Doctrines of Shi'i Islam

Abstract

The growing interest in Shi'ism in the western world since the Iranian revolution has resulted in the publication of numerous books and articles on Shi' i f slam. Most studies, however, focus on Shi' ism's historical develop­ ment, highlight differences between Shi'i and Sunni Islam, or discuss Shi'i political behavior in the context of the politics of violence. This book by Ayatullah Ja'far Sobhani, an emjnent scholar of Shi'ism and professor of Islamic studies in the Hawzah 'llmiyah of Qum (Iran), is a notable excep­ tion. The author is a Qur'anic commentator, a prolific writer, a biographer of the Prophet and Imam 'Ali, and has written several books on theology and jurisprudence. Sobhani opines that modern man (sic) is turning to religion once again because of his (sic) disillusionment with technological innovation and scientific advancement. The author seeks to meet this need by presenting an authoritative yet objective account of Shi' i Islam from within, and the Shi'is' perception of their tradition and of themselves without exaggeration and distortion. The book is a useful source for non-specialists as well as advanced readers who want to learn about the contemporary expression of Shi'i tradition from an authoritative source. As Shah Kazemi states in his introduction, the book presents an account of the mainstream religious thinking of contemporary Iran's official religious establishment, yet is not influenced by the revolutionary environment. It follows the traditional format and lines of argument laid out by previous Shi' i 'ulama. The book is divided into three chapters, preceded by the translator's forward and the author's preface. In chapter l, Sobhani establishes a philosophical framework within which he presents the doctrines of lthna 'Ashari Shi'ism. Chapter 2 discusses some legal issues and principles of Shi'i theology. In the third chapter, Sobhani departs from the traditional paradigm of Shi' i treatises and addresses some controversial and contested legal issues and challenges ...