Interview with Dr Shainool Jiwa
Publication: Towards a Shi'i Mediterranean Empire: Fatimid Egypt and the Founding of Cairo
Translated by: Dr Shainool
Questions addressed in the interview:
- Could you please elaborate on the title of the book and explain why you have chosen to call the Fatimids a ‘Mediterranean Empire’?
- The book’s introduction gives a succinct and informative account of the origins of the Fatimids. What were the key elements of the Ismaili da‘wa that attracted the Maghrebis and led to the founding of the Fatimid Empire there?
- In this book, you have translated part of al-Maqrizi's work. Can you tell us a little bit about this 15th-century scholar and the reasons for his interest in the Fatimids?
- What were the distinctive features of Imam-caliph al-Mu‘izz rule, particularly with regard to his policies towards the people of Egypt and his relations with other states?
- Who else has written about Imam-caliph al-Mu‘izz and how do their accounts compare with Maqrizi’s writings?
- Who is the expected audience of ‘Towards a Shi‘i Mediterranean Empire’?
