Study of the Factors Shaping the Daʿwah System in the Fatimid and Abbasid Dynasties

Abstract

The present study seeks to reinterpret and explain four key factors that shaped the Daʿwah system (Ismaʿili and Abbasid missionary systems): ideology, organizational structure, geographical context, and the role of elites. First, doctrinal foundations—particularly the Imamate-centered teachings among the Fatimids and the Abbasids’ legitimization through slogans of justice and the transfer of power from the Umayyads—served as the preconditions for the emergence of politico-religious Daʿwah systems. Then, the organizational structure of the Daʿwah system was established through the use of networks of secret missionaries (duʿāt), hierarchical epistemic systems, and collaboration with tribes and local elites. The geographical context also played a crucial role; the Abbasids, by focusing on Khurasan and Kufa, were able to ignite the early flames of Daʿwah, while the Fatimids, through their conquest of North Africa and Egypt, leveraged the strategic potential of geography to expand their mission. The role of elites and social classes—especially judges, scholars, Berber tribes, and Iranians—was highly influential in attracting followers, consolidating legitimacy, and strengthening the Daʿwah system of both dynasties. The present study demonstrates that although both systems shared similar ideological and organizational features, differences in epistemic structure, engagement with elites, and geographical positioning led each to develop its own distinctive path and character. By integrating these four dimensions, this research identifies the Daʿwah system as a multidimensional instrument for political legitimization, social mobilization, and governance stability, emphasizing its functional transformation beyond mere missionary activity.