Editing History of Tunisia (section)

===Society and culture===

As a result of the initial prosperity, al-Mustansir transformed his capital [[Tunis]], constructing a palace and the Abu Fihr park; he also created an estate near [[Bizerte]] (said by [[Ibn Khaldun]] to be without equal in the world).<ref>Abun-Nasr, ''A History of the Maghrib'' (1971) p. 141.</ref> An unfortunate divide, however, developed between the governance of the cities and of the countryside; at times the city-based rulers would grant rural tribes autonomy ('iqta') in exchange for their support in intra-maghribi struggles.<ref>Laroui, ''History of the Maghrib'' pp. 211–212 (Banu Hilal), cf. 216.</ref><ref>Julien, ''History of North Africa'' pp. 145–146 (Beni Sulaim).</ref> This tribal independence of the central authority meant also at when the center grew weak, the periphery might still remain strong and resilient.<ref>Cf., Perkins, ''Tunisia: Crossroads of the Islamic and European Worlds'' (1986) p. 53.</ref> {IN PROGRESS}

Bedouin Arabs<ref>Here, the Banu Suaim. Most of the Banu Hilal had by this period moved on to Morocco. Abun-Nasr, ''A History of the Maghrib'' (1971) pp. 129, 144–145.</ref> continued to arrive into the 13th century; with their tribal ability to raid and war still intact, they remained influential. The Arab language came to be predominant, except for a few Berber-speaking areas, e.g., [[Kharijite]] Djerba, and the desert south. Also, Arab Muslim and Jewish migration continued to come into Ifriqiya from al-Andalus, especially after the fall of [[Granada]] in 1492, the last Muslim state ruling on the Iberian peninsula. These newly arriving immigrants brought infusions of the developed arts of [[al-Andalus]].<ref>Julien, ''History of North Africa'' pp. 151–153.</ref> The Andalusian tradition of music and poetry was discussed by [[Ahmad al-Tifashi]] (1184–1253) of Tunis, in his ''Muta'at al-Asma' fi 'ilm al-sama' '' [Pleasure to the Ears, on the Art of Music], in volume 41 of his enciclopedia.<ref>Benjamin M. Liu and [[James T. Monroe]], ''Ten Hispano-Arabic Strophic Songs in the Modern Oral Tradition'' (Univ.of California 1989) pp. 2 & 35; al-Tifasi's text translated pp. 36–69.</ref>

After a hiatus under the [[Almohad Empire|Almohads]],<ref>Ibn Tumart is said not to have followed any recognized [[madhhab]] [see the ''Almohads or al-Muwahiddin'' era, the ''Rule over the Maghrib'' section, above]; yet the Almohads may have followed the Zahiri school of law (Hodgson, ''Venture of Islam'' in II:269), which is now extinct.</ref> the [[Maliki]] school of law resumed its full traditional jurisdiction over the Maghrib. During the 13th century, the Maliki school had undergone substantial liberalizing changes due in part to Iraqi influence.<ref>Maghribi students were drawn to Iraq by the teachings left by Fakhr al-Din al-Razi (d.1209). By the end of the 13th century, Ibn Zaytun Haskuni Mishaddali had introduced transformations in Maliki fiqh which were incorporated in the Hafsid restoration. Mahsin Mahdi, ''Ibn Khaldun's Philosophy of History'' pp. 30–31.</ref> Under Hafsid jurisprudents the concept of ''maslahah'' or "public interest" developed in the operation of their [[madhhab]]. This opened up Maliki [[fiqh]] to considerations of necessity and circumstance with regard to the general welfare of the community. By this means, local ''custom'' was admitted in the [[Sharia]] of Malik, to become an integral part of the legal discipline.<ref>Hodgson, ''Venture of Islam'' in II:478.</ref> Later, the Maliki theologian Muhammad ibn 'Arafa (1316–1401) of Tunis studied at the Zaituna library, said to contain 60,000 volumes.<ref>Abun-Nasr, ''A History of the Maghrib'' (1971) p. 150.</ref>

Education was improved by the institution of a system of [[madrasah]]. Sufism, e.g., Sidi Bin 'Arus (d. 1463 Tunis) founder of the ''Arusiyya'' [[tariqah]], became increasingly established, linking city and countryside.<ref>Trimingham, ''The Sufi Orders in Islam'' (Oxford Univ. 1971) p. 87</ref><ref>The sufi ''shaikhs'' assumed the religious authority once held by the unitarian Almohads, according to Abun-Nasr, ''A History of the Maghrib'' (1971) p. 119.</ref> Poetry blossomed, as did architecture. For the moment, Tunisia had regained cultural leadership of the Maghrib.<ref>Julien, ''History of North Africa'' pp. 159–161.</ref>