The Ismailis are Muslims of a branch of Shia Islam and they differ from mainstream Shiism. To understand the divergence, we need to go back to around 755 AD, over a century after the establishment of Islam. Shia Muslims (and their offshoots) follow an Imamate system, meaning the spiritual leader of the community is a direct male descendant of Ali Bin Abi Taleb – the first Imam in Shia Islam as well as the Prophet Muhammed’s cousin & companion.
Twelver Shias (the largest Shia group worldwide) believe in Ali and his 11 direct descendants as the only divinely ordained Imams. Ali’s 6th descendant, Jaafar al Sadiq, had two sons. Twelver Shias, believe his younger son Musa al Kadhim to be the 7th Imam, while another group claimed the older son, Ismail ibn Jaafar to be the rightful Imam. This group, the Seveners, became referred to as the Ismailis. Ismail’s son, Mohammed, was the first Ismaili Imam to arrive in Syria. He arrived in Palmyra in 806 AD, after which his son Ahmad al Wafi moved west towards the Mediterranean mountains, settling in the town of Salamiyeh, recognized today as Syria’s Ismaili capital.
What also differentiates Ismailis, is that the Imamate system still lives on, meaning they recognize a current living Imam (the 49th). Karim Aga Khan the 4th became Imam after his grandfather passed down the title to him in a will. He was modern in his approach and a reformer, addressing cultural and social norms, championing education, cultural/heritage preservation, and religious pluralism. He is the founder of the Aga Khan Development Network which aims to develop health, education, culture, rural living, institution building, economy, and eliminate poverty in 30 countries. He visited Syria in 2008, undertaking several initiatives which supported Syria’s development as well as empowering Syria’s Ismaili community.
In Syria, he aided in further developing the health sector, founded hotels in Damascus & Aleppo, in addition to revitalizating the ancient citadels of Aleppo, Masyaf, and Saladin. AKDN has worked in 6 Syrian governorates since 1999. And since 2011, AKDN has dedicated $50 million towards initiatives in Syria and has committed to increasing this investment to $200 million over the next four years. Until today, the network has consistently delivered food & water aids at a large scale, supported thousands of children & expecting/new mothers, and supported over 6,000 farmers. In the Ismaili town of Salamiyeh, AKDN greatly developed the public hospital. Recently, AKDN has been behind several incredible rebuilding efforts in Aleppo, helping preserve some of the city’s ancient & prominent sites.
Between the late 1000s – 1200s AD, Syria was split between the Crusaders, Fatimid Egyptians, the Sunni Ayyubids & Seljuks, and occupations of Arab Shia & Turkic Sunni dynasties. Near Salamiyeh & Syria’s coastal mountains, Ismailis formed a separate state allied with the Ismailis of Persia. This was possible due to the fact many feared their highly skilled military men & warriors, later known as the Assassins. Managing several fortresses strewn across the mountains (until today), they managed to assassinate several leaders of various groups who were deemed a threat to them. However around 1260 AD, the Mongols devastated the entire region & the Mamluks (a knightly military class, mostly Caucasians) ruled the region for the next 300 years.
Ismailis form 20% of all Shias worldwide, and one of their largest communities is in Syria, where they form at most, 3% of the country. They are Syria’s 5th largest religious group. However, due to unreliable stats because of war & displacement they may be the 6th largest after the Sunnis, Alawites, Christians, Druze, and a growing Twelver Shia community. Ismailis are mainly centered in the governorates of Hama (< 15% ) & Tartus (<10%) where they form majorities in the Hama towns of Salamiyeh & Masyaf, and sizable communities in the Tartus villages of Al Khawabi & Qadmus. Many Ismailis have also moved to Damascus, Latakia, Aleppo & Homs.
Syrian Ismailis celebrate traditional Islamic holidays like Eid Al Adha & Eid Al Fitr. Although many do not physically fast during Ramadan, it remains spiritually significant. While most Abrahamic faiths are patriarchal in nature, Ismailis greatly recognize the importance of women’s independence and equality, as well as an emphasis on education. The hijab is very rare amongst Syrian Ismaili women & mixed prayers occur in their mosques.
Nowruz (the Persian new year) is celebrated by some adherents on March 21st, as is the current Imam’s birthday (December 13th) & the date he was ordained (July 11th). The Ismaili National Council in Syria helps young Syrian Ismailis get closer to their faith, granting some the opportunity to travel to either India, Pakistan, or Kenya, where they focus on service, leadership development, culture, global citizenship, and connecting with other Ismailis.
Syria is home to a diverse and rich mosaic of cultures, and among them are the Circassians, an ethnic group from the Northern Caucasus region. Circassians have a tragic history
Armenian identity is greatly impacted by a deep wound. Today, we celebrate their presence, perseverance and legacy in Syria, and we also acknowledge that many Armenians have become refugees once
Part 8 and the final religious group of the series about Syria’s religious makeup: the Yazidis. Special thanks to Syrian Yazidi followers @wailoo_ & @samarshekho who helped with the info!<br