Abbas took the power from the Ummayads, and then the capital has been transferred to the new city of Baghdad in the 760s. In a sudden, the city became one of the major cultural centres of the entire world, as the Abbasid decorated it with every form of art and encouraged its educational establishments with money and personal participation. Also, the Ummayad institutions of government were developed. In Baghdad, governing powers were exercised by an elaborate, mainly Persian bureaucracy. Vizier, a kind of prime minister was the one who headed for the caliphs and had enormous power. In the administrative division, the emir or governor was the key or crucial person. His responsibility to collect tax was very important to the Baghdad government. The independent-minded emirs were those who always led the rebellions during this reign.
Ulema or high court for the religious issues was the major institutions of the central government. Diwan (financial board) and Kadi (local judge) were those who had jurisdiction in all disputes which incriminate even a Muslim. The sacred law which was based on the Kalamullah, al-Qur’an was operated in a manner by the ulema. It is shari’a. It includes more than religious or doctrinal matters. The decision of ulama’ with the applications of shari’a almost affects the all aspects of public matters and even the private affairs. Al-Qur’anul Karim, the Muslim’s sacred book has been remained as the basis of all law, all administration and government eventhough in a very late date. However, in Modern times and even until today, the Qur’an was still found as the basis of all legal knowledge.
In the Abbasid era, Muslim army was very international in composition. Most of the soldiers were slaves which were taken from all conquered peoples. Most of them were especially from Africans and Egyptians. Their commanders came to have increasing political power as the caliph became weaker. Both the soldiers and commanders were well trained people. The army’s size were incredible large which running up to hundreds of thousands in the field at one period. Still, there is a little doubt that the Abbasid forces were the most impressive of the era and far overshadowed the European’s feudal levies and the Byzantines’ professional soldiery. Abbasid raids into Afghanistan and western India established footholds that were gradually expanded by later Muslim forces.
