Da'is (earthly leaders) Musta'li
arwa al-sulayhi hujjah time of imam mustansir. appointed dai in yemen run religious affair. ismaili missionaries ahmed , abdullah (in 1067 ad (460 ah)) sent india in time. according fatimid tradition, after death of al-amir bi-ahkami l-lah, arwa al-sulayhi instituted da al-mutlaq in place of dai run independent dawah yemen in name of imam taiyab. dais appointed 1 after other in same philosophy of nass (nomination predecessor) done earlier imams. believed god s representative cannot die before appointing true successor. being followed time of 3rd imam ali ibn husain, strong army of yezid not think of killing him, although did not spare child of 6 months, ali al-asghar ibn husayn.
on similar belief, musta li think , dai claim, 1 day imam tayyab s heir again reappear imam (as happened eleventh imam, abdallah al-mahdi billah, appeared after period of 150 years since sixth imam).
under fifteenth imam, al-aziz billah, fifth fatimid caliph, religious tolerance given great importance. small shi group ruling on majority sunni population christian minority also, fatimid caliphs careful respect sentiments of people. 1 of viziers of imam aziz christian, , high offices held both shia , sunnis. fatimid advancement in state offices based more on merit on heredity.
al-aziz billah rebuilt saint mercurius church in coptic cairo near fustat , encouraged public theological debate between chief fatimid qadi , bishops of oriental orthodoxy in interest of ecumenism.
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