Era of bano ummya

Abdul malik bin Marwan:

Introduction:
Umayyad dynasty was the first Islamic empire by monarchy system. It was led by many caliphs, one them
was Abd Al-Malik, the fifth caliph after Marwan bin Al-Hakam. He started the golden age for this dynasty
by achievements in many sectors like economy, politic, architecture, and art. He also showed the great
spirit and the honorary of this dynasty by his thinking way to solve the problems in the government. It
was shown since his adolescence. In 683 AD, he and his father, Marwan, lived in Madina. But, Madinese
rebels revolted the central government in Damascus. So they drove out from this city. He then met the
Syirian Umayyad army that was marching on Madina and gave its commander advice about the best
means of attacking the city, advice that was followed and proved successful. 

As a caliph, he didn’t only lead the empire by his power, but also with his great knowledge. When he was
young, he was well known as a master of knowledge. People at that time said that there were four
great fuqoha’  in Medina; Sa’id ibn Al-Musayab, Abd Al-Malik ibn Marwan, Urwah ibn Zubair, and
Qubaishah ibn Zuab[1].

1.    The Biography of Abd Al-Malik

Abd Al-Malik bin Marwan (646-705 AD) was the fifth caliph of the Arab Umayyad dynasty. Its capital was
in Damascus. He spent the first half of his life with his father, Marwan bin Al-Hakam fourth Umayyad
caliph, in Medina, where he received religious instruction and developed friendly relations with pious
circles of that city that were to stand him in good stead in his later life. At the age of 16, he was
entrusted by his kinsman, the caliph Mu’awiyah, with administrative responsibilities[2].

When the caliph Yazid died in November 683 A.D, Marwan was proclaimed caliph in 684 A.D. and was
able to affect a partial rally of Umayyad rule but at the cost of a bitter feud that arose between northern
and southern Arab tribe[3]. In the end of the caliphate, he appointed his sons, Abd AL-Malik and Abd Al-
Aziz to replace the caliphate.  Marwan was killed by his wife in 685 A.D. It was because of he had dened
appointing his wife’s son, Khalid, to be the next caliph. Then, Abd Al-Malik proclaimed as the fifth caliph.

In his caliphate, Umayyad dynasty had successed to begin the golden age. As Marwan had said, Abd Al-
Malik and Abd Al-Malik would replace the caliphate. But, when Abd Al-Malik was ordering the caliphate,
Abd Al-Aziz was died. So in 85 H, Abd Al-Malik appointed his sons, for the next caliphs. They were Al-
Walid, Sulaiman, Yazid, and Hisyam. They were gathered in Baitullah to write the agreement.

For the sixth caliph, he appointed Al-Walid. Abd Al-Malik then sent the announcement to all Umayyad
regions. No one refused except Sa’id ibn Musaiyab from Madina. Abd Al-Malik was died in 705 AD / 86 H.
Then the citizen gave one more baiat (the loyal agreement) to Al-Walid.

   The achievements of Abd Al-Malik

Many changes and progresses that were reached by Abd Al-Malik:
a.    Recognizing the governmental administration
In the period of Abd Al-Malik ibn Marwan, the structure of government was recognized by four
ministries:

1.) Diwan Al-Karraj

The duty of this departement was to supervise the finance of the government.

2.) Diwan Al-Khatam

They supervised the administration of government like stamping a memorandum from the caliph.

3.) Diwan Ar-Rasail

They controlled the communication among governors by letter. Actually, it had been operated by
Mu’awiyad government called Diwan Al-Barid, but the name was changed with Diwan Ar-Rasail in Abd
Al-Malik government.

4.) Diwan Al-Mustaghallat

This department was to organize all about taxation. He banned Muslims to buy the Mawali land like was
organized in Umar I. The difference was Abd Al-Malik keep taking jizyah  and kharaj from  mawali[4].

b.    Set Arabic as official language

Abd Al-Malik was able to performed administrative improvements and imposed Arabic as the official
language of the Islamic administration. For example, the official region in Syams used the Greek language
formerly, and then the governor, Sulaiman ibn Sa’ad changed the language with Arabic. It also happened
in Persia which used Persian then was changed with Arabic by Shaleh ibn Abdirrahman[5].

In Abd Al-Malik period the currency was changed using the word and writing Arabic. His government
divided it into Dinar, Dirham, and Fals. Abd Al-Malik also built a center government treasury office in
Damascus to control the finance transaction[6].

c.    The renewal for Al-Qur’an grammar

The renewal for Al-Qur’an grammar was started since the Caliph Ali bin Abi Bakar by Abu Aswad Ad-
Duwali. Then, was continuing in Abd Al-Malik period with adding period (.) and comma (,) to make easier
in reading[7].

d.   The progress in architecture

Abd Al-Malik was known well as a chaliph who had big appreciate to architecture. He built Qubbah Al-
Shaqra mosque (Dome of The Rock). He also had built many mosques and palaces and beautiful
buildings[8].

e.    The expansions

In The Caliph Mu’awiyah period, he expanded the authority to the east like Ghazna, Balkh, and Kandahar.
This eastward expansion then continued back on the Caliph Abd Al-Malik bin Marwan. He sent troops
across the Oxus River and managed to subdue Balkanabad, Bukhara, Ferghana and Samarkand. He also
ordered expanding to Basrah which led by Mus’ab ibn Zubair.
f.     Fighting the rebels

When Abd Al-Malik was be a caliph, many revolting that could be fought. There were:

1.) Mukhtar

Mukhtar ibn Ubaid As-Saqofi from Thaif was led a revolting in 685-687 AD in Kuffah. It was one district by
Mus’ab authority (the brother of Abdullah bin Zubair who has proclaimed as a caliph in Mecca 685 A.D.).
For the first time, he and some troops from Syiah and Mawali,  would kill Ubaidillah bin Ziyad, the author
of Imam Husain killing[9]. But, when they had killed him in Zab River in 686 AD, Mukhtar proclaimed his
self as a caliph in Kuffah[10]. Afterward, Mukhtar was killed by Mus’ab. It made Abd Al-Malik thinking
that Mu’ab could be one of his enemies who had to be killed.

2.) Amar bin Said

This resistance happened when Mukhtar and Mus’ab was in their enmity. Amar was promised the
caliphate by Marwan. But Marwan had denied and gave the caliphate to his sons, Abd Al-Malik and Abd
Al-Aziz. When Abd Al-Malik was being a caliph, Amar asked him to fulfill the promise. But Abd Al-Malik
didn’t want. He then went to Damascus and appointed his self as caliph. So, Abd Al-Malik fought him,
but Amar could win for every war.

Abd Al-Malik then invited him to his palace to make some agreement. When Amar was coming to his
palace, he killed him by his own hand before they made the agreement[11].   

 3.) Mus’ab

When Abd Al-Malik had killed Amar bin Said, Damascus was in his prestige. He then moved his attention
to Mus’ab who had been the governor of Kuffa. Abd Al-Malik sent a troop and he yielded killing Mus’ab.
Even, he killed Mus’ab son, Yahya, and his vice, Ibrahim bin Al-Asytar[12].

4.) Revolting in Africa

Africa was qualified by Uqbah since the Mu’awiyah caliphate. The Berber revolted then and made Islamic
community in Africa suffering and even killed Ubah in a war. Abd Al-Malik sent Zubair and he won for
them. But Zubair made big mistake by leaving the area and moved to a far place for expansion. Berber
came with Rom with their sudden attack that made Zubair killed.

Abd Al-Malik sent another troop led by Abd Al-Malik Hasan bin Nu’man. He won for Khairawan. Even
thought Carthago, Rom, and also Berber was qualified by a queen, Kahina. Abd Al-Malik sent more
troops for Hasan. Finally, Africa came to Islam back[13].

5.) Abdullah bin Zubair

His resistance was because of Mus’ab death. Abd Al-Malik sent Al-hajjaj to fight him. Al-Hajjaj and his
troops encircled Mecca for seven month. But Ibn Zubair never gave up even many of his troops dead.
Her mother, Asma’ binti Abi Bakar adviced him to never give up even he had to be killed by the enemy
‘sword.

Finally, Abdullah ibn Zubair was died in this war. His head was sent to Damascus, and his body was given
to his mother[14].
C.  Conclusion

Abd Al-Malik ibn Marwan was the great king in Umayyad dynasty. He was the pioneer of the golden for
this kingdom. He showed it by many achievements that he had reached in many sectors, like dividing the
governmental administration into four departments, setting Arabic as official language,
establishing  Baitul Mal (the center of finance government), renewal the Qur’an grammar, etc.

Abd Al-Malik also could win for revolting from many rebels in his caliphate for example, Amar ibn Sa’id,
Mus’ab, the Berber tribe, and Abdullah ibn Zubair. Even though many troops and commanders were
dead in every war, he didn’t stop his ambition to fight whoever revolting him.

These successes made the orientation of the Umayyad government to be directed to securing the areas
of the power in the eastern region (covering the towns in the vicinity of Central Asia) and northern Africa
region, and even pave the way to conquer Spain (Andalusia). He showed the honorary of Umayyad
dynasty by his acts. No doubt for his ability in organizing the caliphate. He was the famous king like his
pioneer, Mu’awiyah ibn Abi Sofyan.