Scientific and Cultural Functions of the Baghdad Rabats during the 4th Abbasid Era (448-656 AH)

During the early Islamic centuries, the rabats were used for military purposes, and later as hospices and places of worship for Sufis. Little attention has been paid to their scientific and cultural functions. The present study aims to answer the question of “What scientific and cultural functions the various rabats in Baghdad had during the 4th Abbasid Caliphate (448-656 AH)?”, using a descriptive-analytical method. The results of this study show that the rabats in Baghdad were mostly active in the fields of religious and traditional sciences such as preaching, Quranic recitation, hadith listening, narration, jurisprudence, issuing permits, and more. Chanting and recitation were distinctive features of the rabats. The libraries of rabats became suitable places for studying, researching, writing books, meeting and debating among scholars. Sufi women were also active and had their own dedicated rabats. During that period, the rabats of Baghdad were considered as one of the important educational centers that played significant roles in the spread of Islamic culture and civilization.