The Grades of the Dawat
In its classical Fatimid formulation, the dawat hierarchy proceeds from the Imam downward:
1. The Imam (al-Imam): The living, present Imam from the lineage of Ali and Fatima, designated by nass (explicit designation) from his predecessor. He is the pole (qutb) of the hierarchy — all knowledge and authority descend through him.
2. The Hujja (al-Hujja — Proof, Argument): The Imam’s chief representative in a region. In the Fatimid system, twelve hujjas corresponded to the twelve regions (jazira) of the da’wa’s reach. The hujja has direct access to the Imam’s guidance.
3. The Da’i (al-Da’i — Summoner): The missionary-teacher who actively summons believers to the da’wa. The da’i may have various ranks within the da’i tier.
4. The Ma’dhun (al-Ma’dhun — The Authorized One): The da’i’s authorized deputy; he acts within limits set by the da’i above him.
5. The Mustajib (al-Mustajib — Respondent): The ordinary believer who has answered the summons and entered the covenant; the base of the hierarchy.
Cosmic Correspondence
Each grade of the dawat corresponds to a level in the cosmic structure. The Imam corresponds to the Universal Soul’s human representation; the hujja corresponds to a structural role in the cosmic order. The cosmological mapping is not merely metaphorical — it expresses the doctrine that the dawat is the earthly instantiation of the cosmic structure.
See also: Ismaili Dai Al Duat, Ismaili Al Mithaq, Ismaili Cosmology Nafs, Understanding Walayah, Tawil Esoteric Interpretation