Shii Islam: Texts and Studies6 Ismaili Sources, Studies, History Traditions

Since the 1940s, Ismaili Studies have witnessed a revolution following access to a large number of genuine Ismaili texts. Drawing on the result of modern scholarship in this field, Daftary's writings collected in this volume shed light on Ismaili history and aspects of Ismaili thoughts and traditions. Until recently, Ismailis were studied and evaluated almost exclusively on the basis of evidence often fabricated by adversaries. Thus, a variety of legends and misrepresentations circulated in Europe as well as among other Muslim communities regarding the teachings and practices of this Shiʿi Muslim community. With the access of modern scholars to numerous Ismaili manuscript sources, preserved in Yemen, Syria, Iran, Central Asia and India, a completely new image of the Ismailis has emerged. A leading authority in Ismaili studies, Farhad Daftary draws on the results of modern scholarship in the studies collected here on Ismaili history and aspects of Ismaili thought and traditions.