil is chiefly important
as
marking the period of orthodox reaction. The
Mutazilite doctrines were abjured and their professors
in turn underwent persecution of the most cruel and
vindictive nature. Equally strong was the hatred which
the new Caliph displayed against the House of Ali ;
he
even encouraged his buffoon to dress up as " The Lion of
Allah," while "Behold the pot-bellied bald one, the
Caliph of Islam " was ! sung
in derision. The tomb of
Husayn was destroyed and the site ploughed up.
Moreover,
Mutawakkil was fanatically opposed to Jews and
Christians, against
whom obsolete laws were revived.
They were bound to paint the figure of Satan on the doorposts
of their houses, were subject to special taxes, were
obliged to wear a distinctive dull yellow dress, 1 and were
debarred from holding any Government appointment.
Indeed, their very children were forbidden to learn Arabic.
The Palace of Samarra and the Cypress of Kishmar.
The Caliph himself was a dissolute and extravagant
voluptuary, and in the neighbourhood of Samarra he
1
The Zoroastrians of Yezd and Kerman are still obliged to wear these " honeycoloured
gowns."
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