1. c “Shi‘ite Century”
Isma‘ilis: Carmathians in Bahrayn (until 1077)
Fatimids in Egypt, N. Africa, parts of
southern Syria (until 1171)
Sulayhids in Yemen ( )
Nizaris (Assassins) in Persia (until 1256)
and Syria (until 1273)
Twelvers: Buyids in Iraq and W. Iran (until 1055)
Hamdanids in N. Syria (late 10th c)
Plus various others, including the Zaydis

2. 874 Twelfth Imam of Twelvers goes into
Lesser Concealment
941 Twelfth Imam of Twelvers goes into
Greater Concealment
Twelfth Imam: Provides guidance through
dreams and visions
Delegated judicial matters to
legal scholars
Will return before Day of
Judgment

3. 1130 Death of caliph al-Amir
(r ). Fatimids
accept al-Hafiz (r )
except Tayyibis of
Yemen,
who follow
al-Tayyib.
Later many
migrate to
Gujarat
Fatimids
Musta‘lis Nizaris
(Assassins)
Tayyibis
(until 1171)
da’i mutlaq =
chief missionary

4. 1256 Destruction of Alamut, Nizari Imams and Persian
Nizaris (Assassins) by Mongols. Imams and
followers go into hiding. Persecution of those
discovered leads many to migrate to W. India
1273 Mamluks destroy Syrian Nizaris
18th c. Nizari Imams re-appear in Persia
1830s/1840s Imam (Aga Khan) clashes with rulers of
Persia, emigrates to India
Late 19th-early 20th c. Many Nizaris emigrate to
E. Africa

5. 10th c. Isma‘ilis incorporating Neoplatonism,
Gnosticism and other philosophical and
cosmological ideas into theology
Imam = “Speaking Qur’an”
Qur’an = “Silent Qur’an”

6. Early Twelvers Later Twelvers
(via Mu‘tazilites)
Prefer hadith from Prefer reason,
family of al-Husayn reject most hadith
God’s attributes exist God’s attributes
metaphorical
Humans predestined Human free-will
Qur’an distorted Undistorted Qur’an

7. Some Twelver Views
Reduced importance of Friday noon prayer
(until 20th c.)
Suspension of offensive jihad
Pilgrimages
Differences in inheritance law
Differences in marriage law incl. temporary
marriages

8. Ibn Babawayhi (c )
Abu Ja‘far Muhammad ibn Abi’l-Hasan ‘Ali
ibn Babawayhi al-Qummi, a.k.a.
Ibn Babuya a.k.a. al-Saduq
Twelver Shi‘ite theologian and jurist
From Khurasan. Said to have been born in
response to prayer to Hidden Imam made
by father, who was a merchant
Taught in Baghdad and served Buyid rulers

9. Ibn Babawayhi (c )
Said to have written about 200 works.
Best known for six works on Twelver
Shi‘ite theology and law:
1. Man La Yahdaruhu al-Faqih
2. Ikmal al-Din
3. Kitab al-Amali
4. Kitab al-Tawhid
5. ‘Uyun Akhbar al-Rida’
6. Risalat al-I‘tiqadat (from which these
extracts taken)

10. Ibn Battuta (1304-btw and 1377)
Shams al-Din Abu ‘Abd Allah Muhammad ibn ‘Abd
Allah ibn Battuta al-Tanji
Sunni Muslim from Tangier in N. Africa
Travelled widely btw and Got as far
east as China, as far south as N. Africa and as
far north as the Golden Horde, incl. 3 hajjs to
Mecca
Left account of travels, the Rihla, edited (and
probably elaborated) by Ibn Juzayy