Muhammad ibn Isma'il | |
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Born |
122 AH ≈ 740 AD Medina |
Died |
197 AH ≈ 813 AD Salamiyah, Syria |
Years active | 158 AH till 197 AH |
Known for | Seventh Ismāʿīlī Imām, Imam and great scholar of All Islamic schools. |
Title | Ash Shakir |
Children |
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Parent(s) |
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Relatives | Ali ibn Ismail (Brother) |
Muhammad ibn Ismāʿīl was the son of Isma'il ibn Jafar and an Ismāʿīlī Imam. The majority of Ismāʿīlī follow his descendants through his son Wafi Ahmad (Abdullah ibn Mohammad). His descedants further founded the Fatimid Empire, also called the Nizari and Mustaali.
Muhammad was born on 12 th Rabi' al-Awwal 128 AH/746 AD. His early childhood was spent under the protection of his grandfather Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq in Medina. Throughout his time in Medina he wore a disguise to protect his identity, with only selected missionaries and loyal members knowing about his true identity. The Abbasid caliph of the time, Harun al-Rashid, was investigating Muhammad's whereabouts and had forces deployed throughout Medina in search for him. Due to Harun al-Rashid's wife, Rabaida, and her loyalty to Muhammad ibn Ismāʿīl, Muhammad was able to evade enemy forces and migrate to Kufa. He remained in Kufa for an extended period of time and completed his Imamate, which lasted 45 years. He died on 11 th Shawwal 193 AH/27 July 809 AD in the region of Farghana.
His father Imam Ismāʿīl died during the lifetime of Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq. He was succeeded by his son Abdullah ibn Mohammad (Wafi Ahmad), who became the 8th Ismāʿīlī Imam. The 8th, 9th and 10th Ismāʿīlī Imams are believed to have gone into seclusion because of the constant threat of death from the Abbasid dynasty.