An Apocalyptic History of the Early Fatimid Empire

How can religion transform a society? This book investigates the ways in which a medieval Islamic movement harnessed Qur'anic visions of utopia to construct one of the most brilliant empires in Islamic history.

The Fatimids' apocalyptic vision of their central place in an imminent utopia played a critical role in transfiguring the intellectual and political terrains of North Africa in the early tenth century. Yet the realities that they faced on the ground often challenged their status as the custodians of a pristine Islam at the end of time. As well as examining the organisational features of the Fatimid revolution, Jamel Velji shows how the Fatimids viewed their mission as bringing about an imminent utopia. He then looks at how they re-examined their place in history when the expected end failed to materialise.