ABSTRACT
VVE have already seen how since the time of Hajjaj, with a slight intermission during the reign of Omar II., the Syrian Arabs had monopolised the high offices of state, and how sedulously they had excluded outsiders from all avenues to posts of emolument and honour. This selfish policy, based on material force, was successful so long as the subject nationalities had not learnt their strength. The revolution which wrested the supreme power from the Ommeyades and transferred it to their rivals broke their monopoly. Henceforth the non-Arabs, as common subjects of a great and civilised empire, assumed their proper place as citizens of Islam, were admitted to the highest employment of state, and enjoyed equal consideration with the Arabs. A greater revolution than this has scarcely been witnessed either in ancient or modern times; it gave practical effect to the democratic enunoiation of the equality and brotherhood of man. To this mainly is due the extraordinary vitality of the Abbasside
even after it had lost its temporal authority. The acceptance of this fundamental principle of racial equality among all their subjects helped the early sovereigns of the house of Abbas to build up a fabric which endured without a rival for over five centuries, and fell only before a barbarian attack from without.
