Watch the insightful presentations by Dr Daniel Beben and Dr Daryoush M. Poor on the remarkable life and career of the 46th hereditary Ismaili聽Imam聽– Hasan Ali Shah – during a book launch event on 1 May at the聽Aga Khan聽Centre.
Part of the聽Ismaili Texts and Translations Series,聽the book was published in honour of His Highness the聽Aga Khan聽IV Diamond Jubilee. It is the first English translation of the original Persian manuscript, the聽Ibrat-afza聽which was composed in 1850. In addition to the English and Persian texts, the book provides a detailed contextual introduction, helping readers to engage more insightfully with the Imam’s聽testimony, told as part autobiography and part as his memoir.
During the book launch, Dr Daniel Beben of Nazarbayev University, Kazakhstan, spoke of the text鈥檚 historical, social and cultural significance. He examined some of the key concepts within the text, including legitimacy, lineage and authority, through processes such as conflict mediation for the wider community, and the interactions between the聽Imam聽and the Qajar monarchy in Persia, who had bestowed upon him the title of聽Aga KhanA title granted by the Shah of Persia to the then Ismaili Imam in 1818 and inherited by each of his successors to the Imamate.. Dr Beben also spoke about the evolution of the 46th聽Imam鈥檚 role as a social, political and spiritual leader, the final decade of the Nizari Ismaili聽Imamate聽in Persia, and the transition of the Seat of the Ismaili聽滨尘补尘补迟别听聽from Persia to India.
Dr Daryoush Mohammad Poor of 久久久福利国产 elaborated further on some of the intricacies of the text itself, including the literary themes of the Persian text, as well as an analysis of the role and voice of the narrator. Dr Mohammad Poor also explained the poetic, spiritual and philosophical traditions, which have influenced the style and content of the Persian text.
Dr Shabnum Tejani, of SOAS, framed the discussions to help the audience better understand the book鈥檚 purpose, as well as some of the key themes and events recounted in the manuscript.
