Ismaili Special Collections

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Collections access

The Institute of Ismaili Studies holds a significant repository of special collections related to the heritage of Ismaili communities and that of other Muslim traditions.

Our special collections include:  

  • nearly 3,000 manuscripts in Arabic, Persian, Indic and other languages
  • rare and special printed materials (including periodicals and magazines)  
  • medals and other historical artefacts
  • photographs and audio-visual materials
  • archival collections
  • glass weights
  • coins

For requests regarding accessing the collections, please contact us.

Collection highlights

Some threaded coin shaped artefacts with Arabic text written on them
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A seal set of two rock crystal three-faced seals and two metal seals

The inscription on the rock crystal seals includes a line from the invocation, Nāda ‘Ali, which is a prayer used by Shi‘i Muslims, along with some Qur’anic verses. The inscriptions on the metal include the name Muḥammad Ḥasan al-Ḥusaynī, also known as Ḥasan ‘Alī Shāh (Aga Khan I).
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Diamond Jubilee memorabilia

The celebration events for the Diamond Jubilee of Aga Khan III’s Imamate were held in Bombay and Dar es Salaam. Along with these celebrations, a range of memorabilia were created to mark these events. The cup and saucer are one example of such memorabilia marking Aga Khan III’s Diamond Jubilee.
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Methan Jamatkhana (1992)

This photograph shows the North and West facades of the 1941 Methan Jamatkhana which is no longer in use. Decorative element above the main entrance is painted green. Flags and crown of Imamat appear in decorative panel on curved part of facade. Bottom left of slide indicates the remains of residences which probably came very close to the Jamatkhana walls thus requiring the raised prayer hall. Part of the Abdallah Jamal Collection
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A rare copper coin

A rare (Nizari) copper coin from the reign of ‘‎Ala al-Dīn Muḥammad (r. 618-653 AH/ 1221-1255 AD), circa AH 618-653, possibly minted in Kursi al-Daylam (Throne of Daylam).

ISCU Online Catalogue

In 2021 ISCU has launched an online catalogue of special collections housed at IIS. Featuring information on a significant number of items, including photographs, artefacts, coins and medals, rare books, manuscripts, archival items and periodicals, the catalogue enables a wide range of audiences, including researchers and students, to explore heritage materials relating to Ismaili communities online.

Explore our catalogue now

The IIS holds one of the most significant repositories in the world of materials related to Ismaili communities. The beginnings of this collection can be traced back to the 1930s and 1940s when the Russian scholar and pioneer of modern Ismaili studies, Wladimir Ivanow (1886-1970), together with Mr Chotu Lakhani and other Ismaili scholars, gathered a number of manuscripts for the Ismaili Society in Bombay. These acquisitions have provided the basis for the Institute’s own collection, which has been developed extensively over the years and includes Arabic, Persian and Indic manuscripts. For more information, please see the published catalogues section.

Photographs in print and digital format are another significant part of IIS special collections. These capture important events related to the heritage of Ismaili communities and that of other Muslim traditions.

Special collections at IIS are home to a range of artefacts and coins spanning from coins from the Fatimid and Alamut period to Jubilee memorabilia from Aga Khan III’s and IV’s Jubilee celebrations.

A range of printed material from different parts of the world, in Arabic, Persian, and Indic languages, among others, forms part of IIS special collections. Artefacts, coins, archival items and audio-visual material also form part of this collection.

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