ASSASSINS
Have you ever wondered about the etymological origin of the word assassin?
Two key names frequently arise in historical accounts—whether you’re reading The Assassins by the distinguished historian Bernard Lewis or the beautifully crafted novel Samarkand by the erudite French-language writer Amin Maalouf. While the term is often casually linked to "hashish-eaters," any serious student of Middle Eastern history would quickly dismiss that oversimplification.
The so-called "Order of Assassins"—more accurately known as the Nizari Ismailis—was an Islamic sect. According to texts from Alamut, their stronghold in Persia, their leader Hassan-i Sabbah referred to his followers as Asāsīyūn (أساسيون), meaning "those who are faithful to the foundation [of the faith]." However, foreign travelers and chroniclers misunderstood or deliberately distorted the term, erroneously associating it with hashish.
Hassan-i Sabbah, a prominent Ismaili from Qom, is a central figure in this sect’s complex history, which falls within the broader Ismaili branch of Shia Islam. I was especially intrigued by the story of Nizam al-Mulk, the Grand Vizier of the Seljuk Empire, who tragically became one of the Assassins' most notable victims.
Conversely, I found it difficult to sympathize with Hassan-i Sabbah himself—a figure whose methods and ideology seemed to embody a darker side of his time, and perhaps even of ours.
As children, we were taught about the Ismailis in a far more benevolent light—largely due to the Aga Khan and his well-known philanthropy. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting several Ismaili merchants in Zanzibar, and those encounters only enriched my perspective.
History becomes even more captivating when a region enters your soul. In such moments, its stories don’t just inform you—they embrace you.
