The Influence of Iranian Culture on the Culture of Muslim Arabs during the Umayyad Caliphate

Abstract

The Umayyad Caliphate represents one of the most significant periods in the political and cultural history of Islam, during which the Islamic realm rapidly expanded and evolved into a heterogeneous society composed of diverse ethnicities and cultures. Using a descriptive–analytical method and drawing upon historical sources and contemporary studies, this research examines the influence of Iranian culture on the culture of Muslim Arabs during the Umayyad era. The findings indicate that despite the official Umayyad policy emphasizing Arab superiority, in practice many Iranian cultural, administrative, and political elements penetrated the structure of the government and Islamic society. The transfer of bureaucratic systems, the continuation of the Sasanian taxation structure, the influence of courtly rituals, and the role of Iranian secretaries were among the most prominent manifestations of this influence. This cultural interaction laid the groundwork for the formation of a centralized model of governance within Islamic civilization. The significance of this issue lies in the fact that the Umayyad period constituted an intermediary stage between the simple caliphal tradition of early Islam and the complex caliphal system of later periods, particularly during the Abbasid Caliphate. Examining this period demonstrates how Iranian elements were absorbed, reinterpreted, and institutionalized within the framework of the Islamic Caliphate and what role they played in shaping the civilizational model of Islam.