Sevener
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Seveners (Arabic سبعية) are a branch of Ismā'īlī Shīˤa. They became known as "Seveners" because they believe that either Ismā'īl ibn Jaˤfar or his son Muħammad ibn Ismā'īl al-Maktum was the seventh and the last Imām (hereditary leader of the Muslim community in the direct line of ˤAlī ibn Abī Tālib).
Sometimes "sevener" is used to refer to all Ismailis, though those of Fatimid heritage recognize more than seven Imāms. Note that the number seven plays a general role in the theology of the Ismā'īliyya, including mystical speculations that there are seven heavens, seven continents, seven orifices in the skull, seven days in a week, seven prophets etc.
There are few strict Seveners — those who do not recognize the Fatimids — remaining among Muslims today.