TYPES AND USES OF ARGUMENT IN ANTI-rsMÀ'ÏLÏ POLEMICS

226 Pages·2008·11.06 MB·English

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TYPES AND USES OF ARGUMENT
IN
ANTI-rsMÀ'ÏLÏ POLEMICS
by
Alnoor Jehangir Merchant
The Institute of Islamic Studies
McGill University, Montreal
A Thesis
submitted to the
Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research
in partial fulfillment of the
requirements for the degree of
Master of Arts
in
Islamic Studies
l,
(c) Alnoor Merchant, 1991
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A B S T R ACT
Author: Alnoor Jehangir Merchant
Title of Thesis: Types and uses of argument in
anti-Isma'll1 polemics.
Department: The Institute of Islamic Studies,
McGill University.
Degree: Master of Arts.
This thesis ai ms to present and understand various accounts composed by
( medieval writers against the Isma'ilis and to determine the substance of
the arguments forged by each writer to counter the Isma'ilis. Su ch writings
were accepted without question by earller researchers, and although a
revision has been undertaken in more recent studies, the specifie nature and
orientation of anti-Isms'lll polemics has not been adequately investigated.
Through a careful study of different arguments - arguments at times
quite sophisticated and difficult to appreciate fully we try to show
the evolution and development of the style of anti-Isma'III polemics, the
different of the polemicists studied, and some of the permament
temper~ments
and complimentary features within this tradition.
An additional question examined in this study ia the extent to which
social, cultural and political factors had an impact on the shaping of this
tradition and thevarious arguments employed within it.
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RES UME
Auteur: Alnoor Jehangir Merchant
Titre de la thèse: Types et genres d'argument des
polémiques antl-ismaéliennes .
..
Départemen t : L'Institut des Etudes Islamiques
de l'Université McGill.
Niveau: M.A.
,
Cette thèse a pour but de presenter et de comprendre d'une part les
~crits redig~s par les auteurs medl~vaux contre les Isma~liens et d'autre
part d'analyser la substance des arguments offerts par chaque auteur dans
leur polémique contre les Ismaéliens. Ces oeuvres furent acceptés sans
investigations par les chercheurs antérieurs; bien que des réviSIons aient
été entreprises dans les études récentes, la nature particulIère et
l'orientation des polémiques anti-isma~liennes n'ont pas été Jusqu'à présent
adéquatement examinées.
...
Grâce a l'étude méticuleuse des arguments variés arguments le plus
souvent très sophistiqués et diffIciles à ~valuer entièrement nous avons
tenté de montrer l'évolution et le dévelopement du style des pOlémIques
anti-ismaéliennes, les divers tempéraments des polémistes en question aInsi
que certaines caractéristiques permanentes et complémentaires de cette
-
tradi tian.
Un autre point étudié dans cette thèse concerne l'étendue des facteurs
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sociaux, culturels et poli tiques qui ont eu un impact sttr' la formation de
cette tradition polemique ainsi que les divers arguments utilisés dans ce
domaine.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Writing this thesis would have been imposslble without the assistance of
The Institute of Ismaili Studies, London, who financed my studies.
1 would like to especially thank my thesis superVIsor, Or. Paul E.
Walker, for his many constructive suggestions, valuable comments and
cn ticisms. Dr. Walker spent much time reading through the thesls and
dlscussing the issues, and it is with gratitude that l acknowledge his
k~en
interest in my work and his constant support.
l would like to make a special acknowledgement to the 1 ibrary staff of
both the Institute of Islamic Studies, MeGill University, and The Institute
of Ismaili Studies, London.
Among the many others who assisted me in vital ways, l would like ta
thank faculty members of both Institutes, in particular, Dr. J. Badakhchanl
for allowing me ta quote from his D. Phil. thesisj my colleagues Abdulazlz
Shamsuddin, Farouk Mitha and Karim Jiwani for reading various ctrafts and
for helplng to clarify many of the issues presented in this theSlS.
Most of aIl, l would like to thank my parents, Mr. and Mrs. Jehangir A.
Merchant, and my wife Haseena, for their unfailing support through the
-
yearsj ta them, this thesis is dedicated with love and respect.
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TEe H NIC ALI T lES
The system of transliteration utilized in this thesis generally adheres
to that employed by the Institute of Islamic Studies, McGill University.
After the first reference to a work in the footnotes, we have generally
given a shorter title. The following abbreviations are used in the notes
and bibliography:
AIEO Annales de l'Institut d'Etudes Orientales
BSOAS Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies
El E. J. Brill's First Encyclopaedia of Islam 1913-1936
EI(2) Encyclopaedia of Islam, New edition
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Elr Encyclopaedia lranica
ER Encyclopaedia of Religion
IC Islamic Culture
IJMES International Journal of Middle East Studies
JA Journal Asiatique
JACS Journal of the American Oriental Society
JBBRAS Journal of the Bombay Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society
JRAS Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and
Ireland
SEI Shorter Encyclopaedia of Islam
SI Studia Islamica
ZOMG Zeitschrift der Oeutschen Morgenlandischen Gesellschaft
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
..........................................................................
ABSTRACT ii
..................................................
RESUME , ..... , ........................... . iU
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ...................................................................................... v
....................................................................................
TECHNIl..:ALITIES
Vl
Chapter 1: The Anti-Isma'lll Polemical Tradition: A Survey
of the Sources
Introduction ............................................................................ . 2
Scope of this study .............................................................. iii. 6
Survey of the sources .................. 10
iii ................................................ ..
Accounts composed in the pre-Fatimid period, and during
the Fatimld-Isma'ili period up to 483/1090 ....••.•..••.•.••. 11
- Accounts composed after 483/1090 ...•••••••••.•••••.••••••••. 21
Footnotes to Chaptel'" l .......................................................... .. 29
Chapter II: Arguments on the 'Origins' and 'Founders' of
Isma'llism
Introduction ...... .. .. . . .. . .. . . .. . . .. . . . .. . .. . . . . .. .. .. .. .. .. . .. . . . .. .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . 45
Ibn Rizim's account of the 'origins' of 15mi'ilism ••.•.••...•... 46
Development of the 'origin' argument in antl-Isma'111
polemics after Ibn Rlz~m .•.....•••.......••.••.•.••.. ...•.••.... 48
Interpretation of the 'origin' accounts in modern scholarship 51
Nature and purpose of the 'origin' argument in anti-Isma'IlI
polemics . . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . . .. . .. . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . . . . .. .. .. .. .. . . .. . .. . .. . . .. .. . . .. .. . .. .. . 53
Footnotes ta Chapter II .. . .... . .. .. . .. .. .. .. . . . . .. . .. .. . . . . .. . . . .. . . .. .. . .. . . . . . . 58
Chapter III: Arguments on the genealogy and descent of the
Ismi' hi Imams
Introduction ... . .. .. ... . . . .. . . .. .. . .. .. .. .. . .. . .. . .. .. . ... . .. .. . .. . . .. . . .... .. .. .. .. ... 61
Isma'IlI versions of the genealogy of the Isma'Ili imams •••••••• 63
Ithni'Ashari accounts of the descent of the Isma'ili lmams ••••.. 65
Other accounts of the genealogy of the Isma'ili imams ....•••.... 66
Interpretatlon of the genealogical accounts in modern
scholarship . . .. . . .. . . . . . . . . .. . . .. .. . . .. .. .. . . .. . .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. .. .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. .. .. 69
Nature, functlon and purpose of the 'genealogical argument •.••.• 72
Footnotes ta Chapter III .. .... ... .. .. . . .. . . . .. . . .. .. . .. . . . . . ... . ... . .. . . . . . . 84
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Chapter IV: Description of the Isma'ili da'! and his teachings
in the polemical tradition
Introduction ............................................. ., 92
The Isma'ili da'i and his methods as described in the
polemical trad1 tian . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . .. •..• . . . • • • . .•.• . . . .•.• . . • • 92
Exposltlon of some Isma'ili doctrines ln the polemlcal
traditlon ............................................... 99
Il ••••••
The Isma'ili conceptlon of the DIVlne in the polemical
tradi tl on ............................. ". . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
EXposltlon of the Isma'IlI concepts of ~àhir and batin
in the polemical traditlon ••.....••...•....••...••.•.•.••••• 101
Analysis of the polemlclsts' accounts of Ismà'ill dé'ls
and their teachlngs .. . .. . . . . . . . ... . . . . .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ....... . 109
Footnotes to Chapter IV......................................... 118
Chapter V: Refutation of the Isma'IlI Doctrine of Imamah
and Al-Ghazalt's Attack of the Concept of Ta'lIm
Introductory remarks .......•.................•....•....•..•..... 129
The Isma'Ili concept of the Imamah ..•••...••••••...••.•••..•..•. 129
Hasan-i Sabbah's exposltion of the doctrlne of ta'lim .•....••.•• 132
Êxpositi;n and refutatlon of the Isma'il! concept of Imamah
and the doctrlne of ta'lim ln the polemlcal tradition ..•...•.••• 138
(~ Arguments agalnst the concept of ....•......•.•••.•••••• 138
~
Arguments against the interpretative functlons of the
l smâ' il i mam ........•.•.........•....••••.•.•..•.•••.•.•.•• 141
1
Al-GhazalI's eXposltlon and l~futatlon of the concept
of ta' Ilm ........ " ...................... " ....................... . 148
An analysis of al-Ghazali's refutatlon of the concept of
ta'lfm and hlS response to this doctr1ne ...••••••••••••••••••••. 159
Discussion of the concept of ta'llm in the po1emical tradition
after al-Ghazali ............................................... . 168
Footnotes to Chapter V ...•••...•.....•....•••••..•..•••.•..•...• 172
Chapter VI: Conclusion
Concl uding remarks . . . . .. . . . .. . . . . • . . . . . . . . . • . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Factors and motives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Style of argumentation • •• .••• •• •• • • • •• • • • • • •• • •• • • •• •••• . •• • 192
Impact and sphere of influence • • • • • . • • • • • • . . . • • • • • • • . • . • . • • • 199
Footnotes to Chapter VI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Appendix A: Llst of works composed by Isms'ili writers
against their opponents ••••..•••••••.••••••••••••••• 204
Bibliography 209
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CHA PTE R ONE
The anb-Isme' nr polemical tradi hon: a Rurvey of the sourCf'S
The world has usually heard about the Ism3'ills from
their enemies. whosc works alone were popular after the
Isma'Ilf cause had gone down to defeat .... A great
variety of Sunnr or Twelver Muslim authorR mentioned the
Fatlmid Isma'l1is, each from hlS own point of view.
1
Marshall G. S. Hodgson
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2
1.1 Introduction
One of the definitions of the term polemic, which is derived from the
Greek word polemos, meaning war, is
an aggressive attack on or the refutation of the opinions
or principles of another. 2
Polemics, that is, the art or practice of disputation and argumentation,
thus involves opposing individuals, groups or powers with varying attitudes
and views, and may be direct, clear and restrained or indirect, veiled and
violent. Such polemics frequently arise when certain groups, which not
only threaten the established authority but also question the Ideals upon
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which such authority is based, are ascending to powerj and, a1so, when
doctrines and views, which are considered by an establishment or dominant
faction to be extreme vls-a-vis the avowed, prevailing position, are
expressed. An immediate and important coro1lary to this is to realize that
one must not necesEarily expect to find, in the polemical tradltion, the
truth about an adversary, nor a true picture of an opponent's history as it
actually occurredj for, too often in these polemical works, the opponent is
depicted in the most disreputable and the most lurid col ours , and
information on an adversary is tainted by passion and is placed
strategically within an Interpretative scheme that distorts it.
Furthermore, though directed against an adversary, polemical works are not
only aimed at aiding and comforting those who are vulnerable to being
influenced by an opponents' arguments, but they are also important in that
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they define and, at times, redefine the aggressors' own views and position
on various issues.