The Fatimids and Their Traditions of Learning:

“The Fatimids and Their Traditions of Learning” is written by Heinz Halm and published by I.B. Tauris Publishers, London. New York.



The beauty of this book is that Heinz Halm uses multiple sources and works of multiple authors. His sources vary from non-Muslim writers such as John of Antioch (Greek-Orthodox) to Sunni author Al-Maqrizi, who was first historian to recognize the importance of Fatimid in the history of Egypt and Syria, to Idris Imad al-Din, who was supreme missionary dai of Musta’ali Tayyibi Ismaili community of Yemen, and numerous Ismaili missionaries from the Fatimid period. Despite the loss of Fatimid records, it was possible for Halm to find authentic records about Fatimids. Certainly he had to filter unauthentic information provided by hostile anti-Fatimid authors whose mission was to destroy the image of Fatimids in history.



This book examines the Fatimid period with special emphasis on their teaching and learning which was the major reason why this era came to be known as the most enlightened and enriched period in Ismaili history in specific and Islamic history in general.



Halm explored the training of the Ismaili dais or missionaries and gave the clear understanding of the process. He vividly uses abstracts from Ismaili dais. For example, he quoted Ibn-Hawshab, Dai of Yemen, to explain the entire Ismaili idea of knowledge, learning and teaching in a concise manner. I quote: “Knowledge means life; learning means resurrection from the death of ignorance; knowledge is a good entrusted by God to human beings (amana) who must not selfishly keep it to themselves, but instead pass it on. Learning and teaching are a divine mission: the man who is spiritually resurrected through learning has the duty to bring his neighbor back to life as well.”



Institutions like Al-Azhar played a major role in teaching Ismaili jurisprudence which is the external meaning (zahir), the sharia according to the Ismaili madhab. Qadi Nauman’s book Daaim-al-Islam (Pillars of Islam) worked as a guide or handbook for the Egyptian jurist to explain Ismaili law in Fatimid empire. Amr Mosque in Al-Fustat was the principle mosque of Sunnis. Amr Mosque and Al-Azhar mosque were holding purely legal lectures. Whereas “sessions of wisdom” (Majalis al hikmah) were open exclusively for those initiates who had taken oath of allegiance (ahd) to the Imam. These sessions were held in Caliph’s palace and personally monitored and authorized by Imam himself. The Chief Dai only worked as the mouthpiece of the Imam.



While he is exploring the learning traditions he explains the critical controversial issue with it. Clearing those misconceptions about Fatimids which are misleading historians since centuries. He discusses in great detail about the authenticity of the content while discussing controversial issues specially from the period of Caliph Imam Al-Hakim.



Certainly Heinz Halm was successful in presenting a clear view of learning traditions of Ismailis and was able to grab my attention from the beginning till the end. This book is definitely worth a read for all those who like to explore history from all perspectives and curious about understanding true historical context of the time.