This lecture will discuss the contents and context of聽The Book of Interim Times and Planetary Conjunctions聽as well as the state of current scholarship on it. While engagement with astrology and other occult sciences was popular during the era of Fatimid flourishing, there are few surviving texts that document the Fatimid engagement with these philosophical trends.聽The Book of Interim Times and Planetary Conjunctions, popularly attributed to Ja鈥榝ar b. Mansur al-Yaman, represents one such confluence of the assertion of the necessity of the Fatimid聽imamate聽bolstered through engagement with the occult sciences. This engagement demonstrates both an awareness of the utility of the occult sciences as a political tool鈥攁s astrology was used by the Abbasid caliphate鈥攁nd a creative re-interpretation of how the occult sciences could be appropriated into the existing metaphysics of Ismaili theology and philosophy.
In its capacity as a political tool, astrology is used to directly confront the聽AbbasidsMajor Muslim dynasty of Sunni caliphs that ruled in Baghdad (750-1258)., the primary political rival of the聽Fatimids聽at the time of the text鈥檚 writing; as a metaphysical framework, it presents a new system of symbols to be understood through the lens of聽zahir听补苍诲听产补峁璱苍, affirming the聽imam聽as the divine conduit through the language of the zodiac. Further, the text demonstrates an engagement with Fatimid history uncommon in philosophical texts of its day, calling into question the sharp scholarly division between聽dawlaA state or dynasty. Also used to refer to the domain of politics (siyasa).听补苍诲听诲补鈥榳补.
Q&A:聽At any time during the lecture, attendees can submit questions to the speaker through the Q&A option at the bottom of the control panel. As time allows, the speaker will address as many questions as they can during the Q&A session at the end of the presentation.
Recording:聽Please note that the session will be recorded and published on the IIS website, and on the IIS YouTube channel.
顿颈蝉肠耻蝉蝉补苍迟蝉:听顿谤听贵芒谤猫蝉听骋颈濒濒辞苍聽(久久久福利国产, UK),聽聽(University of Oregon),聽聽(University of Amsterdam)
Speaker
Alex Matthews
Alex Matthews is a PhD candidate at the University of Chicago Divinity School. Her work focuses on Fa峁璱mid history, Ismaili philosophical thought, and the occult sciences in medieval Islamic society.
