The arkan al-islam according to Abu Ya'qub al-Sijistani: fasting in waiting for the Qa'im

The present work aims at examining the “pillars of islām”, according to Abū Ya‘qūb al-Sijistānī, one of the most outstanding Ismaili “missionaries” (du‘āt) of IV/X century, who originally belonged to the Qarmatian branch of Ismā‘īlism.Among the many works attributed to him, al-Sijistānī wrote the Kitāb al-iftikhār which deals also with the esoteric interpretation of the “pillars of islām”. In particular, the following analysis will focus on fasting in order to demonstrate how this “pillar” was considered a confirmation of the need to maintain secrecy (kitmān), one of the basic items of the Ismā‘īli doctrine.