A Survey of the Status of Rational Sciences in the Seljuk Era

Abstract

The Seljuk Turks established their rule after defeating Sultan Mas‘ud of the Ghaznavid Empire in 1040 CE. They succeeded in acquiring extensive political and military authority. Adhering to the Hanafi school associated with Abu Hanifa, the Seljuks, in order to consolidate and stabilize their rule and to obtain legitimacy from the Abbasid Caliphate, aligned themselves with the caliphal institution and regarded themselves as its obedient supporters. By overcoming the Shi‘a Buyid dynasty, they revived the political and spiritual authority of Sunni Islam. With the assistance of administrative bureaucracies and relying on prominent viziers such as Nizam al-Mulk Tusi, they managed their empire effectively. During this period, with the establishment and expansion of scientific and educational institutions such as the Nizamiyya madrasas, the transmitted religious sciences, jurisprudential disciplines, and literary studies were widely taught and attained significant prominence. Fields such as jurisprudence, hadith, Qur’anic sciences, literature, as well as mysticism and Sufism experienced considerable growth and attention. However, despite the emergence of exceptional figures such as Omar Khayyam, branches of the rational sciences, particularly philosophy, were neglected and marginalized, leading to stagnation and decline. Factors such as the expansion of institutions like the Nizamiyyas, the dominance of the Ash‘arites and the traditionists, sectarian conflicts, the increasing influence of Sufis, and the decline of rationalist movements such as the Mu‘tazilites and Isma‘ilis contributed significantly to this process.