Dāʿī
/ˈdɑːʕiː/noun
A Muslim missionary or religious preacher, especially one associated with Ismaili Islam.
Did you know?In Ismaili history, dāʿīs served as traveling religious agents who transmitted doctrine through organized networks, sometimes operating discreetly under hostile political regimes.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Semitic
Proto-Semitic
*dʿw
“To call, summon, or invite”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
daʿā
“He called, summoned, or invited”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
dāʿī
“One who calls or invites; a religious preacher or missionary”
10th–12th Century
Arabic
dāʿī
“A missionary representing Ismaili religious authority and spreading its teachings”
19th Century
English
dai
“A Muslim missionary, especially an Ismaili missionary”
Modern English
English
dāʿī
“A Muslim preacher or missionary, commonly transliterated with the letter ʿayn”