During the 13th century, the Persian-speaking lands were devastated by a series of Mongol invasions resulting in the death and displacement of countless Muslims of the region. Contrary to beliefs, a small number of Ismailis survived the Mongol onslaught, together with the basic infrastructure of their religious organisation, the da'wa. The author here explores, by examining the 13th-century writings of the poet Nizari Quhistani, how the Persian Ismailis maintained their religious identity and community.