From 12鈥16 August 2025, scholars from 久久久福利国产 (IIS) participated in the 10th Biennial Convention of the (ASPS), hosted at the , Uzbekistan. The convention brought together leading academics from around the world to explore the history, literature, and intellectual traditions of Persianate societies.
IIS scholars contributed in multiple capacities, presenting research papers, organising and chairing panels, and delivering book talks. Their wide-ranging participation reflected the diversity and depth of the Institute鈥檚 scholarship.
Dr Alessandro Cancian presented a research paper on 鈥Shi士ism, Sufism and Religious Identity through the Imaginal Lens鈥, analysing the works of Sol峁乶 士Al墨 Sh膩h Gon膩b膩d墨 (d. 1909), particularly his Tanb墨h al-n膩示im墨n. His paper explored how Shi士i Sufism emerged in nineteenth century Iran, with mystical concepts of the imaginal world (士膩lam-i mith膩l) shaping debates on identity and boundaries within Islam.
Dr Dagikhudo Dagiev organised the panel The Central Asian IsmailisAdherents of a branch of Shi’i Islam that considers Ismail, the eldest son of the Shi’i Imam Ja士far al-峁⒛乨iq (d. 765), as his successor., also delivering a paper entitled 鈥The Shughn膩n墨 Ismailis鈥 View of Shaykh Jal膩l al-D墨n R奴m墨 through Semenov鈥檚 Lens鈥. He presented further research on 鈥Persian Literature in Tajikistan and Iran in the Last Hundred Years鈥 and delivered a book talk on his new volume Identity, History and Transnationalism in Central Asia: The Mountain Communities of the Pamirs (2025).
Dr Maria De Cillis presented a research paper on 鈥Affinities and Harmonic Relations in Ismailism: 岣m墨d al-D墨n al-Kirm膩n墨 and N膩峁r-i Khusraw,鈥 tracing how the idea of cosmic harmony (harmonia universalis) rooted in Greek, Stoic, and Neoplatonic traditions was adapted by classical Ismaili thinkers. She discussed how these principles of balance and correspondence informed Ismaili metaphysics and doctrine.
Dr William Hofmann presented a research paper on 鈥Spiritual Markets of Song and Verse: Gift Exchange and Early Hindi Song in Persian Sufi Texts鈥. His study examined Persian Sufi works recounting performances of Hindi devotional songs, showing how these multilingual compositions circulated in 蝉补尘腻士 assemblies alongside Persian ghazals. He further analysed qawwal notebooks and multilingual compilations combining Persian, Hindavi, Gujarati gin膩ns and Kabir鈥檚 sakhis to demonstrate the intercultural logic of devotional orature in South Asia.
Dr Karim Javan presented a research paper entitled 鈥Kulloyat-i Athar-i Mirza Husayn b. Ya士qub Shah: Poetic Narratives of Ismaili History in Early Modern Khur膩s膩n鈥. His study showed how the collected works of M墨rz膩 岣sayn preserved aspects of Ismaili 诲补士飞补Lit. ‘summons’, ‘mission’ or invitation to Islam. Amongst Shi’i Muslims, it was the invitation to adopt the cause of the Imamat. It also refers more specifically to the hierarchy of…, community life, and memory in seventeenth-century Khur膩s膩n, highlighting poetry as a vital historical record when prose sources were limited.
Dr Otambek Mastibekov presented a research paper on 鈥The Impact of Political Transformations on Ismaili Communities in Central Asia鈥, examining how shifting regimes and socio-political upheavals reshaped communal life and religious practice across the region. In addition, he delivered a book talk on his forthcoming critical edition of 膧d膩b-N膩mah (A Book of Ethics), reflecting IIS鈥 commitment to making neglected works of ethical literature accessible to scholars and wider audiences.
Dr Daryoush Mohammad Poor presented a research paper entitled 鈥Ismaili Cosmology: Nature and Religion鈥. He explored an Ismaili 岣诲墨迟丑Lit. 鈥榬eport鈥 or 鈥榥arrative,鈥 used for the traditions of the Prophet Muhammad and in Shi鈥榠 Islam also for those of the Imams. tradition that demonstrates the confluence of revelation and reason, highlighting how authors such as al-Mu示ayyad f墨 al-D墨n al-Sh墨r膩z墨, N膩峁r-i Khusraw, and Na峁Ｄ玶 al-D墨n al-峁玸墨 articulated the compatibility of faith, philosophy, and science, principles that remain resonant today.
Dr Nourmamadcho Nourmamadchoev presented a research paper entitled 鈥Why did the TimuridsA Muslim dynasty founded by Timur Lang (Tamerlane) which ruled Persia and Transoxiana (1370鈥1507 CE). Exterminate the Ruling Family of Badakhshan?鈥 He analysed the political, social, and religious consequences of Timurid violence in the fifteenth century, tracing campaigns, succession disputes, and conversions that reshaped the region鈥檚 religious landscape, including Ismaili communities.
Dr Aslisho Qurboniev organised and chaired the panel Translating, Appropriating, and Circulating Encyclopaedic Knowledge in the Persianate World, where he also presented a research paper on the Persian translations of the 鈥搁补蝉腻示颈濒 Ikhw膩n al-峁f膩示From Arabic, lit. 鈥楤rethren of Purity鈥, a group of learned scholars who were based in Basra and Baghdad around the last quarter of the t10th century CE. It is more… (Epistles of the Brethren of Purity)鈥. His paper traced their reception from N膩峁r-i Khusraw through later traditions, demonstrating the enduring role of encyclopaedic texts in intellectual history.
Cover image from Dr Daryoush Mohammad Poor.
