Ismâ'ili Ta'wil in Practice according to al-Mu'ayyad (d.ca. 1078 CE)

416 Pages·2012·16.43 MB·English

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The "Sphere of Walayah": Ismâ'ili Ta'wil in Practice
according to al-Mu'ayyad (d.ca. 1078 C.E.)
by
Elizabeth R. Alexandrin
Institute of Islamic Studies
McGill University
April 2006
A thesis submitted to McGill University,
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Ph.D.
© 2006 Elizabeth R. Alexandrin
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Abstracts
Acknowledgements
Technical Notes
Introduction i-XXÜÏ
Chapter One: Between Heresiography and Historiography: Persian
and Arabic Sources on the Ismâ'ilï Da'wah 1
Mise en scène: the "Origins" of the Ismâ'ilï Da'wah 13
The "Writing of History" 32
Saljüq and Ïlkhânid Perspectives on the 11 th- century
Ismâ'ilï Da'wah 39
Chapter Two: Religious Biography, Autobiographyand
Waliiyah in Practice 52
Part 1: Fâtimid Ismâ'ili Sïrah and Majalis Literature
Fâtimid Ismâ'ïlï Sïrah and Majalis Literature 55
Reading Ismâ'ilï Texts in Shirâz: al-Mu'ayyad and the 70
Büyid Amïr Abü Kâlïjâr
Fitnah in Shïrâz and Ahwâz 77
The "Conversion" of Abü Kâlïjâr 90
Deception and Intrigue at the Fâtimid Court:
Altercations in the 11th-century Ismâ'ilï Da'wah 93
Part II: Al-Mu'ayyad and the Basâsïrï Débâcle 106
Mediaeval Islamic Historiography and the "Ahl-i Saljüq" 114
Late Büyid Historiography and the History of Western 126
Iran
Sibt Ibn al-Jawzï as a Source for Fâtimid History 134
The Vizier al-Yâzürt's Ploy: the Fâtimid Perspective 137
The Sïrat al-Mu'ayyadivvah and Fâtimid Sïrah Literature 142
Chapter Three: The Composition and the Transmission of
the Majalis al-Mu'avvadivvah
The Majalis al-Mu'avvadivvah 147
The Majalis as Public Sermons 160
Compendiums and Study-Guides of the Majalis 165
Neoplatonic Elements in 11 th-century Isma'ïlï
Thought and the Fatimid Majlis 180
Chapter Four: The "Sphere of Walâyah"
Part 1. Typologies of the Imâm in the Majalis al-Mu'avvadivvah 184
The Human Being in Potentia and in Actu 204
In Imitation of the Universal Soul 225
Part II. Fatimid Isma'ïlï Interpretations of Walâyah and the
Awliyâ' Allâh
The Walâyah of the Prophet Mul).ammad and 'Alï 256
Walâyah and Counter-Walâyah 275
God's "Beautiful Names" and the Ijudüd al-Dîn 292
Al-Mu'ayyad's Refutations against the Ghuliit and
the Muqa$$irün 302
Spiritual Parents and the Word of Revelation 308
Chapter Five: Religious Mfiliation and Spiritual Birth
The Ta'wïl of the Month of Rama<;lan and
the CCNight of Power:>:> (ccLaylat al-Qadr:>:» 319
The Qii'im and Pure Knowledge 330
Walâyah and the "Seal" of the Imams 350
Conclusions 351
Bibliography 358
Précis
Elizabeth R. Alexandrin
Title: The "Sphere of Waliiyah": Ismâ'ïli Ta'wll in Practice according to al
Mu'ayyad (d.ca. 1078 C.E.)
Department: Institute of Islamic Studies, McGill University
Degree sought: Ph.D.
Dans son recueil de conférences connu sous le titre de Majalis al
Mu'avvadivvah, al-Mu'ayyad fi al-Din al-Shïrâzï (m. ca. 1078 de l'ère
commune) établit une typologie de l'imam qui révèle une approche originale
à l'imamologie ismaélienne. Cette vision particulière du rôle de l'imam
s'explique par la volonté qu'avait al-Mu'ayyad de perfectionner la doctrine de
ses prédécesseurs et de ses contemporains actifs au sein de la convocation
ismaélienne (da'wah). La critique que fait al-Mu'ayyad des cCMaximalistes:>:>
(Ghuliit) et des cCMinimalistes:>:> souligne l'importance de la
(Muqa~~iriln)
walayah comme doctrine d'autorité et de bonne direction religieuse dans les
débats concernant la divinité ou l'humanité de l'imam dans la tradition
médiévale chiite. Dans son oeuvre doctrinale principale, al-Mu'ayyad intègre
habilement une conception de l'être humain (al-insan) et une théorie
d'anthropologie prophétique à sa présentation de l'imam ismaélien et des
cCamis de Dieu:>:> (awliya' Allah). L'importance commune de la da'wah et des
CCrangs de la religion:>:> (I},udüd al-dïn) comme modes pour atteindre la
perfection individuelle, met l'accent sur la nécessité de la bonne direction
religieuse durant la formation et le développement (al-nash'ah) du croyant.
Grâce au modèle des CCamis de Dieu:>:>, le croyant peut atteindre une nouvelle
forme d'humanité, symbolisée par une renaissance et une nouvelle croissance
{al-nash'ah al-akhirah)-une croissance spirituelle et non pas physique--qui
a lieu à l'intérieur de son âme subtile.
Selon l'imamologie d'al-Mu'ayyad, même les croyants se trouvant au
dernier rang de l'I},udüd al-dïn peuvent éventuellement devenir imam. De
plus, al-Mu'ayyad affirme qu'il doit y avoir un imam en tous temps,
physiquement présent au sein de la communauté, pour que les croyants
puissent bénéficier de sa présence. Un des objectifs de ce mémoire sera de
démontrer que les concepts élaborés par al-Mu'ayyad, tels que CCl'homme
absolu:>:> (al-insiin al-mutzaq), cCl'imam en tout temps {indéterminé):>:>
(al-imiim al-mutzaq) et le CCsceau des imâms:>:> (khatam al-a'immah), et
intégrés dans le lexique technique ismaélien fatimide au onzième siècle,
eurent des effets durables sur le développement des débats concernant la
waliiyah et la hiérarchie cCdes amis de Dieu:>:>. En ce qui concerne la
définition que donne al-Mu'ayyad des paramètres de la cCsphère de la
waliiyah:l:l, il apparaît que la doctrine sotériologique portant sur la perfection
finale de la révélation prophétique grâce au modèle des CCamis de Dieu:l:l
culmine par l'apparition du Messie (al-Qa'im) à la fin des temps.
Abstract
Elizabeth R. Alexandrin
Title: The "Sphere of Walayah": Ismâ'ïlï Ta'wïl in Practice according to al
Mu'ayyad (d.ca. 1078 C.E.)
Department: Institute of Islamic Studies, McGill University
Degree sought: Ph.D.
In his collection of lectures, the Majâlis al-Mu'ayyadiyyah, al
Mu'ayyad fi al-Dïn al-Shïrâzï's (d.ca. 1078 C.E.) typologies of the imam set
forth a distinctive concept of the Ismâ'ïlï imam, as it subsequently results
from alwMu'ayyad's engagement in the works of his predecessors and
contemporaries in the Ismâ'ïlï missionary organization (da'wah). Al
Mu'ayyad's refutations against the "Exaggerators" (Ghulat) and the
"Shortcomers" (Muqa$$irün) calI attention to the importance of walayah
as a doctrine of religious authority and guidance in the light of debates
concerning the divinity or humanity of the figure of the imam in the
mediaeval Shï'ï tradition. In his main doctrinal work, the concept of the
huma n being (al-insan) and a theory of prophetic anthropology are
inherently enmeshed in al-Mu'ayyad's skillful presentation of the Isma'ïlï
imam and the "friends of God" (awliya' Allah). The shared significance of
the da'wah and the "ranks of religion" (lJudüd al-dïn) as vehicles for
perfection on the level of the individual human being stresses the necessity
of religious guidance throughout the individual practitioner's formation
and development (al-nash'ah). Through the guidance of the "friends of
God", the individual practitioner may potentially attain to a true
humanity that is associated with another birth and formation (al
nash'ah al-akhirah); another formation that is spiritual rather than
physical, and which takes place in the individual's subtle soui.
Underlying al-Mu'ayyad's typologies of the imam, where one of the
specified lower ranks of the lJudüd al-dïn may potentially qualify to
become the imam, is the idea that there has to be one specifie imam at any
time who is manifest and physically present so that individual
practitioners can benefit from the presence of the imam. As this
dissertation aims to elucidate, al-Mu'ayyad's introduction of the imam as
the "absolute human being" (al-insan al-mutlaq) and the concepts of the
"imam at any (undetermined) time" (al-imam al-mutlaq) and the "seal of
the imams" (khatam al-a'immah) into the 11th-century Fâtimid Ismâ'ïlï
technical lexicon has broader implications for the internaI mediaeval
Ismâ'ïlï debates concerning the concept of walayah and the hierarchy of
the "friends of God". In terms of al-Mu'ayyad's definition of the
parameters of the "sphere of walayah", the soteriological doctrines
associated with the final perfection of prophetic revelation through the
guidance of the "friends of God" culminate in the appearance of the
Messiah (al-Qa'im) at the end of time.
Acknowledgements
Every dissertation signifies much more than pen put to paper.
My first acknowledgement goes to my thesis supervisor, Professor
Hermann A. Landolt. In the simplest of words, it has been my good fortune
to be able to benefit from Professor Landolt's tarbiyyah and ta'lïm during the
course of writing this dissertation. From the initial to the final stages,
Professor Landolt's patient guidance and supervision-- which always
combined bis exemplary dedication to approaching the sources with honesty
and raising the crucial and demanding questions-- gave me the courage to
pursue the answers.
Special thanks go to Professor Eric Ormsby, my former thesis co
supervisor, and Professor Robert Wisnovsky, my current thesis co-supervisor,
for their generous support.
1 am grateful to both Ann Yaxley and Kirsty McKinnon of the Institute of
Islamic Studies for their graceful maneuvering through aIl matters
administrative at McGiIl and for their care and concern they have shown to
me as a student over the years.
1 would like to thank especially the library staff at the Institute of
Islamic Studies for their invaluable assistance, in particular, Salwa
Ferahian, Wayne St. Thomas, Steve Millier and Adam Gacek, as weIl as the
Institute of Ismaili Studies library staff (former and current), Dr. Duncane
Haldane, Alnoor Merchant, Khadija Lalani, Shellina Karmali and Dr. Delia
Cortese.
1 owe a great debt of gratitude to Dr. Azim Nanji, director of the Institute
of Ismaili Studies, and Dr. Farhard Daftary, director of the Department of
Academic and Research Publications at the Institute, who provided me with
the most favorable of intellectual environments for working on al-Mu'ayyad.
1 would like to thank Dr. Faquir Hunzai for reading and discussing parts of