An apocalyptic history of the early Fatimid empire /Jamel A. Velji.
- Edinburgh : Edinburgh University Press, (c)2016.
- 1 online resource (x, 172 pages)
- Edinburgh Studies in Islamic Apocalypticism and Eschatology .
Includes bibliographies and index.
From zahir to batin: An Introduction to Fatimid Hermeneutics -- Oaths, Taxes and Tithes: Organising an Imminent Utopia -- Ta'wil of an Apocalyptic Transcript I: The Book of Unveiling -- Ta'wil of an Apocalyptic Transcript II: The Book of Righteousness and True Guidance -- To Temper an Imminent Eschatology: The Contributions of al-Mahdi and Qadi l-Nu'man -- A Spiritual Progression to a New Eschatological Centre: The Ta'wil al-da'd'im on the Hajj -- Actualising the End: The Nizari Declaration of the Resurrection -- From Movement to Text: The Haft-bab.
How can religion transform a society? This book investigates the ways in which a medieval Islamic movement harnessed Quranic visions of utopia to construct one of the most brilliant and lasting empires in Islamic history (979-1171). The Fatimids' apocalyptic vision of their central place in an imminent utopia played a critical role in transfiguring the intellectual and political terrains of North Africa in the early tenth century. Yet the realities that they faced on the ground often challenged their status as the custodians of a pristine Islam at the end of time. Through a detailed examination of some of the structural features of the Fatimid revolution, as well as early works of ta'wil, or symbolic interpretation, Jamel Velji illustrates how the Fatimids conceived of their mission as one that would bring about an imminent utopia. He then examines how the Fatimids reinterpreted their place in history when the expected end never materialised. The book ends with an extensive discussion of another apocalyptic event linked to a Fatimid lineage: the Nizari Ismaili declaration of the end of time on August 8, 1164. This is the first volume in our new series, Edinburgh Studies in Islamic Apocalypticism and Eschatology, edited by David Cook and Christian Lange.
9780748690893
Fatimites--History. Islam--History.--Africa, North