Ali ibn Hanzala facts for kids

Ali ibn Hanzala was an important leader for the Tayyibi Isma'ili community in Yemen. He served as their sixth main guide, known as the Da'i al-Mutlaq, from 1215 until he passed away in 1229.

Life of a Spiritual Leader

Ali ibn Hanzala was part of the Banu Hamdan tribe. He started working with the Tayyibi religious mission (called da'wa) even before he became the main leader. This was during the time of the third main guide, Hatim ibn Ibrahim.

Later, under the fifth main guide, Ali ibn Muhammad, Ali ibn Hanzala was a senior assistant (called a ma'dhun). When Ali ibn Muhammad died in 1215, Ali ibn Hanzala took over as the Da'i al-Mutlaq. This title meant he was the most important leader of the Tayyibi community. He acted as a representative for their spiritual leader, the hidden Imam.

Ali ibn Hanzala usually had good relationships with the ruling families in Yemen, like the Hamdanid dynasty and their powerful Ayyubid rulers. This allowed him to live in important cities like Sanaa and Dhu Marmar. He also sent out junior missionaries to help the growing Isma'ili community in western India.

At the same time, he worked to protect his community from other religious groups, like the Hafizi Isma'ili mission and the Zaydi imams, who wanted to spread their influence.

His own senior assistants were relatives of the previous leader, Ali ibn Muhammad. They were Ahmad ibn Mubarak, who was Ali's nephew, and Ali's son, al-Husayn. Both of them became the Da'i al-Mutlaq after Ali ibn Hanzala died on February 8, 1229.

His Writings and Ideas

Ali ibn Hanzala was a very smart and educated person. He was especially interested in astrology and natural sciences. He wrote two important books about the deep spiritual teachings of the Tayyibi faith, known as ḥaqāʾiq.

• The Simṭ al-ḥaqaʾiq ("Banquet of reality") is one of his works. It talks about Tayyibi ideas on God's oneness, the creation of the universe, and what happens at the end of time. This book is a long poem with 663 verses. It was published in Damascus in 1953.
• His other book is called Risālat ḍiyāʾ al-ʿulūm wa-miṣbāʿ al-ʿulūm ("Treatise on the radiance of reason and the light of knowledge"). This book has four chapters. It also discusses God's oneness, the universe, and the end of time, along with other important religious questions.

See Also

• List of Da'i al-Mutlaq