Note 481 — Chapter VI

Professor De Goeje has kindly given me the following references :—Ṭabarí, ii, 78, l. 10, where Ziyád is called the Wazír of Mu‘áwiya; Ibn Sa‘d, iii, 121, l. 6 (Abú Bakr the Wazír of the Prophet). The word occurs in Pre-islamic poetry (Ibu Qutayba, K. al-Shi‘r wa-’l-Shu‘ará, p. 414, l. 1). Professor De Goeje adds that the ‘Abbásid Caliphs gave the name Wazír as title to the minister who was formerly called Kátib (Secretary). Thus it would seem that the Arabic Wazír (literally 'burden-bearer'), who was at first merely a 'helper' or 'henchman,' afterwards became the representative and successor of the Dapír (official scribe or secretary) of the Sásánian kings.