Early Philosophical Shiism: The Ismaili Neoplatonism of Abu Ya’qūb al-Sijistānī

219 Pages·1993·5.42 MB·English

by  Paul E. Walker

The Ismailis, among whom are the followers of the Aga Khan, first rose to prominence
during the fourth Islamic/tenth Christian century. Even in this early period they developed
a remarkable intellectual program to sustain and support their Shiite cause. Along with their
own version of true Islam, they promoted the investigation of science and philosophy, thus
successfully merging the demands of religious tradition and the then newly imported
sciences from abroad. The high watermark of this scholarly movement is best illustrated in
the writings of the Ismaili theoretician Abu Ya'qub al-Sijistanl, who applied Neoplatonic
ideas and language to his own Ismailism in order to explain both the universe at large and
humanity's unique place within it.
Using published and manuscript writings of al-Sijistanl which have hitherto been largely
hidden or ignored, Dr. Paul Walker reveals this scholar's major contributions to the devel-
opment of a philosophical Shiism. He analyzes al-Sijistanl's role in the Ismaili mission
(da ewa) and critically assesses the value of his combination of philosophy and religious
doctrine. The principal themes covered include God, creation, intellect, soul, nature, the
human being, prophecy, interpretation and salvation.
Early philosophical Shiism presents the first book-length study of the ideas and
teachings of this leading tenth-century figure. It will, therefore, be widely read by students
and specialists in Islamic history and medieval philosophy and will also be of great
interest to the modern Ismaili community.

Cambridge Studies in Islamic Civilization
Early philosophical Shiism
Cambridge Studies in Islamic Civilization
Editorial board
DAVID MORGAN (general editor)
JOSEF VAN ESS BARBARA FLEMMING METIN KUNT W. F. MADELUNG
ROY MOTTAHEDEH BASIM MUSALLAM
Titles in the series
ANDREW M. w ATSON . Agricultural innovation in the early Islamic world: the diffusion of
crops and farming techniques, 700-1100
ELI AS N. SAAD. Social history of Timbuktu: the role of Muslim scholars and notables,
1400-1900
G. H. A. JUYNBOLL. Muslim tradition: studies in chronology, provenance and authorship
of early Hadith
B. F. MUSALLAM. Sex and society in Islam: birth control before the nineteenth century
SURAIYA FAROQHI. Towns and townsmen of Ottoman Anatolia: trade, crafts and food
production in an urban setting, 1520-1650
NABIL A. SALEH. Unlawful gain and legitimate profit in Islamic law: riba, gharar and
Islamic banking
SURAIYA FAROQHI. Men of modest substance: house owners and house property in
seventeenth-century Ankara and Kayseri
PATRICIA CRONE. Roman, provincial and Islamic law: the origins of the Islamic patronate
STEFAN SPERL. Mannerism in Arabic poetry: a structural analysis of selected texts, 3rd
century AH 19th AD-5th century AH 111th AD
BEATRICE FORBES MANZ. The rise and rule of Tamerlane
AMNON COHEN. Economic life in Ottoman Jerusalem
BOAZ SHOSHAN. Popular culture in medieval Cairo
Early philosophical
Shiism
The Ismaili Neoplatonism of
Abu Ya'qub al-Sijistani
PAUL E. WALKER
CAMBRIDGE
UNIVERSITY PRESS
Published by the Press Syndicate of the University of Cambridge
The Pitt Building, Trumpington Street, Cambridge CB2 1RP
40 West 20th Street, New York, NY 10011-4211, USA
10 Stamford Road, Oakleigh, Melbourne 3166, Australia
© Cambridge University Press 1993
First published 1993
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress cataloguing in publication data
Walker, Paul Ernest, 1941-
Early philosophical Shiism: the Ismaili Neoplatonism of Abu
Ya'qub al-Sijistani / by Paul E. Walker
p. cm. - (Cambridge studies in Islamic civilization)
Includes bibliographical references (p. ) and index.
ISBN 0 521 44129 3
1. Abu Ya'qub al-Sijistanl, Ishaq ibn Ahmad, d. 10th cent. -
Contributions in Islamic philosophy. 2. Ismailites - Doctrines -
History. 3. Neoplatonism - History. I. Title. II. Series.
BP195.I8W35 1993
297'.20422'092 - dc20 92-34060 CIP
ISBN 0 521 44129 3
Transferred to digital printing 2003
To
Adam, Katrina, and Jeremy

Contents
Preface page xi
Acknowledgments xiv
Note on transliteration xv
List of abbreviations xvi
PART I AL-SIJISTANl'S HERITAGE
1 The Ismaili message and its philosophers 3
2 Religious and philosophical resources 25
3 Ismaili predecessors 46
PART II AL-SIJISTANl'S UNIVERSE
4 Introduction: categories of thought and terms of analysis 67
5 A theology of unqualified transcendence 72
6 Creation as command 81
7 Intellect, the sum of existent being 87
8 Descending and ascending soul 95
9 Nature and the physical realm 102
10 A cosmic anthropology 107
11 Prophecy, the deputy of intellect 114
12 Interpretation and its institution 124
13 Salvation and the womb of history 134
EPILOGUE: THE USE AND CONTROL OF REASON 145
Notes 157
Select bibliography 190
Index 197
ix