Description:
In six concise, clearly written chapters, Mohammad Shomali provides a scholarly and well-documented introduction to the principal features of Shi`i Islam, an important school of Islamic thought which has gained increasing prominence in recent years. Beginning with an examination of the term "Shi`i" - stressing its occurrence in numerous traditions of the Prophet, so that the origins of Shi`ism can be regarded as coterminous with those of Islam itself - the author then moves to a discussion of the textual and other sources of Shi`i thought: The Qur`an, the Sunnah of the Prophet, the teachings of the Infallible Imams from the Household of the Prophet, and the principles of reason and consensus as distinctively understood in Shi`ism. He follows with a review of the leading doctrines of Shi`i Islam, both those it holds in common with other Muslims and those that set it apart - divine justice, the Imamate, and the infallibility of the Imams. The devotional practices of Shi`i Islam are then presented in turn, followed by a review of its general characteristics, with stress on both spirituality and rationality. Concluding with a demographic survey of Shi`i populations and brief notes on cities with sacred associations, the book is carefully argued, and can be recommended as a useful source of reference for all those interested in Islamic studies. Mohammad Ali Shomali was born in Iran in 1965. A graduate of the seminary of Qum, Mr. Shomali holds an M.A. from the University of Tehran and a doctorate in philosophy from the University of Manchester. He currently teaches ethics and philosophy at the Islamic College for Advanced Studies (ICAS) in London.