ABSTRACT
Inordertoshedsomelightonthisproblemitisnecessarytocarryout twoinvestigations.Thefirstwillbeconcernedwiththepoliticalandreligious milieuduringtheperiodimmediatelyprecedingal-Ma'miin'saccession.The secondwilldealwiththecaliph'spersonalityandthesuccessiveattitudes thatheadoptedorwereascribedtohim.Theessentialquestioniswhether al-Ma'muninauguratedanentirelynewandpersonalpolicy,whetherhe wascontenttoadoptaprogrammethathadbeenestablishedbyothers beforehim,orindeed-asathirdpossibility-whetherhegaveaparticular orientationtoanalreadyexistingmovement.Onlyaninvestigationdealing withthepoliciesofprecedingcaliphsandtheiraideswillallowustorespond tothisquestionandtoassesscorrectlythemostsignificantstepstakenby the"innovator"caliph.
