Document Type : Original Article
Authors
Department of History, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
10.22126/mps.2025.12742.1090
Abstract
During the Abbasid era, Baghdad, as the capital of the caliphate, played an unparalleled role in the Islamic world. The city was not only the political and administrative center of the caliphate but also, due to its economic position, extensive trade routes, and congregation of scholars, became a scientific, cultural, and religious hub of the Islamic world. Its significance during this period stemmed from the simultaneous implementation of precise policies, advanced urban engineering, and the utilization of religious symbolism and monumental architecture, all of which reinforced the legitimacy of the Abbasid caliphate. This article focuses on the interplay of three key dimensions—geographical planning, architecture, and religious narratives—and demonstrates how the selection of Baghdad’s location, urban design, and networks of religious storytelling collectively contributed to consolidating the Abbasid capital.
The main research problem examines the role of geographic selection, urban planning, and religious narrative construction in establishing Baghdad’s status as the capital and center of Abbasid legitimacy. The findings indicate that positioning the Tigris as the city’s axis, creating trade routes to the east and west, designing a central core including the Grand Mosque and the Caliphal Palace with architectural symbols such as the green dome, and utilizing hadiths attributed to the Prophet and Imam Ali (peace be upon him) all played a role in reinforcing Baghdad’s political, religious, and economic legitimacy. This strategic combination demonstrates that Baghdad was not merely a product of natural or economic features but the result of deliberate governmental planning and cultural-religious symbolization. The research methodology is historical-analytical, based on both primary and secondary sources including geographical, historical, and hadith texts, and reconstructs Abbasid decision-making patterns and symbolic practices through comparative analysis.
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