داعي الدعاة

داعي الدعاة

The da'i al-du'at, the great official to whom the headship of the Ismaili da'wa was entrusted under the Fatimids: ranking just below the qadi al-qudat and wearing his dress, the two offices often held by one man. Twelve nuqaba' assisted him in spreading the doctrine and deputies represented him in the provinces — the link between caliph and adherents — administering the oath to initiates directly or by proxy and overseeing the lectures delivered in the majlis al-da'wa, which were submitted to the caliph for approval before being taught; he also collected the najwa of 'believing men and women' at three and a third dirhams, and whoever paid thirty-three dinars received a Fatimid chit bearing the caliph's signature.