禽姻油Aslisho油Qurboniev, Research Associate in the油Department of油Academic Research油at油The Institute of Ismaili Studies (IIS), took part in two international academic events in late 2025 that examined the history of Islamic Sicily within油the油broader Mediterranean and Fatimid contexts.
Middle East Studies Association油Conference油
From油2225 November 2025,油禽姻油Qurboniev油participated油in the annual油油(MESA) Conference, where he油co-organised油a panel titled油Navigating Ruptures: Continuity and Change in Fatimid油鴛韓姻朝援庄霞温油and Sicily. The panel explored questions of continuity and change following the relocation of the Fatimid caliphateThe Muslim political institution or state centred around the caliph, which came to an end, historically, in 1924 with the disappearance of the Ottoman Empire. from油鴛韓姻朝援庄霞温油to Egypt, with particular attention to documentary practices, elite networks, and political structures in regions such as Sicily.油
The papers presented examined how established administrative practices continued to油operate油despite shifts in political authority, highlighting Sicilys ongoing importance within油the油Fatimid and油the油post-Fatimid油world.油
Workshop on Islamic Sicily in the Mediterranean油Context油
Following the conference, 禽姻油Qurboniev油presented an expanded version of his research at a workshop held in油Palermo, Italy, titled油Harmonising Sources, Reframing Narratives: Islamic Sicily in the Mediterranean Context油(45 December 2025). Hosted by the油 Giovanni XXIII (FSCIRE)油at the油Biblioteca Giorgio La Pira, the workshop brought together scholars working on Islamic Sicily from Mediterranean and comparative perspectives. IIS scholars Dr Shainool Jiwa and ,油experts on the FatimidsMajor Muslim dynasty of Ismaili caliphs in North Africa (from 909) and later in Egypt (9731171) More and Islamic Sicily,油also participated in the workshop and presented papers. Dr Jiwa presented a paper titled Fatimid Relations with 鴛韓姻朝援庄霞温, Sicily and Spain during the reign of the fifth Fatimid sovereign al-Az朝z billah (d. 386/996 CE).油
The historiography of Islamic Sicily油was油principally油shaped油by油one Italian scholar, Michele Amari (1806-1889), who largely depended on later non-Fatimid Arabic sources, which tend to overlook the interdependence of Sicily and Fatimid IfriqiyaMediaeval Muslim name for modern-day Tunisia; also the area where the Fatimids founded their state in the early tenth century. and Egypt. One of the workshops objectives was to reconsider this trend. Drawing on Fatimid textual sources, Dr Qurbonievs paper examined the configuration of elite networks and power brokerage during the transfer of the caliphal capital from油畊abra油al-Man畊Ｅriyya油in油鴛韓姻朝援庄霞温油(modern Tunisia) to油the newly founded油capital油al-Qhira油al-Mu平izziyya油in Egypt. The discussion situated Sicily within these wider political and intellectual transformations.油
禽姻油Qurbonievs油participation油is part of油IIS continued engagement with international scholarly research on Islamic history and the Fatimid period.油
