Ismaili History and Intellectual Traditions

Ismaili History and Intellectual Traditions PDF

Author: Farhad Daftary

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2017-08-07

Total Pages: 300

ISBN-13: 135197503X

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The Ismailis represent an important Shiʿi Muslim community with rich intellectual and literary traditions. The complex history of the Ismailis dates back to the second/eighth century when they separated from other Shiʿi groups under the leadership of their own imams. Soon afterwards, the Ismailis organised a dynamic, revolutionary movement, known as the daʿwa or mission, for uprooting the Sunni regime of the Abbasids and establishing a new Shiʿi caliphate headed by the Ismaili imam. By the end of the third/ninth century, the Ismaili dāʿīs, operating secretly on behalf of the movement, were active in almost every region of the Muslim world, from Central Asia and Persia to Yemen, Egypt and the Maghrib. This book brings together a collection of the best works from Farhad Daftary, one of the foremost authorities in the field. The studies cover a range of specialised topics related to Ismaili history, historiography, institutions, theology, law and philosophy, amongst other intellectual traditions elaborated by the Ismailis. The collation of these invaluable studies into one book will be of great interest to the Ismaili community as well to anyone studying Islam in general, or Shiʿi Islam in particular.

Short History of the Ismailis

Short History of the Ismailis PDF

Author: Farhad Daftary

Publisher: Edinburgh University Press

Published: 2020-03-31

Total Pages: 256

ISBN-13: 0748679227

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Despite being one of the key Shi'i Muslim communities, the Ismailis were until recently studied primarily on the basis of the accounts of their enemies. This new introduction is the first to be based on modern scholarship, taking account of recently recovered Ismaili texts. It covers all the main developments in the major phases of Ismaili history, from the early formative period, through the Fatamid golden age and the Alamut and post-Alamut periods, to more recent history. Dealing only with the most important historical developments, this is a comprehensive and accessible survey for all newcomers to the subject.

Intellectual Traditions in Islam

Intellectual Traditions in Islam PDF

Author: Farhad Daftary

Publisher: I.B. Tauris

Published: 2000-01-24

Total Pages: 200

ISBN-13: 9781860644351

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This is a collection of papers by scholars on the role of the intellect in the legal, theological, philosophical and mystical traditions of Islam.

A Modern History of the Ismailis

A Modern History of the Ismailis PDF

Author: Farhad Daftary

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2024-04-15

Total Pages: 506

ISBN-13: 0857735268

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I.B. Tauris in association with the Institute of Ismaili Studies The Ismailis have enjoyed a long, eventful and complex history dating back to the 8th century CE and originating in the Shi'i tradition of Islam. During the medieval period, Ismailis of different regions - especially in central Asia, south Asia, Iran and Syria - developed and elaborated their own distinctive literary and intellectual traditions, which have made an outstanding contribution to the culture of Islam as a whole. At the same time, the Ismailis in the Middle Ages split into two main groups who followed different spiritual leaders. The bulk of the Ismailis came to have a line of imams now represented by the Aga Khans, while a smaller group - known in south Asia as the Bohras - developed their own type of leadership.This collection is the first scholarly attempt to survey the modern history of both Ismaili groupings since the middle of the 19th century. It covers a variety of topical issues and themes, such as the modernising policies of the Aga Khans, and also includes original studies of regional developments in Ismaili communities worldwide. The contributors focus too on how the Ismailis as a religious community have responded to the twin challenges of modernity and emigration to the West. "A Modern History of the Ismailis" will be welcomed as the most complete assessment yet published of the recent trajectory of this fascinating and influential Shi'i community.

Intellectual Traditions in Islam

Intellectual Traditions in Islam PDF

Author: Farhad Daftary

Publisher: I.B. Tauris

Published: 2001-07-27

Total Pages: 272

ISBN-13: 9781860647604

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This is a collection of papers by scholars on the role of the intellect in the legal, theological, philosophical and mystical traditions of Islam.

The Fatimids and Their Traditions of Learning

The Fatimids and Their Traditions of Learning PDF

Author: Heinz Halm

Publisher: Tauris Academic Studies

Published: 1997

Total Pages: 112

ISBN-13: 9781850439202

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The Fatimid period was the golden age of Ismaili thought and literature, when the Shi'ite Ismaili Imams ruled over vast areas of the Muslim world as the Fatimid caliphs and the Ismailis made important contributions to Islamic civilization. In this book, Heinz Halm investigates from a historical perspective the intellectual traditions that developed among the Ismailis from the rise of the Fatimid state in North Africa to the cultural brilliance of what the author calls 'one of the great eras in Egyptian history and in Islamic history in general.' The topics discussed include the training of the Ismaili da'is or missionaries, the establishment of academic institutions such as al-Azhar and the Dar al-Ilm (House of Knowledge) through which the Fatimids encouraged learning, and the special 'sessions of wisdom' (majalis al-hikma) for advanced instruction in Ismaili esoteric teachings.

The Ismailis

The Ismailis PDF

Author: Farhad Daftary

Publisher:

Published: 2008

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9781898592266

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"The Ismailis are a community of Shi'i Muslims who have settled around the world. Throughout their history, the Ismailis have been guided by hereditary leaders, Imams, who trace their genealogy back to the prophet Muhammad through his daughter, Fatima, and his son-in-law and cousin, 'Ali. At various times in their long, complex history, the Ismailis founded states, cities and institutions, contributed to the traditions of scholarship in Islam, and were patrons of learning and the arts. But the story of the Ismailis is also that of a religious minority who survived successive threats to their existence. Currently, the Ismailis are a pluralistic community led by their present Imam, Shah Karim al-Husaynit, Aga Khan IV. With some 400 images of manuscripts, artefacts and monuments, community documents as well as important historical and contemporary photographs, and based on the results of modern scholarship in the field, this book offers a comprehensive and accessible account of Ismaili history and intellectual achievements, set in the wider contexts of Islamic and world history." -- Back cover.

A History of Shi'i Islam

A History of Shi'i Islam PDF

Author: Farhad Daftary

Publisher: I.B. Tauris

Published: 2014-02-27

Total Pages: 336

ISBN-13: 9781780768410

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I.B.Tauris in association with the Institute of Ismaili Studies Shi'i Muslims have played a crucial role, proportionally greater than their relative size, in furthering the civilizational achievements of Islam. Indeed, the Shi'i scholars and literati of various branches and regions, including scientists, philosophers, theologians, jurists and poets, have made seminal contributions to Islamic thought and culture. There have also been numerous Shi'i dynasties, families or individual rulers who patronized scholars, poets and artists as well as various institutions of learning in Islam. In spite of its significance, however, Shi'i Islam has received little scholarly attention in the West, and when it has been discussed, whether in general or in terms of some of its subdivisions, it has normally been treated marginally as a 'sect' or a 'heterodoxy'. The present book draws on the scattered findings of modern scholarship in the field, attempting to explain the formative era of Shi'i Islam, when a multitude of Muslim groups and schools of thought were elaborating their doctrinal positions. Subsequent chapters are devoted to the history of the Ithna'asharis, or Twelvers, the Ismailis, the Zaydis and the Nusayris (now more commonly known in Syria as the Alawis), the four communities that account for almost the entirety of the Shi'i Muslim population of the world. The result is a comprehensive survey of Shi'i Islam that will serve as an accessible work of reference for academics in both Islamic and Middle Eastern studies, as well as the broader field of the History of Religions, and also more general, non-specialist readers.

The Fatimid Caliphate

The Fatimid Caliphate PDF

Author: Farhad Daftary

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2017-10-30

Total Pages: 266

ISBN-13: 1786723093

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I.B.Tauris in association with the Institute of Ismaili Studies The Fatimids ruled much of the Mediterranean world for over two centuries. From the conquest of Qayrawan in 909 to defeat at the hands of Saladin in 1171, the Fatimid caliphate governed a vast area stretching, at its peak, from the Red Sea in the East to the Atlantic Ocean in the West. Their leaders - the Ismaili Shi`i Imam-caliphs - were distinctive in largely pursuing a policy of tolerance towards the religious and ethnic communities of their realm, and they embraced diverse approaches to the practicalities of administering a vast empire. Such methods of negotiating government and diversity created a lasting pluralistic legacy. The present volume, edited by Farhad Daftary and Shainool Jiwa, brings together a series of original contributions from a number of leading authorities in the field. Based on analyses of primary sources, the chapters shed fresh light on the impact of Fatimid rule. The book presents little explored aspects of state-society relations such as the Fatimid model of the vizierate, Sunni legal responses to Fatimid observance, and the role of women in prayer. Highlighting the distinctive nature of the Fatimid empire and its legacy, this book will be of special interest to researchers in mediaeval Islamic history and thought.

A Short History of the Ismailis

A Short History of the Ismailis PDF

Author: Farhad Daftary

Publisher: Islamic Surveys

Published: 1998

Total Pages: 248

ISBN-13: 9780748606870

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Despite being one of the key Shi'i Muslim communities, the Ismailis were until recently studied primarily on the basis of the accounts of their enemies. This new introduction is the first to be based on modern scholarship, taking account of recently recovered Ismaili texts. It covers all the main developments in the major phases of Ismaili history, from the early formative period, through the Fatamid golden age and the Alamut and post-Alamut periods, to more recent history. Dealing only with the most important historical developments, this is a comprehensive and accessible survey for all newcomers to the subject.