Samuel Stern and early Ismā‘īlism

Bibliographic Data

ID12709019
AuthorsFarhad Daftary (The Institute of Ismaili Studies, London, UK, corresponding author)
Year2021
Volume20
Issue4
Pages469-481
Publication date2021-10-02
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Modern Jewish Studies (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1472-5886 • E-ISSN: 1472-5894
PublisherTaylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/14725886.2021.1984838
OpenAlexW3215795614
LanguageEN
References cited12

The pre-Fāṭimid or early period in Ismāʿīlī history is one of the most obscure major phases in the entire history of Ismāʿīlism. This is mainly because we do not have any reliable sources written by the Ismāʿīlīs of that period, and our knowledge of that phase is primarily based on non- Ismāʿīlī sources. As a result, many aspects of early Ismāʿīlism have continue to be shrouded in mystery, causing differences of opinion among the scholars in the field. Using a wide range of sources, including new ones, Samuel Stern was perhaps the earliest modern scholar who correctly identified the nature of early Ismāʿīlism and its evolution from the middle of the second/eight century to the foundation of the Fāṭimid caliphate in North Africa in 297/909. This article focuses on Stern's original views on the opening phase of Ismāʿīlism as well as the circumstances leading to the division of the early Ismāʿīlis into the loyal Ismāʿīlīs and the dissident Qarmaṭīs. Stern also shed light on the cosmological doctrine propounded by the early Ismāʿīlīs

Ancient history · Anthropocene · Caliphate · Doctrine · Environmental ethics · Political science · Politics · Sociology · Stern · Archaeology and Historical Studies · Historical and Linguistic Studies · History · Islamic Studies and History · Law · Philosophy

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