Books in the Ismaili Heritage series

Provides a comprehensive treatment of Ismaili medieval history. Discussing the different phases in Ismaili history, this book describes the early Ismailis, as well as the contributions of the later Ismailis to Islamic culture It is useful to scholars of medieval Islam.

The Ismailis have enjoyed a complex history dating back to the 8th century CE and originating in the Shi'i tradition of Islam. Ismailis in the Middle Ages split into two main groups: Aga Khans and Bohras. This title attempts to survey the modern history of both Ismaili groupings since the middle of the 19th century.

This book examines the most important writings of a tenth century Islamic theologian and jurist who was one of the most original thinkers of his period. It argues that Qadi al-Nu'man's works constituted new and vital genres in Ismaili Shi'i literature, an emergence necessitated by the Fatimids' transition from revolutionary movement to statehood, and by their desire to establish their authority as a Shi'i alternative to the Sunni Abbasid caliphate. Al-Nu'man, already famous in the Fatimid era, produced a legacy which consists of a school of law, historical and biographical works, new interpretations of Ismaili doctrine, and the formulation of a ceremonial language achieved through his work on court protocol.