Background
He was born in Medina, Hejaz in 646. He was the son of Marwan I, Abd al-Malik.
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He was born in Medina, Hejaz in 646. He was the son of Marwan I, Abd al-Malik.
Abd al-Malik was a well-educated man.
He lived in Medina until he was forced to leave in 683 at the beginning of the Second Civil War.
In this war the rule of the reigning Umayyad family was challenged by Abdullah ibn-az-Zubayr from Mecca.
Marwan I was proclaimed caliph in Damascus in 684 and secured his position in Syria and Egypt before his assassination in 685.
Abd al-Malik succeeded to the caliphate in a difficult situation.
Shiite rebels occupied much of Iraq, and there were also troubles in Syria. To free his hands, Abd al-Malik made a truce with the Byzantine emperor in 689. He then attacked Iraq, but it was not until 691 that the Zubayrid army there was defeated.
A year later Mecca fell after a siege to Abd al-Malik's general al-Hajjaj, and Abdullah ibn-az-Zubayr was killed.
The empire remained disturbed, and three separate revolts by men of the Kharijite sect were not quelled until 697. The final pacification was largely effected by al-Hajjaj, governing Iraq and the lands to the east from Al Kufa, but his severity provoked many wellborn Arabs of Iraq to revolt under Ibn-al-Ashath from 701 to 703.
With the restoration of Umayyad rule over the empire it became possible once again to mount campaigns on the frontiers.
Abd al-Malik achieved little in Central Asia, Afghanistan, and Anatolia, but in North Africa the Byzantines were defeated, Carthage was occupied in 697, and a base was established at Kairouan; thus the way for the Arab advance to Morocco and into Spain was prepared.
In administrative matters Abd al-Malik took the important step of making Arabic the official language of Islam. He also unified fiscal and postal administration, eliminating the local systems that had been retained in the provinces conquered from the Byzantine and Persian empires. Similarly, he discouraged the use of Byzantine coinage that carried the emperor's likeness, and he struck golden dinars and silver dirhems inscribed with passages from the Koran. These measures made the Arab Empire more definitely Islamic and helped to counteract the divisive influence of tribalism.
Abd al-Malik began the building of the magnificent Dome of the Rock at Jerusalem on the site of the Jewish Temple.
Through the efforts of al-Hajjaj an improved way of writing the Koran with vowel marks was first developed during Abd al-Malik's reign.
The last years of his reign were generally peaceful.
He died on October 8, 705.
Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan was a well-educated man and capable ruler who was able to solve many political problems that impeded his rule.
During his reign, all important records were translated into Arabic, and for the first time, a special currency for the Muslim world was minted, which led to war with the Byzantine Empire under Justinian II. The Byzantines were led by Leontios at the Battle of Sebastopolis in 692 in Asia Minor and were decisively defeated by al-Malik after the defection of a large contingent of Slavs. The Islamic currency was then made the only currency of exchange in the Muslim world. Also, many reforms happened in his time relating to agriculture and commerce. Al-Malik extended and consolidated Muslim rule, made Arabic the state language and organised a regular postal service.
Quotes from others about the person
The 14th-century Muslim historian Ibn Khaldun stated that "'Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan is one of the greatest Arab and Muslim Caliphs. He followed in the footsteps of 'Umar ibn al-Khattab, the Commander of the Believers, in regulating state affairs".
He had three wives and eight children.
(ca. 623–626 — April/May 685)
She was an Umayyad princess. She was the daughter of Yazid I, and wife of Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan.
(668 – 23 February 715)
(687 – 26 January 724)
(fl. 705–738)
(c. 674 – 22 September 717)
(691 – 6 February 743)
He was an Umayyad prince, the son of Caliph Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan (r. 685–705), a general and governor of Egypt.
