Dear Donors and Friends of The Institute of Ismaili Studies,By a happy coincidence, our recent

publications bring the total numberof books published by the Institute to just over 50, in time for the

commemoration of Mawlana Hazar Imams GoldenJubilee. This half a century has proved transformationalin the modern history of the Ismailis at many levels. Therevival of Ismaili scholarship by the Institute is one suchfacet. Its roots in history go back over a thousand yearsto the Fatimids and perhaps further back to the rise ofearly Shii intellectual history, marking a long standingtradition of promoting knowledge and learning. Ourpublications attempt to encompass this rich heritageand to bring about a critical balance in the study ofMuslim scholarship as a whole. The critical acclaim withwhich the IIS publications have been received and theirincreasing use particularly in academic institutions and

circles globally is already beginning to redress thebalance.

Among our most ambitious undertakings during theJubilee Year will be the Secondary Teacher EducationProgramme (STEP). The launch of this new course, in collaboration with the Institute of Education of theUniversity of London, seeks to address the question,within the Jamat and elsewhere, of how to educateteachers about the richness and diversity of the Muslimworld so as to educate children and youth about acosmopolitan heritage that is also part of the history ofthe world.

All of these initiatives including the Institutescumulative achievements, are an integral part of themany milestones that will be celebrated as part of theGolden Jubilee. They represent not only a foundationbut a promise of theopportunities thatlie ahead.

Message from the Director

IIS UPDATEM A R C H 2 0 0 7

One of many significant milestones: In 1975, Mawlana Hazar Imam met with Ismaili scholars and leaders of the Jamat where adecision was taken to establish an academic institution for Ismaili studies.

December 2006 saw a flurry ofactivity surrounding thelaunch of the Secondary TeacherEducation Programme (STEP)pilot, both in London and abroad.Collaborative presentations detailingprogramme specifics were given byIIS staff and national ITREB-STEPTeams in the five pilot regions:India, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Canadaand the USA. The response fromthe Jamat, institutional leadershipand prospective candidates was veryencouraging, with interest in theprogramme being solicited fromacross a wide spectrum of well-qualified candidates.

STEP is a pioneering educationalcollaboration between two well-respected, specialist institutions:the Institute of Education (IOE),University of London, and TheInstitute of Ismaili Studies (IIS).Graduates will be awarded two masters degrees by theUniversity of London: a Master ofTeaching (MTeach) and a Master ofArts in Education (MuslimSocieties and Civilisations). The IOE will ensure thatappropriate and adequatestandards of practices andregulations are followed at all timeswhilst the IIS will ensure that theprogramme content remainsrelevant to the Jamat. Thecollaboration involves an initialagreement stretching three yearsbetween the two institutions toservice two cohorts of approximatelyforty participants each, drawn fromthe pilot regions.

Within this long-standingtradition of promoting knowledgeand learning, says Professor AzimNanji, the IIS Director, the IISlooks forward with greatanticipation to partnering with theUniversity of London to developteachers who are able to make themultifaceted and excitingSecondary Curriculum (developedby the IIS) accessible to youngpeople globally. It represents achallenging opportunity for futureteachers to develop professionalteaching skills within a frameworkthat links their heritage to the besttools and methods available in anacademic environment ofexcellence.

Professor Geoff Whitty, Directorof the Institution of Educationoffers supporting sentiments:Links between our Institutes canonly go from strength to strengthover the coming years. I amconfident that the launch of thisnew course will lead to furtherdiscussions about how we caneducate prospective teachers aboutthe richness and diversity of theMuslim world, to educate childrenabout heritages that are part of ourworld today.

The London based phase of theprogramme extends over twoacademic years. Upon successfulcompletion, graduates will take upposts as full-time, professional

Department of Education

Launch of the Secondary Teacher Education Programme

1979 1981

A religious education classroom, India

secondary teachers employed bytheir national ITREBs. The firstcohort will commence studies inLondon in the autumn of 2007,graduate in the summer of 2009,and commence teaching in theautumn of 2009. The secondcohort will begin studies in theautumn of 2008, graduate in thesummer of 2010, and commenceteaching in the autumn of 2010.Recruitment of the cohorts will beentirely merit based and willcomply with the entry requirementsof the IOE.

Initially, national ITREBs in thefive pilot countries are expected toact as sponsoring institutions andwill ensure, through a robust STEPmarketing process, that a qualifiedpool of individuals are madeavailable for recruitment from theirregions. STEP graduates will bedeployed in the following cities:Toronto and Vancouver (Canada),Houston (USA), Mumbai (India),Karachi (Pakistan), and Khorog(Tajikistan). Their professionalentitlement will also include a welldesigned compensation package.

Working with and alongside thegrass-roots community andsupporting institutions and leaders,and with dedicated ITREB-STEPcountry teams is crucial if we are toensure a self-renewing programmethat re-vitalises existing religiouseducation systems, says Dr MunirVellani, the Project Director ofSTEP at the IIS. Currently we haveexcellent country STEP teams ofdedicated leaders working veryhard to ensure that their respective

pilot region will be set up with theright kinds of pastoral systems andreligious education infrastructure.

The two-year programme, basedin London, is designed to helpSTEP participants graduallydevelop a knowledge base ofprofessional teaching practices,modes of enquiry, core subject-matter, and the skills and attributesof reflective practitioners throughguided in-field practicumexperiences. At a time when therecruitment and retention ofexcellent teachers are key issuesinfluencing young students accessto religious education, thepossibility of award-bearingprofessional learning is a realincentive for relevant communitystakeholders within religiouseducation settings to support the teachers practically andprofessionally.

Further details on thisprogramme may be found on theIIS website (www.iis.ac.uk) underGraduate Studies.

The IOE will ensure that appropriate and adequate

standards of practices and regulations are followed

at all times whilst the IIS will ensure that the

programme content remains relevant to the Jamat.

1983

in collaboration with

Students in discussion in the IIS library

Department of Graduate Studies

Talking to our Students

1983 1984 1985

The Department of GraduateStudies (DGS) is currentlypreparing to receive a new cohortof students for the GraduateProgramme in Islamic Studies and

Humanities (2007-2008). Thecompetitive scholarship for theGraduate Programme supportsstudents through three years ofpost-graduate work, two of which

are based at the IIS. To bestcommunicate the experience of theprogramme, the DGS interviewedseveral existing students about theirexperiences and aspirations:

Its here I have learnt that most questions do not require an answer but deconstruction of theassumptions on which they stand. Here, reading is not merely an act of identifying letters andcomprehending them, but an art of intellectually engaging with each single word that the author haschosen to carve on the page. The study of religion, history, art, culture and literature is helping me seethings in a wider perspective and studying with the diverse group of Ismailis is fostering my ability toengage with diversity.

After the course, I would like to be what Mawlana Hazar Imam calls, an agent of change by taking up,Insha-Allah, a position of leadership in the Aga Khan Academies. During my study at the Institute, andeven after that through the continuing relationship with the Institute, I would like to ensure that I am wellplaced to contribute within the community and beyond. I am especially looking forward to contributingin some way to the upcoming Aga Khan Academy, in my home country, India.

Laila is currently completing her first year of the programme at the IIS.

Overtime, religion has begun to play an increasingly greater role in the lives of Muslims in post-Sovietrepublics. As a result of this, I have experienced a growing interest in the teaching and study of Islamwithin Central Asia. It is for this reason that I chose to study at the IIS where I have been able to studyIslam from a range of perspectives. For me personally, the shift from a Soviet to a Western style educationsystem was both challenging and exciting. As an Ismaili, it gives me a great sense of happiness to be ableto systematically study the history and doctrines of my community. Having the opportunity to interact withmy fellow classmates from different parts of the world has also proved tremendously useful. Of all themodules pertaining to Islamic Studies and Humanities, those that I have found most interesting havebeen the ones related to development and civil society. This has led me to the decision that I would liketo undertake a Masters degree in Development and Modern Society, with special reference to CentralAsia, during my final year of the programme.

Palla is currently completing his second year of the programme at the IIS.

The past two years have been amongst the most challenging and memorable ones. At the IIS, I learntnot only from the professors and the text books but also from my fellow class mates who represented fivecountries and had as varied experiences as the countries they represented. Through them, I came tounderstand the lives of Muslims in post soviet societies, what it means to live in a post conflict society, whatit means to live in Iran or grow up as a child of the revolution.

Whilst the programmes interdisciplinary approach exposed me to different dimensions of learningabout Islam art, literature, history, philosophy it simultaneously challenged my perceptions, mypreconceived notions and my prejudices. These topics and issues which we discussed and raised in theclassrooms of the IIS, today form the basis of my advanced education in Law and Diplomacy. For today asI sit in seminars discussing the issues of democracy, nation building, the rise of Islamist movements andterrorism, I realise that I can bring to these discussions a sense of understanding, of sensitivity and analysisthat I would not have been able to provide two years ago.

Farrukh is currently completing her third year of the programme at Fletcher School, Tufts University.

Laila KadiwalClass of 2009

Palla PallaevClass of 2008

Farrukh LalaniClass of 2007

In 2006, the IIS launched itsAlumni Internship Programme,an entirely new initiative of the IIS.The objectives of the programmewere to create attractiveopportunities for IIS alumni thatwould assist them with theirprofessional development and,where appropriate, facilitate theirreturn and reintegration into theirsocieties. The programme was opento all alumni who had graduatedfrom one of the Institutes fourhuman resource developmentprogrammes. In total, sixteeninternship opportunities wereestablished within twelve Jamati andImamat Institutions in Canada,India, Pakistan, Tajikistan and theUK, ranging from two to twelvemonths in duration.

The internship opportunitiescreated ranged from administrativeand HR-related positions to roles inresearch and religious education.Agencies participating in theprogramme included the Aga KhanFoundation, Aga KhanDevelopment Network (Tajikistan),Aga Khan Humanities Project forCentral Asia, Department of Jamati Institutions (Tajikistan),FOCUS International CoordinatingCommittee, ITREB Tajikistan,ITREB UK and the IIS. In additionto these, opportunities were alsoidentified amongst externalagencies and institutions such as OXFAM.

The programme aims to givepractical experience to ourgraduates in fields that are ofinterest and relevance to them.

Participating agencies have alsobenefited from our graduatesacademic backgrounds and theircritical thinking abilities. A total offifteen alumni participated in theinternship programme in 2006. Aspart of the programme, all of themparticipated in a comprehensiveevaluation strategy to ensure thatthe programme remains effectivefor all beneficiaries.

In her post-internship evaluation,one IIS alumna stated, I was ableto speak to several people involvedin different parts of the AKDN as a

result of this internship, and thatwas very useful. Also, simply byvirtue of being in Ottawa, I madecontact with people in thegovernment of Canada which led tome getting my current positionwith the Department of ForeignAffairs and International Trade.One agency described their intern as fantasticperformedadmirably and would be keen tohave another IIS intern work withthem in 2007.

The IIS hopes to offer moreinternship opportunities in 2007.

Alumni Relations

The Alumni Internship Programme

1990 1994

IIS Alumnus Zafar Aligulov discussing his internship with Latofat Zahurova,AKDN Tajikistan.

The programme aims to give practical experience

to our graduates in fields that are of interest

and relevance to them.

One of the foundational goalsof the IIS has been to serve theglobal Jamat by developingacademic and curricular materialsfor religious formation as well asnurturing and harnessingcompetent human resources forITREBs and other Jamati institutions.The Department of CommunityRelations (DCR) contributes to theintellectual growth of the Jamatthrough a range of programmaticinterventions, research initiatives aswell as by developing and facilitatingthe dissemination of relevantreading materials to key Jamaticonstituencies. The programmaticinitiatives of the Departmentinclude a range of globalworkshops aimed at leadership,educators and broader audienceswithin the Jamat. In addition tothese workshops, the Instituteendeavours to remain intellectuallyengaged with these groups throughthe distribution of a select range ofIIS and other publications. Asummary of the mainprogrammatic initiatives in 2006and their objectives are presentedbelow.

Leadership

Through the LeadershipOrientation Programmes (LOP),the Institute seeks to engage withthe senior leadership of the Jamat,in order to foster anticipatorythinking around current andforeseeable issues and to share theintellectual perspectives andresearch outcomes of the IIS. Open

dialogue with the senior leadershipin each region also forms part ofthe programme and assists bothparties in understanding the keyissues and challenges that theleadership face, enabling them todevelop appropriate frameworks,principles and discourse to respondto these issues. The IIS iscommitted to providing suchprogrammes regionally, servicingthe needs of senior Jamatileadership which include IsmailiNational Councils, ITREBs, CentralInstitutions and the AKDN. During2006, three such programmes wereheld in Asia, East Africa & Europefor leadership representing 12 Jamatsaround the world.

Educators

The IIS also seeks to foster theintellectual development of thoseindividuals involved in the religiouseducation and formation of theJamat, through a range of

workshops aimed specifically atITREB academic personnel, CoreCurriculum writers and waezeen.

The ITREB Personnel Workshopencourages participants to reviewtheir thinking and broaden theirapproaches to dealing with issuesimpacting the Jamat. In turn, theworkshop assists in the developmentof meaningful and purposiveframeworks that can be used toaddress these issues. In May, a week-long workshop was held at TheInstitute of Ismaili Studies in Londonfor 32 participants from 19 countries.

The Waezeen Workshop aims todiscuss the intellectual trends andchallenges that impact the Jamatand the Ummah at large. It bringstogether waezeen from around theworld to assist them in facilitatingthe Jamats understanding andapproaches to such challenges. InNovember, this seven day workshoptook place in Dubai and wasattended by 37 waezeen from 11 countries.

Department of Community Relations

A year in review

19961995

Participants, faculty and staff at the 2006 Leadership Orientation Programme forAsia in Mumbai, India.

Jamat

Whilst all our programmes servicethe Jamat through buildingleadership capacity and educationalresources, the Summer Programmeon Islam is targetted directly at theJamat. This residential programme isaimed at providing a social, culturaland civilisational introduction toIslam, situating the Shia Ismailitariqah within the larger context ofthe intellectual and historicaldevelopment of Islam. Theprogramme encourages criticalthinking, reflection and discussionon important contemporary issuesand themes of relevance to Islamand its Shia Ismaili tariqah. Thecontent of the programme focuseson specific themes and case studieswhich enable participants todeliberate upon aspects of Muslimhistory, cultures, faith, practices,and particularly the issuesassociated with tradition, authorityand modernity. Previously, thisprogramme has been held at theUniversity of Cambridge, but inAugust 2006 the programme washeld at McGill University inMontreal, Canada for the first time.Based at the McGill InternationalExecutive Institute, and with thesupport of ITREB Canada and theInstitute of Islamic Studies atMcGill, the programme attracted arecord number of applications. Intotal 38 participants from 10countries were selected to attendthe programme. Further details onthis programme may be found onthe IIS website (www.iis.ac.uk).

1998 1998 1999

Over the last 12 years, the IISProject Tajikistan has beencollaborating with ITREC Tajikistanto deliver Summer Youth Camps toIsmaili youth in Russia andTajikistan. To date approximately15,000 individuals have participatedin these camps which cater for thereligious and cultural formation ofyouth and young adults from theages of 12 to 25 years.

Each camp acts as a continuationof the Talim programme and aimsto engage with participants in amore open and interactive format.In particular, the camp settingallows for participants from remotevillages and centres to share theirexperiences with others in arelaxed and informative context.

The initial phase of theprogramme started in 1995 when120 participants attended Urdugoh-eSaodat (Camp Happiness) at acampsite in Porsheniev in thevicinity of Khorog. Since then, atotal of five youth camps have beeninitiated throughout Gorno-Badakhshan. In addition to theyouth camps, three camps cateringto young adults aged from 18 to 25years have also been developed.These camps cater for secondary

school and university graduates, andare held in June and Septembereach year.

Outside of Badakhshan, a SummerYouth Camp has also been developedin Qaratogh Valley, a region north ofDushanbe. This month-long campcomprises two sessions and catersfor Ismaili youth aged from 14 to 17years. The IIS hopes to address thegrowing demand in Dushanbe byinitiating an additional campsession in the near future.

During 2006, Project Tajikistanfacilitated two camps in Tver,Russia to cater for 60 youth, agedfrom 12 to 17 years. Topicsaddressed during each camp covera range of relevant topics includingChange & Continuity in ModernSociety, Diversity & Pluralism, HealthySociety (impact of undesirablehabits) and Work & Ethics of theAKDN, among others. In additionto morning lectures, participantsalso have the opportunity to takepart in discussions, plays andexcursions as well as other sportsand art related activities. Eachcamp is administered by trainedcounsellors whose role is to guideand facilitate the various lecturesand activities.

Project Tajikistan

Summer Youth Camps in Russia and Tajikistan

Participants and faculty at the 2006 Summer Youth Camp for the Russian Jamatheld in Moscow, Russia

The Institute of Ismaili Studiesreceived a major gift of rareand important manuscripts in2006, through the generosity ofProfessor Abbas Hamdani ofMilwaukee, Wisconsin. The SayyidiMuhammad Ali HamdaniCollection of Ismaili and othermanuscripts, which has been in theHamdani family for severalgenerations, represents one of themost significant collections ofIsmaili writings in private hands. Ithas long been famous amongscholars, many of whom havedrawn on its holdings in thepreparation of editions of Ismailitexts. The Institute of IsmailiStudies is honoured andprofoundly grateful to serve as thefuture home of this pricelessheritage.

The Hamdani Collectioncontains some 300 manuscripts and rare imprints in Arabic,Persian, Urdu, and Gujarati. TheIsmaili manuscripts are mostlyauthored by dais from the pre-Fatimid period onwards. Alsoincluded are original works byTayyibi Ismaili scholars of the 20thcentury. The collection containsrare manuscripts of seminal Ismailiworks on philosophy, such as theRahat al-aql of al-Kirmani (theoldest surviving manuscript of thistext), law, such as the Daaim al-Islam of al-Qadi al-Numan, and history, such as the Iftitah al-Dawa, also by al-Qadi al-Numan,and volumes of the Uyun al-Akhbarand Nuzhat al-Akhbar of Idris Imad al-Din.

There are also many works ofimportance for Islamic history ingeneral, such as a catalogue ofAbbasid decrees to their governorsin Egypt before the establishmentof the Fatimid state, and works onsubjects as varied as astronomy,mathematics and medicine. Amongother titles of interest, the Nahj al-Balagha is represented by a 300-year-old copy written by a womancalligrapher. There are alsopoignant curiosities, such as themanuscript of al-Hamidis Kanz al-

Walad which Muhammad AliHamdani copied out in a secretscript so that he could bring itsafely along with him on thepilgrimage.

A certain number of thesemanuscripts were first brought toSurat from Yemen in the 18thcentury by Shaykh Ali ibn Said ofthe Yaburi clan, a leading alim whodied in 1798. He was anaccomplished calligrapher and thecollection contains manuscripts inhis hand. His son Ibrahim and his

Library

The Sayyidi Muhammad Ali Hamdani Collection

2000 2000 2001 2001

Manuscript of Abu Yaqub al-Sijistanis Kitab al-yanabi

grand-son Fayd Allah continued tocollect and preserve preciousmanuscripts, as did MuhammadAli Hamdani, the latters son andamong the foremost scholars of theTayyibi dawa in his time. Thecollection thus has a fascinatingprovenance, attested by the manyseals and signatures of ProfessorHamdanis distinguished forebears.

Professor Abbas Hamdani wasborn in Surat and received his B.A.(Hons) and his L.L.B. fromBombay University, after which heobtained his Ph.D. from theUniversity of London. Afterteaching in Karachi and in Cairo,he joined the faculty of theUniversity of Wisconsin where, formore than thirty years, he taughtand carried out fundamental andinfluential research on Ismailihistory before becoming ProfessorEmeritus in 2001. He has beenrecognised for his scholarship bymany awards and fellowships andhas lectured at universities world-wide. The author of more than fiftypublications, he is currently writinga study of the Rasail Ikhwan al-Safa.His daughter Sumaiya Hamdani is aprofessor at George MasonUniversity where she continues thedistinguished family tradition.

The Library of The Institute ofIsmaili Studies will preserve all ofthe manuscripts in the HamdaniCollection, using microfilm anddigital technologies. A catalogue ofthe holdings will be published bythe Institute in due course, whichwill make the collection available toresearchers world-wide.

2002

Colophon page from Hamid al-DinKirmanis Taubih al-Hadi

Title page of Abu Hatim al-RazisAlam al nubuwwah

Right:Sayyidi Fayd Allah

Hamdani

Far right:Prof. Abbas

Hamdani andfamily

Justice and Remembrance: Introducing the Spirituality of Imam Ali

Imam Ali b. Abi Talib, son-in-law and cousin of the Prophet, first Shii Imam and fourthcaliph of the nascent Muslim community, was described by the Prophet as the gate to the cityof knowledge. Indeed, Imam Ali is arguably the single most important spiritual andintellectual authority in Islam after the Prophet himself: to speak of Imam Ali is to speak ofthe quintessential spirituality of Islam. Despite his immense importance in the elaboration ofthe intellectual, ethical, spiritual, legal and political traditions of Islam, there is a lamentabledearth of literature in Western languages on his life and thought. This work, the first inEnglish to seriously engage with his worldview, introduces some of the most salient intellectualand moral principles proper to the spirituality for which Imam Ali is chiefly renowned in Islam.

The present work consists of three parts. The first introduces the person of Imam Ali andhis spirituality in a general manner, with a particular focus on the spiritual and ethical concomitants of the intellectin his teachings. The second evaluates Imam Alis sacred conception of justice, using his famous letter to Malik al-Ashtar as the point of departure. The third addresses the theme of spiritual realization through the remembrance ofGod, dhikruLlah, the central mystical practice of the Sufis. In this chapter the intimate connection between ImamAlis teachings and later Sufi doctrines is explored. The present exposition is not only an important introduction tothe thought of one of the seminal figures of the Islamic faith, it is also a valuable and most timely elucidation of thespirituality underlying ethical discourse and practice in Islam.

Founding the Fatimid State: The Rise of an Early Islamic Empire

This book is the most important primary source on the emergence of the Fatimid state inthe early years of the tenth century. Its author, al-Qadi al-Numan, was an official historian ofthe Fatimids and an eminent exponent of Ismaili jurisprudence, as well as being perhaps themost prolific and versatile of all the Fatimid thinkers.

The Iftitah al-Dawa is al-Numans major historical work, and records in detail thebackground to the establishment of the Fatimid state, first in the Yemen and then in NorthAfrica. It is based on official archival and biographical documents that were accessible to theauthor at the time, and which have not survived. It is thus a highly significant source on the

religious, social and political conditions which prevailed when theFatimids began to consolidate their rule. In charting the circumstancesin which the Fatimid state came into being, this book will be of majorinterest and value to students of early medieval history and Islamic studies.

Attar and the Persian Sufi Tradition: The Art of Spiritual Flight

Farid al-Din Attar (d. 1221) was the principal Muslim religious poet of the second half ofthe twelfth century. Best known for his masterpiece Mantiq al-tayr, or The Conference of Birds, hisverse is still considered to be the finest example of Sufi love poetry in the Persian languageafter that of Rumi. Distinguished by their provocative and radical theology of love, many linesof Attars epics and lyrics are cited independently of their poems as maxims in their own right.These pithy, paradoxical statements are still known by heart and sung by minstrels throughout

Department of Academic Research and Publications

Publications since last Update

2003 2003

2003 2004 2006 2007

Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and wherever Persian is spoken or understood, such as in the lands of the Indo-PakistaniSubcontinent. Designed to complement The Ocean of the Soul, the classic study of Attar by Hellmut Ritter, this volumeoffers the most comprehensive survey of Attar's literary works to date, and situates his poetry and prose within thewider context of the Persian Sufi tradition. The essays in the volume are grouped in three sections, and featurecontributions by sixteen scholars from North America, Europe and Iran, which illustrate, from a variety of criticalperspectives, the full range of Attar's monumental achievement. They show how and why Attar's poetical works, aswell as his mystical doctrines, came to wield such tremendous and formative influence over the whole of the PersianSufism tradition.

Between Revolution and State: The Path to Fatimid Statehood

This book examines the most important writings of a tenth-century Muslim theologian andjurist who was one of the most original thinkers of his period. It argues that al-Qadi al-Numans works constituted new and vital genres in Ismaili Shii literature, a developmentnecessitated by the Fatimids transition from revolutionary movement to statehood, and bytheir desire to establish their authority as the Shii alternative to the Sunni Abbasid caliphate.

Already famous in the Fatimid era, al-Numan left a legacy which includes a formalisedschool of law, an early record of the Fatimid achievement in his historical and biographicalworks, new interpretations of Ismaili doctrine explored in his legal and esoteric writings andthe formulation of a ceremonial language in his work on court protocol. Between Revolution andState explores all of these literary genres in depth and presents a sophisticated and readableanalysis of one of the seminal figures of Islamic and Ismaili history.

Sufi Hermeneutics: The Quran Commentary of Rashid al-Din Maybudi

This book examines the Sufi approach to Quranic interpretation as exemplified in atwelfth-century Persian Quran commentary, Rashid al-Din Maybudis Kashf al-asrar (Unveilingof Mysteries). Written during one of the most exciting, formative periods in Sufisms history,the commentary manifests the doctrines and the poetic language of love mysticism, whichwere to become essential elements in the later literature of Sufism. Dr Keeler analysesMaybudis approach to the Quran, examines the mystical doctrines of the Kashf al-asrar andshows how Maybudi conveys these teachings through his mystical interpretations of the storiesof the prophets Abraham, Moses and Joseph.

Forthcoming Publications

Degrees of Excellence: A Fatimid Treatise onLeadership in IslamTranslated by Arzina R Lalani

Lights to Illuminate the Proof of the ImamateTranslated by Paul E Walker

Arts of the City Victorious: The Art andArchitecture of the Fatimid DynastyBy Jonathan Bloom

A Modern History of the IsmailisBy Farhad Daftary

Dr P. AmandaHarris joinedthe Institute ofIsmaili Studies asHead of HumanResource Servicesat the beginning

of 2007. Dr Harris has beenworking in the field of HumanResources for over 20 years, initiallystarting corporate life as anOccupational Psychologist. Morerecently she has been working as

Chief Executive of a UK-wide mentalhealth charity. Originally fromCounty Durham, Dr Harris now livesin Brighton, UK.

Dr Harris main interests lie in organisational change andevidence-based decision-making. Inher spare time, Dr Harrisundertakes lectures for MBAstudents on public policy issues andalso engages in voluntary work forthe National Institute for Healthand Clinical Excellence (NIHCE).

In particular her voluntary workwith the NIHCE provides anopportunity for her to engage inanother of her interests, structuralequation modelling using data fromlarge randomised controlled trials.

Ms Rana AliakbarDesign & Production OfficerDepartment of Education

Ms Nadia HolmesEditorDepartment of Academic Research and Publications

New Appointments

If you have feedback or would like to update your contact details, please email us at rdc@iis.ac.uk.

We gratefully acknowledge all individuals who have contributed to the production of this Update.

Published by the Department of Operations, Finance and Development. Designed by the Design and Production Unit.

The Institute of Ismaili Studies, 42-44 Grosvenor Gardens, London, SW1W 0EB, United KingdomTelephone: +44 (0) 20 7881 6000 Fax: +44 (0) 20 7881 6040 Website: www.iis.ac.uk

1979 Library established at the IIS as a central repository and resourcefor Ismaili Studies.

1981 Members of the Institutes Board of Governors, staff, faculty andfirst batch of students in the Library for a picture.

1983 First class of 42 students receive certificates from His Highness theAga Khan on 7th July 1983 at Logan Hall, University ofLondon Institute of Education.

1983 First publication of the IIS: a translation of Henry Corbin'sCyclical Time and Ismaili Gnosis.

1984 First collection catalogue is published, highlighting ArabicManuscripts in the Institutes library.

1985 First preschool materials in the Ta'lim series, a programme ofreligious and cultural education, are published.

1990 The first comprehensive study of the community in modern times,The Ismailis, is published through Cambridge University Press.

1994 First intake of 13 students in the new Graduate Programme inIslamic Studies and Humanities.

1995 Project Tajikistan established. Annual Seminars in Tajikistan begin.

1996 First book in the Ismaili Heritage Series is published: Abu Yaqubal-Sijistani: Intellectual Missionary.

1998 KK Aziz signs copies of his Selected Speeches and Writings of Sir Sultan Muhammad Shah.

1998 First publication in the Occasional Paper Series: The Poetics ofReligious Experience.

1999 Expressions of the Pamir: Culture and Heritage of the Ismailis ofTajikistan begins an international tour.

2000 Ismaili Texts and Translations Series launches with firstpublication: The Advent of the Fatimids.

2000 The Institute of Ismaili Studies website goes live (www.iis.ac.uk).

2001 Civil Society in the Muslim World Seminar Series

2001 Quranic Studies Unit formed.

2002 Central Asian Studies Unit formed.

2003 The Institute Commemorates its 25th Anniversary.

2003 IIS convenes three-day international conference on Nasir Khusrawin Tajikistan.

2003 IIS convenes a conference in London on Word of God, Art ofMan: The Quran and its Creative Expressions Colloquium.

2004 The Institutes first book in the Quranic Studies Series: ModernMuslim Intellectuals and the Quran.

2006 IIS launches new website dedicated to its Alumni.

2007 IIS Launches Secondary Teacher Education Programme.

In April 1975 Mawlana Hazar Imam chaired a four-dayconference in which leaders of the Jamat and several Ismailischolars engaged in the fields of Islamic Studies or related areaswere brought together in Paris. This historic meeting had on itsagenda many items that would have far-reaching consequencesfor the Jamat across the world. One of these was theestablishment of an academic institution, international inscope, charged with carrying out research on religious andcultural issues pertaining to Islam. Among the importantpurposes of this research was that of assisting the Jamat to gaina more informed and discerning knowledge of their traditionsand to equip them to address their concerns in a changingworld.

Almost two and a half years later, in August 1977, TheInstitute of Ismaili Studies opened its first offices in a series of

small suites in Central London. In addition to the ExecutiveOfficer and Board of Governors chaired by Mawlana HazarImam, the Institute soon hired academic and support staff andbegan to tackle some of the themes that were raised at the ParisConference.

From its modest beginnings in the late 1970s, The Instituteof Ismaili Studies has developed into a vibrant centre oflearning, addressing not only the needs of the internationalIsmaili community, but also contributing to and participating inthe contemporary debates of the Muslim world at large.

As the global Jamat prepares to celebrate Mawlana Hazar Imams Golden Jubilee, we would like to take theopportunity to reflect on some of the significant events in the history of the IIS that were made possible through the Imams leadership.

The IIS - Significant Milestones