1923. ] Imam Ismail. 307 
tance of his information concerning Isma‘il, because it guaran- 
tees to some extent that the narrative is derived fr om sym- 
pathetic, or at least neutral sources, and not from the enemy’s 
camp, as are the majority of accounts of this saint found in 
Sunnite paeien 
The anecdotes narrated by Kashi and concerned with 
cfu il chiefly deal with the very puzzling and obscure question 
eal causes of the revocation of his Imamat by his 
father. “Ontortanstely it is impossible to arrive at a definite 
conclusion as to their nature. Judging from allusions, some of 
which are very elusive, these causes were : (1) the —— dislike 
of Ja‘far Sadiq for his eldest son, and his preferen is 
second son, Musa Kazim. (2) Isma‘il’s popularity amongst the 
extremist parties, who, in their fanatical zeal threatened to 
expose the whole of the Shi‘ite mov aoe to grave danger.! 
And (3) {sma‘il’s alleged intrigue’ against his father.’ 
nly one anecdote is unconnected with these questions, 
and mentions Isma‘il as acting in full accord with his father. 
It is very important because it gives what may probably be 
regarded as the only reliable date in Isma‘il’s biography. The 
story (pp. 239- 249) is given in several versions, from different 
rawi's 8. It deals with the execution of an eminent follower of 
P 
protested his innocence. He was slain in his o 
according to one version (p. 240), or executed in some ihe 
way, as may be inferred from others. 
As Da’iid b. ‘Ali, according to Tabari,® occupied the post 
— 

! Kashi gives a vivid picture of a large number of heretics whose 
Principal pean was cae ee of various esa attributing 

em most supernatural pow I will deal with this n in 
ame tae. The Alides, on ‘the other part, haste their best to issociate 
themselves from these far too Cf. for an ance te 
f the history of Mukhtar’s rising i o Kita onspatt is rather allan 
aus 
slam (Abhandlu ungen d. Kénigl. Gesellsch. 
tingen, Philos-hist. klasse, Neue fo olge, Bd. V,1901, No. 2). 
* See below, the anecdote given by Kashi on p. 247. Intrigues 
i ides’ politics. Isma‘i aN 
Son Muhammad is often charged with this accusation. Cf. tu’ 
talib, by Ahmad b “Ali al ods surn, [bn ‘Inaba (d. 825/1423), lith. 
p. 208 -, 
5 Usually ‘this nisba is spelled as cstl yo or ty? (from Sayraf, an 
ancient city on the Persia oo lf). = iS 
* P. 240: bmmlapuve BL | che dao WSiendl yg biaewe! z ak 
° Tabari, III, 73, He died in the month re, Rabi‘u’l-awwal. 
