The conformity of national customs with the Islamic doctrines was reflected in the
domain of the Samanides, the last Iranian kings of the Orient. The remains of the
ancient Iranian families, besides the su pport of the kings, acted as the main factors of
cultural development. As a result of this cultural co-existence some of the ancient
Iranian customs continued to exist, although the Islamic rites were fully appriciated, and
a great number of Iranian families managed to enrich the Islamic culture and sciences.
Games like Polo, chess, shooting, and hunting were the most popular hobbies of the
princes and courtiers at that time. literary clubs, scientific debates, social gatherings,
preaching ceremonies, and story-telling circles each attracted a specific class of the
society. the leisure time was spent in leisure centers
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