Historical Dictionary of the Ismailis

Farhad Daftary has been affiliated with the Institute of Ismaili Studies in London since 1988, where he is currently co-director and head (since 1992) of the Department of Academic Research and Publications.

The Ismailis, who make up the second-biggest branch of Shi'a Islam, live primarily in Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. The most famous Ismaili today is the Aga Khan, who is considered the current spiritual leader of the community. In the eighth century, a split occurred in the Shi'a community over the true leader of the group. Ismailis followed imam Isma'il ibn Jafar as their rightful leader, rather than Musa al-Kadhim. In the 1930s, discoveries of lost historical documents in private collections reopened this area of study. Editor Daftary (Institute of Ismaili Studies, London) incorporates this new research into his dictionary, detailing Ismaili culture, doctrine, personalities, tradition, institutions, history, and locations. This resource features a lengthy introduction tracing the evolution of the Ismailis, a detailed chronology, a comprehensive genealogy of leaders, a glossary, illustrations, maps, and an extensive bibliography. Entries are cross-referenced and account for variant spellings and dates. They include a wide variety of topics, e.g., the Hajj, architecture, the Crusades, Ali ibn Abi Talib, and women. This much-needed reference provides a comprehensive, well-written, insightful look at the Ismailis and should be included in any Islam collection. Summing Up: Highly recommended.