Fârès GillonThe Book of Unveiling
Early Fatimid Ismaili Doctrine in the Kitab Al-Kashf, Attributed to Ja'far B. Mansur B. Al-Yaman
Fârès Gillon is Associate Professor in Islamic Studies and Arabic at Aix-Marseille University, France. He received his PhD from the Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes (Paris), and specializes in the intellectual history of early Shiism, with a particular focus on Fatimid Ismailism. He has published several articles on these topics, and has also co-edited with Mathieu Terrier Anthologie de la philosophie en Islam (Paris, 2023). Previously, he was a Research Associate at the Institute of Ismaili Studies. His research interests include Shi'i history and doctrines, Ismailism, Nusayrism and Islamic Philosophy
1. Introduction Historical and intellectual context Transmission:
manuscripts, editions, and reception The problematic authorship of the
Kitab al-Kashf: some remarks on the corpus attributed to Ja'far b. Mansur
al-Yaman The six treatises of the Kitab al-Kashf and their contents Between
chaos and order: the art of compilation and structure in the Kitab al-Kashf
Notes on the translations and commentaries 2. Treatise I Translation
Commentary The divine trust (amana), walaya and the covenant The da'wa, an
esoteric family God's 'order' (amr) and its continuity The continuity of
antagonism: the enemies of the Imam Al-musukhiyya: from literal to
metaphoric metamorphosis The Mahdi and his return Conclusion 3. Treatise II
Translation Commentary Divine transcendence The throne, the footstool and
the problem of anthropomorphism The alphabetic cosmogony Conclusion 4.
Treatise III Translation Commentary Identifying the 'Sage' (al-?akim) and
dating Treatise III The da'wa: an organization and its enemies The Orphan:
evolution of a concept, from ghuluww to Fatimid Ismailism Salman, a Shi'i
figure in support of the Fatimid reform The 'Bearer of the Sword' and the
raj'a Conclusion 5. Treatise IV Translation Commentary Several hadith
fragments A hadith on language Conclusion 6. Treatise V Translation
Commentary The Imam and his proof, the 'Ayn and the Fa' The rejection of
antinomianism Organizing the da'wa: instruction to the missionaries and
refutation of the false Mahdi Conclusion 7. Treatise VI Translation
Commentary God's choice challenged by human caprice 'Ali and Aaron as books
of God Proofs and summoners Conclusion Bibliography
