The reign of the founder of Cairo, the fourth Fatimid Imam-caliph al-Mu尪izz li-D蘋n Allh (953975 CE) marks a watershed in the transformation of the Fatimid state from a regional North African dynasty to an expansive Mediterranean empire. It was also under al-Mu尪izz that articulations of the supreme authority of the Fatimid Ismaili imamate were written and disseminated across various regions of Fatimid influence.
The writings of Idr蘋s 尪Imd al-D蘋n (d.1468 CE) provide a distinctive presentation of the Fatimid imamate from the perspective of the Ismaili 餃硃尪滄硃Lit. ‘summons’, ‘mission’ or invitation to Islam. Amongst Shi’i Muslims, it was the invitation to adopt the cause of the Imamat. It also refers more specifically to the hierarchy of… itself. As the chief 餃櫻尪蘋Lit. ‘summoner,’ a term for missionary amongst various Muslim communities, especially used among the Ismailis before and during the Fatimid period as well as in the Alamut period of Ismaili… of the Yemeni Tayyibi IsmailisAdherents of a branch of Shi’i Islam that considers Ismail, the eldest son of the Shi’i Imam Ja尪far al-廜〢diq (d. 765), as his successor., Idr蘋s composed his monumental 尪惚聆贖紳 al-akhbr wa funn al-thr as a record of the Ismaili imamate from its inception to his own time. In doing so, Idris drew upon the rich repertoire of Ismaili and non-Ismaili sources that had been part of the corpus of the Fatimid literary tradition, many of which have subsequently been lost due to the vagaries of time and circumstance. As the only surviving medieval Ismaili work documenting the history of the Fatimid dynasty, the 尪惚聆贖紳 al-akhbr is among its principal primary sources.
The Founder of Cairo provides the first annotated English translation of the extensive chapter on al-Mu尪izz in the 尪惚聆贖紳, which remains a vital yet relatively unknown Ismaili source. The introduction to this work not only outlines the salient features of al-Mu尪izzs reign but also examines Idris purpose and approach to historical writing.
In providing an insiders account of the reign of one of the most influential rulers of the medieval Muslim world, this work will be of particular interest to students of Ismaili history and thought, medieval Mediterranean history and Muslim historiography.
Acknowledgements
Introduction
The Fatimid framework
The reign of al-Mu尪izz li-D蘋n Allh
Representations of al-Mu尪izz: al-Maqr蘋z蘋 and Idr蘋s
Al-Mu尪izz through the lens of the 尪惚聆贖紳
Comparative approaches to Fatimid historiography
Note on the translation
Translation from Idr蘋s Imd al-D蘋ns 尪惚聆贖紳 al-akhbr
1. Preamble
2. Al-Mu尪izz and the cycles of the imamate
3. The virtues of al-Mu尪izz according to his predecessors
4. The merits of al-Mu尪izz li-D蘋n Allh for the imamate
5. Reports concerning al-Mu尪izzs inherited knowledge
6. The inherited knowledge of the Ahl al-Bayt
7. Additional reports on al-Mu尪izzs inherited knowledge
8. The transmission of the imamate
9. Al-Mu尪izzs sermon announcing al-Man廜贖rs demise
10. Al-Mu尪izzs campaign in the Awrs mountains
11. Al-Q廎蘋 al-Nu尪mns bond with the imams
12. Sessions of wisdom at the caliphal palace
13. The virtues of al-Q廎蘋 al-Nu尪mn
14. Al-Nu尪mns works on jurisprudence
15. The composition of the Da尪尨im al-Islm
16. Motivation for al-Nu尪mns other compositions
17. Additional works on jurisprudence
18. Historical works of al-Nu尪mn and their purpose
19. Other works of al-Nu尪mn
20. The virtues of Ja尪far b. Man廜贖r al-Yaman
21. Reports on the clemency and patience of al-Mu尪izz
22. Reports on al-Mu尪izzs quest for knowledge
23. Reasons for enmity towards the imams
24. Naval encounters with the UmayyadsFirst major ruling Muslim dynasty that was based in Damascus (661-750).
25. Naval encounters with the Byzantines
26. Umayyad attempts to seek truce with al-Mu尪izz
27. Al-Mu尪izz dispatches Jawhar westwards
28. The revolts of Ibn Ws贖l and A廎叮ad b. Bakr
29. The enlisting of the Kutma
30. Victory over the Maghrib蘋 contenders Ibn Ws贖l and Ibn Bakr
31. Al-Mu尪izzs favourable treatment of the 廎兀sanids and praise for the Kutma
32. Ibn Hni尨s praise of Jawhars capture of Ibn Ws贖l and Ibn Bakr
33. Circumcision of the Fatimid princes
34. Account of the 餃硃尪滄硃 in Sind
35. The Abbasid malaise
36. ByzantineThe late medieval Roman Empire which ruled large parts of Southern Europe and the Middle East from its capital Constantinople (present-day Istanbul), conquered by the Turks in 1453 CE. incursions into Crete
37. Al-Mu尪izzs invitation to the ruler of Egypt for the defence of Crete
38. Byzantine subjugation of Sayf al-Dawla
39. Al-Mu尪izzs letter to the 餃櫻尪蘋 of Sind
40. The death of Kf贖r al-Ikhsh蘋d蘋
41. Preparations for Jawhars march to Egypt
42. Jawdhars monetary contribution for the Egyptian expedition
43. Jawhars departure for Egypt
44. Ibn Hni尨s poem on Jawhars departure for Egypt
45. Jawhars march westwards
46. Jawhars issuance of the guarantee of safety
47. Skirmishes with the Ikhsh蘋dids and Kf贖rids
48. The re-issuance of the guarantee
49. Jawhars rule in Egypt and the founding of Cairo
50. The first Fatimid sermon in Egypt
51. Ibn Hni尨s poem about the conquest of Egypt
52. Celebration of 尪彃d al-Fi廜訃 and 尪彃d al-Na廎叵
53. Introduction of Ismaili law and rituals in Fatimid Egypt
54. Fatimid armies battle the Qarmi廜苔 in Egypt
55. Jawhars gift to al-Mu尪izz li-D蘋n Allh
56. Revolt of Zunbur al-Ikhsh蘋d蘋
57. Ja尪far b. Fal廎乒s expeditions in Syria
58. Appointment of 尪Abd Allh as the heir apparent
59. Al-Mu尪izz sets out westwards at the head of an army
60. Al-Mu尪izzs defeat of Ibn Khazars rebellion
61. Ibn Hni尨s poem on the defeat of Ibn Khazar
62. Incursions of the Qarmi廜苔 into Syria and Egypt and the death of Ja尪far b. Fal廎
63. Fatimid and Qarma廜俸 armies battle outside Cairo
64. Al-Mu尪izz li-D蘋n Allhs migration to Egypt
65. The demise of al-Ustdh Jawdhar
66. Al-Mu尪izzs arrival in Egypt
67. Al-Mu尪izz establishes his authority in Egypt
68. Bulugg蘋n b. Z蘋r蘋s defeat of Mu廎仟mmad b. al-Khayr
69. Resumption of the FatimidQarma廜俸 conflict
70. Demise of Prince 尪Abd Allh
71. Appointment of al-尪Az蘋z billh as the next imamIn general usage, a leader of prayers or religious leader. The Shi’i restrict the term to their spiritual leaders descended from 尪Al蘋 b. Ab蘋 廜珀lib and the Prophet’s daughter, Fatima.
72. The demise of al-Mu尪izz li-D蘋n Allh
Bibliography
Index
Shainool Jiwa is a specialist in Fatimid history and Head of Constituency Studies at 51勛圖厙, London. She holds graduate degrees from McGill University and the University of Edinburgh, and has lectured at a number of academic institutions for over 25 years. Dr Jiwa has published several studies in the field of medieval Islamic history. Her previous publications include Towards a Shi尪i Mediterranean Empire: Fatimid Egypt and the Founding of Cairo. The reign of the Imam-caliph al-Mu尪izz from al-Maqr蘋z蘋s Itti尪廕 al-廎只naf尨 (London, 2009).