The Scientific Journey to Cairo in the Fatimid Era (362–567 AH / 972–1171 CE(

Abstract

After their move to Cairo،the Fatimid caliphs were determined to make the city the center of Fatimid missionary activity and a capital that could rival Baghdad and the major Islamic urban centers. Accordingly،the Fatimid caliphs exerted their full efforts to attract scholars from various cities across the Islamic world. As a result،a distinctive intellectual movement emerged in Egypt. This constituted both an intellectual and political success for the Fatimids،since attracting scholars from al-Andalus،Baghdad،and the eastern Islamic regions represented a source of soft power in modern political terminology. The success of this policy was evident in the spread of Fatimid Ismaili thought throughout different regions of the Islamic world.Therefore،this study traces the arrival of scholarly delegations to Cairo during the Fatimid period. The research may be divided into two sections: the first examines the journeys of scholars from the Maghreb and al-Andalus،and the second addresses scholars from the Islamic East.