Political discourse in the Islamic world has athreefold classical heritage— Islamic, Persian, andGreek, each representing a different genre. Thesethree genres of discourse were first elaboratedunder the same historical circumstances in the tenthcentury, often by the same authors.

The religious discourse includes the political, sinceit has a dual function: on the one hand, it aims tosafeguard the prophetic tradition; on the otherhand, it aims to administer earthly interests. Thisdiscourse culminates in the theory of the imamate elaborated by thejurist Al-Māwardī, which we shall address later

Of Persian origin, the “mirrors of princes” or royalgenre literature portrays the art of ruling and themodel of virtue imposed on the prince. It representsa literary genre that predates the emergence ofIslam. There are two categories of “mirrors”: thosecomposed through a series of fables, and thoseorganized by ideas and concepts. Those composed offables, like Kalila andDimna, tell stories with moral contentaimed at teaching moral principles to the ruler; theconceptual “mirrors,” meanwhile, deal with theorganization of royal duties, while also conveyingpolitical and moral instruction.

The influence of Persian and Indian moral thinking inthe Islamic tradition precedes the entrance of Greekethics. Its principal representative is Ibn Muqaffaʿ(ca. 720–ca. 756), a courtier of Persian origin whogained fame as a promoter of the refined culturethat developed under the Abbasids. Ibn Muqaffaʿ wasknown for integrating the literature of Persian andIndian origins into the Arab milieu. His mostcelebrated work, Kitāb Kalīlawa-Dimna, is an Arabic version of thecollection of Indian fables dating back to thePanjatantra and tothe Tantrākhyāyka;this was “designed to enrich political talent in thereader, unfolding before his eyes the spectacle ofthe royal political world, with all its activities,struggles, and evolutions, while at the same timeexplaining to the reader the interests, passions,and motivations that make each of the players actand the causes and consequences of their behavior.”The transmission of these fables constitutes one ofthe first monuments of Arabic prose, in whichemphasis is given to profane wisdom that teachespolitical prudence and at the same time celebratesthe virtues of friendship.