The function of propaganda symbols in legitimizing the Umayyads

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Department of History, Najafabad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Najafabad, Iran

10.22081/hiq.2023.60164.2146

Abstract

With the death of the Prophet (PBUH), the competition for the caliphate and leadership of the Islamic community began. The Umayyads, who had been trying to regain their lost position from the very beginning, saw the conditions as appropriate the conditions for achieving the caliphate by killing Uthman. Relying on religious-historical symbols and symbols, Muawiyah succeeded in organizing widespread propaganda among Muslims and removing the important obstacle of lack of legitimacy from the advance of his government.
In this research, an attempt has been made to answer this question: What propaganda symbols did the Umayyads use to gain their legitimacy? The findings of the present study, which have been done in a descriptive-analytical manner, show that Muawiyah, as the founder of the Umayyads caliphate, used visual symbols such as the Qur'an, Uthman's bloody shirt and his wife's severed finger, the Prophet's cloak and staff. And the hadiths as well as the symbol of a place such as the sanctity of the Levant as a city of faith, benefited the most. The mentioned symbols, which had a profound effect on attracting people and changing their attitudes and beliefs, helped Mu'awiyah to gain legitimacy, transfer the caliphate from Ali (AS) as a bloodthirsty man from Uthman, and paved the way for his family to come to power.

Keywords

Main Subjects

History of Islam

Articles in Press, Corrected Proof
Available Online from 21 October 2025

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