n.
Member of a sect of the Sh 012B; ite branch of Islam.
It came into existence after the death of the sixth imam , Jafar ibn Muhammad , in 765. His son Ism 0101; 02BD; 012B; l was accepted as successor only by a minority, who became known as Ism 0101; 02BD; 012B; l 012B; tes. Their doctrine, formulated in the late 8th and early 9th century, made a distinction between ordinary Muslim believers and the elect, who shared a secret wisdom. The Qar 0101; mit 0101; h subsect was popular in Iraq, Yemen, and Bahrain in the 9th11th centuries, and the F 0101; 1E6D; imid subsect conquered Egypt in 969 and established the F 0101; timid dynasty . A subgroup of the F 0101; 1E6D; imids was the Niz 0101; r 012B; s, who gained control of fortresses in Iran and Syria in the late 11th century and were known as Assassin s. The major Niz 0101; r 012B; line survived into modern times under the leadership of the Aga Khan , moving from Iran to India in 1840. The Druze separated from the Ism 0101; 02BD; 012B; l 012B; s early in the 11th century and formed a closed society of their own.