Authority Without Territory

Source: Originally published in The Ismaili UK, July 2015. | View at The Institute of Ismaili Studies

Author: Dr Daryoush Mohammad Poor, Interim Head of the Constituency Studies Unit and Associate Professor at The Institute of Ismaili Studies.

Abstract: This article explores the concept of authority without territory as embodied by the Ismaili Imamat. Shi’a Imami Ismaili Muslims recognize the authority of the Imams descended from the Prophet Muhammad’s household (ahl al-bayt), through Hazrat Bibi Fatimah and Hazrat Imam Ali. The doctrine of Imamat is central to the community’s identity, emphasizing the Imam’s role as the spiritual leader and interpreter of Islam in each era. The article examines how the Ismaili Imamat has adapted to modernity through institutional frameworks, notably the Ismaili Constitution, which codifies the community’s values and administrative structures, and the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), which operationalizes the Imamat’s mission to improve both spiritual and material well-being globally.

Key Themes

• The doctrine of Imamat and its centrality to Ismaili identity
• Authority rooted in divine designation vs. secular governance
• The Ismaili Constitution: blending traditional Shi’i principles with modern governance
• The dual focus of the Imamat: balancing spiritual guidance (din) with material development (dunya)
• Institutional adaptability through the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN)
• Pluralism and modernity without Westernization
• The living tradition of allegiance to the Imam in the modern world