A major Shi'i Muslim community with a long and eventful history, the Ismailis were until recently studied primarily on the basis of the accounts of their enemies, including the Sunni polemicists and the Crusader chroniclers. As a result, a host of…
The rapid success of the early Isma'ili dacwa, or religio-political mission, culminated in the establishment of the Fatimid caliphate in the year 909. Modern scholarship in Ismaʹili studies has revealed that the Ismaʹilis were also engaged from early…
"The Ikhwan al-Safa' or Brethren of Purity were a highly secretive group of tenth-century Shi'ite thinkers, their identities remaining unclear even today. Renowned for creating the legendary Rasa'il Ikhwan al-Safa', an encyclopedia of philosophical…
The Imam, the Divine Guide, is the central point around which the Shi'ite religion turns. The power of Shi'ism comes from the actions of the Imam. This title is reserved exclusively for the sucessors of the prophets in their mission. The author shows…
Paul E. Walker looks at this seminally important Ismaili missionary from the tenth century (Islamic fourth century) from a fresh perspective. Al-Sijistani and his thought are presented in this book much as he might have done himself if he had written…