The Scent of the Scarlet Pimpernels: Ismaili Leaders of the 11th/17th Century

Book Chapter in "The Renaissance of Shi'i Islam: Facets of Thought and Practice"

“Ismaili and anti-Ismaili sources differ dramatically in their depictions of the Ismaili “inviters” (da'is). To Ismaili authors, the inviters were noble, kind, and pious believers who propagated the true message of Islam, while to their detractors, the inviters were sinister, unscrupulous villains. However, all agreed on one feature: the inviters generally worked discreetly and anonymously, far from the prying eyes of hostile authorities. Thus, the 11th/17th-century poem of the Ismaili Khālū Maḥmūd ʿAlī, edited and analyzed in this article, is a rarity. The poet enumerates Ismaili notables in locations scattered throughout Khurasan, Quhistan, Badakhshan, 'Iraq, Turkistan, and Hindustan in a period in which we know almost nothing about the Ismailis. The article discusses the existing manuscripts of the poem and its prosody. It continues by providing a critical edition, discusses elements in the poem that reflect the literary genre of “prayers of proximity” (du'a-yi taqarrub), and analyzes what we can deduce about the poet himself.” (Shafique Virani)

Author: Dr. Shafique Virani
Link to Full Chapter: Academia.edu
Link to Purchase: Bloomsbury

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