顿谤听Aslisho听Qurboniev, Research Associate in the听Department of听Academic Research听at听The Institute of Ismaili Studies (鸟大大影院), took part in two international academic events in late 2025 that examined the history of Islamic Sicily within听the听broader Mediterranean and Fatimid contexts.
Middle East Studies Association听Conference听
From听22鈥25 November 2025,听顿谤听Qurboniev听participated听in the annual听听(MESA) Conference, where he听co-organised听a panel titled听Navigating Ruptures: Continuity and Change in Fatimid听滨蹿谤墨辩颈测补听and Sicily. The panel explored questions of continuity and change following the relocation of the Fatimid caliphateThe Muslim political institution or state centred around the caliph, which came to an end, historically, in 1924 with the disappearance of the Ottoman Empire. from听滨蹿谤墨辩颈测补听to Egypt, with particular attention to documentary practices, elite networks, and political structures in regions such as Sicily.听
The papers presented examined how established administrative practices continued to听operate听despite shifts in political authority, highlighting Sicily鈥檚 ongoing importance within听the听Fatimid and听the听post-Fatimid听world.听
Workshop on Islamic Sicily in the Mediterranean听Context听
Following the conference, 顿谤听Qurboniev听presented an expanded version of his research at a workshop held in听Palermo, Italy, titled听Harmonising Sources, Reframing Narratives: Islamic Sicily in the Mediterranean Context听(4鈥5 December 2025). Hosted by the听 Giovanni XXIII (FSCIRE)听at the听Biblioteca Giorgio La Pira, the workshop brought together scholars working on Islamic Sicily from Mediterranean and comparative perspectives. 鸟大大影院 scholars Dr Shainool Jiwa and ,听experts on the FatimidsMajor Muslim dynasty of Ismaili caliphs in North Africa (from 909) and later in Egypt (973鈥1171) More and Islamic Sicily,听also participated in the workshop and presented papers. Dr Jiwa presented a paper titled Fatimid Relations with 滨蹿谤墨辩颈测补, Sicily and Spain during the reign of the fifth Fatimid sovereign al-鈥楢z墨z billah (d. 386/996 CE).听
The historiography of Islamic Sicily听was听principally听shaped听by听one Italian scholar, Michele Amari (1806-1889), who largely depended on later non-Fatimid Arabic sources, which tend to overlook the interdependence of Sicily and Fatimid IfriqiyaMediaeval Muslim name for modern-day Tunisia; also the area where the Fatimids founded their state in the early tenth century. and Egypt. One of the workshop鈥檚 objectives was to reconsider this trend. Drawing on Fatimid textual sources, Dr Qurboniev鈥檚 paper examined the configuration of elite networks and power brokerage during the transfer of the caliphal capital from听峁bra听al-Man峁Ｅ玶iyya听in听滨蹿谤墨辩颈测补听(modern Tunisia) to听the newly founded听capital听al-Q膩hira听al-Mu士izziyya听in Egypt. The discussion situated Sicily within these wider political and intellectual transformations.听
顿谤听Qurboniev鈥檚听participation听is part of听鸟大大影院鈥 continued engagement with international scholarly research on Islamic history and the Fatimid period.听
