Download or read book The Ismailis in the Middle Ages written by Shafique N. Virani and published by OUP USA. This book was released on 2007-04-19 with total page 322 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "None of that people should be spared, not even the babe in its cradle." With these chilling words, the Mongol warlord Genghis Khan declared his intention to destroy the Ismailis, one of the most intellectually and politically significant Muslim communities of medieval Islamdom. The massacres that followed convinced observers that this powerful voice of Shi'i Islam had been forever silenced. Little was heard of these people for centuries, until their recent and dramatic emergence from obscurity. Today they exist as a dynamic and thriving community established in over twenty-five countries. Yet the interval between what appeared to have been their total annihilation, and their modern, seemingly phoenix-like renaissance, has remained shrouded in mystery. Drawing on an astonishing array of sources gathered from many countries around the globe, The Ismailis in the Middle Ages: A History of Survival, A Search for Salvation is a richly nuanced and compelling study of the murkiest portion of this era. In probing the period from the dark days when the Ismaili fortresses in Iran fell before the marauding Mongol hordes, to the emergence at Anjudan of the Ismaili Imams who provided a spiritual centre to a scattered community, this work explores the motivations, passions and presumptions of historical actors. With penetrating insight, Shafique N. Virani examines the rich esoteric thought that animated the Ismailis and enabled them to persevere. A work of remarkable erudition, this landmark book is essential reading for scholars of Islamic history and spirituality, Shi'ism and Iran. Both specialists and informed lay readers will take pleasure not only in its scholarly perception, but in its lively anecdotes, quotations of delightful poetry, and gripping narrative style. This is an extraordinary book of historical beauty and spiritual vision.
Download or read book The Ismailis in the Middle Ages written by Shafique Virani and published by . This book was released on 2010 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book The Ismailis in the Middle Ages written by Shafique N. Virani and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2007-04-19 with total page 322 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "None of that people should be spared, not even the babe in its cradle." With these chilling words, the Mongol warlord Genghis Khan declared his intention to destroy the Ismailis, one of the most intellectually and politically significant Muslim communities of medieval Islamdom. The massacres that followed convinced observers that this powerful voice of Shi'i Islam had been forever silenced. Little was heard of these people for centuries, until their recent and dramatic emergence from obscurity. Today they exist as a dynamic and thriving community established in over twenty-five countries. Yet the interval between what appeared to have been their total annihilation, and their modern, seemingly phoenix-like renaissance, has remained shrouded in mystery. Drawing on an astonishing array of sources gathered from many countries around the globe, The Ismailis in the Middle Ages: A History of Survival, A Search for Salvation is a richly nuanced and compelling study of the murkiest portion of this era. In probing the period from the dark days when the Ismaili fortresses in Iran fell before the marauding Mongol hordes, to the emergence at Anjudan of the Ismaili Imams who provided a spiritual centre to a scattered community, this work explores the motivations, passions and presumptions of historical actors. With penetrating insight, Shafique N. Virani examines the rich esoteric thought that animated the Ismailis and enabled them to persevere. A work of remarkable erudition, this landmark book is essential reading for scholars of Islamic history and spirituality, Shi'ism and Iran. Both specialists and informed lay readers will take pleasure not only in its scholarly perception, but in its lively anecdotes, quotations of delightful poetry, and gripping narrative style. This is an extraordinary book of historical beauty and spiritual vision.
Download or read book Mediaeval Isma ili History and Thought written by Farhad Daftary and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2001-02-22 with total page 354 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume presents scholarship on Isma`ili history and thought from leading authorities in the field.
Download or read book Ismailis in Medieval Muslim Societies written by Farhad Daftary and published by . This book was released on 2005 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "This important book, by an internationally acknowledged expert in Ismaili studies, introduces Ismaili history and thought in medieval times. Discussing the different phases in Ismaili history, it describes both the early Ismailis as well as the contributions of the later Ismailis to Islamic culture. A number of chapters deal with key Ismaili individuals such as Hasan-i Sabbah. Other chapters contextualise the Ismailis within the early Muslim societies, in addition to investigating the Ismaili-Crusader relations and the resulting legends on the Ismaili secret practices. Over the course of the work, it becomes clear that Ismaili historiography, and the perception of the Ismailis by others (in both Muslim and Christian milieus), have had a fascinating evolution. In the course of their long history the Ismailis have often been accused of various heretical teachings and practices and - at the same time - a multitude of myths and misconceptions have ciculated about them. This state of affairs reflected the fact that the Ismailis were, until the middle of the twentieth century, studied and judged almost exclusively on the basis of evidence collected, or even fabricated, by their enemies. As the most revolutionary wing of Shi'ism, with a religio-political agenda that aimed to uproot the Abbasids and restore the caliphate to a line of 'Alid imams, the Ismailis naturally from early on aroused the hostility of the Sunni establishment and majority. Farhad Daftary here separates myth from fact, propaganda from actuality, in a work characterised by his customary mastery of the sources and literature."--Bloomsbury Publishing.
Download or read book Short History of the Ismailis written by Farhad Daftary and published by Edinburgh University Press. This book was released on 2020-03-31 with total page 256 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Despite being one of the key Shi'i Muslim communities, the Ismailis were until recently studied primarily on the basis of the accounts of their enemies. This new introduction is the first to be based on modern scholarship, taking account of recently recovered Ismaili texts. It covers all the main developments in the major phases of Ismaili history, from the early formative period, through the Fatamid golden age and the Alamut and post-Alamut periods, to more recent history. Dealing only with the most important historical developments, this is a comprehensive and accessible survey for all newcomers to the subject.
Download or read book The Ismaili Assassins written by James Waterson and published by Pen and Sword. This book was released on 2008-10-30 with total page 208 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “A fascinating history . . . The Medieval conflict between Christians and Muslims has many similarities to the Middle East today.”—Firetrench The Ismaili Assassins were an underground group of political killers who were ready to kill Christians and Muslims alike with complete disregard for their own lives. Under the powerful control of an enigmatic grand master, these devoted murderers often slayed their victims in public, cultivating their terrifying reputation. They assumed disguises and their weapon of choice was a dagger. The dagger was blessed by the grand master and killing with it was a holy and sanctified act; poison or other methods of murder were forbidden to the followers of the sect. Surviving a mission was considered a deep dishonor and mothers rejoiced when they heard that their Assassin sons had died having completed their deadly acts. Unsurprisingly, their formidable reputation spread far and wide. In 1253, the Mongol chiefs were so fearful of them that they massacred and enslaved the Assassins’ women and children in an attempt to liquidate the sect. The English monarch, Edward I, was nearly dispatched by their blades and Richard the Lionheart’s reputation was sullied by his association with the Assassins’ murder of Conrad of Montferrat. The Ismaili Assassins explores the origins, actions and legacy of this notorious sect. Enriched with eyewitness accounts from Islamic and Western sources, this important book unlocks the history of the Crusades and the early Islamic period, giving the reader entry into a historical epoch that is thrilling and pertinent. “An inherently fascinating, deftly written, and impressively informative read from beginning to end.”—Midwest Book Review
Download or read book The Abrahamic Religions a Very Short Introduction written by Charles L. Cohen and published by Oxford University Press, USA. This book was released on 2020-01-08 with total page 175 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the book of Genesis, God bestows a new name upon Abram--Abraham, a father of many nations. With this name and his Covenant, Abraham would become the patriarch of three of the world's major religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Connected by their mutual--if differentiated--veneration of the One God proclaimed by Abraham, these traditions share much beyond their origins in the ancient Israel of the Old Testament. This Very Short Introduction explores the intertwined histories of these monotheistic religions, from the emergence of Christianity and Islam to the violence of the Crusades and the cultural exchanges of al-Andalus. Each religion continues to be shaped by this history but has also reacted to the forces of modernity and politics. Movements such as the Reformation and that led by seventh-century Kharijites have emerged, intentioned to reform or restore traditional religious practice but quite different in their goals and effects. Relationships with states, among them Israel and Saudi Arabia, have also figured importantly in their development. The Abrahamic Religions: A Very Short Introduction brings these traditions together into a common narrative, lending much needed context to the story of Abraham and his descendants. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.
Download or read book Bad Days in Basra written by Hilary Synnott and published by . This book was released on 2008 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "The Ismailis have enjoyed a long, eventful and complex history dating back to the 8th century CE and originating in the Shi'i tradition of Islam. During the medieval period, Ismailis of different regions - especially in central Asia, south Asia, Iran and Syria - developed and elaborated their own distinctive literary and intellectual traditions, which have made an outstanding contribution to the culture of Islam as a whole. At the same time, the Ismailis in the Middle Ages split into two main groups who followed different spiritual leaders. The bulk of the Ismailis came to have a line of imams now represented by the Aga Khans, while a smaller group - known in south Asia as the Bohras - developed their own type of leadership.This collection is the first scholarly attempt to survey the modern history of both Ismaili groupings since the middle of the 19th century. It covers a variety of topical issues and themes, such as the modernising policies of the Aga Khans, and also includes original studies of regional developments in Ismaili communities worldwide. The contributors focus too on how the Ismailis as a religious community have responded to the twin challenges of modernity and emigration to the West. "A Modern History of the Ismailis" will be welcomed as the most complete assessment yet published of the recent trajectory of this fascinating and influential Shi'i community."--Bloomsbury publishing.
Download or read book The Secret Fraternities of the Middle Ages written by Americo Palfrey Marras and published by Theclassics.Us. This book was released on 2013-09 with total page 28 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1865 edition. Excerpt: ... indifference of all actions, and the vanity of all religion, would readily join a fraternity whose practice was so akin to their own, and would not hesitate to change the dagger for the handkerchief, or to adopt any superstitious ceremonies which might be necessary to form a bond of union. Burckhardt4 shows that a correspondence is still maintained between the Ismailis of Syria and those of India; and this discovery is valuable, as proving that the organization set on foot a thousand years ago by Abdallah, and afterwards modified by Hassan-Sabah, had not yet been entirely dissolved. This may go far to show the vitality of such fraternities, and the influence which they exercise upon those which follow them. V. In the proceedings of the "Vehmgerichte," or Secret Tribunals of Westphalia, are to be found traces of retribution fulfilled as swiftly and as certainly as were the sentences of the Assassin Lord of the Mountain. Germany has ever been fertile in secret fraternities. Liberty has found in that land her most enthusiastic defenders; yet, strange to say, the frequent contests which have arisen from this circumstance, have been but of little advantage to the peoples of that country. Perhaps this may be the result of a general national characteristic, a tendency to introspective contemplation, rather than to action, to romantic conception of abstract right, rather than to practical development of the idea of freedom. Germany seems ever faithful to the traditions of the past, neglectful of the present, yet full of dreams for the future. To this permanent disposition of the German mind may be attributed the existence of the numerous secret fraternities which have been formed in that country. Even the arts, literature, and poetry of Germany...
Download or read book A Modern History of the Ismailis written by Farhad Daftary and published by I.B. Tauris. This book was released on 2011 with total page 432 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This collection of studies is the first scholarly attempt to survey the modern history of both Ismaili branches since the middle of the 19th century. For the Nizari Ismailis it covers a variety of topical issues and themes, including the modern history of their communities in Syria, Central Asia, South Asia and East Africa, as well as their migration to the West. The Aga Khans' modernizing, education and gender policies are also discussed, as well as the Aga Khan Development Network and approaches to the built environment. A separate part is devoted to the modern history of the Tayyibi Bohras and developments within this community. --Book Jacket.
Download or read book Western Views of Islam in the Middle Ages written by Richard William Southern and published by Cambridge : Harvard University Press. This book was released on 1962 with total page 134 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Lezingen, gehouden voor de Harvard universiteit in 1961
Download or read book Sons of Ishmael written by John Victor Tolan and published by . This book was released on 2008 with total page 258 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "John V. Tolan is one of the world's foremost scholars in the field of early Christian/Muslim interactions. In ten essays, he explores "Sons of Ishmael," the epithet many Christian writers of the Middle Ages gave to Muslims, Sons of Ishmael focuses on the history of conflict and convergence between Latin Christendom and the Arab Muslim world during this period."--Book jacket.
Download or read book A Modern History of the Ismailis written by Farhad Daftary and published by . This book was released on 2011 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "The second largest branch of Islam, with between 130 and 190 million adherents across the globe, Shi'i Islam is becoming an increasingly significant force in contemporary politics, especially in the Middle East. This makes an informed understanding of its fundamental spiritual beliefs and practices both necessary and timely. Mohammad Ali Amir-Moezzi is one of the most distinguished scholars of Shi'i history and theology, and in this volume he offers a wide-ranging and engaging survey of the core texts of Shi'i Islam. Examining in turn the origins and later developments of Shi'i spirituality, the author reveals the profoundly esoteric nature of the beliefs which accrued to the figures of the early Imams, and which became associated with their interaction between the material and spiritual worlds. Many of these beliefs have remained much misunderstood even within the wider Muslim world. Furthermore, Western scholarship has tended to follow the lead of the earlier orientalists and critics, viewing Shi'i teachings as marginal. In this study the author shows, by contrast, how central and creative the very nature of spirituality was to the development of Shi'i Islam, as well as to classical Muslim civilisation as a whole. In this comprehensive treatment, the esoteric nature of Shi'i spirituality emerges as an essential phenomenon for understanding Shi'i Islam."--Bloomsbury publishing.
Download or read book The Assassins written by W. B. Bartlett and published by Sutton Publishing. This book was released on 2001 with total page 310 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Assassins are among the most compelling figures of medieval history, with a reputation as drug-crazed fanatics who murdered their enemies and terrorised the medieval world. Since the colourful tales of Marco Polo, the myths surrounding them have been wildly exaggerated and the truth has become ever more obscure. This new book separates fact from fiction and shows that the Assassins of history are just as interesting as the Assassins of legend. The group first appeared in the late eleventh century as an offshoot of the Ismaili sect of Islam. They called themselves Nizaris but to some other Muslims they were 'hashishiyyum', a derogatory term meaning 'hashish taker'. Usually based in mountain fortresses, over the next two centuries they spread from Persia into Syria, central Asia and India, using assassination as only one of a number of methods of achieving their aims. Widely loathed and feared, they were especially threatening because they had no fear of death. If they were to die in the execution of their mission they were hailed as martyrs and promised eternal life in a secret garden of paradise. Indeed, most of the assassinations they carried out were suicide missions, usually committed in public in broad daylight and with little opportunity for the Assassin to escape. Often, he would befriend his intended victim months beforehand and then, once trust had been established, he would suddenly strike - servant or friend turned killer. W. B. Bartlett's pacy narrative follows the history of the group with special reference to the Alamut period (1093-1256). Fascinatingly, he shows how their history and mythology have been developed over time through the writings of Western chroniclers.
Download or read book The Isma ilis written by Farhad Daftary and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 1992-04-24 with total page 824 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Scattered across the globe, the Isma'ilis constitute the second largest Shi'i community in the Muslim World. This study traces their history and doctrinal developments from their origins to the present day over a period of twelve centuries.
Download or read book Al Ghazali and the Ismailis written by Farouk Mitha and published by I.B.Tauris. This book was released on 2001-11-22 with total page 156 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Al-Ghazali is arguably one of the most influential thinkers in the history of Islam, and his writings have received greater scholarly attention in the West than those of any other Muslim scholar. This study explores an important dimension of his thought that has not yet been fully examined, namely, his polemical engagement with the Ismailis of the Fatimid and early Alamut periods. Published in association with The Institute of Ismaili Studies.
