Adminstration under Abbasid Caliphate:

Caliph:
Absolute Monarchy
He was head of state
Defender of faith
Dispenser of justice
Leader in prayer
Supreme Commander
They restored rule of Quran & sunnah
At first they consulted Ulema in state matters.
Ulemas were appointed at high judicial offices.
Under al mamun a Council of state or Shura was established.


The wazir
Next to Caliph there was Wazir
He was probably Persian Origin Wazir excercised his civil authority.

Qazi excercised his judicial authority.

Ameer had military powers.

Five Boards or Diwans

Diwan al Aziz:
Highest body in central govt.
Presided by grand Wazir.

Diwan ul kharaj:
Finance department,master of taxes.

Diwan al Rasail:
Secretaries of state .
Recording , Sealing , dispatching , Caliph Orders ,letters,political correspondence.

Diwan ul Barid:
Intelligence ,postal , Espionage, Secret reports.
Headed by postmaster general.

Diwan ul Tawaqi(Board of requests):
To register and seal with royal seal and motto letters and records of caliph.


Other Departments:

Diwan ul Jund: Dealing with pensions and stipends.

Diwan for Military Equipments Inspection:

Diwan for Slaries: Salaries of court official,repairs of places,stables.

Police or shurta department: in each town:

Muhtasib or public censor: In town Markets.


Judicial Systems: Supereme Importance

3 Kinds of Courts:

Civil Court for muslims.
Civil courts for non muslims.
Criminal courts.

Qazi must be a well versed in Fiqh or Muslim law.
Every town had Qazi.

Qazi ul Quzzat in Baghdad(Chief Justice)


Provincial Adminstration:

Provinces were divided in 20 provinces.

1. Lower Iraq
2. Al Jazira upper Iraq
3. Syria Palestine
4. Egypt
5. Qayrowan
6. Hijaz and Yamamah
7. Yemen
8. Oman and Bahrain Basra Capital
9. Ajam Persia
10. Isfahan
11. Azerbaijan
12. Tabriz
13. Farris south Persia
14. Kirman
15. Makran
16. Khurassan
17. Sugd central Asia
18. Khwarizm
19. Armenia
20. Tabaristan

Provincial officials:

Governor Wali: Appoited by caliph or Wazir.
He was supreme commander of forces.
He excercised all powers in provinces as caliph in center.
Presided Friday prayers.

Diwan Khraj:
Diwan Rasid:
Diwan Barid:

Further every Diwan in center had corresponding Diwan or official in provinces.