Isma‘ili Call and Historical Roots of Isma‘ili Batiniyya

Bāṭiniyya is characteristic of Isma‘ilis, with which they are distinguished from other Islamic sects and denominations. Since the Isma‘ili denomination and its beliefs were formed in a particular historical period and subsequently developed in later periods, the grounds and course of the Isma‘ili tendency toward Bāṭiniyya can elucidated through a consideration of the early formative period of the denomination and historical conditions that have influenced it. This paper argues that the original core of Isma‘ili beliefs was formed in virtue of Isma‘il’s different political approach, but as a result of peculiar historical and political conditions of the time, his successors had to live in hiding and conceal their denominational and political beliefs. This significant period of the Isma‘ili history, known as the Period of Concealment, left remarkable impacts on the nature and attitude of the Isma‘ili denomination. As a result of the dominant discourse of the Islamic community of the time and in rivalry with other denominations, Isma‘ilis tended to offer evidence from the Qur’an and the Tradition to substantiate their denominational and political claims. Thus, they turned to esoteric interpretations (ta’wīl) of the religion and came to be dubbed “Bāṭiniyya” (advocates of inner esoteric interpretations) as a result of their excessive deployment of such interpretations.