Hamid al-Din al-Kirmani was a key figure in Ismaili philosophy during the Fatimid Caliphate, integrating Neoplatonism, Aristotelian logic, and Islamic theology to develop a sophisticated vision of knowledge, reason, and divine guidance. His seminal work, Rahāt al-‘Aql (“The Peace of the Intellect”), shaped Ismaili thought on cosmology, metaphysics, and the role of the Imam.

Though details of his life remain obscure, his writings reveal his active engagement in theological and philosophical debates, defending Ismaili doctrine against Sunni theologians, rival Ismaili factions, and broader Islamic intellectual trends. His interactions with figures like al-Farabi and Avicenna position him within a wider philosophical discourse, though his approach to divine authority and ta’wil (esoteric interpretation) was uniquely Ismaili.

This podcast provides an overview of al-Kirmani’s life, works, and influence, situating him within both Ismaili history and medieval Islamic thought.

Timeline of Main Events

909-1171 CE: The Fatimid Caliphate rises to power, establishing itself as a major Islamic dynasty rooted in Ismaili Shi'a doctrine.

c. 970 CE: Hamid al-Din al-Kirmani is likely born in Persia (modern-day Iran).

996-1021 CE: Reign of Fatimid Caliph-Imam al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah, during which the Fatimid Caliphate reaches its zenith and Cairo becomes a center of intellectual life.

1005 CE: The Dar al-'Ilm (House of Knowledge) is founded in Cairo.

Early 1000s CE: Al-Kirmani joins the Fatimid da'wa (missionary network) and becomes a leading Ismaili theologian.

c. 1017 CE: A dissident group led by Muhammad al-Darazi begins promoting the idea that al-Hakim is a divine incarnation.

1017 CE: Al-Kirmani writes Rahat al-'Aql ("The Peace of the Intellect"), defending Fatimid Ismaili doctrine against internal and external challenges.

1020 CE: Al-Kirmani is sent to Iraq by Fatimid authorities to counter pro-Twelver influence.

1021 CE: al-Hakim disappears mysteriously. Al-Kirmani defends the legitimacy of Imam-Caliph al-Hakim’s rule against Sunni and Twelver critics. The mainstream Fatimid authorities distance themselves from the Druze.

c. 1030 CE: Al-Kirmani writes al-Aqwal al-Dhahabiyya ("The Golden Sayings"), summarizing his theological insights.

c. 1050 CE: Al-Kirmani is believed to have died.

1171 CE: The Fatimid Caliphate falls.

1201-1274: Nasir al-Din al-Tusi, Persian intellectual, absorbs many of al-Kirmani’s metaphysical and esoteric principles.

Later centuries: Al-Kirmani's works become foundational texts for later generations of Ismaili thinkers, including the Nizari Ismailis and the Tayyibi Ismailis.