Religious Activism of the Buyid Dynasty: From Supporting Shiite Rituals to Abbasid Reactions

The aim of this study is to provide a comprehensive analysis of the Buyid dynasty’s religious policies and evaluate their cultural, political, and social consequences. The research method is historical-analytical and is based on early historical texts. The religious activism of the Buyid dynasty, as one of the most prominent aspects of its rule, had a profound impact on the cultural, religious, and political developments of the Islamic world during the 10th and 11th centuries CE. This study examines the Buyids' religious initiatives, including their support for Shiite rituals, engagement with Shiite scholars, and reforms within the administrative and judicial systems. The main research question is: How did the Buyid religious activism contribute to the consolidation of Shiite identity and the weakening of the Abbasid Caliphate? The significance of this research lies in its contribution to understanding the role of religious diplomacy in shaping political and religious transformations during the Islamic era, and the necessity of analyzing the structural impact of religious policies on historical societies. Hence, the primary question is: What effect did the Buyid religious activism have on strengthening Shiite identity and diminishing the influence of the Abbasid Caliphate? The hypothesis of this study posits that the Buyid dynasty’s religious activism—through the promotion and institutionalization of Shiite rituals—played a pivotal role in undermining Abbasid authority and bolstering Shiite power bases. The findings reveal that the Buyids’ religious diplomacy not only reinforced Shiite identity and political-religious structures but also led to tensions between Sunni and Shiite communities, significantly weakening the authority of the Abbasid Caliphate.