by Farhad Daftary
“The early Isma’ilis thus laid the foundations of their later religious system as well as their intellectual sciences, according to which the sectarians would progress from the ‘zahir’ sciences of the ‘shari’a’, history, etc., to the batin subjects, comprised of the ‘ta’wil’, a means-science, leading to the ‘haqa’iq’, an ends-science, the final goal of human attainment.”
This is Daftary's masterpiece, a towering work that consolidates his position as a, if not the leading Ismaili academic. This is a book for the historian or religiously-curious alike, a tome that expertly weaves history and doctrine together. It traces the development of Ismaili philosophy and tradition through a historical narrative that brings a previously patchy and bias-laden history into the modern era of scholarship.
The Ismailis: Their History and Doctrines doesn't just lift the curtain on the Ismaili faith; it flings the doors and windows wide open and invites us all in. There's no doubt this is a tome of significant size, but the content itself is eminently accessible. For a reader with any interest in the Ismaili faith, the interplay between Islamic and Greek philosophy or the student of Middle Eastern history, this is a book that remains a consistent page-turner from beginning to end.
One of the more interesting aspects of the book is that Daftary, though an Ismaili himself, isn't afraid to wrestle with the more debated elements of the religion. On several occasions he addresses the sometimes sketchy history, writing, for example,
“the issue of the genealogy of the Fatimid caliphs has been the centre of numerous controversies, some of which seem to defy satisfactory solution.” (p.100)
The Assassins, a favourite target for Daftary, are tackled thoroughly - from a re-evaluation of sources to the very etymology of the word 'assassin'. Indeed, the depth of the narrative surrounding this period in Ismaili history is wonderfully compelling, composing a fascinating picture of the ascetic lifestyle followed by Hasan-i Sabah, the hero of medieval Ismailism.
If you're looking for the definitive word on Ismaili history and theology, this is where you'll find it.