The term dāʿī came to be applied to any authorised representatives of the Ismaili al-daʿwa al-hādiya (rightly guiding mission), who were religio-political propagandists responsible for spreading the Ismaili doctrine and winning followers for the Ismaili imam. Different ranks of dāʿīs emerged during the history of the Ismailis and among different branches.

No information is available on the organisation of the pre-Fāṭimid Ismaili daʿwa, but it is known that the movement was reorganised in about 260/873–74 around a hereditary line of leaders, later recognise…