Nasir Khusraw

Nasir Khusraw (1004–c.1072/1088) was an influential 11th-century Persian Isma'ili poet, philosopher, traveler, and missionary. Born in Qubadiyan, in the Khorasan region, he initially worked as a scribe and financial administrator before undergoing a spiritual transformation and converting to Isma'ilism around the age of 41. This led him to embark on a seven-year journey across Iran, Armenia, Asia Minor, Syria, Palestine, and Arabia, culminating in a pilgrimage to Mecca in 1047. He then traveled to Cairo, the capital of the Fatimid Caliphate, where he studied Isma'ili teachings under prominent scholars like Al-Mu'ayyad fi'l-Din al-Shirazi. Upon returning to Khorasan as a missionary ('da'i') and 'Hujjah', he faced persecution due to Sunni opposition. He eventually found refuge in Yumgan, Badakhshan, where he spent his final decades, gathering followers and consolidating his doctrines. Despite writing many philosophical works for the Isma'ili elite, often in Persian (a rarity for Fatimid literature), Nasir Khusraw is best known for his poetry and his advocacy for the Persian language. His famous work, the Safarnama, details his extensive travels and observations. He is revered by the Isma'ili communities of Badakhshan and Pakistan as their founder.