Hasan Sabbah

Hasan Sabbah, prominent Isma‘ili da‘i and founder of the medieval Nizari Isma‘ili state (b. Qum, mid-440s AH/1050s CE, d. Alamut. 518 AH/1124 CE). Little in­formation is available on the early life of Hasan Sabbah, who was referred to as Sayyidna (our master) by his contemporary Nizari lsmailis.

The colourful story, accord­ing to which Hasan, Nizam al-Mulk, and ‘Umar Khayyam had made a pact when they were classmates in their youth under the same master at Nishapur, should be dis­missed as a legend (see Rashid al-Din, pp. 110-12; Kashani, pp. 146-48; Mirkhand [Tehran], IV. pp. 199-204; Bowen, 1931, pp. 771-82). The events of Hasan’s career as the first ruler of Alamut are better documented; these events were recorded in the Sargudhasht-i sayyidna, the first part of which may have been autobiographical. Although this chronicle, which marked the initiation of a Nizari tradition of historiography in Persia during the Alamut period, has not survived, it was used extensively by Juwayni, Rashid al-Din and Abu’l-Qasim Kashani, who are the chief authorities on Hasan’s life and career (see Daftary, 1992, pp. 91-97).