The 'Ismāʿīlī' (
Urdu: اسماعیلی ''Ismāʿīlī'',
Arabic: الإسماعيليون ''al-Ismāʿīliyyūn'';
Persian: اسماعیلیان ''Esmāʿīliyān'') branch of
Islam is the second largest part of the
Shī'a community, after the
Twelvers (''Ithnāʿashariyya''). The ''Ismaili'' get their name from their acceptance of
Ismail bin Jafar as the divinely appointed spiritual successor ''(
Imam)'' to
Jafar al-Sadiq, wherein they differ from the Twelvers, who accept
Musa al-Kazim, younger brother of Ismail, as the true Imam. The Ismaili and the Twelvers both accept the same initial
Imams from the descendants of
Muhammad through his daughter
Fatima Zahra and therefore share much of their early history.
Tracing its earliest
theology to the lifetime of the
Prophet Muhammad, Ismailism rose at one point to become the largest branch of the Shia religion, and climaxed as a political power with the
Fatimid Empire in the tenth through twelfth centuries.
[1]
After the passing away -- or
occultation (according to
Sevener Ismailis) - of Imam
Muhammad ibn Ismail in the 8th century CE, the teachings of Ismailism further transformed into the belief system as it is known today, with an explicit concentration on the deeper,
esoteric meaning ''(
batin)'' of the Islamic religion. With the eventual development of
Twelverism into the more literalistic ''(
zahir)'' oriented
Akhbari and later
Usooli schools of thought, Shiasm developed into two separate directions: the
Sevener Ismaili group focusing on the
mystical nature of the ''Imams'' and the mystical path to
Allah, and the more literalistic Twelver group focusing on divine law ''(
sharia)'' and the deeds and sayings ''(
sunnah)'' of Muhammad and his successors ''(
Ahl al-Bayt)''.
[2]
Though there are several sub-groupings within the Ismailis, the term in today's vernacular generally refers to the
Nizari community, who are followers of the
Aga Khan and the largest group among the Ismailis. While many of the branches have extremely differing exterior practices, much of the spiritual theology has remained the same since the days of the faith's early Imams. The Ismaili are found primarily in
India,
Pakistan,
Syria,
Lebanon,
Israel,
Saudi Arabia,
[3] Yemen,
China[4],
Jordan,
Uzbekistan,
Tajikistan,
Afghanistan,
East Africa and
South Africa, but have in recent years emigrated to
Europe,
Australia,
New Zealand, and
North America.
[5]
History
Succession crisis
Main articles: Succession to Muhammad
The place where, according to tradition, Ali was killed
Ismailism shares its beginning with other early Shia sects that emerged during the succession crisis that spread throughout the early Muslim community.
From the beginning the Shia asserted the Prophet Muhammad's cousin,
Ali's right to have both political and spiritual control over the community. This also included his two sons, who were the grandsons of Muhammad through his daughter
Fatima Zahra.
The conflict remained relatively peaceful between the partisans of Ali and those who asserted a semi-
democratic system of electing caliphs, until the third of the
Rashidun caliphs,
Uthman died, and Ali with popular support of the people ascended into the caliphate.
[6]
Soon after his ascendancy,
Aisha, the second of the Prophet's wives, claimed along with Uthman's tribe, the
Ummayads, that Ali himself plotted the assassination of the third caliph. Ali rejected this allegation and soon Aisha would stage a revolt that culminated into the
Battle of the Camel where her forces were defeated. Afterwards she retired to a quieter life.
[7]
Following this defeat,
Muawiya, the
Umayyad governor of Syria, also staged a revolt under the same pretenses. Ali led his forces against Muawiya until the side of Muawiya held copies of the
Quran against their spears and demanded that the issue be decided by Islam's holy book. Ali accepted this, and an arbitration was done which ended in his favor.
[7]
A group among his army believed this was tantamount to apostasy, and abandoned his forces. This group was known as the
Kharijites, and Ali wished to defeat their forces before they reached the cities where they would be able to blend in with the rest of the population. He was unable to do this, but nonetheless defeated their forces in the battles following afterward.
[9]
Regardless of these defeats, the Kharijites survived and became a violently problematic group in Islamic history. After plotting an assassination against Ali, Muawiya, and the arbitrator of their conflict, only Ali was successfully assassinated in 40 AH (661 AD), and the Imamate passed on to his sons Hassan and Hussein, or according to the Nizari Ismaili, only to Hussein. However, the political caliphate was soon taken over by Muawiya who was the only leader in the empire at that time with an army large enough to seize control.
[10]
Karbala and afterward
The Battle of Karbala
Main articles: Battle of Karbala
After the passing away of Hassan, Hussein and his family were increasingly worried about the religious and political persecution that was becoming commonplace under the reign of Muawiya's son,
Yazid. Amidst this turmoil in 61 AH (680 AD), Hussein along with the women and children of his family wished to go to
Kufa and confront Yazid as an intercessor on part of the citizens of the empire. However, he was stopped by Yazid's army in
Karbala, during the month of
Muharram. His family was starved and deprived of water and supplies, until eventually the army came in on the tenth day and killed Hussein and his companions, and enslaved the rest of the women and family, taking them to Kufa.
[11]
This battle would become extremely important to the Shia psyche. The Twelvers, as well as Mustaali Ismaili still mourn this event during a holiday known as
Ashura. The Druze Ismaili and Nizari Ismaili however do not mourn this event because of the belief that the light of the Imam never dies but rather passes on to the succeeding Imam, making mourning arbitrary.
The beginnings of Ismaili dawah
After being set free by the caliph Yazid,
Zainab, the daughter of Fatima and Ali and the sister of Hassan and Hussein, started to spread the word of Karbala to the Muslim world, making emotional speeches regarding the event. This was the first organized
dawah of the Shia community, which would later develop into an extremely spiritual institution for the Ismailis.
After the poisoning of Ali al-Sajjad by
Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik in 95 AH (713 AD), Shiism's first succession crisis rose with
Zayd ibn Ali's companions and his
Zaidi Shia that claim
Zayd ibn Ali as the Imam, whilst the rest of the Shia maintained
Muhammad al-Baqir as the Imam. The Zaidis argued that any sayyid who rebelled against tyranny and the injustice of his age, can be the Imam. The Zaidis created the first Shia states in Iran, Iraq and Yemen.
Main articles: Zaidi
In contrast to his predecessors, Muhammad al-Baqir focused on academic Islamic scholarship in
Medina, where he promulgated his teachings to many Muslims, both Shia and non-Shia, in an extremely organized form of dawah.
[12]
This tradition would pass on to his son,
Jaffir al-Sadiq, who inherited the Imamate on his father's death in 114 AH (743 AD). Jaffir al-Sadiq excelled in the scholarship of the day and had many pupils, including three of the four founders of the Sunni
madhabs.
[13]
However, following Jaffir's poisoning in 148 AH (765 AD), a fundamental split would occur in the community. Ismail ibn Jaffir, who at one point seemed to be heir apparent, apparently predeceased his father in 138 AH (755 AD). While Twelvers either argue he was never heir apparent and that he truly predeceased his father, Ismailis argue that either the death was staged in order to draw harm away from al-Sadiq's successor or that his early death does not mean he was not an Imam, and rightfully the Imamate would pass to his son, Muhammad ibn Ismail.
Ascension of the Dais
Main articles: Dai
Shams Tabrizi in a circa 1503 copy of his disciple
Rumi's poem, the "''
Diwan-e Shams-e Tabriz-i''". Shams Tabrizi is believed to have been an Ismaili Dai and his relationship with Rumi a symbolic manifestation of the sacred relationship between the guide and the guided
For the Sevener Ismaili, the Imamate ended with
Muhammad ibn Ismail, who was the expected
Mahdi that Jaffir al-Sadiq had preached about. However, at this point the Ismaili Imams according to the Nizari, Mustaali, and Druze found areas where they would be able to be safe from the recently founded
Abbasid Empire which had defeated and seized control from the Umayyads in 750 AD.
[14].
With the Imams safe from harm, they began to propagate their faith through
Dāʿiyyūn from their bases in Syria. This was the start of the spiritual beginnings of the dawah that would later blossom on the Mustaali branch of the faith, as well as play important parts in the other three branches.
[15]
The Dai was not a missionary in the typical sense, and he was responsible for both the conversion of his student as well as the mental and spiritual wellbeing. The Dai was a guide and light to the Imam, much like the present day Nizari position of the
Pir. The student and teacher relationship of the Dai and his student was much like the one that would develop in
Sufism. The student desired Allah, and the Dai could bring him to Allah by making him recognize the stature and light of the Imam descended from Muhammad, which in turn descended from Allah. The Dai was the path, and the Face of Allah which was a Qur'anic term the Ismaili took to represent the Imam, was the destination.
[16]
Shams Tabrizi and
Rumi is a famous example of the importance between the guide and the guided, and Rumi dedicated much of his literature to Shams Tabrizi and his discovery of the truth.
The Qarmatians
Main articles: Qarmatians
While many of the Seveners and other Ismaili were content with the Dai teachings, a group that mingled Persian nationalism with Ismaili teachings surfaced known as the Qarmatians. With their headquarters in Bahrain, they accepted a Persian prisoner as their Mahdi, and violently rampaged across the Middle-East, climaxing their bloody campaign with the stealing of the
Black Stone from the
Kaaba in
Mecca, and changing their
qiblah from the Kaaba to the Zoroastrian-influenced fire. After their return of the Black Stone they slowly faded out of history and no longer have any adherents.
[17]
The Fatimid Empire
Main articles: Fatimid Empire
Rise of the Fatimid Empire
Main articles: Ubayd Allah al-Mahdi Billah
The political asceticism practiced by the Imams during the period after Muhammad ibn Ismail was to be short lived and finally concluded with the Imamate of Ubayd Allah al-Mahdi Billah, who was born in 260 AH (873 AD). 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 Imamate in 910 AD. Because of his founding of this empire he is often seen as the messianic Mahdi by Ismailis.
[18]
In parallel with the dynasty's claim of descent from Ali and Fatima, the empire was named “Fatimid.” However, this was not without controversy and with the extent that the Ismaili dawah had spread, the Abbasid caliphate assigned
Sunni and Twelver scholars with the assignment to disprove the lineage of the new dynasty. This became known as the
Baghdad Manifesto, and it traces the lineage of the Fatimid dynasty to a Jew. 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 subsequent Imams. Under the Fatimids,
Egypt became the center of an
empire that included at its peak
North Africa,
Sicily,
Palestine,
Syria, the
Red Sea coast of Africa,
Yemen and the
Hejaz. Under the Fatimids, Egypt flourished and developed an extensive trade network in both the
Mediterranean and the
Indian Ocean, which eventually determined the economic course of Egypt during the
High Middle Ages.
During Fatimid rule, in contrast with much of the world at this time period, there were two very modern ideas. The first was promotion by merit rather than genealogy. The second 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, the Druze occurred with the Imam
Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah. Born in 386 AH (985 AD), he ascended as ruler at the age of eleven and was feared for his eccentricity and believed insanity. The typical religiously tolerant Fatimid Empire saw much persecution under his reign. When in 411 AH (1021 AD) his mule returned without him soaked in blood, a religious group that was even forming in his lifetime broke off from mainstream Ismailism and refused to acknowledge his successor. Later to be known as the Druze, they believe Al-Hakim to be the incarnation of Allah and the prophecized Mahdi, who would one day return and bring justice to the world.
[19]
The second split occurred following the death of
Ma'ad al-Mustansir Billah in 487 AH (1094 AD). His rule was the longest of any caliph in both the Fatimid and other Islamic empires. Upon his passing away his sons, the older
Nizar and the younger
Al-Musta'li fought for the political and spiritual control of the dynasty. Nizar was defeated and jailed, and his son was forced to escape to Alamut where the
Iranian Ismaili had accepted his claim.
[20]
The Mustaali line split again between the Taiyabi and the Hafizi, the former claiming that the 21st Imam and son of
Al-Amir went into occultation and appointed a
Da'i al-Mutlaq to guide the community, in a similar manner as the Ismaili had lived after the death of Muhammad ibn Ismail. The latter claimed that the ruling Fatimid caliph was the Imam.
Decline of the empire
In the
1040s, the
Zirids (governors of North Africa under the Fatimids) declared their independence from the Fatimids and their conversion to "orthodox" Sunni Islam, which led to the devastating
Banū Hilal invasions. After about
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 Mustaali branch of Ismailism as well as the finish of the Fatimid Empire.
Alamut
Main articles: Alamut
Artistic Rendering of Hassan-i-Sabbah
Hassan-i-Sabbah
Main articles: Hassan-i-Sabbah
Early on in the empire's life, the Fatimids sought to spread the Ismaili faith which in turn would spread loyalties to the Imamate in Egypt. One of their earliest 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 of Qom in 1056 AD. His family later relocated to the city of Tehran which was an area with an extremely active Ismaili dawah. He immersed himself into Ismaili thought however did not choose to convert until he was overcome with an almost fatal illness, where he finally feared dying without knowing the Imam of his time.
Afterwards, Hassan-i-Sabbah, became one of the most influential Dais in Ismaili history, and would be important to the survival of the Nizari branch of Ismailism, which today is its largest branch.
Legend holds that he met with Imam Ma'ad al-Mustansir Billah and asked him who his successor would be, to which he responded his eldest son, Nizar.
Hassan-i-Sabbah would continue his Dai activities and they would climax with his taking of Alamut. Taking two years, he first converted most of the surrounding villages to Ismailism. Afterwards, he converted most of the staff to 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 within Abbasid territory.
The Hashashin
Main articles: Hashashin
Surrounded by the Abbasids and other hostile powers, and low in numbers, Hassan-i-Sabbah derived a way to attack the Ismaili enemies with a small loss and number. Using the method of assassination, from which the English word is derived from Hashashin, he ordered the killing of Sunni scholars and politicians that threatened the Ismailis. Knives and daggers were used. Sometimes in warning, a knife would be put into the pillow of the enemy, and often they understood the message.
[21]
However, when an assassination was actually made, the Hashashin would not be allowed to run away, but rather to strike further fear in the enemy by showing no emotion, they would stand there. This further increased the reputation of the Hashashin in the Sunni world.
[21]
Amin Maalouf, in his novel,
Samarkand disputes the origin of the word Assassin. According to him, it is not derived from the word Hashashin - which he believes is a story fabricated by Orientalists to explain how faithfully the Ismailis would carry out these suicide-assassinations without fearing death. Maalouf suggests that the term is derived from the word Assaas (foundation), and Assassiyoon, which means "those faithful to the foundation."
[23]
Threshold of the Imamate
Main articles: Nizar
After the imprisonment of Nizar by his younger brother Mustaal, Nizar's son al-Hadi was forced to flee. He was offered a safe place in Alamut where Hassan-i-Sabbah welcomed him. However, this was not announced to the public and the lineage was hidden until a few Imams later.
[21]
It was announced with the advent of Imam Hassan II. In a show of his Imamate and to emphasize the interior meaning, the batin, over the exterior meaning, the zahir, he prayed with his back facing to Mecca, as did the rest of the congregation which prayed behind him. He made a speech saying he was in communication with the Imam, which many of the Ismailis understood to mean he was the Imam himself.
[21]
Afterwards his descendants would rule as the Imams at Alamut until its destruction by the Mongols.
Destruction by the Mongols
Main articles: Mongol Empire
The stronghold at Alamut, though it had warded off the Sunni attempts to take it several times, including one by
Saladin, would soon meet with destruction. By 1206 AD,
Genghis Khan had managed to unite many of the once antagonistic Mongol tribes into a unified force. Using many new and unique military techniques, Genghis Khan led the Mongols across Central Asia into the Middle-East where they won series of tactical military victories.
Hulagu Khan lead the devastating attack on Alamut in 1256 AD, only a short time before he would sack the Abbasid caliphate in Baghdad in 1258 AD. As he would later do to the
House of Wisdom in Baghdad, he destroyed all Ismaili religious texts. The Imamate that was located in Alamut along with its few followers were forced to flee and take refuge in the surrounding Iranian countryside.
Beliefs
Concepts
View on the Qur'an
Main articles: Esoteric interpretation of the Qur'an
The Ismailis understand the Qur'an to have several layers of meaning, but generally divide those types of meanings into two: the exterior (zahir) meaning and the interior (batin) meaning. While a believer can understand the batin meaning to some extent, the Imam alone has the complete understanding of the Qur'an and it is to him alone to interpret it according to the times.
The Ginans
Main articles: Ginans
The Ginans are
Nizari Ismaili religious texts. They are written in the form of poetry by
Pirs to interpret the meanings of Qur’anic
ayat into the languages of the Indian subcontinent, especially
Gujarati and
Urdu. In comparison to Ginans, Ismailis of other origins, such as Persians and Arabs have Qasidas (قصيدة) written by Dai's داعي (جمع دعاة)ـ.
Reincarnation
Main articles: Reincarnation (Ismailism)
The belief in reincarnation in
Nizari Ismailism is attested to in the
Ginans and Ismailis perform
chantas yearly, one of which is for sins committed in past lives.
[26]
Reincarnation exists in the Druze branch of Ismailism. The Druze believe that only the members of their community will be reincarnated as humans in the form of future descendants. 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, have been continuously reincarnated on Earth as prophets and philosophers including
Adam, the ancient Greek mathematician and astronomer
Pythagoras, and the ancient Pharaoh of Egypt
Akhenaten, and many others. The Druze believe that, in every time period, these five principles were personified in five different people who came down together to Earth to teach humans the true path to God and
nirvana, but that with them came five other individuals who would lead people away from the right path into "darkness".
Panentheism
Main articles: Panentheism (Ismailism)
With the exception of the
Mustaali Ismailis, most Ismaili believe in
panentheism, meaning God is both
reality and transcendent of it. While the figure of the
Godhead is beyond this universe, the Godhead has created reality, which is God itself. All living beings exist in this reality, however reality in its entirety is invested in the form of the Imam.
Numerology
Main articles: Numerology (Ismailism)
Ismailis believes that numbers have religious meanings. The number seven plays a general role in the theology of the Ismā'īliyya, including mystical speculations that there are seven heavens, seven continents, seven orifices in the skull, seven days in a week, seven prophets, and so forth.
Imamate
Main articles: Imamah (Shi'a Ismaili doctrine)
In Ismailism, the Imam is seen through the Qur'anic phrase, “The Face of Allah.” It is through the Imam that the individual believer can truly know the light of Allah, and hence he is their one true desire in this world.
[27]
Old Ismaili doctrine holds that divine revelation had been given in six periods (daur) entrusted to six prophets, who they also call ''Natiq'' (Speaker), who were commissioned to preach a religion of law to their respective communities.
Whereas the Natiq was concerned with the rites and outward shape of religion, the inner meaning is entrusted to a ''Wasi'' (Representative). The Wasi would know the secret meaning of all rites and rules and would reveal them to a small circles of initiates.
The Natiq and the Wasi are in turn succeeded by a line of seven Imams, who would guard what they received. The seventh and last Imam in any period would in turn be the Natiq of the next period. The last Imam of the sixth period however would not bring about a new religion of law but supersede all previous religions, abrogate the law and introduce ''din Adama al-awwal'' ("the original religion of Adam") practised by
Adam and the
Angels in
paradise before the fall, which would be without cult or law but consist merely in all creatures praising the creator and recognizing his unity. This final stage was called
Qiyamah.
[28]
Pir and Dawah
Main articles: Da'i al-Mutlaq
Just as the Imam is seen as the Face of Allah, from which his light shines through, the guide to that light is known as the Dai. During the period between the Imamates of Muhammad ibn Ismail and al-Madhi Billah, the relationship between the teacher and the student became a sacred one, and the Dai became a position much beyond a normal missionary. The Dai passed on the sacred and hidden knowledge of the Imam to the student who could then use that information to ascend to higher levels. First the student loved the Dai, and from the Dai he learned to love the Imam, and by learning to love the Imam he learned to love Allah. In Nizari Ismailism, the head Dai is called the Pir.
[16].
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 only source of the Imam's knowledge after the occultation of al-Qasim in Mustaali thought.
According to
Tayyabī Mustaˤlī Ismā'īlī tradition, after the death of Imam 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's daughter Fatima. She was al-Malika al-Sayyida (Hurratul-Malika), wife of Fatimid Dai of Yemen. She was promoted to the post of hujja long before by Imam Mustansir at the death of her husband and she now ran the dawat from Yemen in the name of Imaam Tayyib. She was instructed and prepared by Imam Mustansir and following Imams for the second period of Satr. It was going to be on her hands, that Imam Tayyib would go into seclusion, and she would institute the office of Dāˤī al-Mutlaq. Syedna Zueb-bin-Musa was first to be instituted to this office and the line of Tayyib Dais that began in 526 AH (1132 AD) have passed from one Dai to another and is continuing till date. Present dai is 52nd in line.
Zahir
Main articles: Zahir (Islam)
In Ismailism, things have an exterior meaning, what is apparent. This is called zahir.
Batini
Main articles: Batin (Islam)
In Ismailism, things have an interior meaning that is reserved for a special few who are in tune with the Imam, or are the Imam himself. This is called batin.
Aql
Main articles: Aql (Shiasm)
As with other Shias, Ismailis believe that the souls of the Prophets and the Imams are 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 and non-living entities know Allah, and all of humanity is dependent and united in this light.
[30]
[21]
Taqiyya
Main articles: Taqiyya
Ismailis believe in taqiyya, which means to hide one's true religious beliefs. This has been pivotal to the survival of Ismaili groups since they have been small minorities in many countries and empires hostile to them.
Niranjan Nirakar Swaroop
Main articles: Niranjan Nirakar Swaroop
Niranjan Nirakar Swaroop is a
Sanskrit term and refers to the
Satpanth idea (found in the Ginans of the Ismaili religious tradition) that the true spiritual teacher is esoteric and all-pervading, found by the Mureed when meditating upon special mantras given by the exoteric spiritual teacher (Bandagi).
Seven Pillars
Main articles: Seven Pillars of Islam (Ismaili)
Walayah
Main articles: Walayah
A pillar which translates from Arabic as “guardianship.” It denotes, “Love and devotion for God, the Prophets, the Imam, and the Dai.” In Ismaili doctrine, Allah is the true desire of every soul, and he manifests himself in the forms of Prophets and Imams, and to be guided to his path, one requires a messenger or a guide: a Dai.
Taharah or Shahada
Taharah
Main articles: Taharah
A pillar which translates from Arabic as “purity.” The Druze do not believe in this pillar and instead substitute
shahada in its place.
Shahada
Main articles: Shahada
In place of Taharah, the Druze have the Shahada, or affirmation of faith.
Salah
Main articles: Salah
A pillar which translates from Arabic as “prayer.” Unlike Sunni and Twelver Muslims, Ismai'lis do not necessarily follow the mainstream Ummah in regards to the number of daily prayers. Nizari Ismai'lis reason that it is up to the Imam of the time to designate the style and form of prayer, and for this reason current Nizari prayer resembles a dua and is done three times a day. The Druze choose not to follow Islamic sharia hence have attributed a solely metaphorical meaning to salah. In contrast, the Mustaali branch of Ismailism has kept prayer and their style is generally closely related to Sunni and Twelver groups.
Zakah
Main articles: Zakah
A pillar which translates as “charity.” With the exception of the Druze branch, all Ismailis form of zakat resembles mainstream Muslims, only with the addition of
khumms, which is 1/8 of one's unspent money at the end of the year. This resembles Twelvers who after the believed occultation of Muhammad ibn Hassan al-Askari pay khumms to their
Ayatollahs under whom they do
taqleed, meaning religious emulation.
Sawm
Main articles: Sawm
A pillar which translates as “fasting.” The Nizari and Mustaali believe in both a metaphorical and literal meaning of 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 worldy activities which may detract from this goal. In contrast, the Druze generally do not practice fasting, though they may if they wish to.
[27]
Hajj
Main articles: Hajj
A pillar which translates from Arabic as “pilgrimage.” In Ismaili sects this has come to metaphorically mean visiting the Imam himself, and that this is the greatest and most spiritual of all pilgrimages. However, as the Druze do not follow shariah, they do not believe in a literal pilgrimage to the Kaaba in Mecca like other Muslims do, while the Mustaali still hold on to the literal meaning as well.
[27]
Jihad
Main articles: Jihad
A pillar which translates from Arabic as “struggle.” Although jihad has occasionally been interpreted in recent times as a "personal struggle", the vast majority of references within the Qur'an and the Sunnah make it clear that it refers to warfare against unbelievers. And while some have suggested that personal piety is the "greater jihad", the only evidence for this is an obscure Hadith, categorized as weak and reported by a known forger.
Branches
Nizari
Main articles: Nizari
The largest part of the Ismāʿīlī community today accepts
Prince Karim Aga Khan IV as their 49th
Imam.
The 46th Imam, Aga Hassan Ali Shah, fled
Iran to South Asia in the 1840s after a failed coup against the Shah of the
Qajar dynasty.
[34] Aga Hassan Ali Shah settled in
Mumbai in
1848.
In 1866 a minority faction from among the
Khoja Muslim community of Mumbai sought a court decree to deny the Aga Khan's authority and position as Imam (spiritual leader) of the community. They tried to re-cast the Khojas as a
Sunni community, and thereby take control of all property held in trust for the community.
[35] The Judge in this case, Sir Joseph Arnold, ruled that the
Khoja Muslim community was Ismāʿīlī (and not
Sunni), that the "Aga Khan" was its leader, that he was due the traditional tithes of the community, and that community property belonged to his Imamate.
He described the community as a having been "converted to and throughout abided in the faith of the Shi'a Imami Ismailis and which has always been and still is bound by ties of spiritual allegiance to the hereditary Imams of the Ismailis."
[36][37]
Like its predecessors, the present constitution is founded on each Ismāʿīlī's spiritual allegiance to the Imām of the Time, which is separate from the secular allegiance that all Ismāʿīlīs owe as citizens to their national entities. The present Imām and his predecessor emphasised Ismāʿīliyya's allegiance to his or her country as a fundamental obligation. These obligations discharged not by passive affirmation but through responsible engagement and active commitment to uphold national integrity and contribute to peaceful development.
In view of the importance that Islām places on maintaining a balance between the spiritual well-being of the individual and the quality of his life, the Imām's guidance deals with both aspects of the life of his followers. The Aga Khan has encouraged Ismāʿīlī Muslims, settled in the industrialised world, to contribute towards the progress of communities in the developing world through various development programmes. In recent years, Ismāʿīlī Muslims, who have come to the US, Canada and Europe, many as refugees from Asia and Africa, have readily settled into the social, educational and economic fabric of urban and rural centres across the two continents. As in the developing world, the Ismāʿīlī Muslim community's settlement in the industrial world has involved the establishment of community institutions characterised by an ethos of self-reliance, an emphasis on education, and a spirit of philanthropy.
Druze
Druze star
During the rein of the 16th Imām,
al-Ḥakīm bi-Amrillāh, a movement emerged known as the Darziyya or
Druze (after one of their leaders, al-Darzi).
[38] Led by al-Akhram, Hamza and al-Darzi, they believed in the divinity of al-Ḥakīm, and urged others to join them.
The Imam himself never claimed divinity, and the leadership of the daʿwa categorically opposed the movement, denouncing its doctrine.
The movement's adherents went on to establish a stronghold in
Syria where they developed their body of doctrine and sacred scriptures. Today, the Druze community lives mainly in
Lebanon,
Syria and
Israel.
Large communities of expatriate Druze also live outside the
Middle East, in the
United States,
Canada,
Latin America,
West Africa,
Australia and
Europe. They use the
Arabic language and follow a social pattern very similar to the East Mediterraneans of the region.
While most Druze consider themselves
Arabs, the majority of those living in Israel, where they have achieved prominence in the
military and in
politics greatly surpassing their proportion of the general population, do not.
[39]
There are thought to be as many as 1 million Druze worldwide, the vast majority in the
Levant or East Mediterranean.
[40] However, some estimates of the total Druze population have been as low as 450,000.
[41]
Mustaali
Main articles: Mustaali
Mohammed Burhanuddin, the 52nd Dai of the Dawoodi Bohra.
Dawoodi Bohra
Main articles: Dawoodi Bohra
In time, the seat for one chain of Dāʿiyyūn was transferred to
South Asia as the community split several times, each recognizing a different Dāʿī. Today, the
Dawoodi Bohras, which constitute the majority of the "Mustaʿliyya" Ismāʿīliyya accept
Mohammed Burhanuddin as the 52nd Da'i al-Mutlaq. The Dawoodi Bohras are based in India.
There has been, in recent years, a rapprochement between the
Yemeni Mustaʿliyya and the followers of the Dāʿiyyūn based out of
Mumbai. The
Bohra are noted to be the more traditional of the three main groups of Ismāʿīlī, maintaining rituals such as prayer and fasting more consistently with the practices of other
Shīˤa sects, although a reformist movement led by Asghar Ali Engineer (
Progressive Dawoodi Bohras) has emerged within the sect, challenging the Dawoodi Bohra clergy in India and the movement has been largely unsuccessful.
The Dawoodi Bohras are a very closely-knit community who seek advice from the Dāˤī on spiritual and temporal matters.
While the majority of Dawoodi Bohras have traditionally been traders, it is becoming increasingly common for them to become professionals. Within
South Asia many choose to become
Doctors, and in the
Far East and
the West, 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 of women is equally important to that of men, and many Dawoodi Bohra women choose to enter the workforce.
Al Jamea tus Saifiyah (The Arabic Academy) in
Surat and
Karachi is a sign to the educational importance in the Bohra community. The Academy has an advanced curriculum which encompasses religious and secular education 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 the
Far East.
The ordinary Bohra is highly conscious of his identity and this is especially demonstrated at religious and traditional occasions by the appearance and attire of the participants. Dawoodi Bohra men wear a traditional white three piece outfit, plus a white and gold cap (called a ''topi''), and women wear the ''rida'', a distinctive form of the commonly known
burqa which is distinguished from other forms of the
veil due to it often being in colour and decorated with patterns and lace.
Besides speaking the local languages, the Bohras have their own language called
Lisānu l-Dāˤwat "Tongue of the Dāˤwat". This is written in
Arabic script but is derived from
Urdu,
Gujarati and Arabic.
Sulaimani Bohra
Main articles: Sulaimani Bohra
Founded in
1592, they are mostly concentrated in
Yemen, but are today also found in
Pakistan and
India. The denomination is named after its 27th Daˤī, (
Sulayman ibn Hassan).
Alavi Bohra
Main articles: Alavi Bohra
While lesser known and smallest in number,
Alavi Bohras accept as the 44th Dāʿī
al-Mutlaq,
H.H. Saiyedna Abu Haatim Taiyeb Ziyauddin Saheb. They are mostly concentrated in India.
The Alavi Bohra community has its headquarters at Baroda City, Gujarat, India. The 44th Dāˤī al-Mutlaq, Saiyedna Taiyeb Ziyauddin Saheb, is the head of the community. The religious hierarchy of the Alavi Bohras is essentially and 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" and Mukāsir (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 is granted the permission to perform the religious ceremonies of the believers by the Dāˤī al-Mutlaq and also leads the local congregation in religious, social and community affairs, is sent to each town where a sizable population of believers exists. Such towns normally have a mosque and an adjoining jamaa'at-khaana (assembly hall) where socio-religious functions are held. The local organizations which manage these properties and administer the social and religious activities of the local
Bohras report directly to the central administration of the Dāˤī al-Mutlaq.
Hafizi
This branch held that whoever the political ruler of the Fatimid Empire was, was also the Imam of the faith. This branch died with the Fatimid Empire.
Seveners
A branch of the Ismāʿīlī known as the ''Sabaʿiyyīn'' "
Seveners" hold that Ismāʿīl's son, Muhammad, was the seventh Imām and, after Muḥammad ibn Ismāʿīl, the spiritual authority of Imāms continues until the present day.
[14]. However, most scholars believe this group is either extremely small or totally non-existent today.
Statistics
Unreliable statistics have resulted in there being only an estimate as to the number of Ismai'lis in the world. Estimates range from 15-30 million.
[1] It is accepted that Ismai'lis constitute the second-largest Shi'a Muslim population. Within the Ismai'li sub-sect, the largest branch is Nizari. Because of unreliable statistics, it is difficult to affirm whether the Druze or the Mustaali branch is second largest.
Notes
1. Religion of My Ancestors
2. Shaykh Ahmad al-Ahsa'i
3. Congressional Human Rights Caucus Testimony - NAJRAN, The Untold Story
4. News Summary: China; Latvia
5. A Short History of the Ismailis, , Farhad, Daftary, Edinburgh University Press, 1998,
6. Najul'Balagha, , Ali, ibn Abu talib, , ,
7. Imam Ali
8. Imam Ali
9. The Kharijites and their impact on Contemporary Islam
10. Ali bin Abu Talib
11. Hussain bin Ali
12. Imam Baqir
13. Imam Ja'far b. Muhammad al Sadi'q
14. The Ismāʿīlīs: Their history and doctrines, , Farhad, Daftary, Cambridge University Press, 1990,
15. A Short History of the Ismailis, , Farhad, Daftary, Edinburgh University Press, 1998,
16. The Master and the Disciple: An Early Islamic Spiritual Dialogue on Conversion Kitab al-'alim wa'l-ghulam, , James, Morris, Institute for Ismaili Studies, 2002,
17. Qarmatiyyah
18. AL-HAKIM (386-411/996-1021)
19. al-Hakim bi Amr Allah: Fatimid Caliph of Egypt
20. A Short History of the Ismailis, , Farhad, Daftary, Edinburgh University Press, 1998,
21. The Assassins of Alamut, , Anthony, Campbell, , 2004,
22. The Assassins of Alamut, , Anthony, Campbell, , 2004,
23. Samarkand, , Amin, Maalouf, , 1998,
24. The Assassins of Alamut, , Anthony, Campbell, , 2004,
25. The Assassins of Alamut, , Anthony, Campbell, , 2004,
26. CHAR JOOG NO CHANTO - Seeking forgiveness for sins from past lives
27. Isma'ilism
28. Die Schia, , Heinz, Halm, Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft, 1988,
29. The Master and the Disciple: An Early Islamic Spiritual Dialogue on Conversion Kitab al-'alim wa'l-ghulam, , James, Morris, Institute for Ismaili Studies, 2002,
30. Kitab al-Kafi, , , , , ,
31. The Assassins of Alamut, , Anthony, Campbell, , 2004,
32. Isma'ilism
33. Isma'ilism
34. A Short History of the Ismailis, , Farhad, Daftary, Edinburgh University Press, 1998,
35. ''Khoja Case'' before Justice Sir Joseph Arnould, High Court of Bombay, 1886
36. Cases in the Muhammadan Law of India and Pakistan, , , Fyzee, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1965,
37. The Nizaril Ismaili Tradition in the Indo-Pakistan Subcontinent, , Azim, Nanji, Caravan Books, 1978,
38. A Short History of the Ismailis, , Farhad, Daftary, Edinburgh University Press, 1998,
39. Walid Jumblatt, head of Lebanese Progressive Party. Op-ed: 'The Arabs must unite above all else' (free registration required).
40. Druze set to visit Syria BBC News Online, 30 August 2004. Retrieved 8 September 2006.
41. Major Branches of Religions Ranked by Number of Adherents Adherents.com. Last updated 28 October 2005. Retrieved 8 September 2006.
42. The Ismāʿīlīs: Their history and doctrines, , Farhad, Daftary, Cambridge University Press, 1990,
43. Religion of My Ancestors
See also
★
Nizārī
★
Ainsarii
★
Batiniyya
★
Khoja
★
Banu Yam
External links
★
Institute of Ismaili Studies
★
An Official website about Ismaili Community
★
Graphical illustration of the sects of Shi'a Islam
★
Shia Imami Nizari Ismaili Muslims Golden Jubilee Celebration
★
History of Imams from the Nizarī point of view.
★
Ismaili Web
★
Dawoodi Bohras
★
Aga Khan Development Network
★
Alavi Bohra: The Smallest Sect of Ismā'īlī Mustaˤlī Faith
★
Isma'ilism, in the Encyclopedia of the Orient
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