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- For the Egyptian city, see Ismaïlia.
Ismailism (Urdu: ???????? Ismaili, Arabic: ???????????? al-Ismailiyyun; Persian: ?????????? Esmailiyan) is a branch of the Islamic faith, and is the second largest part of the Shi‘ah community, after the mainstream Twelvers (Ithnaashariyya). The Ismaili get their name from their acceptance of Ismail ibn Jafar as the divinely appointed spiritual successor (Imam) to Jafar a-adiq, wherein they differ from the Twelvers, who accept Musà al-Kazim, younger brother of Ismail, as the true Imam.
Tracing its earliest theology to the lifetime of Muammad, Isma?ilism rose at one point to become the largest branch of Shi‘ism, climaxing as a political power with the Fatimid Empire in the tenth through twelfth centuries.
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- For the Egyptian city, see Ismaïlia.
Ismailism (Urdu: ???????? Ismaili, Arabic: ???????????? al-Ismailiyyun; Persian: ?????????? Esmailiyan) is a branch of the Islamic faith, and is the second largest part of the Shi‘ah community, after the mainstream Twelvers (Ithnaashariyya). The Ismaili get their name from their acceptance of Ismail ibn Jafar as the divinely appointed spiritual successor (Imam) to Jafar a-adiq, wherein they differ from the Twelvers, who accept Musà al-Kazim, younger brother of Ismail, as the true Imam.
Tracing its earliest theology to the lifetime of Muammad, Isma?ilism rose at one point to become the largest branch of Shi‘ism, climaxing as a political power with the Fatimid Empire in the tenth through twelfth centuries. In common with other Muslims, Ismailis believe in the oneness of God, as well as the closing of divine revelation with Muhammad, whom they see as the final prophet and messenger of God to all humanity. The Ismaili and the Twelvers both accept the same initial A'immah from the descendants of Muammad through his daughter Faimah az-Zahra and therefore share much of their early history. Both groups see the family of Muammad (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 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, Shi'ism developed into two separate directions: the metaphorical Isma?ili group focusing on the mystical path and nature of Allah, with the "Imam of the Time" representing the manifestation of truth and reality, with the more literalistic Twelver group focusing on divine law (sharia) and the deeds and sayings (sunnah) of Muhammad and the Twelve Imams who were guides and a light to God.
Though there are several paths (tariqah) within the Isma?ilis, the term in today's vernacular generally refers to the Nizari path, who are followers of the Aga Khan and the largest group among the Isma?ilis. While some 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. In recent centuries Isma?ilis have largely been an Indo-Iranian community, but Isma?ili are found in India, Pakistan, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, China, Jordan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, East Africa and South Africa, and have in recent years emigrated to Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and North America.
History
Succession crisis
Ismailism shares its beginnings with other early Shi‘ah sects that emerged during the succession crisis that spread throughout the early Muslim community.
From the beginning, the Shi‘ah asserted the right of ‘Ali, Muhammad's cousin, 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 Fa?imatu z-Zahrah.
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.
Soon after his ascendancy, Aisha, the third of the Prophet's wives, claimed along with Uthman's tribe, the Ummayads, that Ali should take Qasas (stories) from the people responsible for Uthman's martyr. ‘Ali voted against it as he believed that situation at that time demanded a peaceful resolution of the matter. Both parties were right? at? their claims, but due to escalated misunderstandings, the Battle of the Camel was fought and both parties bore losses but soon reached an agreement.
Following this battle, Muawiya, the Umayyad governor of Syria, also staged a revolt under the same pretences. ‘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.
A group among Ali's army believed subjecting his legitimate authority to arbitration 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.
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 661 CE, and the Imamate passed on to his son Hasan and then later his son Husayn, or according to the Nizari Isma?ili, straight to Husayn. 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.
Karbala and afterward
The Battle of Karbala
After the passing away of Hassan, Husayn 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 680 CE, Husayn along with the women and children of his family, upon receiving invitational letters and gesture of support by Kufis, 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 Husayn and his companions, and enslaved the rest of the women and family, taking them to Kufa.
This battle would become extremely important to the Shi‘ah psyche. The Twelvers, as well as Mustaali Isma?ili still mourn this event during a holiday known as Ashura. The Nizari Isma?ili 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 Isma?ili Da?wah
After being set free by the caliph Yazid, Zainab, the daughter of Fa?imatu z-Zahrah and ‘Ali and the sister of Hassan and Husayn, started to spread the word of Karbala to the Muslim world, making speeches regarding the event. This was the first organized Da?wah of the Shi‘ah community, which would later develop into an extremely spiritual institution for the Isma?ilis.
After the poisoning of ‘Ali al-Sajjad by Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik in 713 CE, Shiism's first succession crisis rose with Zayd ibn ‘Ali's companions and the Zaydi Shi‘ah that claim Zayd ibn ‘Ali as the Imam, whilst the rest of the Shi‘ah maintained Muhammad al-Baqir as the Imam. The Zaidis argued that any sayed, descendant of Muhammad through Hassan or Husayn, who rebelled against tyranny and the injustice of his age, can be the Imam. The Zaidis created the first Shi‘ah states in Iran, Iraq and Yemen.
In contrast to his predecessors, Muhammad al-Baqir focused on academic Islamic scholarship in Medina, where he promulgated his teachings to many Muslims, both Shi‘ah and non-Shi‘ah, in an extremely organized form of Da?wah.
This tradition would pass on to his son, Ja'far al-Sadiq, who inherited the Imamate 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 of the Sunni madhabs.
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 either argue he was never heir apparent or that he truly predeceased his father hence Musa al-Kadhim was the true heir to the Imamate, Isma?ilis 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
For the Sevener Isma?ili, the Imamate ended with Isma'il ibn Ja'far, whose son Muhammad ibn Ismail was the expected Mahdi that Ja'far al-Sadiq had preached about. However, at this point the Isma?ili Imams according to the Nizari and Mustaali 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.
With the Imams safe from harm, they began to propagate their faith through Da?iyyun from their bases in Syria. This was the start of the spiritual beginnings of the Da?wah that would later blossom on the Mustaali branch of the faith, as well as play important parts in the other three branches.
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 God, and the Dai could bring him to God by making him recognize the stature and light of the Imam descended from the Imams, which in turn descended from God. The Dai was the path, and the Face of God which was a Qur'anic term the Isma?ili took to represent the Imam, was the destination.
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
While many of the Isma?ili were content with the Dai teachings, a group that mingled Persian nationalism and Zoroastrianism with Isma?ili teachings surfaced known as the Qarmatians. With their headquarters in Bahrain, they accepted a Persian prisoner,a young Persian prisoner by the name of Abu'l-Fadl al- Isfahani, from Isfahan who claimed to be the descendant of the Persian kings
as their Mahdi, and violently rampaged across the Middle-East in the tenth century, climaxing their bloody campaign with the stealing of the Black Stone from the Kaaba in Mecca in 930 under Abu Tahir Al-Jannabi. After the arrival of the Mahdi they changed their qiblah from the Kaaba to the Zoroastrian-influenced fire. After their return of the Black Stone in 951 and defeat by the Abbasids in 976 they slowly dwindled and no longer have any adherents.
The Fatimid Empire
Rise of the Fatimid Empire
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 873. 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.
In parallel with the dynasty's claim of descent from ‘Ali and Fa?imatu z-Zahrah, the empire was named “Fatimid.” However, this was not without controversy and with the extent that the Isma?ili Da?wah 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.
The Fatimids promoted two ideas that were radical for that time. 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 (Druze) occurred with the Imam Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah. Born in 985, 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 1021 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 manifestation of God and the prophecized Mahdi, who would one day return and bring justice to the world. The faith further split from Ismailism as it developed very unique 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 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 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 Isma?ili had accepted his claim.
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-Mu?laq to guide the community, in a similar manner as the Isma?ili 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 Banu 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 Nur ad-Din 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 Fatimid Empire.
Alamut
Hassan-i-Sabbah
Very early in the empire's life, the Fatimids sought to spread the Isma?ili 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 Isma?ili Da?wah. He immersed himself in Isma?ili thought, however he 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 Isma?ili 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
Surrounded by the Abbasids and other hostile powers, and low in numbers, Hassan-i-Sabbah derived a way to attack the Isma?ili 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 Isma?ilis. 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.
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.
Amin Maalouf, in his novel Samarkand disputes the origin of the word Assassin. According to him it is not derived from the name of the drug hashish which Westerners used to believe the sect took, - he believes this story is fabricated by Orientalists to explain how faithfully the Isma?ilis 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."
Threshold of the Imamate
After the imprisonment of Nizar by his younger brother Mustaal, it is claimed Nizar's son al-Hadi survived and fled to Alamut. He was offered a safe place in Alamut where Hassan-i-Sabbah welcomed him. However, it is believed this was not announced to the public and the lineage was hidden until a few Imams later.
It was announced with the advent of Imam Hassan II, who some historians believe to be a descendant of the leaders of Alamut and not of Nizar. 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 to Mecca, as did the rest of the congregation which prayed behind him, and ordered the community to break their Ramadan fasting with a feast at noon. He made a speech saying he was in communication with the Imam, which many of the Isma?ilis understood to mean he was the Imam himself.
Afterwards his descendants would rule as the Imams at Alamut until its destruction by the Mongols.
Destruction by the Mongols
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, 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 a series of tactical military victories.
A grandson of Genghis Khan, Hulagu Khan, led the devastating attack on Alamut in 1256, only a short time before he would sack the Abbasid caliphate in Baghdad in 1258. As he would later do to the House of Wisdom in Baghdad, he destroyed all Isma?ili religious texts. The Imamate that was located in Alamut along with its few followers 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 Isma?ili generally developed geographically isolated from each other, with the exception of Syria (which has both Druze and 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 smaller populations in China and Iran. This community is the only one with a living Imam, who is titled today as the Aga Khan.
The Druze mainly settled in Syria and Lebanon, and developed a community based upon the principles of reincarnation through their own descendants. Their leadership is based through community scholars, who are the only individuals allowed to read their holy texts. It is controversial whether this group falls under the classification of Isma?ilism or Islam because of their unique beliefs.
The Mustaali split several times over disputes regarding who was the rightful Da?i al-Mu?laq, the leader of the community within The Occultation. The Sulaimani Bohra are mostly concentrated in Yemen and Saudi Arabia with some communities in the Indian Subcontinent. The Dawoodi Bohra and Alavi Bohra are mostly exclusive to the Indian Subcontinent. Other groups include Atba-i-Malak and Hebtiahs Bohra. Mustaali beliefs and practices, unlike those of the Nizari and Druze, are generally compatible with mainstream Islam, representing a continuation of Fatimid tradition and fiqh'.
Beliefs
View on the Qur'an
The Isma?ilis understand the Qur'an to have several layers of meaning, but generally divide those types of meanings into two: the apparent (zahir) meaning and the hidden (batin) meaning. While a believer can understand the batin meaning to some extent, the ultimate interpretation lies in the office of the Imamate. The Imam's farmans (teachings) are binding upon the community. In this way, the Isma?ili community can adapt to new times and new places.
The Ginans
The Ginans are Nizari Isma?ili 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, Isma?ilis of other origins, such as Persians, Arabs, and Central Asians have Qasidas written by Dai's ???? (??? ????)?.
Reincarnation
The belief in reincarnation in the Satpanth tradition of Nizari Ismailism is attested to in the Ginans and Isma?ilis perform chantas monthly, which is done for the forgiveness of the sins committed in the last month but only those sins which are committed unintentionally; and strictly not for the forgiveness for sins committed in past lives. The system of the four Yugas viz. Sat, Treta, Dwapar and Kali is a Hindu belief. Descriptions of each yuga are codified in the various Puranas, a set of holy books of Hinduism. However, reincarnation in itself is not a component of Ismailism but is rather used the South Asian tradition as a recollection and reinforcement of the attempts of the Pirs to teach the message of Ismailism to the people of India.
Reincarnation also exists in the Druze branch of Ismailism. The Druze believe that members of their community can only 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, 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
With the exception of the Mustaali Isma?ilis, most Isma?ili 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 of the Time.
Numerology
Isma?ilis believe numbers have religious meanings. The number seven plays a general role in the theology of the Isma'iliyya, including mystical speculations that there are seven heavens, seven continents, seven orifices in the skull, seven days in a week, and so forth.
Imamate
In Nizari Ismailism, the Imam is seen through the Qur'anic phrase, “The Face of God.” The Imam is truth and reality itself, and hence he is their path of salvation to God.
Sevener Isma?ili 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.
Pir and Dawah
Just as the Imam is seen as the Face of God, God's avatar within reality, the guide to the avatar 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, who was but a manifestation of God. In Nizari Ismailism, the head Dai is called the Pir. .
However, in the Mustaali branch, the Dai came to have a similar but more important task. The term Da?i al-Mutlaq 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 Tayyabi Musta?li Isma'ili tradition, after the death of Imam al-Amir, 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 Fa?imatu z-Zahrah. 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 Da?i al-Mutlaq. Syedna Zueb-bin-Musa was first to be instituted to this office and the line of Tayyib Dais that began in 1132 have passed from one Dai to another and is continuing till date.
Zahir
In Ismailism, things have an exterior meaning, what is apparent. This is called zahir.
Batini
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
As with other Shi‘ah, Isma?ilis 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 and non-living entities know God, and all of humanity is dependent and united in this light.
Contrastingly, in Twelver thought this includes the Prophets as well, especially Muhammad who is the greatest of all the incarnations of Aql.
Taqiyya
Isma?ilis believe in taqiyya, which means to hide one's true religious beliefs. This has been pivotal to the survival of Isma?ili groups since they have been small minorities in many countries and empires hostile to them.
Seven Pillars
Walayah
A pillar which translates from Arabic as “guardianship.” It denotes, “Love and devotion for God, the Prophets, the Imam, and the Dai.” In Isma?ili doctrine, God 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
A pillar which translates from Arabic as “purity.” The Druze do not believe in this pillar and instead substitute shahada in its place.
Shahada
In place of Taharah, the Druze have the Shahada, or affirmation of faith.
Salah
A pillar which translates from Arabic as “prayer.” Unlike Sunni and Twelver Muslims, Nizari 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 (translated word of Salah from the Quran) and is done three times a day. These three times have been related with the three times that have been mentioned in the Holy Quran, i-e, Sunrise, before Sunset, and After Sunset. In this regard, Imam of the time has the right to amend the prayers according to the needs of the time. The Druze choose not to follow Islamic sharia hence have attributed a solely metaphorical meaning to salah. In contrast, the Mustaali (Bohra) branch of Ismailism has kept five prayers and their style is generally closely related to Twelver groups.
Zakah
A pillar which translates as “charity.” With the exception of the Druze branch, all Isma?ilis form of zakat resembles mainstream Muslims. The Twelvers, pay khums which is 1/8 of one's unspent money at the end of the year. Isma?ilies, on the other hand, pay a tithe of 12.5% .
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 particular, Isma?ilis believe that the esoteric meaning of fasting involves a the fasting of soul, whereby one attempts to purify the soul by avoiding sinful acts, and doing good deeds. etc. In addition, the Nizari also fast on "Shukravari Beej" which falls on a Friday that coincides with the New Moon.
Hajj
A pillar which translates from Arabic as “pilgrimage", it is the pilgrimage which is undertaken and required by all Muslims who are healthy and have sufficient means to do so. 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.
Jihad
A pillar which translates from Arabic as “struggle.” The definition of jihad has complex characterizations within certain sects of the Muslim ummah (community), with it having two facets and dispute concerning what is an acceptable 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 those individuals who harm the peace of the faith. Thus Nizari Isma'ilism does not encourage the stereotypically misconstrued '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) to maintain peace and plurality within a global context has received much criticism from radicalized and heavily refracted interpretations of Islamic religio-political ideologies such as Islamism. Polarized Islamists view this qualification of jihad (as a defensive mechanism) as an apologetic treatise which ignores the primary responsibility of a Muslim to proactively (whether with force or otherwise) engage in construction of what is according to Islamists an ideal religio-political society based off the mandates and social norms predicated by the Shari'a. Placing the general view of Isma'ilis towards shari'a aside, Isma?ilis are told to avoid provocation and use force only as a final resort only in self-defense (See Qu'ran 2:190). Nevertheless, by extension one may also observe that to eradicate social hardship on a macro-scale, volunteerism and service are key ethics in struggling against forces which cause many populations to endure the worst in trying to achieve a better quality of life. Thus a proactive interpretation of the Jihad-e-Asghar can even be observed as humanitarian service and volunteerism as it also is a means towards a peaceful and pluralistic process. What is interesting is that this form of institutionalized service [as observed from the Isma'ili context through the non-profit, non-denominational work of the Aga Khan Development Network] is also heavily implemented by non-Isma'ili sects of Islam. The Druze believe that the Jihad is the struggle to know God, while protecting the brothers in faith is one of the Druze's pillars and is similar to the concept 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'i norms and ideologies of jihad's origin as primarily a personal spiritual practice. Such principle of jihad as a process towards inner enlightenment reflects back to the Qu'ran and Hadith of the Prophet formulating and informing the Isma'ili perspective (as ultimately interpreted by right of ta'awiil (interpretation) and ta'liim(instruction) of the Imam of the Time). Jihad-e-Akbar as seen by many sects of the ummah is a highly personal 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 its batini 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" (24:46) ultimately leads to an elevated understanding of God and thus enables the receiving of perpetual closeness within Him. An important differentiation that Shi'i tradition states is the intercession of the Imam of the Time, articulated through the concept of wilayah or guardianship, to guide the believer to where and in which direction to turn so as to obtain spiritual and worldly sukuun or happiness.
Paths (Tariqah)
Nizari
The largest part of the Isma?ili community today accepts Prince Karim Aga Khan IV as their 49th Imam, who is descended from Muammad through his daughter Faimah az-Zahra and 'Ali, Muammad's cousin and son-in-law. 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. Aga Hassan ‘Ali Shah settled in Mumbai in 1848.
Like its predecessors, the present constitution is founded on each Isma?ili's spiritual allegiance to the Imam of the Time (Imam az-Zaman), which is separate from the secular allegiance that all Isma?ilis owe as citizens to their national entities. The present Imam and his predecessor emphasized Isma?ilis' allegiance to their 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.
The Nizari followers of the Aga Khan are found today in China, Syria, the Indo-Pak Subcontinent, East Africa, Central Asia, Europe, Canada and the United States. Notable cities with many Nizaris include: Salamiyah, Karachi, Chitral, Ghizer, Gilgit, Mumbai, and Toronto. Salamiyah is one of the few areas in the world that is predominantly Ismaili, along with the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region and Hunza Valley.
In view of the importance that Islam places on maintaining a balance between the spiritual well-being of the individual and the quality of his life, the Imam's guidance deals with both aspects of the life of his followers. The Aga Khan has encouraged Isma?ili Muslims, settled in the industrialized world, to contribute towards the progress of communities in the developing world through various development programmes. In recent years, Nizari Isma?ili 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 Nizari Isma?ili Muslim community's settlement in the industrial world has involved the establishment of community institutions characterized by an ethos of self-reliance, an emphasis on education, and a spirit of philanthropy.
Mustaali
In time, the seat for one chain of the Dai was split between South Asia and Syria as the community split several times, each recognizing a different Dai. Today, the Dawoodi Bohras, which constitute the majority of the Mustaali Isma?ili accept Mohammed Burhanuddin as the 52nd Da?i al-Mu?laq. The Dawoodi Bohras are based in India, along with the Alawi Bohra. The Sulaimani Bohra however still are in primarily Yemen and Saudi Arabia.
There has been, in recent years, 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 Isma?ili, maintaining rituals such as prayer and fasting more consistently with the practices of other Shi?a sects. It is often said they resemble Sunni Islam even more than Twelvers do, though this would hold true for matters of the exterior (zahir) only, with little bearing on doctrinal differences.
Dawoodi Bohra
The Dawoodi Bohras are a very closely-knit community who seek advice from the Dai on spiritual and temporal matters.
Dawoodi Bohras is essentially and traditionally Fatimid and is headed by the Da?i al-Mutlaq, who is appointed by his predecessor in office. The Da?i al-Mutlaq appoints two others to the subsidiary ranks of mazun (Arabic Ma??un ?????) "licentiate" and Mukasir (Arabic ?????). 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 Da?i 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 Da?i al-Mutlaq.
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 Dawoodi 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 color and decorated with patterns and lace.
Besides speaking the local languages, the Dawoodis have their own language called Lisanu l-Da?wat "Tongue of the Da?wat". This is written in Arabic script but is derived from Urdu, Gujarati and Arabic and Persian.
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 Da?i, (Sulayman ibn Hassan).
The total number of Sulaimanis currently are around 300,000, mainly living in the eastern district of Haraz in the North west of Yemen and in Najaran, Saudi Arabia, beside the Banu Yam of Najaran, the Sulaimanis are in Haraz, among the inhabitants of the Jabal Maghariba and in Hawzan, Lahab and Attara, as well as in the district of Hamdan and in the vicinity of Yarim.
In India there are between three to four thousand Sulaimanis living mainly in Baroda, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Surat. In Pakistan there is a well established Sulaimani community in Sind, some five to six thousand Sulaimanis live in rural areas of Sind, these Isma?ili Sulaimani communities are in Sind from the time of Fatimid Isma?ili Muizz li din Allah when he sent his Dais to Sind.
There are also some 900-1000 Sulaimanis mainly from Indian Sub-continent scattered around the World, in the Persian Gulf States, USA, Canada, Thailand, Australia, Japan and UK.
Alavi Bohra
While lesser known and smallest in number, Alavi Bohras accept as the 44th da?i al-mu?laq, 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 Da?i al-Mutlaq, 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 Da?i al-Mutlaq, who is appointed by his predecessor in office. The Da?i al-Mutlaq appoints two others to the subsidiary ranks of mazun (Arabic Ma'ðun ?????)"licentiate" and Mukasir (Arabic ?????). 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 Da?i 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 Da?i al-Mutlaq.
Hebtiahs Bohra
The Hebtiahs Bohra are a branch of Mustaali Ismaili Shi'a Islam that broke off from the mainstream Dawoodi Bohra after the death of the 39th Da'i al-Mutlaq in 1754.
Atba-i-Malak
The Abta-i Malak jamaat (community) are a branch of Mustaali Ismaili Shi'a Islam that broke off from the mainstream Dawoodi Bohra after the death of the 46th Da'i al-Mutlaq, under the leadership of Abdul Hussain Jivaji. They have further split into two more branches, the Atba-i-Malak Badra and Atba-i-Malak Vakil.
Druze
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.
There are thought to be as many as 1 million Druze worldwide, the vast majority in the Levant or East Mediterranean. However, some estimates of the total Druze population have been as low as 450,000.
Because of their beliefs contrasting greatly with both other Isma?ili groups and Islam in general, the classification of Druze as Isma?ili Muslims is controversial.
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 Isma?ili known as the Saba?iyyin "Seveners" hold that Isma?il's son, Muhammad, was the seventh and final Isma?ili, who is said to be in the Occultation. However, most scholars believe this group is either extremely small or totally non-existent today.
Statistics
Estimates on the total Ismai'li population range from 15–30 million. 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. With its three branches added together, the Mustaali are the second largest at under 2 million, followed by the Druze at around 1 million.
See also
External links
Encyclopedia of the Orient
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