Nizārī IsmailisAdherents of a branch of Shi’i Islam that considers Ismail, the eldest son of the Shi’i Imam Jaʿfar al-Ṣādiq (d. 765), as his successor. belong to a branch of Shiʿi Islam who believe in the continuity of the succession to the Prophet Muhammad through, Ismāʿīl, the second eldest son of Jaʿfar al-Ṣādiq (d. 765). The early Ismailis went through several stages of evolution in their beliefs and political achievements, including a period of concealment (satr) (during which the Ismaili Imams operate clandestinely), leading to the establishment of the Fatimid state (in 909). The apogee of the Shiʿi Ismaili Imams’ power was reached during the reign of the Fatimid Imam-Caliphs.
Originally published in Illinois Geographer Vol 65, Spring-Fall 2023, Numbers 1-2. Published online with permission.
Author
Dr Daryoush Mohammad Poor
Dr Daryoush Mohammad Poor is the Interim Head of the Constituency Studies Unit, Associate Professor in the Department of Academic Research and Publications at The Institute of Ismaili Studies, London, and a lecturer for the Department of Graduate Studies. He is also the editor of the Ismaili Heritage Series.
