Al Mutawakkil's edict on christianity and its relation to christian-muslim encounters: a historical analysis

This article examines the Christian-Muslim relations in the third/ninth century through the al-Mutawakkil’s edict on Christianity issued in 235/850. Historically, al-Mutawakkil’s rule in 232-247/847-861 was marked by three significant events: the ending of the Inquisition in 234/849, the declaration of an edict against Christianity in 235/850, and the lifting of the tomb of Imam Ḥusayn b. Abī Ṭālib in 236/851. Particularly, the second event highlighted the complex relations between Christians and Muslims in early Islam, and accordingly raised such a question as why the Caliph al-Mutawakkil only targeted Christians in his edict even though Muslims had encountered many religious groups (ahl al-dhimmah). Examining the classical and modern resources of Islamic history on this account, this article traces theological, social, and political factors in the Christian-Muslim encounters surrounding al-Mutawakkil’s edict. Even though al-Mutawakkil failed to fully implement the edict on Christians, he demonstrated that he was a tactician ruler who could win over his Muslim subjects and control non-Muslim citizens, bureaucrats, and soldiers.