Definition
Idris Imad al‑Din (Arabic: إدريس عماد الدين بن الحسن القرشي, 1392 – 10 June 1468) was the 19th Daʿī al‑Mutlaq (absolute missionary) of the Tayyibi Ismāʿīlī community, a major religious and political leader in 15th‑century Yemen, and a distinguished Ismāʿīlī historian and theologian.
Overview
Born in Shibam, northern Yemen, Idris belonged to the Banu al‑Walīd al‑ʿAnf family of the Quraysh tribe, a line that had supplied Tayyibi daʿīs since the early 13th century. He succeeded his uncle, Ali Shams al‑Dīn II, as Daʿī al‑Mutlaq in 1428 and held the office until his death in 1468. His tenure combined spiritual leadership of the Tayyibi diaspora (including communities in Yemen and western India) with active involvement in the regional politics of the Rasulid and later Tahirid dynasties, opposing Zaydī imams and defending Ismāʿīlī strongholds.
In addition to his missionary duties, Idris authored a seven‑volume universal history, Uyun al‑Akhbār (“The Flowing Springs of Historical Reports”), covering early Islam, the Fatimid Caliphate, and the Tayyibi daʿwa in Yemen. The work, drawing on a wide range of Ismāʿīlī and non‑Ismāʿīlī sources, remains the principal medieval Ismāʿīlī historiography and a crucial source for Fatimid studies.
Etymology / Origin
The name “Idris” (إدريس) is the Arabic form of the biblical figure Enoch. “Imad al‑Din” (عماد الدين) translates as “Pillar of the Faith” or “Support of the Religion,” a common honorific in Islamic naming conventions denoting scholarly or religious authority. The full patronymic “ibn al‑Hasan al‑Qurashī” identifies his lineage within the Quraysh tribe.
Characteristics
- Religious Authority: As Daʿī al‑Mutlaq, Idris acted as the supreme spiritual leader of the Tayyibi Ismāʿīlīs, wielding authority over doctrine, missionary appointments, and community administration across Yemen and the Indian subcontinent.
- Political Leadership: He allied with the Rasulid and later Tahirid dynasties to counter Zaydī imams, leading military campaigns that reclaimed fortresses and secured Tayyibi territories.
- Scholarly Output: Idris’s magnum opus, Uyun al‑Akhbār, is organized into seven volumes and provides a comprehensive narrative from the Prophet Muhammad to the end of the Fatimid era, supplemented by genealogies of the Ismāʿīlī Imams. His works also include theological treatises and juridical writings, though Uyun al‑Akhbār dominates his legacy.
- Cultural Impact: His mausoleum in Shibam, rebuilt in 2010, remains a pilgrimage site for Dawoodi Bohra and other Tayyibi communities. His historical methodology, incorporating both Ismāʿīlī and external sources, set a precedent for later Ismāʿīlī historiography.
Related Topics
- Tayyibi Ismāʿīlism – The branch of Ismāʿīlī Shiʿa Islam to which Idris belonged.
- Daʿī al‑Mutlaq – The office of absolute missionary that he held.
- Fatimid Caliphate – The North‑African Ismāʿīlī dynasty that forms a central focus of his historical work.
- Uyun al‑Akhbār – His seven‑volume historical compilation.
- Dawoodi Bohra – A modern Tayyibi community that traces its spiritual lineage to the Daʿīs of Yemen, including Idris.
- Shibam, Yemen – The fortified city of his birth and burial.
All information presented is derived from established scholarly and encyclopedic sources, notably the Wikipedia entry on Idris Imad al‑Din and related academic literature.