IIS Initiates Rasa’il Ikhwan al-Safa’ Series 
December 2003
The Institute of Ismaili Studies has embarked on an ambitious project to publish a complete critical edition and annotated English translation of the Rasa’il Ikhwan al-Safa’ (The Epistles of the Brethren of Purity). Scheduled to begin publishing in 2006, the series will provide the first comprehensive study in English of the 9th/10th century corpus and its authors. More

 

IIS Commemorates Millennium Birth Anniversary of Nasir Khusraw 
September 2003
The Institute of Ismaili Studies organised a series of events to commemorate the 1,000th birth anniversary of the poet, philosopher and traveller, Nasir Khusraw, in early September 2003. In addition to hosting a three-day international conference on Nasir Khusraw in Khorog, Tajikistan, the Institute also collaborated in the production of a play and concert, the hosting of an awards ceremony and the release of several publications in Tajik-Cyrillic. More

 

Institute’s Lecture Series Examines the Landscape of Muslim Plurality 
March 2003
Professor Roy Mottahedeh concluded the Institute’s latest seminar series, “Muslim Pluralism: Historical and Contemporary Encounters with the Internal Others” on January 27, 2003 with his talk, “Pluralism: Reflections From the Work of Rumi.” Beginning in March 2002, 11 speakers have examined the diverse ways in which Muslims have addressed issues of authority, governance, knowledge, gender, material culture, social relations, space, language ethics and the sacred.
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IIS welcomes Class of 2006 
November 2003
Ten students from five countries were accepted into the Institute’s Graduate Programme in Islamic Studies and Humanities (GPISH), which began in late September. The students selected from amongst 150 applicants will embark on an intensive two-year course in the faith, culture and thought of Muslim societies, leading to a Masters degree from a British university in the student’s own area of specialisation. More

 

IIS Inaugurates Three-Day International Colloqium on the Qur'an and the Arts 
October 2003
The three-day international colloquium, “Word of God, Art of Man: The Qur’an and its Creative Expressions”,was launched on October 18, 2003 with an evening reception and plenary lecture by Gulru Necipoglu, Aga Khan Professor of Islamic Art and Architecture at MIT. The formal preceedings, beginning with an address by His Highness the Aga Khan on October 19, was followed by the Opening Lecture by renowned Art Historian, Oleg Grabar. More

 

IIS Announces 2003 Doctoral Scholarship Recipients 
August 2003
Beginning in 1997, The Institute of Ismaili Studies has awarded Doctoral Scholarships to outstanding students whose research and work complements the larger research goals, activities and mandate of the IIS. This year’s three recipients, all alumni of the Institute’s Graduate Programme in Islamic Studies and Humanities, are Arif Jamal (Canada; Class of 1997), Nacim Pak (Iran; Class of 2002) and Marodsilton Mubarokshoeva (Tajikistan; Class of 2003). More

 

New Publication Examines Early Tayyibi-Musta‘li History in Egypt and Yemen 
January 2003
The Fatimids and their Successors in Yaman, an Arabic edition and English summary of volume 7 of Idris ‘Imad al-Din’s ‘Uyun al-akhbar by Ayman Fu’ad Sayyid, is the fourth publication in the Institute’s Ismaili Text and Translation Series. Available for the first time, this volume is the principal source for the history of the Fatimid da’wa in Yemen during the time of the Sulayhid dynasty. More

 

The Institute’s Library Publishes Fourth Collection Catalogue 
June 2003
The fourth in a series of collection catalogues published by the Library of The Institute of Ismaili Studies, Arabic Ismaili Manuscripts: The Zahid ‘Ali Collection by Delia Cortese, completes the cataloguing of the Library’s Arabic Ismaili corpus of 738 manuscripts acquired up to 1998. The latest catalogue is entirely devoted to the body of manuscripts which formerly belonged to the Musta‘li Ismaili scholar, the late Dr Zahid ‘Ali(1888-1958), and was donated to the IIS by the ‘Ali family in 1997. More

 

IIS Commemorates its 25th Anniversary 
October 2003
The Institute of Ismaili Studies, founded by His Highness the Aga Khan in 1977, will commemorate the 25th anniversary of its establishment with a series of programmes starting October 19, 2003. The events marking the occasion will include: a three-day international colloquium on the Qur’an and the Arts, an accompanying exhibition of manuscripts and artefacts and a graduation ceremony honouring current graduates and alumni. More

 

Azim Nanji Addresses the ‘Diversity in Islam’ Conference in Ottawa 
August 2003
Speaking at the recent ‘Diversity in Islam: Bridging the Gaps’ Conference held at Parliament Hill in the Canadian capital, Ottawa, Professor Azim Nanji, Director of The Institute of Ismaili Studies, presented his thoughts on ‘Muslim Civilisations: The Challenges and Opportunities in the Postmodern Era.’ The one-day conference, sponsored by Women Engaging in Bridge Building (WEBB), aimed to build an understanding of the legitimacy and value of diversity and human pluralism in Muslim societies. More

 

IIS Director Invited as Visiting Fellow by Stanford University 
December 2003
Professor Azim Nanji, Director of The Institute of Ismaili Studies, has been invited by Stanford University’s Department of Religious Studies to be a Visiting Fellow of Islamic Studies for its Winter and Spring terms. Professor Nanji, who has a long-standing relationship with the university, gave its Baccalaureate Address in 1995. More

 

Institute’s New Publication Examines the Life and Writings of a Fatimid da‘i 
December 2003
Memoirs of a Mission: The Ismaili Scholar, Statesman and Poet, al-Mu’ayyad fi’l-Din al-Shirazi by Verena Klemm is the ninth publication in the Institute’s Ismaili Heritage Series. Based on his memoirs, Sirat al-Mu’ayyad fi’l-Din, the work provides an insight into the remarkable life and achievements of this prominent Fatimid da‘i in the political context of the Muslim world of the 5th/11th century. More

 

The Institute’s Latest Publication Honours Wilferd Madelung’s Contributions to Islamic Studies 
November 2003
The Institute’s latest publication, Culture and Memory in Medieval Islam, edited by Farhad Daftary and Josef W. Meri, is a festschrift honouring the contributions of Wilferd Madelung, Laudian Professor of Arabic (Emeritus) at the University of Oxford and Senior Research Fellow at The Institute of Ismaili Studies. The collection of articles, written by 19 of Professor Madelung’s colleagues, friends and students has been published to coincide with Professor Madelung’s 75th birthday. More

 

Valedictory Address: Video 
October 2003

 

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Director’s Address: Video 
October 2003
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Institute Honours Class of 2004 Graduates and Alumni 
October 2003
Fifteen Members of the Class of 2004 and 180 alumni of the Institute’s varied programmes were honoured at a graduation ceremony at Le Meridien Grosvenor House Hotel in London on the afternoon of October 19, 2003. In attendance were over 1,600 guests including the Chairman of the Institute’s Board of Governors, His Highness the Aga Khan. More

 

IIS Conducts Second ‘Summer Programme on Islam’ at the University of Cambridge 
August 2003
The Institute of Ismaili Studies held its second residential Summer Programme on Islam from August 9 - August 16, 2003 at Lucy Cavendish College, University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom. Thirty-three participants from ten countries with diverse academic and professional backgrounds attended the 2003 session. More

 

IIS Library Inaugurates New Reference Collection in Memory of the late Annemarie Schimmel 
July 2003
A collection of books, belonging to the late Annemarie Schimmel, which deal with aspects of Indo-Muslim culture, including Urdu and Sindhi languages and literatures, has been donated to the Institute’s Library in her memory. The volumes, which were part of her personal library, will supplement the Institute’s current collection of printed materials and be dedicated to the late scholar as the Annemarie Schimmel Memorial Reference Collection. More

 

IIS Director Delivers 2003 Peterson Lecture 
June 2003
Addressing an audience of international educators, Professor Azim Nanji, Director of The Institute of Ismaili Studies, delivered the 2003 Peterson Lecture at the Palais des Nations in Geneva Switzerland on May 5, 2003 as part of a meeting of The International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO). The wide-ranging talk entitled ‘Rethinking Our World: The Search For a Pluralist Vision,’ tackled the complexities of understanding the world we inhabit and the challenge of curriculum designers and implementers. More

 

IIS To Develop English Version of The Great Islamic Encyclopedia 
May 2003
The Institute of Ismaili Studies, in collaboration with The Center for the Great Islamic Encyclopedia (Markaz Da’irat al-Ma‘arif-e Buzurg-e Islami) in Tehran, is developing one of the most ambitious and comprehensive resources in English on the Muslim world. In addition to contributing a significant number of articles on Ismaili-related topics to the original Farsi version of the encyclopaedia, the Institute is scheduled to translate the anticipated 40-volume reference work into English. More

 

IIS Co-Sponsors Conference on “Literature and South Asian Communities of East Africa” 
April 2003
The Graduate Studies Department of The Institute of Ismaili Studies in conjunction with the Arts and Humanities Research Board (AHRB) Centre for Asian and African Literatures and the School of Oriental and African Studies' Centre of South Asian Studies organised a one-day conference entitled, “Literature and the South Asian Communities of East Africa” on March 21, 2003. The seminar gathered creative writers and scholars working in Britain who are engaged with literature written by and about the Asian communities of East Africa. More

 

First Publication in French on Ismaili History in 20 Years 
March 2003
Taking advantage of contemporary sources and modern scholarship, Les ismaéliens: Histoire et traditions d'une communauté musulmane, a translation of Farhad Daftary’s book A Short History of the Ismailis makes available to French speaking audiences, a survey of Ismaili history. Translated by Zarien Rajan-Badouraly, with a contextual introduction by M. A. Amir-Moezzi, this publication is the first major work on the history of the Ismaili community in French since the 1982 translation of Bernard Lewis’ The Assassins. More

 

IIS Scholar Addresses Islam and World Politics at Eton College 
March 2003
For the fourth consecutive year, the Divinity Department of Eton College in Windsor, UK has invited an IIS scholar to address issues of Islam and the contemporary world. This year, Dr Nader El-Bizri spoke to 250 Lower Sixth Form (17-year-old) boys on the nature of Islam and the political world order. More

 

In Memoriam: Annemarie Schimmel, 1922-2003 
February 2003
A giant in the field of Islamic Studies and specifically Sufism, her publications included hundreds of articles and books on Islamic art, theology, poetry, calligraphy and mysticism, as well as translations of Arabic, Persian, Turkish, Urdu and Sindhi poetry into German and English. More