Keywords:聽Dawr al-satr, Fatimid,聽MubarakiyyaAdherents of an early Shi鈥榠 group who upheld the Imamate of Mu岣mmad b. Ism膩士墨l after the death of Ism膩士墨l b. Ja士far al-峁⒛乨iq, representing the nascent Ismaili community….,聽Mahdi,聽Taqiyya, Qarmati, Da’i,聽Zahir,聽Batin,聽Hafizi聽Ismaili, Tayyibi Ismaili, Nizari Ismaili, Hasan-i Sabbah,聽AlamutFortress of the Nizari Ismailis in northern Iran, which fell to the Mongols in 654 AH/1256 CE.,聽Aga Khan
The second most important Shi’i community, after the Ithna ‘Asharis or聽TwelversSee Ithna’asharis., the 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. have had an eventful history. The Ismailis subdivided into a number of major branches and minor groups in the course of their long and complex history dating back to the middle of the second AH/eighth century CE. Most of these divisions pertained to disputes over succession to leadership following the demise of the previous聽imamIn general usage, a leader of prayers or religious leader. The Shi’i restrict the term to their spiritual leaders descended from 士Al墨 b. Ab墨 峁乴ib and the Prophet’s daughter, Fatima.. Despite these divisions and their persecution by powerful dynasties, Ismaili communities have survived in many parts of the Muslim world and beyond, and have made significant contributions to Muslim thought and culture.
Author
Dr Farhad Daftary
Co-Director and Head of the Department of Academic Research and Publications
An authority in Shi’i studies, with special reference to its Ismaili tradition, Dr. Daftary has published and lectured widely in these fields of Islamic studies. In 2011 a Festschrift entitled聽Fortresses of the Intellect聽was produced to honour Dr. Daftary by a number of his colleagues and peers.
