Ismailism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Ismailism

Mosque of al-Hakim, an Ismāʿīlī Shī‘ahImām

Part of a series on Shī‘ah Islam

Ismāʿīlism

Concepts

The Qur'ān · The GinansReincarnation · Panentheism

Imām · Pir · Dā‘ī l-Muṭlaq‘Aql · Numerology · Taqiyya

Żāhir · Bāṭin

Seven Pillars

Guardianship · Prayer ·Charity

Fasting · Pilgrimage ·Struggle

Purity · Profession of Faith

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For the Egyptian city, see Ismaïlia.

Ismāʿīlism (Arabic: اإلسماعیلیون al-Ismāʿīliyyūn; Persian: اسماعیلیانEsmāʿiliyān; Urdu: إسماعیلی Ismāʿīlī) is a branch of the Islamic faith.It is the second largest part of the Shī‘ah community, after themainstream Twelvers (Ithnāʿashariyya). The Ismāʿīlī get their namefrom their acceptance of Ismāʿīl ibn Jaʿfar as the divinely appointedspiritual successor (Imām) to Jaʿfar aṣ-Ṣādiq, wherein they differfrom the Twelvers, who accept Mūsà al-Kāżim, younger brother ofIsmāʿīl, as the true Imām.

Tracing its earliest theology to the lifetime of Muḥammad, Ismāʿīlismrose at one point to become the largest branch of Shī‘ism, climaxingas a political power with the Fatimid Empire in the tenth throughtwelfth centuries.[1] In common with other Muslims, Ismailis believe inthe oneness of God, as well as the closing of divine revelation withMuḥammad, whom they see as the final prophet and messenger ofGod to all humanity. The Ismāʿīlī and the Twelvers both accept thesame initial A'immah from the descendants of Muḥammad throughhis daughter Fāṭimah az-Zahra and therefore share much of their early history.Both groups see the family of Muḥammad (Ahl al-Bayt) as divinely chosen,infallible (ismah), and guided by God to lead the Islamic community(Ummah).

After the death—or Occultation according to Seveners—of Muhammad ibnIsmail in the 8th century CE, the teachings of Ismailism further transformed intothe belief system as it is known today, with an explicit concentration on thedeeper, esoteric meaning (batin) of the Islamic religion. With the eventualdevelopment of Twelverism into the more literalistic (zahir) oriented Akhbariand later Usooli schools of thought, Shi'ism developed into two separatedirections: the metaphorical Ismāʿīlī group focusing on the mystical path andnature of Allah, with the "Imām of the Time" representing the manifestation oftruth and reality, with the more literalistic Twelver group focusing on divine law(sharia) and the deeds and sayings (sunnah) of Muhammad and the TwelveImams who were guides and a light to God.[2]

Though there are several paths (tariqah) within the Ismāʿīlīs, the term intoday's vernacular generally refers to the Nizari path, which recognizes the AgaKhan as the 49th hereditary Imam and is the largest group among the Ismāʿīlīs.While some of the branches have extremely differing exterior practices, muchof the spiritual theology has remained the same since the days of the faith'searly Imāms. In recent centuries Ismāʿīlīs have largely been an Indo-Iraniancommunity,[3] but Ismāʿīlī are found in India, Pakistan, Syria, Saudi Arabia[4],Yemen, China[5], Jordan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, East Africa,Syria, and South Africa, and have in recent years emigrated to Europe,

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History

Shoaib · Nabi Shu'aybSeveners · QarmatiansAbu 'Abdullah al-Shi'iFatimids · Baghdad

ManifestoHamza ibn ‘Alī · ad-DarazīHafizi · Taiyabi · Ainsarii

Hassan-i Sabbah · AlamutSinan · Hashshashīn

Pir Sadardin · SatpanthAga Khan · Jama'at Khana

Early Imams

Ali · Ḥassan · Ḥusainas-Sajjad · al-Baqir · aṣ-Ṣādiq

Ismā‘īl · MuḥammadAḥmad · at-Taqī · az-Zakīal-Mahdī · al-Qā'im · al-

Manṣūral-Mu‘izz · al-‘Azīz · al-Ḥākimaz-Zāhir · al-Mustansir · al-Musta′lī · al-Amīr · al-Qāṣim

Groups & leaders

Nizārī - Aga Khan IVDruze - Mowafak TarifDawūdī - BurhanuddinSulaimanī - Al-Fakhri

AbdullahAlavī - Ṭayyib Ziyā'u d-Dīn

Atba-i-Malak Badra -Amiruddin

Atba-i-Malak Vakil - RazzakHebtiahs

Syria, and South Africa, and have in recent years emigrated to Europe,Australia, New Zealand, and North America.[6]

Contents1 History

1.1 Succession crisis1.2 Karbala and afterward

1.2.1 The Battle of Karbala1.2.2 The beginnings of Ismāʿīlī Daʿwah

1.3 Ascension of the Dais1.4 The Qarmatians1.5 The Fatimid Empire

1.5.1 Rise of the Fatimid Empire1.5.2 The Middle-East under Fatimid rule1.5.3 Decline of the empire

1.6 Alamut1.6.1 Hassan-i-Sabbah1.6.2 The Hashashin1.6.3 Threshold of the Imāmate1.6.4 Destruction by the Mongols

1.7 Aftermath

2 Beliefs2.1 View on the Qur'an2.2 The Ginans2.3 Reincarnation2.4 Numerology2.5 Imamate2.6 Pir and Dawah2.7 Zahir2.8 Batini2.9 Aql2.10 Taqiyya2.11 Seven Pillars

2.11.1 Walayah2.11.2 Taharah or Shahada

2.11.3 Salah2.11.4 Zakah2.11.5 Sawm2.11.6 Hajj2.11.7 Jihad

3 Branches3.1 Nizari3.2 Mustaali

3.2.1 Dawoodi Bohra3.2.2 Sulaimani Bohra



PART OF A SERIES ON

Shī‘ah Islam

BELIEFS & PRACTICES

Succession of AliImamate of the Family

Mourning of MuharramIntercession · Ismah

The Occultation· Clergy

VIEWS

The Qur'an · SahabaMu'awiya I · Abu Bakr · Umar

HOLY DAYS

Ashura · Arba'een · MawlidEid ul-Fitr · Eid al-Adha

Eid al-Ghadeer · Eid al-Mubahila

HISTORY

Twelver · Ismāʿīlī · ZaidiThe verse of purification

Ambigram depictingMuhammad and Ali written ina single word. The 180 degree

inverted form shows bothwords.

3.2.3 Alavi Bohra3.2.4 Hebtiahs Bohra3.2.5 Atba-i-Malak

3.3 Druze3.4 Extinct Branches

3.4.1 Hafizi3.4.2 Seveners

4 Inclusion in Amman Message and Islamic Ummah5 See also6 Notes7 External links

History

Succession crisis

Main article: Succession to Muhammad

Ismailism shares its beginnings withother early Shī‘ah sects that emergedduring the succession crisis that spreadthroughout the early Muslimcommunity.

From the beginning, the Shī‘ah assertedthe right of ‘Alī, Muhammad's cousin,to have both political and spiritualcontrol over the community. This alsoincluded his two sons, who were thegrandsons of Muhammad through hisdaughter Fāṭimatu z-Zahrah.

The conflict remained relatively peaceful between the partisans of ‘Alī andthose who asserted a semi-democratic system of electing caliphs, until thethird of the Rashidun caliphs, Uthman was killed, and ‘Alī, with popularsupport, ascended to the caliphate.[7]

Soon after his ascendancy, Aisha, the third of the Prophet's wives, claimedalong with Uthman's tribe, the Ummayads, that Ali should take Qisas(blood for blood) from the people responsible for Uthman's martyrdom.‘Alī voted against it as he believed that situation at that time demanded apeaceful resolution of the matter. Both parties could rightfully defend theirclaims, but due to escalated misunderstandings, the Battle of the Camelwas fought and both parties bore losses but soon reached an agreement.

Following this battle, Muawiya, the Umayyad governor of Syria, alsostaged a revolt under the same pretences. ‘Alī led his forces againstMuawiya until the side of Muawiya held copies of the Quran against theirspears and demanded that the issue be decided by Islam's holy book. ‘Alī



The verse of purificationMubahala · Two things

Khumm · Fatimah's houseFirst Fitna · Second Fitna

The Battle of KarbalaPersecution

AHL AL-KISA

Muhammad · Ali · FatimahHasan · Husayn

THE FOUR COMP ANIONS

Salman al-FarsiMiqdad ibn AswadAbu Dharr al-Ghifari

Ammar ibn Yasir

The Shrine of Imam Hussainibn Ali in Karbala, Iraq

spears and demanded that the issue be decided by Islam's holy book. ‘Alīaccepted this, and an arbitration was done which ended in his favor.[8]

A group among Alī's army believed subjecting his legitimate authority toarbitration was tantamount to apostasy, and abandoned his forces. Thisgroup was known as the Kharijites, and ‘Alī wished to defeat their forcesbefore they reached the cities where they would be able to blend in withthe rest of the population. He was unable to do this, but nonethelessdefeated their forces in the battles following afterward.[9]

Regardless of these defeats, the Kharijites survived and became a violentlyproblematic group in Islamic history. After plotting an assassination against‘Alī, Muawiya, and the arbitrator of their conflict, only ‘Alī wassuccessfully assassinated in 661 CE, and the Imāmate passed on to his sonHasan and then later his son Husayn, or according to the Nizari Ismāʿīlī,straight to Husayn. However, the political caliphate was soon taken overby Muawiya who was the only leader in the empire at that time with anarmy large enough to seize control.[10]

Karbala and afterward

The Battle of Karbala

Main article: Battle of Karbala

After the passing away of Hassan, Husayn and his family were increasinglyworried about the religious and political persecution that was becomingcommonplace under the reign of Muawiya's son, Yazid. Amidst this turmoilin 680 CE, Husayn along with the women and children of his family, uponreceiving invitational letters and gesture of support by Kufis, wished to go toKufa and confront Yazid as an intercessor on part of the citizens of theempire. However, he was stopped by Yazid's army in Karbala, during themonth of Muharram. His family was starved and deprived of water andsupplies, until eventually the army came in on the tenth day and killed Husaynand his companions, and enslaved the rest of the women and family, taking

them to Kufa.[11]

This battle would become extremely important to the Shī‘ah psyche. The Twelvers, as well as Mustaali Ismāʿīlīstill mourn this event during a holiday known as Ashura. The Nizari Ismāʿīlī however do not mourn this eventbecause of the belief that the light of the Imām never dies but rather passes on to the succeeding Imām, makingmourning arbitrary.

The beginnings of Ismāʿīlī Daʿwah

After being set free by the caliph Yazid, Zainab, the daughter of Fāṭimatu z-Zahra' and ‘Alī and the sister ofHassan and Husayn, started to spread the word of Karbala to the Muslim world, making speeches regarding theevent. This was the first organized Daʿwah of the Shī‘ah community, which would later develop into anextremely spiritual institution for the Ismāʿīlīs.

After the poisoning of ‘Alī al-Sajjad by Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik in 713 CE, Shiism's first succession crisis rosewith Zayd ibn ‘Alī's companions and the Zaydī Shī‘ah that claim Zayd ibn ‘Alī as the Imām, whilst the rest of theShī‘ah maintained Muhammad al-Baqir as the Imām. The Zaidis argued that any sayed, descendant of



Shams Tabrizi in a circa1503 copy of his disciple

Rumi's poem, the"Diwan-e Shams-e

Tabriz-i". Shams Tabriziis believed to have beenan Ismaili Dai and his

relationship with Rumi asymbolic manifestation of

the sacred relationshipbetween the guide and

the guided.

Muhammad through Hassan or Husayn, who rebelled against tyranny and the injustice of his age, can be theImām. The Zaidis created the first Shī‘ah states in Iran, Iraq and Yemen.

Main article: Zaidi

In contrast to his predecessors, Muhammad al-Baqir focused on academic Islamic scholarship in Medina, wherehe promulgated his teachings to many Muslims, both Shī‘ah and non-Shī‘ah, in an extremely organized form ofDaʿwah.[12] In fact, the earliest text of the Ismaili school of thought is said to be the "Umm al-kitåb" (TheArchetypal Book), a conversation between Muhammad al-Baqir and three of his disciples.[13]

This tradition would pass on to his son, Ja'far al-Sadiq, who inherited the Imāmate on his father's death in 743.Ja'far al-Sadiq excelled in the scholarship of the day and had many pupils, including three of the four founders ofthe Sunni madhabs.[14]

However, following Jaffir's poisoning in 765, a fundamental split would occur in the community. Isma'il bin Jafar,who at one point seemed to be heir apparent, apparently predeceased his father in 755. While Twelvers eitherargue he was never heir apparent or that he truly predeceased his father hence Musa al-Kadhim was the trueheir to the Imamate, Ismāʿīlīs argue that either the death was staged in order to draw harm away from al-Sadiq'ssuccessor or that his early death does not mean he was not an Imām, and rightfully the Imāmate would pass tohis son, Muhammad ibn Ismail.

Ascension of the Dais

Main article: Dai

For the Sevener Ismāʿīlī, the Imāmate ended with Isma'il ibn Ja'far, whose sonMuhammad ibn Ismail was the expected Mahdi that Ja'far al-Sadiq had preachedabout. However, at this point the Ismāʿīlī Imāms according to the Nizari andMustaali found areas where they would be able to be safe from the recentlyfounded Abbasid Empire which had defeated and seized control from theUmayyads in 750 AD.[15]

At this point, much of the Ismaili community believed that Muhammad ibn Ismailhad gone into the Occultation and that he would one day return. With the statusand location of the Imāms not known to the community, Ismailism began topropagate the faith through Dāʿiyyūn from its base in Syria. This was the start ofthe spiritual beginnings of the Daʿwah that would later blossom on the Mustaalibranch of the faith, as well as play important parts in the other three branches.[16]

The Da'i was not a missionary in the typical sense, and he was responsible forboth the conversion of his student as well as the mental and spiritual wellbeing.The Da'i was a guide and light to the Imām. The student and teacher relationshipof the Da'i and his student was much like the one that would develop in Sufism.The student desired God, and the Da'i could bring him to God by making himrecognize the stature and light of the Imām descended from the Imāms, which inturn descended from God. The Da'i was the path, and the Face of God whichwas a Qur'anic term the Ismāʿīlī took to represent the Imām, was thedestination.[15]

Shams Tabrizi and Rumi is a famous example of the importance between the guide and the guided, and Rumidedicated much of his literature to Shams Tabrizi and his discovery of the truth.



The Fatimid Empire at its peak.

The Qarmatians

Main article: Qarmatians

While many of the Ismāʿīlī were content with the Dai teachings, a group that mingled Persian nationalism andZoroastrianism with Ismāʿīlī teachings surfaced known as the Qarmatians. With their headquarters in Bahrain,they accepted a young Persian former prisoner by the name of Abu'l-Fadl al-Isfahani, who claimed to be thedescendant of the Persian kings[17][18][19][20][21][22][23] as their Mahdi, and rampaged across the Middle-East inthe tenth century, climaxing their violent campaign with the stealing of the Black Stone from the Kaaba in Meccain 930 under Abu Tahir Al-Jannabi. Following the arrival of the Mahdi they changed their qiblah from the Kaabato the Zoroastrian-influenced fire. After their return of the Black Stone in 951 and a defeat by the Abbasids in976 they slowly dwindled and no longer have any adherents.[24]

The Fatimid Empire

Main article: Fatimid Empire

Rise of the Fatimid Empire

Main article: Ubayd Allah al-Mahdi Billah

The political asceticism practiced by the Imāms during the period after Muhammad ibn Ismail was to be shortlived and finally concluded with the Imāmate of Ubayd Allah al-Mahdi Billah, who was born in 873. Afterdecades of Ismaili believing that Muhammad ibn Ismail was in the Occultation and would return to bring an ageof justice, al-Mahdi taught that the Imāms had not been literally secluded, but rather had remained hidden toprotect themselves and had been organizing the Da'i, and even acted as Da'i themselves. He taught that duringthe supposed Occultation of Muhammad ibn Ismail, many of Muhammad ibn Ismail's descendants lived asImāms secluded from the community, guiding them through the Da'i at times even taking the guise of Da'i.

After raising an army and successfully defeating the Alghabids in North Africa and a number of other victories,al-Mahdi Billah successfully established a Shi'ah political state ruled by the Imāmate in 910 AD.[25] This was theonly time in history where the Shi'a Imamate and Caliphate were united after the first Imam, Ali ibn Abu Talib.

In parallel with the dynasty's claim of descent from ‘Alī and Fāṭimatu z-Zahrah, the empire was named“Fatimid.” However, this was not without controversy and with the extent that the Ismāʿīlī Daʿwah had spread,the Abbasid caliphate assigned Sunni and Twelver scholars with the assignment to disprove the lineage of thenew dynasty. This became known as the Baghdad Manifesto, and it traces the lineage of the Fatimid dynasty toa Jewish blacksmith. Its authenticity has been both questioned and supported by many Islamic scholars.

The Middle-East under Fatimid rule

The Fatimid Empire expanded quickly under the subsequentImāms. Under the Fatimids, Egypt became the center of anempire that included at its peak North Africa, Sicily, Palestine,Syria, the Red Sea coast of Africa, Yemen and the Hejaz. Underthe Fatimids, Egypt flourished and developed an extensive tradenetwork in both the Mediterranean and the Indian Ocean, whicheventually determined the economic course of Egypt during theHigh Middle Ages.

The Fatimids promoted two ideas that were radical for that time.



Artistic Rendering of Hassan-i-Sabbah

The first was promotion by merit rather than genealogy. Thesecond was religious toleration, under which both Jews and Coptic Christians flourished.

Also during this period the three contemporary branches of Ismailism formed. The first branch (Druze) occurredwith the Imām Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah. Born in 985, he ascended as ruler at the age of eleven and was fearedfor his eccentricity and believed insanity. The typical religiously tolerant Fatimid Empire saw much persecutionunder his reign. When in 1021 his mule returned without him, soaked in blood, a religious group that was evenforming in his lifetime broke off from mainstream Ismailism and refused to acknowledge his successor. Later tobe known as the Druze, they believe Al-Hakim to be the manifestation of God and the prophecized Mahdi, whowould one day return and bring justice to the world.[26] The faith further split from Ismailism as it developed veryunique doctrines which often classes it separately from both Ismailism and Islam.

The second split occurred following the death of Ma'ad al-Mustansir Billah in 1094. His rule was the longest ofany caliph in both the Fatimid and other Islamic empires. Upon his passing away his sons, the older Nizar andthe younger Al-Musta'li fought for political and spiritual control of the dynasty. Nizar was defeated and jailed,but according to Nizari tradition his son escaped to Alamut where the Iranian Ismāʿīlī had accepted his claim.[27]

The Mustaali line split again between the Taiyabi and the Hafizi, the former claiming that the 21st Imām and sonof Al-Amir went into occultation and appointed a Dāʿī al-Muṭlaq to guide the community, in a similar manner asthe Ismāʿīlī had lived after the death of Muhammad ibn Ismail. The latter claimed that the ruling Fatimid caliphwas the Imām.

Decline of the empire

In the 1040s, the Zirids (governors of North Africa under the Fatimids) declared their independence from theFatimids and their conversion to "orthodox" Sunni Islam, which led to the devastating Banu Hilal invasions. Afterabout 1070, the Fatimid hold on the Levant coast and parts of Syria was challenged by first Turkish invasions,then the Crusades, so that Fatimid territory shrunk until it consisted only of Egypt.

After the decay of the Fatimid political system in the 1160s, the Zengid ruler Nūr ad-Dīn had his general,Saladin, seize Egypt in 1169, forming the Sunni Ayyubid Dynasty. This signaled the end of the Hafizi Mustaalibranch of Ismailism as well as the Fatimid Empire.

Alamut

Main article: Alamut

Hassan-i-Sabbah

Main article: Hassan-i-Sabbah

Very early in the empire's life, the Fatimids sought to spread the Ismāʿīlī faithwhich in turn would spread loyalties to the Imāmate in Egypt. One of theirearliest attempts would be taken by a Dai by the name of Hassan-i-Sabbah.

Hassan-i-Sabbah was born into a Twelver family living in the scholarly city ofQom in 1056 AD. His family later relocated to the city of Tehran which wasan area with an extremely active Ismāʿīlī Daʿwah. He immersed himself inIsmāʿīlī thought, however he did not choose to convert until he wasovercome with an almost fatal illness, where he finally feared dying withoutknowing the Imām of his time.



Afterwards, Hassan-i-Sabbah became one of the most influential Dais in Ismāʿīlī history, and would beimportant to the survival of the Nizari branch of Ismailism, which today is its largest branch.

Legend holds that he met with Imām Ma'ad al-Mustansir Billah and asked him who his successor would be, towhich he responded, his eldest son Nizar.

Hassan-i-Sabbah would continue his Dai activities and they would climax with his taking of Alamut. Taking twoyears, he first converted most of the surrounding villages to Ismailism. Afterwards, he converted most of the staffto Ismailism and then took over the fortress, and presented the current leader with payment for the fortress.With no choice, the leader abdicated and Hassan-i-Sabbah turned Alamut into an outpost of Fatimid rule withinAbbasid territory.

The Hashashin

Main article: Hashashin

Surrounded by the Abbasids and other hostile powers, and low in numbers, Hassan-i-Sabbah derived a way toattack the Ismāʿīlī enemies with a small loss and number. Using the method of assassination, from which theEnglish word is derived from Hashashin, he ordered the killing of Sunni scholars and politicians that threatenedthe Ismāʿīlīs. Knives and daggers were used. Sometimes, in warning, a knife would be put into the pillow of theenemy and often they understood the message.[28]

However, when an assassination was actually made the Hashashin would not be allowed to run away, but ratherto strike further fear in the enemy by showing no emotion, they would stand there. This further increased thereputation of the Hashashin in the Sunni world.[28]

Amin Maalouf, in his novel Samarkand, disputes the origin of the word assassin. According to him it is notderived from the name of the drug hashish which Westerners used to believe the sect took. Instead he proposesthis story was fabricated by Orientalists to explain how faithfully the Ismāʿīlīs would carry out these suicide-assassinations without fearing death. Maalouf suggests that the term is derived from the word assaas(foundation), and Assassiyoon, meaning "those faithful to the foundation." [29]

Threshold of the Imāmate

Main article: Nizar

After the imprisonment of Nizar by his younger brother Mustaal, it is claimedNizar's son al-Hādī survived and fled to Alamut. He was offered a safe placein Alamut where Hassan-i-Sabbah welcomed him. However, it is believedthis was not announced to the public and the lineage was hidden until a fewImāms later.[28]

It was announced with the advent of Imām Hassan II, who some historiansbelieve to be a descendant of the leaders of Alamut and not of Nizar. In ashow of his Imāmate and to emphasize the interior meaning (the batin) overthe exterior meaning (the zahir) he prayed with his back to Mecca, as did therest of the congregation which prayed behind him, and ordered thecommunity to break their Ramadan fasting with a feast at noon. He made aspeech saying he was in communication with the Imām, which many of theIsmāʿīlīs understood to mean he was the Imām himself.[28]



View of Alamut besieged.

Afterwards his descendants would rule as the Imāms at Alamut until itsdestruction by the Mongols.

Destruction by the Mongols

Main article: Mongol Empire

The stronghold at Alamut, though it had warded off the Sunni attempts to take it several times, including one bySaladin, would soon meet with destruction. By 1206, Genghis Khan had managed to unite many of the onceantagonistic Mongol tribes into a unified force. Using many new and unique military techniques, Genghis Khanled the Mongols across Central Asia into the Middle-East where they won a series of tactical military victories.

A grandson of Genghis Khan, Hulagu Khan, led the devastating attack on Alamut in 1256, only a short timebefore he would sack the Abbasid caliphate in Baghdad in 1258. As he would later do to the House of Wisdomin Baghdad, he destroyed all Ismāʿīlī religious texts. The Imāmate that was located in Alamut along with its fewfollowers were forced to flee and take refuge elsewhere.

Aftermath

After the fall of the Fatimid Empire and its bases in Iran and Syria, the three currently living branches of Ismāʿīlīgenerally developed geographically isolated from each other, with the exception of Syria (which has both Druzeand Nizari) and Pakistan and rest of South Asia (which had both Mustaali and Nizari).

The Nizari kept large populations in Syria, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, and has smallerpopulations in China and Iran. This community is the only one with a living Imām, who is titled today as the AgaKhan.

The Druze mainly settled in Syria and Lebanon, and developed a community based upon the principles ofreincarnation through their own descendants. Their leadership is based through community scholars, who are theonly individuals allowed to read their holy texts. It is controversial whether this group falls under the classificationof Ismāʿīlīsm or Islam because of their unique beliefs.

The Mustaali split several times over disputes regarding who was the rightful Dāʿī al-Muṭlaq, the leader of thecommunity within The Occultation. The Sulaimani Bohra are mostly concentrated in Yemen and Saudi Arabiawith some communities in the Indian Subcontinent. The Dawoodi Bohra and Alavi Bohra are mostly exclusive tothe Indian Subcontinent. Other groups include Atba-i-Malak and Hebtiahs Bohra. Mustaali beliefs andpractices, unlike those of the Nizari and Druze, are generally compatible with mainstream Islam, representing acontinuation of Fatimid tradition and fiqh'.

Beliefs

View on the Qur'an

Main article: Esoteric interpretation of the Qur'an

The Ismāʿīlīs understand the Qur'an to have several layers of meaning, butgenerally divide those types of meanings into two: the apparent (zahir)meaning and the hidden (batin) meaning. While a believer can understand thebatin meaning to some extent, the ultimate interpretation lies in the office ofthe Imāmate. The Imām's farmans (teachings) are binding upon thecommunity. In this way, the Ismāʿīlī community can adapt to new times and



Ismaili believe the Qur'an hastwo layers of meaning, the

zahir meaning apparent, andthe batin, meaning hidden.

new places.

The Ginans

Main article: Ginans

The Ginans are Nizari Ismā‘īlī religious texts. They are written in the form of poetry by Pirs to interpret themeanings of Qur’anic ayat into the languages of the Indian subcontinent, especially Gujarati and Urdu. Incomparison to Ginans, Ismāʿīlīs of other origins, such as Persians, Arabs, and Central Asians have qasidas(Arabic: قصیدة) written by missionaries. See Works of Pir Sadardin

Reincarnation

Reincarnation exists in the Druze branch of Ismailism. The Druze believe that members of their community canonly be reincarnated within the community. It is also known that Druze believe in five cosmic principles,represented by the five colored Druze star: intelligence/reason (green), soul (red), word (yellow), precedent(blue), and immanence (white). These virtues take the shape of five different spirits which, until recently, havebeen continuously reincarnated on Earth as prophets and philosophers including Adam, the ancient Greekmathematician and astronomer Pythagoras, and the ancient Pharaoh of Egypt Akhenaten, and many others. TheDruze believe that, in every time period, these five principles were personified in five different people who camedown together to Earth to teach humans the true path to God and nirvana, but that with them came five otherindividuals who would lead people away from the right path into "darkness".

Numerology

Main article: Numerology (Ismailism)

Ismāʿīlīs believe numbers have religious meanings. The number seven plays a general role in the theology of theIsmā'īliyya, including mystical speculations that there are seven heavens, seven continents, seven orifices in theskull, seven days in a week, and so forth.

Imamate

Main articles: Imamah (Shi'a Ismaili doctrine) and List of Ismāʿīlī Imams

In Nizari Ismailism, the Imām is seen through the Qur'anic phrase, “The Face of God.” The Imām is truth andreality itself, and hence he is their path of salvation to God.[30]

Sevener Ismāʿīlī doctrine holds that divine revelation had been given in six periods (daur) entrusted to sixprophets, who they also call Natiq (Speaker), who were commissioned to preach a religion of law to theirrespective communities.

Whereas the Natiq was concerned with the rites and outward shape of religion, the inner meaning is entrusted toa Wasi (Representative). The Wasi would know the secret meaning of all rites and rules and would reveal themto a small circles of initiates.

The Natiq and the Wasi are in turn succeeded by a line of seven Imāms, who would guard what they received.The seventh and last Imām in any period would in turn be the Natiq of the next period. The last Imām of thesixth period however would not bring about a new religion of law but supersede all previous religions, abrogatethe law and introduce din Adama al-awwal ("the original religion of Adam") practised by Adam and the Angelsin paradise before the fall, which would be without cult or law but consist merely in all creatures praising the



Prophet Jethro shrine in Israel.

in paradise before the fall, which would be without cult or law but consist merely in all creatures praising thecreator and recognizing his unity. This final stage was called Qiyamah.[31]

Pir and Dawah

Main article: Da'i al-Mutlaq

Just as the Imām is seen as the Face of God, God's avatar within reality, theguide to the avatar is known as the Dai. During the period between theImāmates of Muhammad ibn Ismail and al-Madhi Billah, the relationshipbetween the teacher and the student became a sacred one, and the Daibecame a position much beyond a normal missionary. The Dai passed on thesacred and hidden knowledge of the Imām to the student who could then usethat information to ascend to higher levels. First the student loved the Dai,and from the Dai he learned to love the Imām, who was but a manifestation

of God. In Nizari Ismailism, the head Dai is called the Pir.[15].

However, in the Mustaali branch, the Dai came to have a similar but more important task. The term Dāˤī al-Mutlaq (Arabic: الداعي المطلق) literally means "the absolute or unrestricted missionary". This dai was the onlysource of the Imām's knowledge after the occultation of al-Qasim in Mustaali thought.

According to Tayyabī Mustaˤlī Ismā'īlī tradition, after the death of Imām al-Amīr, his infant son, AtTaiyab abi-l-Qasim, about 2 years old, was protected by the most important woman in Musta'li history after Prophet'sdaughter Fāṭimatu z-Zahrah. She was al-Malika al-Sayyida (Hurratul-Malika), which was a Queen in Yemen.She was promoted to the post of hujja long before by Imām Mustansir at the death of her husband and she nowran the dawat from Yemen in the name of Imaam Tayyib. She was instructed and prepared by Imām Mustansirand following Imāms for the second period of Satr. It was going to be on her hands, that Imām Tayyib would gointo seclusion, and she would institute the office of Dāˤī al-Mutlaq. Syedna Zueb-bin-Musa was first to beinstituted to this office and the line of Tayyib Dais that began in 1132 have passed from one Dai to another andis continuing till date.

Zahir

Main article: Zahir (Islam)

In Ismailism, things have an exterior meaning, what is apparent. This is called zahir.

Batini

Main article: Batin (Islam)

In Ismailism, things have an interior meaning that is reserved for a special few who are in tune with the Imām, orare the Imām himself. This is called batin.

Aql

Main article: Aql (Shiasm)

As with other Shī‘ah, Ismāʿīlīs believe that the understanding of God is derived from the first light in the universe,the light of Aql, which in Arabic roughly translates as knowledge. It is through this knowledge that all living andnon-living entities know God, and all of humanity is dependent and united in this light.[28] [32] Contrastingly, inTwelver thought this includes the Prophets as well, especially Muhammad who is the greatest of all the



Twelver thought this includes the Prophets as well, especially Muhammad who is the greatest of all theincarnations of Aql.

Taqiyya

Main article: Taqiyya

Ismāʿīlīs believe in taqiyya, which means to hide one's true religious beliefs. This has been pivotal to the survivalof Ismāʿīlī groups since they have been small minorities in many countries and empires hostile to them.

Seven Pillars

Main article: Seven Pillars of Islam (Ismaili)

Walayah

Main article: Walayah

A pillar which translates from Arabic as “guardianship.” It denotes, “Love and devotion for God, the Prophets,the Imām, and the Dai.” In Ismāʿīlī doctrine, God is the true desire of every soul, and he manifests himself in theforms of Prophets and Imāms, and to be guided to his path, one requires a messenger or a guide: a Dai.

Taharah or Shahada

Taharah

Main article: Taharah

A pillar which translates from Arabic as “purity.” The Druze do not believe in this pillar and instead substituteshahada in its place.

Shahada

Main article: Shahada

In place of Taharah, the Druze have the Shahada, or affirmation of faith.

Salah

Main article: Salah

A pillar which translates from Arabic as “prayer.” Unlike Sunni and Twelver Muslims, Nizari Ismai'lis do notnecessarily follow the mainstream Ummah in regards to the number of daily prayers. Nizari Ismai'lis reason that itis up to the Imām of the time to designate the style and form of prayer, and for this reason current Nizari prayerresembles a dua (translated word of Salah from the Quran) and is done three times a day. These three timeshave been related with the three times that have been mentioned in the Quran, i-e, Sunrise, before Sunset, andAfter Sunset. In this regard, Imām of the time has the right to amend the prayers according to the needs of thetime. The Druze choose not to follow Islamic sharia hence have attributed a solely metaphorical meaning tosalah. In contrast, the Mustaali (Bohra) branch of Ismailism has kept five prayers and their style is generallyclosely related to Twelver groups.



Zakah

Main article: Zakah

A pillar which translates as “charity.” With the exception of the Druze branch, all Ismāʿīlīs form of zakatresembles mainstream Muslims. The Twelvers, pay khums which is 1/5 of one's unspent money at the end of theyear. Ismāʿīlīes,also pay the tithe of 12.5% which is re used it furthering development projects in the easternworld, which benefit not only Ismailis but also the many other communities living in that area.

Sawm

Main article: Sawm

A pillar which translates as “fasting.” The Nizari and Mustaali believe in both a metaphorical and literal meaningof fasting. The literal meaning is that one must fast as an obligation, such as during the Holy Month of Ramadan,and the metaphorical meaning being that one is in attainment of the Divine Truth and must strive to avoid worldyactivities which may detract from this goal. In particular, Ismāʿīlīs believe that the esoteric meaning of fastinginvolves a the fasting of soul, whereby one attempts to purify the soul by avoiding sinful acts, and doing gooddeeds. etc. In addition, the Nizari also fast on "Shukravari Beej" which falls on a Friday that coincides with theNew Moon.

Hajj

Main article: Hajj

A pillar which translates from Arabic as “pilgrimage", it is the pilgrimage which is undertaken and required by allMuslims who are healthy and have sufficient means to do so. In Ismaili sects this has come to metaphoricallymean visiting the Imam himself, and that this is the greatest and most spiritual of all pilgrimages. However, as theDruze do not follow shariah, they do not believe in a literal pilgrimage to the Kaaba in Mecca like other Muslimsdo, while the Mustaali still hold on to the literal meaning as well.[30]

Jihad

Main article: Jihad

A pillar which translates from Arabic as “struggle.” The definition of jihad has complex characterizations withincertain sects of the Muslim ummah (community), with it having two facets and dispute concerning what is anacceptable interpretation of both . One meaning is that of personal struggle, otherwise known as Jihad-e-Akbar,"the Greater Struggle," while the other, Jihad-e-Asghar, "The Lower Struggle" is that of struggle against the'adversaries' of the faith.'

Jihad-e-Asghar

In general, in contrast to other Muslim groups, the Nizari group is primarily pacifist hence interpreting'adversaries' of the faith as both personal and social vices (i.e. wrath, intolerance,poverty etc.) and thoseindividuals who harm the peace of the faith. Thus Nizari Isma'ilism does not encourage the stereotypicallymisconstrued 'warfare' or 'crusade-like' interpretation of the Jihad-e-Asghar.

The view of Jihad-e-Asghar as an exclusively defensive tool (with regards towards use of physical force) tomaintain peace and plurality within a global context has received much criticism from radicalized and heavilyrefracted interpretations of Islamic religio-political ideologies such as Islamism. Medieval Islamists, such as Ibn



Abd-allah Mawdudi and Sayyid Qutb, with exclusive tendencies view this qualification of jihad (as a defensivemechanism) as an apologetic treatise which ignores the primary responsibility of a Muslim to proactively(whether with force or otherwise) engage in construction of an 'ideal' religio-political society. In the opinion ofIslamists and Muslims with strong feelings in political orthopraxy, the laws that govern such a society must bebased on the mandates and social norms predicated by the Shari'a. The Isma'ili faith regards itself as an 'esoteric'tradition that does not seek to institutionalize a political agenda by means of an 'Islamic state.' Rather the Isma'ilifaith

Placing the general view of Isma'ilis towards shari'a aside, Ismāʿīlīs are told to avoid provocation and use forceonly as a final resort only in self-defense (See Qu'ran 2:190). Nevertheless, by extension one may also observethat to eradicate social hardship on a macro-scale, volunteerism and service are key ethics in struggling againstforces which cause many populations to endure the worst in trying to achieve a better quality of life. Thus aproactive interpretation of the Jihad-e-Asghar can even be observed as humanitarian service and volunteerism asit also is a means towards a peaceful and pluralistic process. This form of institutionalized service [as observedfrom the Isma'ili context through the non-profit, non-denominational work of the Aga Khan DevelopmentNetwork] is also heavily implemented by non-Isma'ili sects of Islam. The Druze believe that the Jihad is thestruggle to know God, while protecting the brothers in faith is one of the Druze's pillars and is similar to theconcept of Jihad-e-Asghar.

Jihad-e-Akbar

In contrast to the Jihad-e-Asghar, the Jihad-e-Akbar is construed from the influential Sufi, gnostic, and Shi'inorms and ideologies of jihad's origin as primarily a personal spiritual practice. Such principle of jihad as aprocess towards inner enlightenment reflects back to the Qu'ran and Hadith of the Prophet formulating andinforming the Isma'ili perspective (as ultimately interpreted by right of ta'awiil (interpretation) andta'liim(instruction) of the Imam of the Time). Jihad-e-Akbar as seen by many sects of the ummah is a highlypersonal journey to rid one's self of impurity and sin so as to obtain Allah's benevolence.

The Isma'ili connect this further into spirituality by indicating that Jihad or more generally the struggle of life in itsbatini or esoteric form is the struggle of the individual to realize the intimate balance and connection between din(spirit) and dunya (matter). Such a realization of, as the Qur'an states, "signs that make things manifest"[33]

(24:46) ultimately leads to an elevated understanding of God and thus enables the receiving of perpetualcloseness within Him. An important differentiation that Shi'i tradition states is the intercession of the Imam of theTime, articulated through the concept of wilayah or guardianship, to guide the believer to where and in whichdirection to turn so as to obtain spiritual and worldly sukuun or happiness.

Branches

Estimates on the total Ismai'li population range from 15–17 million.[1] It is accepted that Ismai'lis constitute thesecond-largest Shi'a Muslim population. Within the Ismai'li sub-sect, the largest branch is Nizari with 15 Million.With its branches added together, the Mustaali are the second largest at 1-2 million, followed by the Druze ataround 350,000 to 1 million.

Nizari

Main article: Nizari

The largest part of the Ismāʿīlī community today accepts Prince Karim Aga Khan IV as their 49th Imām, who isdescended from Muḥammad through his daughter Fāṭimah az-Zahra and 'Ali, Muḥammad's cousin and son-in-law.[34] The 46th Imām, Aga Hassan ‘Alī Shah, fled Iran to South Asia in the 1840s after a failed coup againstthe Shah of the Qajar dynasty.[35] Aga Hassan ‘Alī Shah settled in Mumbai in 1848.[35]



Like its predecessors, the present constitution is founded on each Ismāʿīlī's spiritual allegiance to the Imām of theTime (Imām az-Zamān), which is separate from the secular allegiance that all Ismāʿīlīs owe as citizens to theirnational entities. The present Imām and his predecessor emphasized Ismāʿīlīs' allegiance to their country as afundamental obligation. These obligations discharged not by passive affirmation but through responsibleengagement and active commitment to uphold national integrity and contribute to peaceful development.

The Nizari followers of the Aga Khan are found today in China, Syria, the Indian Subcontinent, East Africa,Central Asia, Europe, Canada and the United States. Notable cities with many Nizaris include: Salamiyah,Karachi, Chitral, Ghizer, Gilgit, Mumbai, London, Lisbon, and Toronto. Salamiyah is one of the few areas in theworld that is predominantly Ismaili, along with the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region and Hunza Valley.

In view of the importance that Islām places on maintaining a balance between the spiritual well-being of theindividual and the quality of his life, the Imām's guidance deals with both aspects of the life of his followers. TheAga Khan has encouraged Ismāʿīlī Muslims, settled in the industrialized world, to contribute towards theprogress of communities in the developing world through various development programmes. In recent years,Nizari Ismāʿīlī Muslims, who have come to the US, Canada and Europe, many as refugees from Asia andAfrica, have readily settled into the social, educational and economic fabric of urban and rural centres across thetwo continents. As in the developing world, the Nizari Ismāʿīlī Muslim community's settlement in the industrialworld has involved the establishment of community institutions characterized by an ethos of self-reliance, anemphasis on education, and a spirit of philanthropy.

Mustaali

Main article: Mustaali

In time, the seat for one chain of the Dai was split between South Asia and Yemen as the community splitseveral times, each recognizing a different Dai. Today, the Dawoodi Bohras, which constitute the majority of theMustaali Ismāʿīlī accept Mohammed Burhanuddin as the 52nd Dāʿī al-Muṭlaq. The Dawoodi Bohras are basedin India, along with the Alawi Bohra. The Sulaimani Bohra however still are in primarily Yemen and SaudiArabia.

In recent years, there has been a rapprochement between the Sulaimani Mustaali and the Dawoodi Mustaali.

The Bohra are noted to be the more traditional of the three main groups of Ismāʿīlī, maintaining rituals such asprayer and fasting more consistently with the practices of other Shīʕ a sects. It is often said they resemble SunniIslam even more than Twelvers do, though this would hold true for matters of the exterior (zahir) only, with littlebearing on doctrinal differences.

Dawoodi Bohra

Main article: Dawoodi Bohra

The Dawoodi Bohras are a very closely-knit communitywho seek advice from the Dai on spiritual and temporalmatters.

Dawoodi Bohras is essentially and traditionally Fatimidand is headed by the Dāˤī al-Mutlaq, who is appointedby his predecessor in office. The Dāˤī al-Mutlaqappoints two others to the subsidiary ranks of māzūn(Arabic Maʾḏūn مأذون) "licentiate" and Mukāsir (Arabic



The divisions of the Mustaali, sometimes referred toas Bohras.

These positions are followed by the rank of ra'sul .(مكاسرhudood, bhaisaheb, miya-saheb, shaikh-saheb andmulla-saheb, which are held by several of Bohras. The'Aamil or Saheb-e Raza who is granted the permission toperform the religious ceremonies of the believers by theDāˤī al-Mutlaq and also leads the local congregation inreligious, social and community affairs, is sent to eachtown where a sizable population of believers exists. Such towns normally have a masjid (commonly known asmosque) and an adjoining jamaa'at-khaana (assembly hall) where socio-religious functions are held. The localorganizations which manage these properties and administer the social and religious activities of the local Bohrasreport directly to the central administration of the Dāˤī al-Mutlaq.

While the majority of Dawoodi Bohras have traditionally been traders, it is becoming increasingly common forthem to become professionals. Within South Asia many choose to become Doctors, and in the Far East and theWest, a large number now work as consultants or analysts as well as a large contingent of medical professionals.Dawoodi Bohras are encouraged to educate themselves in both religious and secular knowledge, and as a result,the number of professionals in the community is rapidly increasing. Dawoodi Bohras believe that the education ofwomen is equally important to that of men, and many Dawoodi Bohra women choose to enter the workforce. AlJamea tus Saifiyah (The Arabic Academy) in Surat and Karachi is a sign to the educational importance in theDawoodi community. The Academy has an advanced curriculum which encompasses religious and seculareducation for both men and women.

Today there are approximately one million Dawoodi Bohras. The majority of these reside in India and Pakistan,but there is also a significant diaspora resident in the Middle East, East Africa, Europe, North America and theFar East.

The ordinary Bohra is highly conscious of his identity and this is especially demonstrated at religious andtraditional occasions by the appearance and attire of the participants. Dawoodi Bohra men wear a traditionalwhite three piece outfit, plus a white and gold cap (called a topi), and women wear the rida, a distinctive formof the commonly known burqa which is distinguished from other forms of the veil due to it often being in colorand decorated with patterns and lace.

Besides speaking the local languages, the Dawoodis have their own language called Lisānu l-Dāˤwat "Tongue ofthe Dāˤwat". This is written in Arabic script but is derived from Urdu, Gujarati and Arabic and Persian.

Sulaimani Bohra

Main article: Sulaimani Bohra

Founded in 1592, they are mostly concentrated in Yemen, but are today also found in Pakistan and India. Thedenomination is named after its 27th Daˤī, (Sulayman ibn Hassan).

The total number of Sulaimanis currently are around 300,000, mainly living in the eastern district of Haraz in theNorth west of Yemen and in Najaran, Saudi Arabia. Beside the Banu Yam of Najaran, the Sulaimanis are inHaraz, among the inhabitants of the Jabal Maghariba and in Hawzan, Lahab and Attara, as well as in the districtof Hamdan and in the vicinity of Yarim.

In India there are between 3000-5000 Sulaimanis living mainly in Baroda, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Surat. InPakistan there is a well established Sulaimani community in Sind, some five to six thousand Sulaimanis live inrural areas of Sind, these Ismāʿīlī Sulaimani communities are in Sind from the time of Fatimid Ismāʿīlī Muizz li dinAllah when he sent his Dais to Sind.



There are also some 900-1000 Sulaimanis mainly from Indian Sub-continent scattered around the World, in thePersian Gulf States, USA, Canada, Thailand, Australia, Japan and UK.

Alavi Bohra

Main article: Alavi Bohra

While lesser known and smallest in number, Alavi Bohras accept as the 44th dāʿī al-muṭlaq, Abu Haatim TaiyebZiyauddin Saheb. They are mostly concentrated in India.

The Alavi Bohra community has its headquarters at Baroda City, Gujarat, India. The 44th Dāˤī al-Mutlaq,Taiyeb Ziyauddin Saheb, is the head of the community. The religious hierarchy of the Alavi Bohras is essentiallyand traditionally Fatimid and is headed by the Dāˤī al-Mutlaq, who is appointed by his predecessor in office.The Dāˤī al-Mutlaq appoints two others to the subsidiary ranks of māzūn (Arabic Ma'ðūn مأذون)"licentiate" andMukāsir (Arabic مكاسر). These positions are followed by the rank of ra'sul hudood, bhaisaheb, miya-saheb,shaikh-saheb and mulla-saheb, which are held by several of Bohras. The 'Aamil or Saheb-e Raza who isgranted the permission to perform the religious ceremonies of the believers by the Dāˤī al-Mutlaq and also leadsthe local congregation in religious, social and community affairs, is sent to each town where a sizable populationof believers exists. Such towns normally have a mosque and an adjoining jamaa'at-khaana (assembly hall) wheresocio-religious functions are held. The local organizations which manage these properties and administer thesocial and religious activities of the local Bohras report directly to the central administration of the Dāˤī al-Mutlaq.

Hebtiahs Bohra

Main article: Hebtiahs Bohra

The Hebtiahs Bohra are a branch of Mustaali Ismaili Shi'a Islam that broke off from the mainstream DawoodiBohra after the death of the 39th Da'i al-Mutlaq in 1754.

Atba-i-Malak

Main article: Atba-i-Malak

The Abta-i Malak jamaat (community) are a branch of Mustaali Ismaili Shi'a Islam that broke off from themainstream Dawoodi Bohra after the death of the 46th Da'i al-Mutlaq, under the leadership of Abdul HussainJivaji. They have further split into two more branches, the Atba-i-Malak Badra and Atba-i-Malak Vakil.[36]

Druze

Main article: Druze

The movement's adherents went on to establish a stronghold in Syria wherethey developed their body of doctrine and sacred scriptures. Today, theDruze community lives mainly in Lebanon, Syria and Israel.[35]

Large communities of expatriate Druze also live outside the Middle East, inthe United States, Canada, Latin America, West Africa, Australia andEurope. They use the Arabic language and follow a social pattern verysimilar to the East Mediterraneans of the region.



The Druze starThere are thought to be as many as 1 million Druze worldwide, the vastmajority in the Levant or East Mediterranean.[37] However, some estimatesof the total Druze population have been as low as 450,000.[38]

Because of their beliefs contrasting greatly with both other Ismāʿīlī groups and Islam in general, the classificationof Druze as Ismāʿīlī Muslims is controversial.

Extinct Branches

Hafizi

Main article: Hafizi

This branch held that whoever the political ruler of the Fatimid Empire was, was also the Imam of the faith. Thisbranch died with the Fatimid Empire.

Seveners

Main article: Seveners

A branch of the Ismāʿīlī known as the Sabaʿiyyīn "Seveners" hold that Ismāʿīl's son, Muhammad, was theseventh and final Ismāʿīlī, who is said to be in the Occultation.[15] However, most scholars believe this group iseither extremely small or totally non-existent today.

Inclusion in Amman Message and Islamic UmmahThe Amman Message is a statement which was issued on 9 November 2004 (27th of Ramadan 1425 AH) byKing Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein of Jordan, calling for tolerance and unity in the Muslim world. Subsequently, athree-point ruling was issued by 200 Islamic scholars from over 50 countries, focusing on issues of: defining whoa Muslim is; and principles related to delivering religious edicts. As per the recognition via Islamic theology,Ismailism was included as a legal school of thought Madh'hab.[39] In the Amman Message Ismaili are referred toas Jafari, a term that denotes both Ismaili and Twelvers due to their Imamate descending from Imam Jafar as-Sadiq.[40][41][42]

See alsoNizārīAinsariiBatiniyyaKhojaBanu YamNaser Khusraw

Notes1. ̂a b "Religion of My Ancestors (http://www.ismaili.net/Source/0016b.html) ".

http://www.ismaili.net/Source/0016b.html. Retrieved 2007-04-25.2. ^ "Shaykh Ahmad al-Ahsa'i (http://www-personal.umich.edu/~jrcole/ahsai1.htm) ". http://www-

personal.umich.edu/~jrcole/ahsai1.htm. Retrieved 2007-04-25.



3. ^ Nasr, Vali, The Shia Revival, Norton, (2006), p.764. ^ "Congressional Human Rights Caucus Testimony - NAJRAN, The Untold Story

(http://lantos.house.gov/HoR/CA12/Human+Rights+Caucus/Briefing+Testimonies/107/TESTIMONY+OF+ALI+H.+ALYAMI.htm) ".http://lantos.house.gov/HoR/CA12/Human+Rights+Caucus/Briefing+Testimonies/107/TESTIMONY+OF+ALI+H.+ALYAMI.htm. Retrieved 2007-01-08.

5. ^ "News Summary: China; Latvia (http://jmm.aaa.net.au/articles/11253.htm) ".http://jmm.aaa.net.au/articles/11253.htm. Retrieved 2007-06-01.

6. ^ Daftary, Farhad (1998). A Short History of the Ismailis. Edinburgh, UK: Edinburgh University Press. pp. 1–4.ISBN 0-7486-0687-4.

7. ^ ibn Abu talib, Ali. Najul'Balagha.8. ^ "Imam Ali (http://www.al-islam.org/kaaba14/4.htm) ". http://www.al-islam.org/kaaba14/4.htm. Retrieved

2007-04-24.9. ^ "The Kharijites and their impact on Contemporary Islam (http://www.sunnah.org/aqida/kharijites1.htm) ".

http://www.sunnah.org/aqida/kharijites1.htm. Retrieved 2007-04-24.10. ^ "Ali bin Abu Talib (http://www.ismaili.net/histoire/history03/history336.html) ".

http://www.ismaili.net/histoire/history03/history336.html. Retrieved 2007-04-24.11. ^ "Hussain bin Ali (http://www.ismaili.net/histoire/history03/history348.html) ".

http://www.ismaili.net/histoire/history03/history348.html. Retrieved 2007-04-24.12. ^ "Imam Baqir (http://www.al-islam.org/kaaba14/8.htm) ". http://www.al-islam.org/kaaba14/8.htm. Retrieved

2007-04-24.13. ^ S.H. Nasr (2006), Islamic Philosophy from Its Origin to the Present: Philosophy in the Land of Prophecy,

State University of New York Press, p. 14614. ^ "Imam Ja'far b. Muhammad al Sadi'q (http://al-islam.org/masoom/bios/6thimam.html) ". http://al-

islam.org/masoom/bios/6thimam.html. Retrieved 2007-04-24.15. ̂a b c d Daftary, Farhad (1990). The Ismāʿīlīs: Their history and doctrines. Cambridge, England: Cambridge

University Press. pp. 104. ISBN 0-521-42974-9.16. ^ Daftary, Farhad (1998). A Short History of the Ismailis. Edinburgh, UK: Edinburgh University Press. pp. 36–

50. ISBN 0-7486-0687-4.17. ^ Abbas Amanat, Magnus Thorkell. Imagining the End: Visions of Apocalypse. p. 123.18. ^ Delia Cortese, Simonetta Calderini. Women and the Fatimids in the World of Islam. p. 26.19. ^ Abbas Amanat, Magnus Thorkell. Imagining the End: Visions of Apocalypse. p. 123.20. ^ Abū Yaʻqūb Al-Sijistānī. Early Philosophical Shiism: The Ismaili Neoplatonism. p. 161.21. ^ by Yuri Stoyanov. The Other God: Dualist Religions from Antiquity to the Cathar Heresy.22. ^ Gustave Edmund Von Grunebaum. Classical Islam: A History, 600-1258. p. 113.23. ^ Yuri Stoyanov. The Other God: Dualist Religions from Antiquity to the Cathar Heresy.24. ^ "Qarmatiyyah (http://philtar.ucsm.ac.uk/encyclopedia/islam/shia/qarma.html) ".

http://philtar.ucsm.ac.uk/encyclopedia/islam/shia/qarma.html. Retrieved 2007-04-24.25. ^ "MUHAMMAD AL-MAHDI (386-411/996-1021) (http://www.ismaili.net/histoire/history05/history501.html)

". http://www.ismaili.net/histoire/history05/history501.html. Retrieved 2008-12-17.26. ^ "al-Hakim bi Amr Allah: Fatimid Caliph of Egypt (http://baheyeldin.com/history/al-hakim-bi-amr-allah-fatimid-

caliph-of-egypt.html) ". http://baheyeldin.com/history/al-hakim-bi-amr-allah-fatimid-caliph-of-egypt.html.Retrieved 2007-04-24.

27. ^ Daftary, Farhad (1998). A Short History of the Ismailis. Edinburgh, UK: Edinburgh University Press.pp. 106–108. ISBN 0-7486-0687-4.

28. ̂a b c d e Campbell, Anthony (2004). The Assassins of Alamut. pp. 84.29. ^ Maalouf, Amin (1998). Samarkand.30. ̂a b "Isma'ilism (http://lexicorient.com/e.o/ismailis.htm) ". http://lexicorient.com/e.o/ismailis.htm. Retrieved

2007-04-24.31. ^ Halm, Heinz (1988). Die Schia. Darmstadt, Germany: Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft. pp. 202–204.

ISBN 3-534-03136-9.32. ^ Kitab al-Kafi.33. ^ Yusuf Ali, Abdullah. An English Interpretation of the Qur'an Chicago: Lusheda Books 199134. ^ "The Ismaili: His Highness the Aga Khan (http://www.theismaili.org/cms/14/The-Aga-Khan) ".

http://www.theismaili.org/cms/14/The-Aga-Khan. Retrieved 5 December 2008.



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35. ̂a b c Daftary, Farhad (1998). A Short History of the Ismailis. Edinburgh, UK: Edinburgh University Press.pp. 196–199. ISBN 0-7486-0687-4.

36. ^ http://www.islamicvoice.com/september.98/features.htm37. ^ Druze set to visit Syria (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3612002.stm) BBC News Online, 30

August 2004. Retrieved 8 September 2006.38. ^ Major Branches of Religions Ranked by Number of Adherents

(http://www.adherents.com/adh_branches.html#Islam) Adherents.com. Last updated 28 October 2005.Retrieved 8 September 2006.

39. ^ http://ammanmessage.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=22&Itemid=3440. ^ http://books.google.com/books?id=xX5mAAAAMAAJ&q=Jafari+shi%27a&dq=Jafari+shi%27a&lr=&ei=H-

yaSrerJJ_4lATVpMWLAQ41. ^ http://books.google.com/books?id=Azo-1-8mm1cC&pg=PA89&dq=Jafari+shi%27a&lr=&ei=p-

qaSvKxGYbYlQSFpqyaAQ#v=onepage&q=Jafari%20shi'a&f=false42. ^ http://books.google.com/books?id=6VeCWQfVNjkC&pg=PA271&dq=Jafari+Ismaili&lr=&ei=Z-

maSv22CJv8lATJ6JB5#v=onepage&q=Jafari%20Ismaili&f=false

External linksOfficial Website of the Nizari Ismaili Muslim Community (http://www.theismaili.org)Official Website of the Institute of Ismaili Studies (http://www.iis.ac.uk)Official Website of the Aga Khan Development Network (http://www.akdn.org)

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ismailism"Categories: Shi'a Islam | Ismailism | Islamic sects | Esoteric schools of thought



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