On April 27 The Ismaili Centre in London hosted the UK launch of听The听FatimidsMajor Muslim dynasty of Ismaili caliphs in North Africa (from 909) and later in Egypt (973鈥1171) More: 2. The Rule from Egypt. The event delved into the salient features and values underpinning the Fatimid Empire, their impact on Islamic civilisation and their relevance to the world in which we live today.
The听Fatimids: 2. The Rule from Egypt听is the latest IIS publication in the听World of Islam听series. To mark its publication, author and historian Dr Shainool Jiwa was in conversation with IIS Governor and Senior Advisor to听the听Aga Khan听Development Network (AKDNThe Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) is a contemporary endeavour of the Ismaili Imamat to realise the ethics and social conscience of Islam through institutional action. More), Mr Naguib Kheraj. Together they explored the achievements of the听Fatimids, discussing the dynasty’s contributions to intellectual and social developments as well as architecture, literature, science, and governance.
Dr Jiwa emphasised the continuity of values from the time of the听Fatimids听to today, saying that the history of the Ismaili Imamate: 鈥渋s not simply about the events and the personalities of that period. It is also about the attitudes that prevailed at the time, and the relevance of these attitudes for our times.鈥
The book focuses on the Egyptian period of Fatimid history. 听The Fatimid Ismaili Imam-caliphs traced their descent from Prophet Muhammad, Hazrat Ali and Hazrat听FatimaDaughter of the Prophet Muhammad and his first wife, Khad墨ja bint Khuwaylid. Also wife of 士Al墨 b. Ab墨 峁乴ib and mother of al-岣san and al-岣sayn.. They established their听caliphate听in Tunisia in 909 CE. Subsequently, they extended their rule to a remarkable, two-century long empire in Egypt from 969 to 1171 CE. They founded the city of Cairo, which became a thriving metropolis, and the听al-Azhar听Mosque, which became a principal centre of communal worship and learning. Drawing upon a range of primary sources, Dr Jiwa vividly charts the Fatimid expansion, the empire鈥檚 efflorescence and its challenges, and the legacy that continues with the living Ismaili communities today.
Mr Kheraj emphasised the book鈥檚 contribution to the IIS鈥檚 mission of producing authoritative sources about Ismaili history in an engaging format for non-specialist readership. 听He said 鈥Fatimids听2听alongside its predecessor听Fatimids听1, truly lays out the scale and scope and impact of the Fatimid period鈥 I was captivated, and I learned an incredible amount.鈥
The Ismaili Centre provided a befitting venue to showcase the vibrant dialectic between the past and the present. The event was also hosted live on The Ismaili TV. The audience had the opportunity to engage in a wide-ranging question-and-answer session after the discussion, covering topics from the role of women to the threads of continuity from the Fatimid period that underpin the ethos of the Ismaili听Imamat听today.
