political fragmentation and cultural diversity 235In al-Màwardì’s words, these objectives, as explained in his al-
Aœkàm, are as follows (Al-Màwardì, 1985):
The rationale for writing the book is,
Sùltanate rules are needed more for those who execute them than for
other (users).But the problem is that,
As Sùltanate rules become mixed with other orders and as the officials
who execute them become overburdened with political and adminis-
trative matters, it may become difficult to follow and scrutinise these
orders.Therefore,
I have written this specialised book to focus on these orders in accor-
dance with the orders of those whose obedience is required.So that,
Judicial jurists may know what needs to be filled and fulfilledFor the ultimate objective of:
Achieving justice in judgment and implementation and realising ulti-
mate fairnessThere was a need, therefore, at least as al-Màwardìsaw it, to write
a book on the state orders and to explain the Sharì"ah bases of these
orders to those involved in implementing them. It was meant to be
of assistance to the general ruler, the flulňn, who issued the rules,
province governors as government officials, who exercised the rules,
and judges and jurists who passed the judgment and expressed views
while reaching a judgment. The need for these rules, particularly
during that period of political turmoil, would not be surprising.
Despite the growing influence of the Bùwayhìd over the caliphs,
Al-Màwardì, to his credit, did not put the ruler above the caliph.
We find him in his introduction stating that the caliphate is God’s
arrangement in which the caliph is the Prophet’s successor. We also
find him putting the caliphate, perhaps in its symbolic spiritual role,
above the flul≈àn (al-Màwardì, 1985).
Al-Aœkàmis divided into twenty chapters covering a wide range of
topics of state and religious ordinance, of which nine chapters are
on the administration of the state finance. In line with the prevail-
ing political culture that witnessed the dispute over the caliphate and