Muhammad ibn Ismail was the son of Ismail ibn Jafar and an
Ismaili' is a branch of the Islamic faith. It is the second largest part of the Shī‘ah community, after the mainstream Twelvers...
ImamAn imam is an Islamic leadership position, often the leader of a mosque and the community. Similar to spiritual leaders, the imam is the one who leads the prayer during Islamic gatherings. More often, the community turns to the mosque imam if they have an Islamic question...
. He is believed by
SevenerSeveners are a branch of Ismā'īlī Shīˤa. They became known as "Seveners" because they believe that Ismā'īl ibn Jaˤfar was the seventh and the last Imām . They believed his son, Muħammad ibn Ismā'īl al-Maktum, would return and bring about an age of justice as al-Mahdi...
Ismaili' is a branch of the Islamic faith. It is the second largest part of the Shī‘ah community, after the mainstream Twelvers...
s to be in
the OccultationThe Occultation in Shi'a Islam refers to a belief that the messianic figure, al-Mahdi, who in Shi'a thought is an infallible male descendant of the founder of Islam, Muhammad, has been born but has disappeared and will one day return and fill the world with justice. Some Shi'a, such as the Zaidi...
and will one day return as
al-MahdiMuhammad ibn Mansur al-Mahdi , was the third Abbasid Caliph. He succeeded his father, al-Mansur.Al-Mahdi, whose name means "Rightly-guided" or "Redeemer", was proclaimed caliph when his father was on his deathbed...
and bring about an age of justice. The majority of
Ismaili' is a branch of the Islamic faith. It is the second largest part of the Shī‘ah community, after the mainstream Twelvers...
however follow his descendants through his son
Wafi AhmadWafi Ahmad is the eighth Ismaili Imam according to the Nizari branch of Ismailism, and the ninth according to the Mustaali. He was surnamed al-Wafi. As the Imam, he was the supreme spiritual leader of the Ismaili community from his appointment till his death. The Nizari and Mustaali trace their...
who founded the Fatimid Empire, including the
NizariThe Shī‘a Imami Ismā‘īlī Tariqah also referred to as the Ismā‘īlī or Nizārī , are a path of Shī‘a Islām, emphasizing social justice, pluralism, and human reason within the framework of the mystical tradition of Islam. The Nizari are the second largest branch of Shia Islam and form the majority of...
and
MustaaliThe Musta‘lī Ismā'īlī Muslims are so named because they accept al-Musta‘lī as the nineteeth Fatimid Caliph and legitimate successor to his father, al-Mustansir...
.
He was born on 12 th Rabi ' al- Awwal 128 AH/746 AD. The period of his Imaamat is 45 years.
Muhammad ibn Ismail was the son of Ismail ibn Jafar and an
Ismaili' is a branch of the Islamic faith. It is the second largest part of the Shī‘ah community, after the mainstream Twelvers...
ImamAn imam is an Islamic leadership position, often the leader of a mosque and the community. Similar to spiritual leaders, the imam is the one who leads the prayer during Islamic gatherings. More often, the community turns to the mosque imam if they have an Islamic question...
. He is believed by
SevenerSeveners are a branch of Ismā'īlī Shīˤa. They became known as "Seveners" because they believe that Ismā'īl ibn Jaˤfar was the seventh and the last Imām . They believed his son, Muħammad ibn Ismā'īl al-Maktum, would return and bring about an age of justice as al-Mahdi...
Ismaili' is a branch of the Islamic faith. It is the second largest part of the Shī‘ah community, after the mainstream Twelvers...
s to be in
the OccultationThe Occultation in Shi'a Islam refers to a belief that the messianic figure, al-Mahdi, who in Shi'a thought is an infallible male descendant of the founder of Islam, Muhammad, has been born but has disappeared and will one day return and fill the world with justice. Some Shi'a, such as the Zaidi...
and will one day return as
al-MahdiMuhammad ibn Mansur al-Mahdi , was the third Abbasid Caliph. He succeeded his father, al-Mansur.Al-Mahdi, whose name means "Rightly-guided" or "Redeemer", was proclaimed caliph when his father was on his deathbed...
and bring about an age of justice. The majority of
Ismaili' is a branch of the Islamic faith. It is the second largest part of the Shī‘ah community, after the mainstream Twelvers...
however follow his descendants through his son
Wafi AhmadWafi Ahmad is the eighth Ismaili Imam according to the Nizari branch of Ismailism, and the ninth according to the Mustaali. He was surnamed al-Wafi. As the Imam, he was the supreme spiritual leader of the Ismaili community from his appointment till his death. The Nizari and Mustaali trace their...
who founded the Fatimid Empire, including the
NizariThe Shī‘a Imami Ismā‘īlī Tariqah also referred to as the Ismā‘īlī or Nizārī , are a path of Shī‘a Islām, emphasizing social justice, pluralism, and human reason within the framework of the mystical tradition of Islam. The Nizari are the second largest branch of Shia Islam and form the majority of...
and
MustaaliThe Musta‘lī Ismā'īlī Muslims are so named because they accept al-Musta‘lī as the nineteeth Fatimid Caliph and legitimate successor to his father, al-Mustansir...
.
He was born on 12 th Rabi ' al- Awwal 128 AH/746 AD. The period of his Imaamat is 45 years. He died on 11 th Shawwal 193 AH/27 July 809 AD in the region of Farghana.
He spent his early childhood under the protection of his grandfather Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq (as). He stayed in Medina for most of the time under disguise. Only the selected missionaries (da'is) and few loyal and faithful members knew about his identity. Abbasid caliph Haroon Rasheed was in constant search of him and he had deployed his detectives throughout the city of Medina. The wife of Haroon Rasheed, Zubaida, was loyal and devoted to the rank and status of Imamat of Mohammad ibn Isma'il just like the wife of Fir'aun (Pharaoh) who was faithful and a believer of Moosa (Moses). Zubaida gave all the information to Mohammad ibn Isma'il about the plans of Haroon Rasheed. It was because of her assistance and help that Imam Mohammad ibn Isma'il remained alert and migrated to the city of Koofa with his brother 'Ali. He stayed there for long time under disguise.
His father Imam Isma'il (as) died during the lifetime of Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq (as). He was succeeded by his son Wafi Ahmad, who became the 8th Ismaili Imam. The 8th, 9th and 10th Ismaili Imams are believed to have gone into seclusion because of the constant threat of life from the Abbasid dynasty.