وسائل إرساء الدعوة الإسماعيلية بين فئات المجتمع المصري

Abstract

The Fatimid caliphs relied on a set of main propaganda methods to establish their Ismaili doctrine among the various sectors of Egyptian society, profoundly impacting the achievement of their religious and political goals. They exploited all the circumstances and conditions prevailing in Egyptian society, along with the absolute authority they imposed on all aspects of life in the country. The judiciary and education were the most prominent of these methods. The "Majalis al-Hikmah" (Councils of Wisdom) played a significant role in supporting the religious and political orientations endorsed by the Fatimid caliphs in their pursuit of intellectual and political control over the Islamic world. They prepared missionaries in the "Dar al-Hikmah" (House of Wisdom), originally established to serve the Ismaili doctrine, the official doctrine of the Fatimid state, and dispatched them across various Islamic lands to propagate the Ismaili Fatimid creed. This religious propaganda effectively and systematically paved the way for political influence. Additionally, the policy adopted by the Fatimid caliphs in Egypt and their efforts to integrate all segments of society, including the "Ahl al-Dhimma" (non-Muslims), in all fields of life marked the beginning of a new era based on religious and sectarian tolerance.