Iraq after the Muslim Conquest - Michael G. Morony

ARABS: NATIVES

SEDENTARY ARABS: ISLAMIC IRAQ

The sedentary Arab population of Sasanian Iraq saved itself by

coming to terms with the Muslims. The best example is at Hira. The

Arab notables of the city worked out the terms of a settlement with

Khalid according to which they agreed to pay tribute and to act as

spies against the Persians. They also promised not to aid the Persians

or non-Muslim Arabs against the Muslims or to guide them against

Islamic territory: In return, Khalid agreed not to destroy any of their

churches, synagogues, or fortresses. The sources vary on the nature

and amount of the tribute. According to what seem to be the earliest

accounts, KhaIid imposed on the entire city of Hira an annual tribute

which the inhabitants were to apportion among themselves. Out of a

total of seven thousand men in the city, one thousand with chronic

illnesses were excused from payment. The amount of tribute to be

divided among the remaining six thousand varies from sixty to one

hundred and ninety thousand dirhams.^106 The territory around'the

city, including the villages belonging to the family of ~aliiba on the

Euphrates, was covered by this tribute, and, consequendy, the people

of Hira paid no separate land tax. 107 Later accounts describe the tribute

as a regular poll tax computed by applying a fixed rate to the popu-

lation. This seems to be the case in the account quoted by BaladhurI

on the authority of Yabya ibn Adam. According to this report; six

thousand men liable to the poll tax in Hira were each assessed fourteen

dirhams of the weight of five q'riits (Ar.), producing a total tribute of

eighty-four thousand dirhams of this weight, or sixty thousand dir-

hams of the weight of seven q'riits apiece.^108 Terms similar to those

granted to Hira were made at Anbar,109 at eAyn Tame after the town

was sacked,l1° and with the Kinda and Iyad who were settled at San-

dawda near eAyn Tamr.111

The decline of Hira is often attributed to the movement of people

106 Abii Yiisuf, Khariij, pp. 221-24; Baladhuri, FutU~, p. 243; Dinawari, Akhbiir at-
pwiil, p. 117; Tabari, Ta'n""kh, I, 2017-19, 2044-45; Y~ya ibn .Adam, Khariij, p. 47;
Ya'qiibi, Ta'r'fkh, ll, 147. According to al-l:Iasan ibn ~alih, no specific amount was
fixed per capita on the heads of the men (Yal,lya ibn .Adam, Khariij, p. 47).
107 Baladhuri, FutU~, pp. 243, 248; Tabari, Ta'n""kh, I, 2018.
108 Baladhuri, FutU~, p. 243.
109 Ibid., 246; Tabari, Ta'n""kh, I, 2061; Y~ya ibn .Adam, Khariij, p. 46. The p~ople
of Anbar are said to have broken their treaty with Khalid; but they came to terms with
]arir ibn 'Abdullah al-Bajali in the time of 'Umar and arranged to pay an annual tribute
of four hundred thousand dirhams and one thousand cloaks.
110 Abii Yiisuf, Khariij, p. 226; Y~ya ibn .Adam, Khariij, p. 47.
111 Abii Yiisuf, Khariij, p. 226.