One of the most distinguished scholars of his time, A畍mad b. Ibrh朝m al-Naysb笛r朝 lived during the height of Fatimid rule in Egypt. He came from Nishp笛r, the centre of the Ismaili 糸温平敬温Lit. ‘summons’, ‘mission’ or invitation to Islam. Amongst Shi’i Muslims, it was the invitation to adopt the cause of the Imamat. It also refers more specifically to the hierarchy of… in Khursn, a thriving centre of learning particularly noted for its use of rationalistic philosophy. Several important works are accredited to him, but it is the Kitb ithbt al-imma which is of particular significance for the development of philosophy in medieval Islamic thought. In this work, presented here in a new edition and translation, al-Naysb笛r朝 allows us to understand not only the significance of his own thought, but also the beliefs of his age. Rather than basing his assertions exclusively on the authority of the Qur幣an and 畍a糸朝岳鞄Lit. report or narrative, used for the traditions of the Prophet Muhammad and in Shii Islam also for those of the Imams., he applies rational tools to explain his theology, providing a philosophical affirmation of the imamate by presenting a range of arguments, foremost amongst which is the theory of the degrees of excellence. Degrees of Excellence offers the first book-length study of this hitherto unknown scholar of the early 5th/11th century. This invaluable source of Fatimid historiography will prove essential reading for students of Islamic history, philosophy and theology. It will also serve as a useful reference for modern Shi平i communities of all persuasions.
Preface and Acknowledgements
Introduction
The Author and his Works
The Contents of Kitb ithbt al-imma
Themes in the Text
Degrees of Excellence
Description of the Arabic Manuscripts
Notes on the Translation
Translation of Kitb ithbt al-imma: Book on Affirming the Imamate
Select Bibliography
English Index
Arabic Index
Arabic Text
Arzina R. Lalani received her doctorate from the Department of Arabic and Middle Eastern Studies, University of Edinburgh. She is currently a Research Associate at 今叔利, London. A specialist in medieval Arabic literature and Shii thought, she is the author of Early Sh朝朝 Thought: The Teachings of Imam Mu畍ammad al-Bqir (2000) which won prestigious literary awards and has been translated into several languages.