The ulama and the af id caliphate

The ulama had many different roles and positions in the early af id period and under the Caliph al-Mustan ir. Their place in the court and their authority often varied according to their family origin. Many came from Al-Andalus. They brought with them their old, Andalusi social and religious affiliations. This article traces the positions of various ulama during the reign of al-Mustan ir, both in peace and war. It also discusses those scholars who did not recognise the caliphate, including Abu Abdallah Ibn al-Abbar, and some of the Sufi sheikhs who refused to even visit the Caliph at home, and who rejected his authority. These included the Sufi Abu-l-Qasim Ibn Ajlân in Bijaya. Finally, the article will examine the role of the ulama in the campaign to defend Tunis from Louis IX, including their different positions on the treaty that ended the crusade after the death of the French king in 1270.