2009-04-09 22:59:37
The latest IIS publication, An Anthology of Ismaili Literature: A Shi‘i Vision of Islam, brings together extracts from a range of Ismaili texts, in both poetry and prose. Edited by Herman Landolt, Samira Sheikh and Kutub Kassam, the book aims to further readers’ knowledge of Ismaili history and thought by providing a glimpse into the intellectual life of the Ismaili communities in their own voices.
Not many original Ismaili texts were available to modern scholars until the middle of the twentieth century.
Consequently, the Ismailis were mostly studied on the basis of the materials that were either collected from or fabricated by their detractors. The Ismailis, like many other minorities, were often described as an ‘unorthodox’ sect vis-a-vis the mainstream ‘orthodox’ majority. However, beginning in particular with the work of the Russian scholar Vladimir Ivanow, large scale recovery of texts written by Ismailis began. This was a breakthrough in Ismaili studies. At the same time approaches to the study of world religions began to change. Consequently, over the last 50 years, fresh approaches to the study of religions, their internal diversity and varied groups and sub-groups has emerged. This book brings together some of the results of this scholarship and makes a valuable contribution towards the furthering of it.
Source: The Institute of Ismaili Studies
