Stories of the Ismaili Imams: Mawlana Ala al-Din Muhammad Mawlana Ala al-Din Muhammad (peace be upon him) was born in 1212 and was just nine years old when he succeeded to the Imamat in November 1221. Because of the ongoing Mongol invasion, his Imamat was during an extremely turbulent period throughout the entire Muslim East. During the 1220s, the Ismailis had a diplomatic understanding with the Mongols, but this began to deteriorate. In 1238, the Imam and the Abbasid caliph sent a joint envoy t

As we count down to Imamat Day, discover Stories of the Ismaili Imams, a new series exploring each Imam’s life and the continuity of Imamat from Mawlana Ali to the present day. Mawlana Ali (peace be upon him) was born in Mecca around 600. He was the younger cousin of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his progeny) and married the Prophet’s daughter, Hazrat Bibi Fatima (peace be upon her). He is regarded as one of the greatest heroes of the early Muslim community, a model of ethical conduct

Stories of the Ismaili Imams: Mawlana Muhammad ibn Islam Shah Mawlana Muhammad ibn Islam Shah (peace be upon him) succeeded to the Imamat in 1425. Because both he and his father were known by the name Islam Shah, and both lived in concealment, it can be difficult to determine which Imam Islam Shah is being referred to in historical sources. He died in 1463 and may have been buried in Shahr-i Babak in Kirman alongside his father. “We received the lord Islam Shah who bestowed on us the mysteries o