Islamic Traditions in Greater Khurasan : Ismailis and Sufis

‘Greater Khurasan’ was a medieval geographic term that referred to the vast geographical area situated in the easternmost part of the Islamic world. This open access book offers a focused exploration of the cultural and intellectual expressions of Islam in this region. In particular, it pays attention to the historical, intellectual and cultural intersections between Sufism and Ismailism, highlighting the intertwined development of these traditions.

The book is divided into five parts: part one situates major Sufi figures and orders within their regional contexts, introducing newly discovered sources and re-examining the legacies of thinkers such as Ibrahim Qavghani and Najm al-Din Kubra, alongside contemporary Sufi revivals. Part two investigates Sufi–Ismaili cultural interactions, from devotional dance and music to the shifting meanings of shrines in modern Tajikistan. Part three reassesses key Ismaili narratives, offering new perspectives on the Nizari da’wa, its diverse regional expressions, and the effects of communal schisms. Part four turns to philosophical and theological debates, reconsidering influential authors of the 10th–13th centuries and probing the reception and reframing of Avicennism within Nizari thought. Part five highlights Persian and Sufi terminology as cultural vehicles, examining their cognitive, lexical, and scholarly significance.

Bringing together specialists in Sufi studies, Islamic philosophy and Ismaili history, this comprehensive study illuminates the shared spaces, networks and discourses through which these traditions have evolved from the medieval period to the present day.

The ebook editions of this book are available open access under a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 licence on bloomsburycollections.com. Open access was funded by The Institute of Ismaili Studies.