S J Badakhchani is a Research Associate at The Institute of Ismaili Studies. His publications include 'Contemplation and Action: The Spiritual Autobiography of a Muslim Scholar' (1998) and 'Paradise of Submission: A Medieval Treatise on Ismaili Thought' (2005), both published by I.B.Tauris.

• Acknowledgements * Introduction * The Translations * Tawall? wa tabarr?: Solidarity and Dissociation * Ma?l?b al-mumin?n: Desideratum of the Faithful * Preamble * On Origin and Destination * Description of the Faithful Ismaili * On Solidarity and Dissociation * On the Seven Pillars of Religious Law and their Esoteric Interpretation * ?gh?z wa anj?m: Origin and Destination * Preamble * Description of the Path to the Hereafter, its travellers, and the reasons for people’s aversion to it, and the calamities attached to that. * On the Origin and the Destination, moving away from primordial nature and going back to it; mention of the Night of Power and the Day of Resurrection. * Description of the two worlds, and the people’s status in this world and the Hereafter * On the place and the time of the Hereafter * On the in-gathering of Creation * On the circumstances [governing] different classes of people in the Hereafter, and mention of Heaven and Hell * Description of the Path * On the Scrolls of Deeds, Noble Scribes, and the descent the angels and the satans upon good and wicked people * On the Reckoning and the ranks of the people of Reckoning * On the weighing of deeds and mention of the Balance * On the rolling-up of the Heavens * On the sounding of the Trumpet and transformation of Earth and Heaven * On the conditions that occur on the Day of Resurrection and the halting of mankind on the plains [of the Resurrection] * Descriptions of the gates of Paradise and Hell * On the tormentors of Hell * On the rivers of Paradise and those corresponding to them in Hell * On the custodians of Paradise and Hell, and mankind reaching its primordial nature * On the Tree of Bliss and the Infernal Tree * On the Virgins of Paradise * On Reward and Punishment [and God’s justice] * The Persian Texts * Bibliography * Index

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