Mustaʿlī
Islamic sect
Quick Summary
The Musta'lis are a sect within Ismāʿīlī Islam, which itself is a branch of Shiʿi Islam. This group emerged after the death of the Fatimid caliph al-Mustanṣir in 1094 CE, when a division occurred over the succession to the imamate. The Musta'lis accepted the claim of al-Mustanṣir's younger son, also named al-Musta'li, and his successors. This faction comprised the majority of Ismāʿīlīs in Egypt, Yemen, and India during that period. The Musta'lis are distinct from the Nizārīs, who followed al-Mustanṣir's elder son, Nizār.1
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